Vol V, Issue II
2009-2010
S T. SMEBASTIAN’S
AG A Z I N E
THE CLASSICS PROGRAM
Program Overview
Learning to Buckle Down
Finding Yourself
Timeless yet Timely
p 12
p 16
p 20
p 22
2009-2010
Board of Trustees
Seán Cardinal O'Malley, OFM. Cap.
Chairman
David F. Gately '73
President
William L. Burke III P '95,'97,'00,'04
Executive Officer, Headmaster
Patrick T. Jones P'02
Secretary
Timothy J. McCarthy, Jr. '81, P'10
Treasurer
33
Features
Departments
4
Arrows in the News
30
Speakers
8
Discourse
32
Fine Arts Department
12
The Classics at St. Sebastian’s
36
Athletics
26
Making a Difference in
Rwanda
Cover Image
A scene from Vergil’s Aeneid - Aeneas is shown carrying his father during the flight from Troy.
St. Sebastian’s School Mission Statement
A Catholic independent school, St. Sebastian’s seeks to engage young men in the pursuit of
truth through faith and reason. By embracing Gospel values in an inclusive, nurturing community
and by inspiring intellectual excellence in a structured liberal arts curriculum, St. Sebastian’s
strives to empower students for success in college and in life. The ideal St. Sebastian’s graduate
will be a moral and just person, a gentleman of courage, honor, and wisdom, a life-long learner
who continues to grow in his capacity to know, to love, and to serve God and neighbor.
Credits
St. Sebastian’s Magazine publishes 3 times a year.
Photos by Rich Arms, Marshall Goldin, Richard Palmaccio,
Dan Tobin, iStockphoto/Duncan Walker.
2 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue I
St Sebastian’s School
1191 Greendale Ave
Needham, MA 02492
David H. Barlow '60
J. Devin Birmingham '84, P'14
Rev. John E. Brooks, S.J.
Devin C. Condron '92
William T. Connolly, Jr. P'10,'12
Michael F. Cronin P'06
John P. DiGiovanni '84, P'14
Mark E. Donovan P'07,'09,'12
Kevin F. Driscoll '72, P'05,'09
Kevin Ecclesine P'07,'10,'11
James L. Elcock '77, P'08
Thomas F. Flannery '77, P'06,'09
Rev. J. Bryan Hehir
Jane M. Hoch P'07
Wayne M. Kennard P'08
Rev. Brian R. Kiely
Douglas A. Kingsley P'10,'10,'12,'13
John A. Lawler IV '78
William A. O'Malley P'09,'10,'13
Sean P. O'Neil P'02,'05,'08
Stuart D. Porter
Peter J. Smail, Sr. P'05,'10
Robert M. Wadsworth P'10
Stephen P. Ward '96
Celeste E. Wolfe P'09,'12
Joanie Kingsley P'10,'10,'12,'13
President, Guild of St. Irene
Ted Hoff P'11,'13
President, Men’s Association
Patrick Hegarty '89
President, Alumni Association
Most Reverend John P. Boles '47
James A. Cotter, Jr. '57
J. Brad Griffith '58
Thomas J. Swan, Jr. '60
Frank M. Ward P'96
Trustee Emeriti
F ROM
THE DESK
OF THE HEADMASTER
WILLIAM L. BURKE III
“Those who trust in Him shall
understand truth, and the faithful
will abide with Him in love.”
—Wisdom 3:9
In God we trust. We pursue the truth. We live and grow in faith and love.
As you peruse this issue of the School’s magazine, I hope that you will sense some of the
ways in which the year’s theme of Trust has been manifesting itself, for, truly, a spirit of trust
undergirds the entire enterprise!
Parents entrust their sons to our care, and they join us in sacred partnership as we pursue
our common goal: inspiring our young men to become all that God wants them to be in body,
mind, and soul. Students trust teachers to do no harm, to hold them accountable, to call them
to greatness – and they trust their peers to stand with them, shoulder to shoulder, in true
Arrow Brotherhood. Faculty and staff trust one another to embrace and advance the same
clear and most important mission. Teachers trust students to give their best, most honest
efforts. Alumni trust us to nurture and strengthen their School. The Board of Trustees honors
the trust we place in them by dedicating themselves to preserving, protecting, and building up
the cultural treasure that is our beloved St. Sebastian’s School.
Fides facit fidem. Trust creates more trust. What a powerfully positive dynamic! What a
truly beautiful truth so wonderfully evident at St. Sebastian’s School today!
I wish to thank every member of the St. Sebastian’s family for your trust and for your
unwavering commitment to excellence.
May God continue to bless you every sacred step of the way.
Sincerely
William L. Burke III
Headmaster
WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
| 3
ARROWS IN THE NEWS
Around Campus
A brief look at the people and events that have helped to shape the
St. Sebastian's School Community.
Noteworthy
Tremblay Releases
Second Book
P
aul Tremblay's new novel No Sleep till
Wonderland was released on Tuesday,
February 2. A sequel to The Little Sleep,
the story once again features narcoleptic
detective Mark Genevich, who this time
finds himself in the middle of a murder
investigation and soon becomes the target
of the police, a sue-happy lawyer, and a
violent local bouncer.
Author Tod Goldberg commented,
“This is a novel filled with black humor, but
an even blacker subtext that makes the
reader question the nature of reality and
self. Wonderland is positively magnetic
fiction.” Publisher’s Weekly added, “The
clever writing will keep readers turning the
pages.”
Alumni Arrows Honored
at Annual Dinner
Well over 100 alumni, representing the
Classes of 1945 through 2004, attended the
Alumni Dinner on Tuesday, March 9. This
year’s dinner paid tribute to the
accomplishments of alumni who
participated on five Arrows sports teams. It
is the goal of the Alumni Association to use
future dinners to highlight other teams
from the School’s history.
Following welcoming remarks by
Headmaster Bill Burke and grace by Fr.
John Arens, Pat Hegarty ’89, President of
the Alumni Association, thanked his fellow
alumni for attending the dinner and
supporting the School. He gave an update
of this year’s Annual Fund and mentioned
the special gifts that would be given at the
end of the evening to the athletes being
recognized.
Headmaster Bill Burke returned to the
podium after dinner, where he introduced
the event’s first speaker, U.S. Senator Paul
Kirk ’56, who spoke about his service in the
Senate and the role he played as an assistant
coach for the 1960 football team, a team
being honored at the dinner for obtaining
an undefeated season. Coach Tom Green
’49, who led the 1960 football team, was
next to speak. He recounted stories of the
team’s success and commented that despite
his advancing years, he can still clearly see
the names and faces of the students who
played for him whenever he closes his eyes.
Current faculty member Dan Williams
’64 spoke fondly of his coaching experience
at St. Sebastian’s. In particular, he talked
about the ISL Championship 1991-92 and
1992-93 hockey teams which he, along with
Jack Doherty ’62, coached to ISL
Championships.
Athletic Coordinator Bob Souza, who is
best known as the longtime coach of the
School’s football team, talked about the year
he, along with assistant coaches George
Morelli and Paul Lepley, led the 1996
baseball team to an undefeated season in
the ISL, the only ISL school to this date to
hold that honor.
Faculty member and former assistant
basketball coach Jim Rest concluded the
evening when he spoke of the 1996
NEPSAC Class C Championship basketball
team which he, along with John Borden,
coached. He highlighted the
accomplishments of the team, noting that 4
of the 12 students in the School’s history to
be 1,000 point scorers were part of that
team.
4 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
Math Department faculty member Paul
Tremblay released his newest novel, No
Sleep till Wonderland, in February.
Current football coach Bob Souza and
former football coach Tom Green '49.
ARROWS IN THE NEWS
Faculty/Staff
Milestones
John Fee '11
Ed Donovan and his wife Stephanie
welcomed a new daughter, Samantha
Kathryn, on February 22.
Mike Deschenes and his wife MaryEllen welcomed a new son, Benjamin
Michael, on February 23.
Dan Goulet traveled to Antigua, outside
Guatemala City, over spring break, where
he married Ana Beatrice Villaneuva on
March 20.
Bob Souza has been named to the Class
of 2010 Hall of Fame by the Massachusetts
High School Football Coaches Association.
Meyer Chambers has been recognized
as a Distinguished Alumni by The Catholic
University of America.
Fee '11 Earns
Recognition for Essay
Joe Albanese '10
John Fee ’11 earned a First Runner-Up
Award in the Veterans of Foreign Wars’
2009 Voice of Democracy Speech
Scholarship Program. Fee was recognized
for his accomplishment at a banquet
hosted by the Lt. Manson H. Carter VFW
Post 2498 in Needham in February.
The Voice of Democracy Scholarship
Program is an audio-essay contest for
students in grades 9-12. Essays written and
recorded by students are judged for
originality, content, and vocal delivery. This
year’s topic was Does America Still Have
Heroes?
Albanese '10 and
Nunan '11 Win CANE
Honors
Joe Albanese '10 and Tom Nunan '11 were
recently awarded First and Third Place,
respectively, for their entries into the
Classical Association of New England's
Writing Contest.
The yearly contest is open to all New
England middle and secondary school
students who are taking Latin, Greek, or
Classics. Submitted works can be in the
form of essays, short stories, poems, or
drama. This year, the topic for the contest
was Loss and Recovery: An Ancient
Example.
Kingsley '10 Named
Finalist
Edward W. Kingsley has been named a
Finalist in the National Merit Scholarship
Program. In October Kingsley was one of
16,000 students out of 1.5 million to be
named a Semi-Finalist for his placement on
the 2008 Preliminary SAT National Merit
Scholarship Qualifying Test. Of that
number, 15,000 have advanced to Finalist
and are now eligible to be one of only 8,200
students who will earn a Merit Scholarship.
Scholarship recipients will be
announced later this spring.
Debate Team has
Success at St. Paul’s
The four-person team of Chris Marino ’10,
Ned Kingsley ’10, Joe Albanese ’10, and
Greg Kinlan ’10 placed Third in the
Advanced Division during a Debate
Tournament held at St. Paul’s School on
Sunday, January 31. Albanese and
Kingsley also received Second Place in the
Advanced Negative Pair Division.
The tournament featured a prepared
topic in the Oregon/Cross Examination
format. The topic was: The suppression of
maritime piracy should be the immediate
operational priority of the United States
Navy. St. Sebastian’s teams debated on both
sides of this resolution in both the Novice
and Advanced Divisions.
In addition to the St. Sebastian’s squad,
fourteen teams competed from the
following schools: Phillips Academy
Andover, Groton School, Roxbury Latin
School, St. Paul’s School, Winsor School,
and Belmont Hill School. ■
Tom Nunan '11
WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
| 5
ARROWS IN THE NEWS
Twelve Inducted into Cum Laude
Society
Areté · Diké · Timé
T
welve members of the Class of 2010 were inducted into the
Cum Laude Society during a ceremony on Thursday, January
7, 2010.
Following an opening prayer by Fr. John Arens and the singing
of the Battle Hymn of the Republic by the entire St. Sebastian’s
School Community, Headmaster Bill Burke, Assistant Headmaster
Mike Nerbonne, and Cum Laude Society Chapter Secretary David
Cornish inducted the twelve new members into the Society.
St. Sebastian’s Trustee, and parent of two of the inductees, Doug
Kingsley, Managing Director of North Bridge Growth Equity, gave
the keynote address (read remarks on page 8). During his remarks,
Kingsley spoke of the role the Society’s motto - areté, diké, and timé
(excellence, justice, and honor) – should play in the lives of the
inductees and the student body as a whole. He reminded the group
that they are “the most blessed people in the world because God
loves them, they are Americans, and they are at St. Sebastian’s
School.” Headmaster Bill Burke, who also spoke on the importance
of the motto, concluded the ceremony with his remarks.
6 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
The Cum Laude Society is dedicated to honoring scholastic
achievement in secondary schools. Modeled after Phi Beta Kappa,
the Cum Laude Society has grown to 350 Chapters located in public
and independent schools in the United States, Canada, England,
France, Spain, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. ■
Pictured below are the 2010 Cum Laude Society Inductees.
Back Row (l-r): Maxwell Kingsley, Brendan Ecclesine, Michael
O’Malley, Joseph Kilcullen, Michael Sanderson, Edward Kingsley, Cum
Laude Society Chapter Secretary David Cornish.
Front Row (l-r): Assistant Headmaster Michael Nerbonne, Andrew
Spencer, Taylor Peck, David Ruffolo, Christopher Moses, John Supple,
Joseph Albanese, Headmaster Bill Burke.
ARROWS IN THE NEWS
The St. Sebastian's School
ONLINE STORE
St. Sebastian's School is pleased to announce the return of its Online Store. To purchase official
St. Seb's gear, click the "Online Store" option at www.stsebastiansschool.org.
More items will be added during the upcoming months. Some of the items currently available online
include:
Evolux™ Fleece Jacket
Adidas Men's ClimaProof®
Adidas Hooded Sweatshirt
WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
| 7
DISCOURSE
By Doug Kingsley
Always Strive for Areté
G
"Live a good life
and cherish each
and every person
you meet as a
unique and
irreproducible
gift from God..."
ood morning. It is an honor to speak to
you young men today. I was going to say
boys, but Joe Bergeron ’10 set me straight
that this is a man’s school. My hearty congratulations to the twelve inductees to the Cum Laude Society. The Cum Laude Society was founded in
Maryland in 1906 with the mission to recognize academic achievement in secondary schools. As you
heard from Mr. Cornish, the Society’s motto, Areté,
Diké, Timé, are the Greek words for Excellence, Justice, and Honor. So as we honor our Cum Laude
laureates today, let us dwell for a moment on areté excellence. Clearly, these young men have exhibited
excellence in their four years of study here at St. Sebastian’s School. The countless hours of study, the
long nights of homework, and the diligence in class,
in labs, writing papers, and giving speeches - you
gentlemen have worked hard and done well. Your
excellent work and academic achievements are an
example to your classmates and schoolmates.
The Cum Laude Society translates areté as
excellence, but there is more to it. Areté is perhaps
the most articulated value in Greek culture, and the
word actually means something closer to “being the
best you can be,” or “reaching your highest human
potential.” In Homeric poems, areté is frequently
associated with bravery, but more often with
effectiveness. The man of areté is a man of the
highest effectiveness: one who uses all his faculties strength, bravery, moral character, and intelligence to achieve results.
How many of you woke up this morning and said
to yourself, “Today I am going to be the best I can be
8 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
and reach my highest human potential?” Well, you
should, because that’s your job gentlemen, each and
every one of you. Your parents expect it, your
teachers expect it, and yes, God expects it.
Headmaster Burke likes to say he never met a
happy lazy person. So true. You need to strive every
day for areté, for excellence, in everything you do.
Your school work, your relationships with others, on
the athletic fields, and in your relationship with God.
Why do you need to be excellent? Why do you
need to work so hard? Well, simply put, it’s because
you are the most blessed 365 men on the face of the
earth. Hyperbole? Not really. Think about it. God
loves you. You are Americans. And you attend St.
Sebastian’s School. How could you possibly be more
blessed? And with those great blessings come great
responsibilities.
God loves you. You live in a world in which our
loving God offers you the promise of eternal
salvation. Live a good life and cherish each and every
person you meet as a unique and irreproducible gift
from God, and you can get to heaven. Not a bad deal.
You live in the United States of America, the
greatest nation the world has ever known. You have
freedoms you take for granted like the air you
breathe. In America you can live where you want,
think and say what you want, and worship as you will.
Work hard and you can achieve anything. As Dinesh
D’Souza said on this very spot three years ago, in
America, you are the architect of your own destiny.
The freedoms you possess were unheard of on earth
just a few generations ago.
You live in peace and prosperity. You don’t go to
sleep worrying whether or not you will be machetted
to death as happened to so many in Rwanda just a
few years ago, as we learned in this Church from
Immaculée Ilibagiza. You live under a warm blanket
of peace and freedom provided by millions of men
and women in our military - like Joe Albanese’s dad
and James Jones, Brandon and Bryce’s father. Like
your fellow Arrows now in the military, Ken and
Greg Mateo, Patrick Kelly, Joe Clark, Harry and
Andrew Maxwell, Jim McLaughlin, and so many
others. In the history of mankind there has never
been a freer and more prosperous people than
Americans today. What a gift for you. Take
advantage of it.
You attend St. Sebastian’s School, the greatest
school in America. What other school has the
mission of St. Sebastian’s? You can’t find one. As
Mike Ewing’s mom says, “St. Sebastian’s is not the
buildings, it’s the people. There are no hallowed halls,
just hallowed hearts.” Where else in the world would
you find a Mike Nerbonne, Chris Lynch, Greg Lynch,
Mr. Nunan, Mrs. Atwood, Father Arens, Mr. Wilbur,
Mr. Cornish, Mr. Wu, Mr. Jim Sullivan, and on and
on? Every teacher at St. Sebastian’s is a blessing for
you, men and women who give their heart and soul
and sweat every day so you can be the best you can be
in body, mind, and spirit. And best of all, as Tom
Keefe said in the Chapel on curriculum night, “Every
boy at St. Sebastian’s has a front row seat.” Use that
front row seat to achieve areté, to be excellent in
everything you do.
You don’t need to look far for inspiration and
examples of how to be excellent. Start at home with
your parents. Think for a minute about what your
parents do for you and your family. How hard they
work, how much they love you. You can love them
back by working hard yourself and striving for
excellence in all you do.
Look around you at your classmates and the 12
seniors being honored today. There is nothing
stopping any of you seventh or eighth graders from
being a Cum Laude inductee, since technically you all
have the same high school grade point average of 0.0
until you hit the ninth grade.
Look at your teachers. Think about how they
strive for excellence every day. Mr. Jack “the
Hammer” Goulet drives to school each day from the
Cape and is pretty much here before any of you.
That’s dedication. That is excellence. Recently Mr.
Kern Fitzgerald, Class of 1979, was honored by the
School for 25 years of selfless service as an athletic
trainer, science and physical education teacher, and
coach to countless Arrows. A man of excellence in
his fields of endeavor. The same night, Most
Reverend John Boles, Class of 1947, was honored for
his service to the School over the last 60 years as a
teacher, a past headmaster, and a trustee. If ever there
was an excellent priest, it is Bishop Boles.
At St. Sebastian’s you stand on the shoulders of
giants like Bishop Boles, who built the School into
what it is today. Look to our beloved dead, people
like Jack Birmingham ’59 and Father Charles Riepe,
who built the heart of this School. Let us not forget
Ruthe Bergin, who literally nourished every boy who
walked these halls for 40 years. I remember one day
Ruthe saying to me, “Your son didn’t eat much today.
Is he feeling okay?” She was referring to Doug and I
think she meant he didn’t go back for thirds. But the
point is, she knew all you boys and thousands before
you. She nourishes us today with the memory of her
hard work and her excellence. And yes, look to your
fellow Arrows Will Judge and Erik Ward, whose
memory will always inspire us.
Well, it’s now 2010. For you seniors, your time is
short - don’t mail it in. Do well on your exams, put
your heart and soul into your senior service projects,
and finish strong. Because life doesn’t ever get easy you need to strive for excellence every day.
On Monday, Headmaster Burke spoke about the
difference between being successful and fruitful, the
key being Community. Perhaps areté, reaching your
highest human potential, really means to succeed as a
human by building relationships with others.
We also heard from my son, Max, who said we
are not big on video games, Facebook, texting, and so
on. That’s because they are actually anti-social. Every
moment spent looking at a screen is a moment away
from people. So here’s some advice: turn off the
Blackberry, take the ear buds out. Build and cherish
personal relationships. In 20 years no one will
remember your score on a video game. They will
remember your smile at the lunch table, how you
picked them up after a tough hockey loss, or how you
helped them build a mousetrap car.
I will close with the advice that four of your
classmates hear often on the drive to school. Count
your many blessings every day and never complain,
say your prayers, use the gifts God has given you to
the best of your abilities, and lead by example. Gee,
that kind of sounds like “Love God, work hard, and
take good care of one another.” Simple. It’s a New
Year, gentlemen. Get to work. Be excellent. God
bless you. ■
Editor’s Note – Doug Kingsley offered this keynote
address during the St. Sebastian’s School Cum Laude
Induction Ceremony on Thursday, January 7, 2010.
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| 9
DISCOURSE
By Andrew Phillips '10
Finding Humanity in a Time of
Hopelessness
S
“This trip allowed
me to see the
inherent altruism
present within
humanity - a
characteristic only
strengthened
when people work
together toward a
common goal.”
he was an unrelenting force. She was completely lacking in restraint and devoid of any
sympathy. She was unconscious and unbiased
to race, sex, creed, or socio-economic status. The
power of her arrival shocked everyone, and her departure beckoned help from all corners of the nation. She physically destroyed homes, schools, and
businesses and emotionally devastated its past inhabitants. Her name was Katrina, and she brought
irreparable harm to those living in Louisiana.
Mr. Burke, Fr. Arens, members of the faculty, and
fellow students.
This past spring break I participated in the service
trip to Louisiana to help those adversely affected by
Hurricane Katrina. Although I initially thought the
trip would be a somber one, it turned into a
rejuvenating experience. As the week progressed, a
communal bond emanated between myself and those
with whom I worked in Louisiana. This experience
allotted me time for personal reflection on my own
life. Also, this trip allowed me to see the inherent
altruism present within humanity - a characteristic
only strengthened when people work together toward
a common goal.
Upon arrival I was immediately welcomed and
immersed in the southern culture. Corpus Christi
Church graciously decided to house and feed our
school group for our week of service in New Orleans.
Over a feast of Louisiana standards, I talked with a
few Corpus Christi parishioners on my first night.
Most notably, I remember Ms. Shelita and her family
10 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
detailing the strife they had endured in the
hurricane’s wake. Anything of monetary value had
floated down the street. When I stood in her garage I
could see throughout the entire house, as Katrina
only left the wooden support beams. But Ms. Shelita
noted any financial loss was trivial in comparison to
that which she suffered emotionally. Her community
was turned upside down. Her friends and family fled
to all different parts of the country. The home and
neighborhood that she once called her own was
decimated by the hurricane. Hearing of those horrors
motivated me for the week, as I now truly understood
what my labor was working toward.
For the entire week I worked alongside my
classmates to repair Ms. Shelita’s dilapidated house. I
had high hopes that as the week commenced Ms.
Shelita and her family would be able to move back
into their home. Throughout the week we insulated
the house and put up sheet rock. Before this trip I
thought many of the tasks we were going to perform
would be simple. I soon realized that although the
work wasn’t conceptually perplexing, the execution of
each job required both mental determination and
physical dexterity. Each piece of insulation had to be
precisely measured and cut to fit into its respective
position in the wall. This process was further
exacerbated when the fiberglass insulation came in
contact with my skin and eyes. Fitting the sheet rock
into place also became a trial, particularly when
dealing with the ceilings. With two ladders spaced
evenly apart, a partner and I climbed the ladders with
the sheet rock mounted on our shoulders. Testing our
upper arm strength, we raised the sheet rock and kept
our arms extended for several minutes while a third
person drilled. Although
the work was strenuous, I
still managed to enjoy the
trip as I shared my
difficulties with those
around me. The
parishioners of Corpus
Christi Church were
receptive to all of our
troubles and needs; a
testament to the innate
goodness present in even
the most vulnerable of
people. On our final day
all the volunteers and parishioners congregated to
celebrate the extensive rehabilitation. Through a sea
of tears Ms. Shelita showered our group with
gratitude and praise, a parting gift confirming the
good work we had done.
This trip afforded me one of the few opportunities
I have had to step back and look at life objectively. I
have realized the destructive damage the natural
world is capable of incurring. I have also come to
realize the power in humanity’s response to tragedy.
Although adversity maintains a ubiquitous presence
in the world, those with whom I worked in Louisiana
reminded me it’s our
reaction to such
difficulties that matter.
The hospitality and
selflessness I experienced
from those who suffered
incomprehensible loss has
made me look at people
differently. Even though
the world is viewed at
times as a place rife with
corruption and vice, I
have found people can
maintain a sense of
goodness and compassion to those most in need.
Thank You. ■
Even though the world is
viewed at times as a place
rife with corruption and
vice, I have found people can
maintain a sense of goodness
and compassion to those
most in need.
Editor’s Note - Andrew Phillips ’10 gave this Chapel
Speech to the entire St. Sebastian’s School Community
on Monday, March 8, days before 24 students and 6
faculty members would embark on another service trip
to New Orleans.
Lucas Mykulak ’11, Alex Hunnewell ’11, Charlie Callanan ’11, and Will Vietze ’11 remove a carpet from a classroom
during this year’s service trip to New Orleans.
WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
| 11
THE CLASSICS
The Study of Latin and Greek
Non Scholae, Sed Vitae.
By Sean Albertson
S
torm-tossed and disheartened, Aeneas consoles his fellow
shipwrecked Trojan refugees with the words, forsan et haec
olim meminisse iuvabit. “Perhaps one day, it will be a pleasure to recall even these things.”
These words have echoed in Latin lessons through the decades at
St. Sebastian’s and even adorn our walls. Although occasionally
employed as humorous
commentary on the hard toil of
the study of Classics, St.
Sebastian’s students know their
real meaning - leadership,
courage, perseverance. In that
very moment, Vergil’s Aeneas
powerfully exemplifies why we
study the Classics -- non scholae,
sed vitae. “Not for school, but for
life.”
Mass and read St. Jerome’s Vulgate Bible and St. Augustine’s
Confessions.
The curriculum of the St. Sebastian’s Classics Department
achieves these goals through a combination of rigorous courses, a
reading-based approach to the learning of the languages, varied
extracurricular opportunities, and energetic, knowledgeable faculty.
The Middle School
Ecce! In pictura est puella,
nomine Cornelia. While hardly
on par with the opening words
of Homeric or Vergilian epic,
our Latin lesson begins, “Look!
In the picture, there is a girl,
named Cornelia.” However, for
St. Sebastian’s students studying
Latin over the past three
decades, these words are no less memorable.
Our reading-based textual series, Ecce Romani, follows the lives
of the Cornelius family from their summer home in Baiae to their
life back in Rome. Memorable characters such as Marcus, Cornelia,
and Sextus form the foundation of our study as they travel and grow
to adulthood. Their carriage famously becomes stuck in a ditch
along the Appian Way (for ten chapters, no less!), Cornelia marries,
Marcus comes of age, and Uncle Titus dies. We study the historical
characters and mythology which influenced their lives and continue
to do the same in ours.
Throughout these encounters, St. Sebastian’s uses Ecce Romani to
place an emphasis upon the discovery of the vocabulary and
grammatical structure of Latin. Unlike the grammar-translation
texts which open each chapter with charts devoid of context, the
The rigor, pace, and expectations
of the Greek and Latin courses
prepare our students for success
in college and life.
Goals of the Classics Department
The fundamental goal of studying Classics at St. Sebastian’s is the
development of proficiency in reading Latin and Greek literature
and understanding its unbroken influence on humanity. Although
proponents of Latin and Greek often tout the practical benefits of
learning grammar and word derivations, the St. Sebastian’s Classics
Department firmly believes that the true and lasting benefit of
studying the Classics is the intrinsic value of the literature.
Through close attention to the thought, word, and deed of Greece
and Rome, St. Sebastian’s students develop the ability to think,
speak, write, and act with increased clarity, cogency, and
knowledge. As a Catholic institution, these goals find particular
expression as our students participate in the Latin tradition of the
12 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
students of Ecce Romani begin each chapter by reading a story. As
they do so, students discover meanings appropriate to the context
and build a structure of the grammar which, because of their own
effort, is stronger than the traditional grammar-based approach.
Although some students entering St. Sebastian’s in grades eight
and nine will study Latin I in one academic year, most students
embark upon a two-year introduction in the seventh grade. The
rigor of their discovery begins in these seventh grade classes.
Students study verbs through all four conjugations and learn six verb
tenses as they build their knowledge of principal parts. Likewise,
their encounters with the nouns lead them through all five cases of
the first three declensions - learning the concept of gender and even
such memorable constructions as the Ablative of Means. As the
chapters continue, the complexity of individual sentences increases
and the length of the readings grows from five lines to twenty-five.
Eighth grade study broadens our students’ knowledge of these
building blocks of Latin. After intensive review, they encounter
fourth and fifth declension nouns and discover the concept of
passive verbs. After honing their knowledge through all six tenses in
the passive voice, they gain command of the expression of participles
in Latin sentences and even delve into traditional Latin II grammar
such as the subjunctive mood of verbs. As they do so, their Latin
experience begins to inform their own spoken and written
communication.
The overwhelming majority of students new to St. Sebastian’s
have no experience with Latin. St Sebastian’s School does not even
require Latin. Yet, multitudes of students begin a study of Latin in
the middle school -- perhaps embracing the known challenge or
acting on the faith and vision of their parents. It is through these
rigorous studies that our students gain the desired reading
proficiency, proper perspective, and work ethic to engage the
material even further.
The Upper School
For many students of the Classics, their upper school course of
study takes them from Latin II as freshmen all the way to Latin V
Advanced Topics and Introduction to Greek as seniors. After the
homogeneous grouping of our middle school, students have the
opportunity to study Latin II and Latin III at both the standard and
honors levels. In these courses, St. Sebastian’s students continue to
build their skills by reading the stories of Ecce Romani before
transitioning to authentic passages from Pliny, Seneca, Caesar,
Cicero, and Vergil. In this sequence, our Latin students learn the
grammatical constructions most emblematic of their advanced
study - from ablative absolutes to passive periphrastics. At the
same time, they engage themselves deeply in the historical and
cultural settings, as well as the philosophical thought.
As St. Sebastian’s Classics students move beyond Latin III, the
minimum requirement, the opportunity to gain depth and mastery
abounds. For some, the opportunity leads to the study of Latin IV
Honors. Perhaps our most important offering, this course allows
juniors still building their abilities the opportunity to read Catullus,
Ovid, Horace, Vergil, and St. Augustine. For others, the opportunity
arises to study Latin IV Advanced Placement which reads Vergil’s
Aeneid. In either setting, these juniors read significant literature
while diligently tracing the development of characters, themes, and
motifs. Their appreciation of an author’s placement of the words or
of a poem’s meter and sound grows so strong that they come to
understand that these texts ultimately defy any accurate translation
from the Latin. Their deep appreciation and passion for the Classics,
as well as the realization of the unique opportunity St. Sebastian’s
offers, frequently draws students into Latin V Advanced Topics and
our Introduction to Greek.
Classics and the St. Sebastian’s School Mission
As students progress through all levels of study, the Classics
Department advances the mission of St. Sebastian’s School in ways
beneficial now and in the future.
First, as students develop their understanding of the intricacies
of the languages and of thought of Greece and Rome, they sharpen
their critical reading and thinking skills. In addition to sharing
much topically with the English, History, Art, and Religion
Departments, the Classics Department makes this important
Vergilian Actus
Vergil anyone? At night? With a Harvard professor? In
front of parents?
Despite some trepidation, our Arrows answer “yes” to
the unique opportunity that is known as St. Sebastian’s
Vergilian Actus. Each May, Professor Richard Thomas of
Harvard University’s Classics Department offers a public
examination of the Latin students concluding their year
of Advanced Placement Vergil.
Nervous emotions precede the Actus. Calm, confident
conversation dominates the night.
Dan Burke ’97 recounted, “I remember the trepidation
heading into the examination. While I had performed
well on my written tests and could confidently answer
questions in class, being on stage in front of a Harvard
professor was a different experience.”
Ned Kingsley ’10 added, “The Actus was definitely difficult, but I thought the experience was invaluable in my
preparation for the AP Exam.”
At Actus, the St. Sebastian’s students reach the conclusion that they are well-prepared for their imminent AP
exam, that they truly have engaged the material as a college Classics major would, and that they can match wits
with the best in discussions of epic similes, themes, or
characters’ deaths. Without surprise, many Actus veterans study Classics in college.
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THE CLASSICS
contribution to the skills needed in order to be successful across St.
Sebastian’s curriculum. Likewise, Classics students derive enormous
benefit from these disciplines. The informed persuasiveness of their
writing in class, on Advanced Placement exams, and in the CANE
(Classical Association of New England) Essay Contest provide clear
evidence of their ability to reason and engage in the intellectual
excellence St. Sebastian’s seeks to inspire.
Second, the Latin traditions of St. Sebastian’s connect us to
Catholic worship as practiced over the millennia. The Classics
Department seeks to support the growth of our students’ faith and
reason as they read of conversion in St. Augustine or examine
scripture in St. Jerome’s Vulgate. The annual Latin Mass, the
recitation of the Pater Noster in Chapel, and the singing of the
Rorate Caeli or Attende Domine provide an important link to our
Catholic faith and traditions. So notable is our Pater Noster
recitation that recent reviewers of the Classics Department,
Professor William Ziobro of Holy Cross and Dr. Andres Reyes of
Groton, were inspired to write: “So the custom seems to reinforce, in
a quiet and consistent manner, the lessons of the classroom and
those of St. Sebastian’s mission statement, while enhancing the
appreciation of the role of the Latin language in Western
Civilization.”
Finally, the rigor, pace, and expectations of the Greek and Latin
courses prepare our students for success in college and life. Widely
read and possessing the strength of faith and reason, the students of
the Classics ably face the demands and choices they encounter in
college and beyond. The alumni reflections offered in the pages
which follow certainly provide excellent commentary on the wideranging and lasting benefits of the Classics.
Greg Lynch ’00 teaching Latin at St. Sebastian’s.
14 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
Extracurricular Activities
The students’ appreciation and excitement for the Classics has
given rise to traditions beyond the classroom. The St. Sebastian’s
Latin Club has over 80 members from the upper school alone.
Eagerly supported by their families, these students participate in
our annual Latin Mass, which is traditionally offered on the eve of
our Christmas break. Celebrated by Fr. Paris, the Mass features
Schola accompaniment and is followed by dinner in Ward Hall. The
Latin Mass has become a tradition which even unites the
generations as many grandparents accompany their grandsons.
In the spring, St. Sebastian’s students and families gather again
for the ever popular Certamen Night. Certamen (Latin for “contest”)
pits teams of four as they vie to outscore one another in questions of
history, culture, mythology, etymology, and grammar. Ranging
from the humorous traditional question, “Translate: Sum puella,” (“I
am a girl”) to the poetic technique contained in Vergil’s arma
virumque cano (metonymy), this night always represents the best of
friendly intellectual battle which will continue at Holy Cross’
Classics Day.
Perhaps the students’ favorite day, Classics Day at Holy Cross
offers grand spring weather and exciting competition. Competing
against an array of public and private schools from Massachusetts,
St. Sebastian’s has always fared well. With many trophies for Upper
and Lower Division Certamen - and even a few for the Costume
Competition -- St. Sebastian’s students stand out for their spirit and
ability.
Finally, Mr. Cressotti’s Vulgate Bible reading group is a two-year
old extracurricular offering which students have willingly embraced.
Gathering during Lent, students from all grades of the upper school
voluntarily sit together each afternoon to read and discuss the
passages from St. Jerome. This year, students are reading the Gospel
of Mark.
Mr. Cressotti observed, “That these students show this discipline
and devotion of their own free will is, of course, impressive. What is
more impressive, however, is that these students are doing the
reading in Latin - the same Latin St. Jerome used to translate the
Bible approximately 1600 years ago.” The students’ interest in their
self-education and in deepening their faith is truly an indicator of
the health of our St. Sebastian’s mission.
Faculty Development
The Classics faculty have always remained committed to
opportunities to improve their knowledge and teaching. Availing
themselves of the Classical Association of New England’s annual
conferences, summer seminars sponsored by the National
Endowment for the Humanities, St. Sebastian’s Summer Sabbatical
Program, and master’s programs during the year and summer, the
faculty remains dedicated to growth which will impact the
classroom.
Faculty growth has recently branched into new realms. Last year,
Michael Deschenes presented a paper at the conferences of the
Classical Association of New England and the American Classical
League entitled, “The Nuclear Sword of Damocles: Classical
Allusions in John F. Kennedy’s Speeches.” Likewise, Greg Lynch will
offer a paper in June at the American Classical League conference.
Utilizing the movies, Saving Private Ryan, Taking Chance, and We
Were Soldiers, Mr. Lynch seeks to offer teachers a contemporary and
effective approach to teaching the Aeneid. Lastly, Jim Ferguson has
embarked upon a journey to earn his Ph.D. in Classics at Boston
University. Each of these teachers is a model of the lifelong learner
we seek each St. Sebastian’s graduate to be.
Present Success and the Future
The success of the St. Sebastian’s Classics Department is the rigor
of its courses and a study directed toward reading the great prose
and poetry of Greece and Rome. Students are exposed not only to
the precise and thoughtful construction of the writing, but also to
the equally long-enduring philosophical contributions made
through the literature.
The success of the Classics is also owed to a supportive school
administration and a community of families seeking the training of
the mind and the growth of the individual the Classics provide.
Forty-three percent of St. Sebastian’s students are studying the
Classics this year. Latin students comprise fifty-three percent of this
year’s seventh grade class. A consistent momentum surrounds the
study of Classics.
An alumnus from the Class of 1960 returning to a St. Sebastian’s
Latin or Greek class in 2010 should recognize the enthusiasm of the
teachers and students, the precise intellectual training, and the
reflection upon the important thought which has shaped our own
culture. As a Department, we seek to preserve and enhance that
experience so that a member of the Class of 2010 would witness the
same fifty years hence.
In order to do this, the Classics Department will remain
committed to instruction which keeps the reading of great literature
as its focus. Recently faced with the elimination of the Latin V
Advanced Placement course by the College Board, the Classics
Department decided to maintain the readings and expand the scope
of the course, now healthily enrolled by seniors seeking to attain
depth and mastery of the literature. Likewise, a recent internal and
external review of the Classics Department has motivated us to
extend our Greek offerings. Now, the possibility will exist for juniors
to study Introduction to Greek which can be followed in the senior
year by an intermediate reading course.
As time moves on the prominence of the Classics at St.
Sebastian’s and in our world will continue to grow. The lessons and
solace garnered from the great literature, the philosophy, and the
traditions will always have a place informing our thought, our
writing, and our faith. St. Sebastian’s will be there. Non scholae, sed
vitae. ■
Faculty Focus on Jim Ferguson
Jim Ferguson has been teaching in
St. Sebastian’s Classics Department for sixteen years. Coming
out of graduate school he was
drawn to this community, where
the value of the Classics is understood and honored.
“I am delighted and grateful to
teach at a school where the Classics and classical humanities are
valued - where they are really at
the center of the School,” noted Ferguson. “At St. Sebastian’s,
the Classics are not just tacked onto the curriculum. They are
at the heart of the School. We do not have to justify our existence.
“As a Catholic, I also enjoy seeing Latin flourish in the context
of the Church. I enjoy starting each class with the Pater Noster
and Ave Maria. It is gratifying to see Latin still alive in our liturgical life.”
In addition to teaching, Ferguson has always striven to extend
his own learning. Although he had taken scattered courses in
the summer and some others during the academic year, Ferguson recently decided to commit to earning his Ph.D. in Classics
at Boston University.
“Things have come full circle. When I was an undergrad in
Dublin, my interest was ancient philosophy,” Ferguson said. “I
had the privilege of studying with John Gaskin, a luminary in
Stoicism and Epicureanism (see story on page 19). What I am
doing now is getting back to that at Boston University.
“As I move toward research and writing, I am returning to that
interest in ancient philosophy, in particular, how Greek philosophy became part of Roman leisure time and became vital to
the Roman governing class. I am able to pursue this due to the
support of St. Sebastian’s.”
When sitting in a course at Boston University, Ferguson’s gratitude always keeps him focused upon his own students at St.
Sebastian’s.
He concluded, “It all comes back to the students. When I am a
student, I think, ‘How can this benefit my students and add to
their own understanding? How can I bring this back to my own
classroom?’ I work hard to make the complex comprehensible.”
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THE CLASSICS
Learning To Buckle Down
Joe Albanese ’10 credits his study of the Classics for making him a better thinker and
learner.
By Dan Tobin
“
Some people feel like Latin is being phased out and that it is a
dead language which is going to die again. I don’t think that’s
true,” stated Joe Albanese ’10. “I still think Latin applies to
today’s world and has the same virtues it always has had. I think
studying Latin is a mark of being ‘learned,’ a kind of coming of age
in terms of language.”
Albanese has been taking Latin since his days as a student at
Fessenden. Upon entering St. Sebastian’s as a ninth grader, he
continued in his study of the Classics. He said he likes the subject
because it not only deals with language, but also the culture, history,
and philosophy of Greece and Rome. He feels that those cultures
directly relate to our culture today.
“We live in a democracy which is based a lot on the Roman
Republic,” he pointed out. “If you study and learn about their
culture, it helps you to better understand our own culture. It’s
important as a westerner to learn about it.”
He goes on to compare the two societies. He starts by discussing
their political system and how Roman liberals and conservatives
back then can be related to our present day political groups. He then
points out how everyday people enjoyed similar types of social
activities, drawing a parallel between the Roman Coliseum and
Fenway Park.
“The Romans and Greeks of 2,000 years ago had the original
ideas of how the world should function. In class we read those ideas
and compares them to other philosophies and the philosophies of
today,” he noted. “Studying the Classics has made me wonder more
about the world. For example, if I was a Roman, would I be a Stoic
or an Epicurean (see page 19)? Is the soul immortal, or not?”
16 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
Joe Albanese ’10 with Headmaster Bill Burke following the Cum
Laude Society Induction Ceremony in January.
Albanese went on to say, “In Rome, there were two major
philosophies. The Classics challenged me to think in a modern
context, in the context of a Catholic school, as to which philosophy
made the most sense. Does it make sense that if you serve your
country, like Cicero says, there’s a special place for you in Heaven
because you’re patriotic? Or should you believe that life is a limited
thing, and you should use this
life to pursue the things we
enjoy? Learning the Classics was
like taking a mini philosophy
class.”
Albanese freely admits that
Latin has not been an easy
language to learn, and he is quick
to credit his teachers for making
the Classics experience so
enjoyable. He believes the Classics faculty members are some of the
best teachers at St. Sebastian’s School.
“The teachers here are notoriously tough. The subject is
notoriously difficult,” he stated. “That’s what makes it such a great
experience.”
Albanese says the Classics faculty provides a “strong presence”
and “reflects well on the program as a whole.” He points to Mr.
Ferguson, Mr. Albertson, and Mr. Cressotti as three teachers who
have personally impacted his experience.
“Mr. Ferguson brings a great dynamic to the classroom. He’s
very relaxed and very fair,” noted Albanese. “He wants you to enjoy
the poetry. He wants you to not just read it as a nightly homework
requirement, but to take the time to actually understand it.”
He added, “Mr. Albertson is a very interesting experience when
you have him in class – very challenging and rewarding. There is a
lot of homework, I’m not going
to lie. It is tough to get good
grades. You have to work really
hard. I think that makes you
better at Latin, and also better at
studying in general. It makes the
entire class come closer together.
You have to work together in
study groups to learn the
material.
“Mr. Albertson’s entire class is spent reading and studying Vergil’s
Aeneid. Mr. Albertson always tells us that we will never have another
class where we would only study one book and have the chance to
delve that deep into one text. We now know it like the back of our
hands. It’s such a great Latin book.”
When speaking about Mr. Cressotti, he is quick to point out how
his enthusiasm for Latin helps to energize the entire class. He credits
Mr. Cressotti with introducing texts that wouldn’t be studied indepth until later years.
The teachers here are notoriously
tough. The subject is notoriously
difficult. That’s what makes it such a
great experience.
Classics by the Numbers
53
89
56
35
55
43
15
The percentage of seventh grade students electing to take Latin during the 2009-2010 school year.
The number of National Latin Exam awards received in 2010 by St. Sebastian’s School students.
The average percentage of St. Sebastian’s School students’ National Latin Exams awarded summa cum laude
and maxima cum laude.
The percentage of students nationally receiving grades of 4 or 5 on the Vergil Advanced Placement exam.
The percentage of St. Sebastian’s School students receiving grades of 4 or 5 on the Vergil Advanced Placement
exam.
The percentage of St. Sebastian’s School students enrolled in the Classics.
The percentage of students enrolled in the Classics at peer institutions (note - institutions that, like St. Sebastian’s, do not have a Classics requirement).
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THE CLASSICS
Classics teacher Jim Ferguson discusses an ancient Latin text with his advisee Joe Albanese ’10.
“He came off as someone who is very passionate about the
Classics,” he commented. “A lot of the stuff I am learning now, he
introduced me to and set the context for a few years back.”
In general, Albanese discusses how his love for the Classics grew
as he progressed through the program. He points to the smaller class
sizes at the upper levels as the
driving force which enabled his
fellow Classics classmates to
bond as a community. Now
taking his final Latin class as a
senior, he has come to view the
subject in a completely different
manner.
“I don’t view this class so
much ‘as work,’ as I did earlier
ones when I was learning the
language, but more of ‘as enjoyment,’” he pointed out. “This year we
are able to leisurely read Latin poets and have discussions on the
texts. We’re reading some really great stuff, some really deep
philosophical texts.”
Next year Albanese will be heading to Georgetown, where he
plans on studying international politics or international relations.
He is already crediting the rigor of St. Sebastian’s, and the years spent
studying the Classics, for preparing him to succeed at the college
level.
“Studying the Classics at St. Sebastian’s has taught me how to
buckle down and study for long periods at a time,” he commented.
“It has laid the groundwork for other languages I might decide to
take in college. It has given me a
solid background on the culture of
a specific time period and how it
relates to life today.”
He concluded, “It’s the hard
classes where you really learn what
you’re made of. You learn more
about your own interests and
ideas. I feel Latin offers something
really unique. I did, overall, enjoy
the texts, my Classics classmates,
and the teachers. It was a great experience. The fact that it was hard
meant I had to work hard for something I really wanted. I wanted to
enjoy the texts, I wanted to learn the ideas, and I worked hard to do
both.” ■
The fact that it was hard meant I had
to work hard for something I really
wanted. I wanted to enjoy the texts, I
wanted to learn the ideas, and I
worked hard to do both.
18 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
Stoics and Epicureans
By Stefan Cressotti
Stoicism, a school of thought that advocates self-sacrifice, community
service, and the abnegation of material pursuits, regards this life as a
steppingstone to the next, and as
such represents an important bridge
between Classical philosophy and
Christian theology.
Epicureanism, on the other hand, is
dismissive of any metaphysical reality, claiming that the material world is the only world, and
hence human happiness can only be achieved by strict attention to it.
Not only have my Latin III Honors classes had a chance to study
the rudiments of these two philosophical traditions, but furthermore, they have had an opportunity to recreate the philosophical debates between the two that would not have been
uncommon on the streets of Athens and Rome during the Classical era. Split up according to philosophical faction, the students cross-examined the scientific, political, and theological
stances the two schools of thought presented.
ited with many historical developments, citing the American
Revolution as the expression of several Epicurean concerns the reluctance to pay material tribute to an overseas monarch,
a general aversion towards large political authorities, and the
desire to be left alone so one could farm or invent the dumbwaiter in peace.
Last year, the debate progressed along more metaphysical
lines, as Epicureans, armed with relevant passages from Lucretius, chose to question the validity of religious faith in the
face of more concrete scientific observances. The Epicureans
pointed to the wide variety of religious observances and religiomythic beliefs amongst various religions as being proof of
there being no consistent metaphysical truth to be gleaned
from the material universe. Stoic Andrew DeMatteo ’11, however, cleverly turned this around on the Epicureans, suggesting
instead that the variety of religious myth is a result of the universality of a religious presence, and that only because God
does most definitely exist have so many cultures tried to explain Him with such various religious tracts.
For instance, two years ago, Joe McNamara ’09, in defense of Stoicism, spoke
of the subtle difference between patriotism and nationalism, explaining that a
Stoic love of one’s country need not necessarily entail the blind nationalism that
can so often lead one to forget the universal brotherhood of man - a major
tenet of the Stoic cause. The Epicureans
in return questioned whether or not
such a distinction was possible, and
suggested that a retreat from all public
affairs and the mental equanimity
thereby acquired was a nobler pursuit,
and that the private life was necessarily
more dulce et decorum (“sweet and
right”) than any willingness to pro patria mori (“to die for your country”). The
Stoics, of course, were scornful of this
political laissez-faire, and questioned
whether or not any positive historical
progress could occur if all men hoped to
escape the public anxiety that governing entails. To which Joe Albanese ’10
replied that Epicureanism could be cred-
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THE CLASSICS
Finding Yourself
Shane Ecclesine ’10 feels prepared for whatever challenges life throws his way.
By Dan Tobin
S
hane Ecclesine ’07 is finishing up his junior year at Wake Forest. His hope is to work on Wall Street in the securities industry after he earns his degree in May 2011. More
specifically, he hopes to be either a salesman or a trader. This summer, in an effort to gain work experience in his chosen field, he has
landed an internship as a capital markets analyst at a major investment bank in New York City.
One might assume that Ecclesine has spent his college years
submerged in classes aimed at
earning a degree in finance or
business. One might also be
wrong!
Ecclesine is a Classics major.
“I have always had a love for
the Classics,” he noted. “I knew I
wanted to get into business, but I
didn’t want to go through college
just crunching numbers. I
wanted to be able to learn how to
think and communicate and
analyze. I wanted to be a well-rounded person. I wanted to have
knowledge in a lot of different areas, instead of just knowing how to
evaluate a stock or a company.”
He went on to say, “Had I gone into undergraduate business
school, I think it would have taken away from me as a person. The
Classics have made me more cultured.”
Where it all Started
Ecclesine arrived at St. Sebastian’s School in the seventh grade,
where he would first take Latin with Mr. David Cornish.
“It might have been my toughest class. It was the first class where
I was really ever challenged,” he commented. “I didn’t realize until
my second year of Latin how strong a foundation Mr. Cornish had
laid for me. I don’t think I would have enjoyed or excelled in the
Classics as much if it weren’t for Mr. Cornish.
“Grammatically, he stressed
everything. It was constant
repetition. He was constantly
pushing you. He was always
trying to get a little more out of
you, trying to make you be the
best student possible. He gave
some very difficult tests. He
taught us how to handle adversity
in the classroom for the first
time. As I look back on his class
now, I’ve come to appreciate him
even more.”
His appreciation for the Classics faculty doesn’t end with Mr.
Cornish. He goes on to discuss many of the teachers who helped
shape him into a confident young man who was ready for college
and life. He emphasized that all of the Classics Department faculty
really cared about the academic and personal development of their
students.
The Classics have really taught me
how to think and adapt to a situation
a lot quicker than I may have been
able to otherwise. You always have
to be ready to encounter something
for which you weren’t prepared.
20 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
“I had Latin IV AP with Mr. Albertson and Latin V AP with Mr.
Ferguson. Mr. Nerbonne was my advisor,” Ecclesine said. “I was
constantly surrounded by these Classical scholars – very smart men.
They were the teachers to whom I always looked up. Not to take
anything away from my other teachers, all of whom I respect and
adore, but Albertson, Ferguson, and Nerbonne were so passionate
about what they did. It wasn’t hard to catch that passion as well.
They certainly passed it on.”
He added, “The whole year with Mr. Albertson was a learning
experience. His approach to Latin IV AP prepared me more for
college than any other course I took at St. Sebastian’s. We were
expected to prepare for class by using the textbook, which has all of
the notes you need to understand the Latin text, but we weren’t
permitted to use the textbook during class. This required us to study
each night so we would be prepared to discuss the text the following
day without the notes offered in our book.”
Ecclesine shared many stories from his days at St. Sebastian’s.
Some were, as you might guess, funny, some serious. Most included
fond memories of his classmates and instructors. One story,
involving Mr. Ferguson, stuck out as being the most interesting to
hear, and as the one which taught Ecclesine what it meant to be
responsible for your own actions.
“Mr. Ferguson became really irritated with my Latin V AP Class
one day,” he commented. “It was spring of my senior year. A lot of
us were already in college. None of us had prepared for class that day
and we weren’t able to answer any of his questions.
“Eventually, he shut the book and told us to go - to leave. He
said, ‘This course is meant to be like college. I’m not going to treat
you like children and walk you through it. You get out of this what
you put into it.’ We all got up and left the class as he had asked.
“I think I can speak for most of my classmates when I say that we
were completely prepared for class the following day. Mr. Ferguson
taught us, just like the characters in the Classics teach us, to accept
responsibility. Latin is something where, even more so than other
subjects, your success is determined by what you put into it. You
need to study. Mr. Ferguson taught us a valuable lesson that day, that
success in anything you do is directly related to the amount of effort
you put into it.”
From Latin IA with Mr. Cornish to Latin V AP with Mr.
Ferguson, Ecclesine looks to his teachers as the people who taught
him not only how to read the texts and understand their meanings,
but as the people who left an indelible mark on him, who helped him
to figure out who he was and who he wanted to be.
Simply put, he said, “The Classics teachers are all men of gravitas,
good men, some of the best men I know.”
The Benefits
After speaking with Ecclesine, you quickly realize his study of the
Classics has done so much more for him than the obvious –
learning to read and understand Latin. He credits his study for
teaching him valuable life lessons, for enabling him to think
critically and speak clearly. He feels that whether you are studying
Vergil, Catullus, or Ovid, you’re not only translating the Latin, you
are - at the same time - examining the morality and the thematic
value of it. You’re taking lessons taught in the ancient writings and
using them to figure out how you should live your own life.
“The Classics have really taught me how to think and adapt to a
situation a lot quicker than I may have been able to do otherwise.
You always have to be ready to encounter something for which you
weren’t prepared,” noted Ecclesine. “It’s tough translating since you
do not know what to expect. You have to be fully aware and in the
moment in order to succeed. Realizing that has really translated into
how I deal with events that happen in my everyday life.”
He goes on to say that translating the texts was not enough. You
had to learn to understand their meaning. You weren’t expected to
memorize, in fact you were discouraged from it. The point of
studying was to understand what you were translating. You needed
to think about the text and what they meant, what the author was
trying to say.
Ecclesine concluded, “Studying Aeneas taught me to stay humble
in everything I do. Odysseus stayed dedicated to a journey. You can
learn so much from these men. They were great men who were also
flawed and struggled, just like we are and do.” ■
Shane Ecclesine ’07 with Fr. John Paris at the Senior Class/Alumni
Breakfast in May 2008.
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| 21
THE CLASSICS
If Something Is Timeless, It Will
Also Be Timely
Robert Fagles, Princeton Professor of Comparative Literature, describing the value of
the Classics.
By Dan Tobin
T
he Classics are an important part of the St. Sebastian’s
School experience for so many of its students. From learning proper Latin grammar in the seventh and eighth
grades, to reading original Latin versions of Vergil and Catullus in
the upper grades, students who study the Classics are exposed to a
whole new world that, at times, doesn’t seem so new.
Recently, three alumni - Pat Brennan ’07, Rob Dudley ’04, and
Chris Conley ’94 - talked about their years as students of the Classics
at the School. Each shared their memories of the classrooms and
their thoughts as to why the Classics are such an important subject.
As they spoke, two common themes seemed to emerge – how closely
ancient culture mirrors our own and how solid a Classics program
St. Sebastian’s School offers.
An Appreciation of Learning
Pat Brennan ’07 is finishing his junior year at Harvard. A Classics
major, he has yet to decide on a career, but he is leaning toward
international relations and development or foreign policy. He had
considered furthering his education by attending graduate school,
but decided he was not ready for that step at this point in his life.
Brennan feels that his background in the Classics has taught him to
read, write, and think more effectively. He points to the rigorous
nature of learning Greek and Latin as the reason.
“There are no easy courses in Greek and Latin,” he noted.
“Taking these courses hones one’s critical thinking ability, as well as
the ability to express oneself more effectively.”
He goes on to explain how knowing the history of ancient Rome
is key to understanding the beginnings of our own civilization.
22 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
Brennan believes that although societal conditions may have
changed over the years, the underlying principles discussed in the
original texts still ring true today.
“Human emotions and human motivations are universal,” he
commented. “Learning how situations were handled then can help
us to handle similar situations today. Nearly everything done in
modern times somehow relates to ancient Rome and Greece.
Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne and Pat Brennan ’07.
“I think studying the Classics brings perspective. It helps to
reinforce a morally absolute world view,” Brennan stated. “Even
though the Romans and Greeks weren’t Christian, they were still
very much conservative in their sense of right and wrong. I think by
looking at the seriousness with which ancient philosophers
confronted issues has taught me to do the same with my life.”
Brennan credits the Classics program at St. Sebastian’s for
providing a firm foundation for his studies at Harvard. The courses
he took while in high school
enabled him to take higher level
courses as a freshman in college.
Overall, he thought he was better
prepared than many of his
classmates.
“I think the Classics teachers
at Seb’s really stand out,” Brennan
said. “They are the strength of
the Department, some of the best
teachers at the School. They
brought the texts alive.
“During my junior and
senior years, the emphasis in the
classroom was on reading the actual texts, as opposed to breaking
them apart and translating them word by word. This not only
stimulated my intellectual development, but also helped to prepare
me for Classics courses in college.”
Brennan feels that more students should take advantage of the
Classics, especially at the college level. He acknowledges that college
is an important time to prepare for whatever career one decides to
pursue, but also feels it is a waste of time not to engage in intellectual
issues as well.
“When one actively acknowledges the importance of constantly
educating oneself, then that person is providing a foundation for
understanding all things,” he stated. “If you have an understanding
of antiquity, it makes it much easier to appreciate things like art and
music.
“I feel that the skills learned by reading and writing a lot during
my study of the Classics will benefit me in whatever career path I
take.”
Bit by the Classics Bug
Rob Dudley ’04 is finishing his
first year of a Ph.D. program at
Duke. He earned his
undergraduate degree as a Bean
Scholar in the Classics from the
College of the Holy Cross,
where he was graduated Summa
Cum Laude, before spending a
year in Burghausen, Germany,
as a Fulbright Scholar. Dudley
plans on a career in academia,
and he hopes to obtain a
position at a college or university upon the completion of his
studies.
“I was bit by the Classics bug a long time ago, when I was a
freshman at St. Sebastian’s,” he explained. “Prior to that point, Latin
was more of a discipline, focusing mainly on grammar. By my
freshman year we were reading ancient literature in Latin for the first
time. I found that to be exciting.”
Like Brennan, Dudley points to a connection between the
ancient and modern worlds as a reason for students to study the
Classics. He feels it is important for students to understand the past
as they attempt to figure out the present and get ready for the future.
“Pragmatically, it’s in the students’ best interest to study the
Classics,” he noted. “I think the modern world is in dialogue with
the ancient one. If you consider western history in general, you will
notice that no one really escapes the influence of the Classics.”
To support his view, he points to modern architecture, where he
cites examples of ancient Roman and Greek influence in modern
buildings. He also notes the great thinkers of western civilization,
and reminds us that their educations were all steeped in the Classics.
He views the “shared history” and “shared experience” with ancient
Rome and Greece as one of the major cornerstones that have shaped
western culture and our experience of it.
Dudley encourages all students to study Latin while in high
school and to take both Greek and Latin in college. He feels that
mastering these languages makes it easier to learn just about any
other European language, since most are based in some part on
Greek or Latin. He also feels that the Classics program at St.
Sebastian’s is a great place to start and credits the faculty as the
primary reason for the Classics Department’s success.
Human emotions and human
motivations are universal. Learning
how situations were handled then
can help us to handle similar
situations today. Nearly everything
done in modern times somehow
relates to ancient Rome and Greece.
Rob Dudley ’04 (right) with classmate Mike Buckley ’04 following
their Commencement Ceremony in June 2004.
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| 23
THE CLASSICS
Sean Albertson teaching a Seventh Grade Latin class.
“I think all the Classics faculty members are great role models
and good people,” Dudley said. “Mr. Nerbonne is a true role model.
He’s well spoken and open to discussing the Classics with students.
Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Albertson are down to earth, in addition to
being great role models – a rare combination. Mr. Deschenes is also
a great person. I remember the time Mr. Deschenes drove to
Lexington on a Saturday to watch
me compete in a Shakespeare
Competition. That sort of effort
makes a huge difference.
“All of the Classics teachers
are knowledgeable and
passionate about the Classics.
They are always prepared to
provide the historical
background to the texts being
read, and can talk at length about
the significance of any passage.”
Aeneas as a military guy. I realize that some of the leadership
situations in which he finds himself are not all that different from
military leadership positions of today.”
He goes on to say, “In another scene, as Aeneas’ boat is going
down, he hollers, ‘Oh comrades, you have to buck it up and drive on
or we are all going to die.’ I understand and can relate to that.
“The Aeneid is a great story
made even better by reading it in
and translating it from its
original Latin. The fact that it
was written as one of the epics
that followed the Iliad and the
Odyssey is really cool. It tells, in
essence, the other side of the
story.”
As Conley speaks, his love of
Latin is evident. He admits that
it had a “shaping influence on his
life” and he points time and time again to being able to “step back”
while reading the texts.
“These guys who wrote 2,000 years ago are writing the same
things that people today are writing about,” he commented. “I found
the cultural similarities to be extremely interesting. You see the same
things happening over and over again in history.
“Here I am studying a language that hasn’t been spoken for years,
reading literature and poetry written by men who were on the front
edge of modern civilization, and finding that they articulated many
of the same values we hold true today. We have made a lot of
I think the modern world is in
dialogue with the ancient one. If you
consider western history in general,
you will notice that no one really
escapes the influence of the Classics.
Arma Virumque Cano
Arma virumque cano. Vergil opens the Aeneid with these three
words which, translated, mean “I sing of arms and a man.” One
might understand why this phrase has left such an impression on
United States Army Major Chris Conley ’94, a West Point graduate.
Aeneas was, after all, a military man, like Conley. But it goes much
deeper than that.
“My favorite class at St. Sebastian’s was where we studied the
Aeneid,” Conley noted. “Looking back now I can really identify with
24 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
advances in the terms of science and other technologies, but the
thoughts and ‘big picture stuff ’ is still the same today as it was back
then. If you look across the history of the world, arguably, ancient
Greek and Roman societies are
on-par, if not better, than any
other society for a long period of
time. They had a pretty good
thing going. That’s what makes
studying the Classics so exciting
and important. It gives you the
opportunity to see how those
societies operated.”
Conley loved his days in the
classroom at St. Sebastian’s. He
especially loved the upper level
Classics classes, where the class
sizes were smaller, allowing for more in-depth studying and some
friendly competition among his classmates.
“As I got older, the coursework got harder,” he recalled. “I
remember being in class with Tim Foley ’94, a brilliant guy.
Realizing it wasn’t a competition, my logic in class was I wanted to
do as well as Foley. He was always the most prepared student. I was
really challenged. Due to the small class sizes, it was impossible to
hide from the teachers or your
classmates if you weren’t
prepared and ready to discuss the
texts. If you weren’t prepared,
you became the class’ weak link,
and who wants to be the weak
link? I certainly didn’t.”
He concluded, “I loved it. If I
could do it again, I would go
back to Seb’s and take the same
classes. It’s where I grew up. I’ve
been back to speak a couple of
times and found today’s students
to be really engaging. I always appreciate the opportunity to interact
with them. Every time I return it’s always hugs and hearty
handshakes. That’s awesome. Why wouldn’t you want to go back to
that?” ■
Here I am...reading literature and
poetry written by men who were on
the front edge of modern civilization,
and finding that they articulated
many of the same values we hold
true today.
Headmaster Bill Burke, Major Chris Conley, and Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne.
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| 25
RWANDA
“Do not Seek what is Sought,
Live what is Discovered”
Yianni Douros ’05 is hoping to make a difference in the world, and he’s off to a good
start.
By Dan Tobin
G
raduating from Babson College with a degree in Business
Management in May 2009, Yianni Douros ’05 was looking
forward to landing a position as a management consultant. His studies at Babson centered around Entrepreneurship and
Strategic Management, and he knew he was well equipped for
whatever challenging offer came his way.
When an offer of a lifetime was presented to him, he was eager to
jump at the opportunity.
Taking a Chance
During his career search, a Rwandan investor approached Douros
and a Babson classmate with a proposition. He asked them to
make a one-year commitment in Rwanda, where he was about to
start the country’s first joint English language and management
training institute.
After much consideration, Douros accepted the offer and was
named co-founder and president in charge of Business Operations
and Curriculum for the new institute.
The company is being formed in the hopes of helping Rwandan
President Paul Kagame obtain his goal of having the citizens of
Rwanda be able to speak English within the next five years, an
important step for the country if it is to obtain what the government
refers to as Vision 20/20, the dream of the country being among the
top 20 leading economies in the world by the year 2020. In addition
to teaching English, the school will also teach management courses
to local citizens, business executives, and government officials.
Yianni Douros '05.
26 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
“It’s a great balance between academia and business,” Douros
said. “I’m able to apply all of my business strategy techniques,
methods, and applications to managing this new company and into
developing its curriculum.”
After he accepted the offer, Douros earned his TEFL (Teaching
English as a Foreign Language)
Certification from the Boston
Language Institute, a global
certification that enables him to
teach English anywhere in the
world. A trip to a Florida
English training institute
followed, where he was able to
study curriculum development.
Out of college for only three
months, Douros then boarded a
plane for the 22-hour flight to
Rwanda on August 8.
overall service strategy. He is also charged with managing
organizational culture and identifying value-added inputs for
growth and innovation and curriculum development. Once the
school is open, he will manage the day-to-day operations and serve
as a senior lecturer for management courses.
“Right now my position
involves a lot of strategic
planning and problem solving,”
he noted. “That’s the exciting
part. There are so many
unexpected surprises, so many
mistakes, and so many
challenges. It’s a great
opportunity.”
When you seek what you have, you
miss what's around you. It's not until
you really live that you discover
things. Do not seek what is sought,
but live what is discovered. Time
flies by and I want to live life and
experience what is out there.
The Swiss Alps of Africa
“It was hard to say goodbye to my family, not knowing what would
happen while I was gone,” lamented Douros. “But it was also an
exciting time for me in many respects. I’m being given the
opportunity to pioneer something, to be a part of history. I’m
helping people and doing what I want to do. It’s a great feeling.”
The realization of the experience hit him full force when he
arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, his home for the next year. Known as the
“Swiss Alps of Africa” for its lush vegetation and rolling hills, Kigali is
a small city where everyone knows everyone. This sense of
community would help Douros as he settled into his new townhouse
and set about learning the primary two languages spoken – French
and Kinyarwanda.
“When you take that leap of faith and risk to go abroad, whether
you’re doing business or not, the first thing you need to do is to
immerse yourself in the culture by valuing the people around you,
their native tongue, and their mentality,” noted Douros. “Every night
I come home and write about my day – the mistakes I have made
and the things that have happened.”
He admits that learning the language has led to many
embarrassing moments, but knows that each of those moments helps
him to become more proficient in communicating with the locals.
He talks with people in their native tongue every opportunity he
gets, and the friends he has made work with him in his quest to
learn.
“There’s a lot of humility that goes into learning the local
language,” he stated, “but that’s part of the learning process.”
A Day in the Office
Presently, Douros and his partner are laying the groundwork for
the opening of the institute, which is slated for later this spring. He
is responsible for developing and implementing the company’s
systems, processes, performance measurement indicators, and
The Rwandan Experience
Douros is making great strides
in all aspects of his Rwandan
experience. He is slowly
mastering French and Kinyarwanda and his company is nearing its
official opening.
While he considers himself to be extremely lucky and
comfortable in his current situation, he has come to realize the
“contrast and dichotomy” between the classes. “Because of the
poverty,” he noted, “many people do not have homes.”
He is quick to point out, though, that this is not the Rwanda
experienced by Immaculée during the genocide of 1994 (learn more
on page 29). Today, for the most part, the Tutsi and Hutu live a
peaceful existence. The Rwandan people encourage people to
remember what happened and learn what it meant for the country
then, and what it means for the country moving forward.
Yianni hanging with the local children in Rwanda.
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| 27
RWANDA
“I was walking through a genocide memorial one day when I
came upon a plaque,” stated Douros. “The plaque summarizes what
happened in 1994. At the end of the description it reads:
‘Rwanda. One history. One
Language. One People.’
“Just those three separate
sentences. That’s exactly what it
means to be in Rwanda. People
know the history. They want to
remember it. And, they’re
speaking the same language, not
in terms of French or
Kinyarwanda, but the same
language of hope. The same
language of faith. And the same
language of really wanting to
improve for the future.”
Those words inspired Douros then, and continue to guide him
through his current journey.
“I’m occupying my time with living life, really living each new
thing that’s discovered each and
every day,” he commented.
“When you seek what you have,
you miss what’s around you. It’s
not until you really live that you
discover things. Do not seek
what is sought, but live what is
discovered. Time flies by and I
want to live life and experience
what is out there.”
Douros’ contract will expire
in August 2010. He is already
planning to stay in Rwanda
beyond his contractual
obligation, working on additional business consulting opportunities
that exist throughout Kigali. He feels there is so much more to
experience and accomplish, and he does not want to miss the chance
to create, serve, and involve himself.
He concluded, “To be a part of something great starts with one
step, one move at a time. I hope to help the Rwandan people come
closer to the ‘One Person’ mentality they seek and, in the process, be
a part of history in this beautiful country.” ■
To be a part of something great starts
with one step, one move at a time. I
hope to help the Rwandan people
come closer to the 'One Person'
mentality they seek and, in the
process, be a part of history in this
beautiful country.
Living Life
Douros took a moment to reflect on words often spoken by
Headmaster Bill Burke while he was a student at St. Sebastian’s
School:
“Everyone wants to be a part of something great.”
28 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
A Rwandan Genocide Survivor
For years tensions had been high between the majority Hutu
and minority Tutsi of Rwanda. Those tensions boiled over on
April 6, 1994, when the plane carrying Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundi President Cyprien Ntaryamira
was shot down as it made its final approach to the airport in the
Rwandan capital of Kigali.
This set in motion three months of unbelievable horror in the
African country. Backed by the government and military, Hutu
were urged to kill ‘all of the cockroaches,’ one of the many
derogatory names given to the Tutsi. The brutality which ensued is incomprehensible. When the killing finally came to an
end in July 1994, one million people – men, women, and children – had been murdered. Entire families, entire villages,
were destroyed.
In September 2008, Immaculée Ilibagiza, a Tutsi survivor of the
genocide and the New York Times Bestselling author of Left To
Tell, during her visit to the St. Sebastian’s campus described
the situation leading up to the killings and the unthinkable ordeal she endured.
As violence raged closer and closer to her home, her father and
older brother demanded she go into hiding. Along with seven
other women, Immaculée spent the next 91 days crouched into
the 3x4 foot bathroom of a local Hutu pastor. Many times during the ordeal the Hutu killers searched the house, but they
never found the hiding place. While she sat in silence, her family (except for one brother who was safely out of the country
studying) was brutally murdered and mutilated.
Immaculée admits there were times during the ordeal that hatred filled her heart. She wanted revenge on the people who
were killing her family, her neighbors, and her friends. Raised
in a deeply Catholic family, she began to question why God
would inflict such violence and, at times, whether He even existed at all. As the days ticked by her faith and trust in God
grew, and she emerged from the bathroom, and ultimately the
genocide, understanding that with God, all things are truly possible.
Her story is frightening, a shocking reality of the cruelty people
can inflict on others. It’s also a testament to a person who, at a
time of extreme hopelessness, finds hope in
God. Her message is one of faith, hope,
love, and forgiveness.
Today, Immaculée travels the world sharing
her story and discussing how placing her
faith in God enabled her to open her heart
and eyes.
“… I know that Rwanda can heal herself if
each heart learns the lesson of forgiveness,”
stated Immaculée in her book Left to Tell.
“Tens of thousands who were jailed for
killing during the genocide are starting to be
released into their old towns and villages, so
if there was ever a time for forgiveness, it is
now. Rwanda can be a paradise again, but it
will take the love of the entire world to heal
my homeland… The love of a single heart
can make a world of difference. I believe we
can heal Rwanda – and our world – by healing one heart at a time.”
Immaculée Ilibagiza signs a book following her
presentation at St. Sebastian's School.
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| 29
SPEAKERS
St. Sebastian’s Welcomes
A look at the people who have spoken at St. Sebastian’s School
events over the past several months.
In the Shadow of Rosa Parks
Poetry in Motion
Rev. Higgs Offers
Remarks at Assembly
Poet Norm Walker Visits
Classes
R
orm Walker, educator, poet, and
football coach, began his visit to St.
Sebastian’s School on Tuesday, February 2,
by reading the E.E. Cummings poem in
Just (see box this page) during Stefan
Cressotti’s Freshman Writing class. The
students and Walker then took time to
analyze the verses - why were they written
as they were? What was Cummings trying
to say?
Walker, a former colleague of
Headmaster Bill Burke at Holderness,
would visit three more classes. In each class
a different poem was read and a different
discussion ensued. All the while, Walker’s
enthusiasm for poetry was evident, and his
excitement filled the classrooms.
Norm Walker is a 1959 graduate of
Williams College and holds a Masters
Degree from the Harvard School of
Education. A published poet and one of
the truly great English teachers and football
coaches of all time, he served Newton
North and Wayland High brilliantly before
moving to Holderness School in 1984. He
retired from Holderness in 2007 and stays
active by substitute teaching and
volunteering.
ev. Walter Raleigh Higgs III, Outreach
Counselor, Case Advocate, and House
Manager at the Pine Street Inn, delivered
the keynote address at the Men with
Positive Attitudes (MPA) Black History
Month Assembly on Monday, February 1.
During his remarks, which he prefaced by
singing a song, Higgs told the students
that they could accomplish anything to
which they set their minds. He praised
Claudette Colvin, who, as a young girl, had
the determination and courage to take a
stand - a stand which helped to launch the
Civil Rights Movement.
The theme for this year’s assembly was
Together with Our Differences. The event
took a look at the civil rights movement
and acts of civil disobedience which took
place. More specifically, MPA members
concentrated on the brave acts of 15 yearold Claudette Colvin who, months prior to
Rosa Parks, was arrested for refusing to give
up her seat on a bus to a white person.
Although history remembers Parks for this
groundbreaking moment of the movement,
it was Colvin who blazed the path.
David Coleman and the Dana Hall
Gospel Choir provided the music for the
assembly. Dana Hall soloists Ife Samms and
Jane Lee, along with St. Sebastian’s student
Marlon Matthews ’14, performed moving
solos.
N
in Justspring when the world is mudluscious the little
lame baloonman
whistles far and wee
and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring
when the world is puddle-wonderful
the queer
old baloonman whistles
far and wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing
from hop-scotch and jump-rope and
it's
spring
and
the
goat-footed
baloonMan whistles
far
and
wee
E.E. Cummings
30 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
SPEAKERS
Lenten Journey
An Evening of Prayer
and Song
G
regory Norbet, respected spiritual
leader, composer, singer, and retreat
director, returned to St. Sebastian’s for his
third visit on Wednesday, March 3, 2010.
In order to help people through their
Lenten journey, he led those who gathered
in an evening of prayer and song.
Norbet travels extensively, providing
missions, concerts, retreats, and workshops
for those in hospital, prison, and teaching
ministries.
In addition to the 12 music collections
published during his 21 years as a
Benedictine monk at Weston Priory, he has
released several prayer books and octavos
through Oregon Catholic Press (OCP).
Norbet is a graduate of the Institute for
Spiritual Leadership in Chicago and
received his master’s degree from the
Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola
University, Chicago. He is also the Director
of the Hosea Foundation, a nonprofit
ministry dedicated to the renewal of the
church and spiritual development in
individuals. ■
Top: Reverend Walter Higgs III encourages
students to reach for their goals during his
keynote address at the Black History
Month assembly.
Middle: Educator and Poet Norm Walker
discusses the E.E. Cummings poem in Just
during Stefan Cressotti’s Freshman Writing
class.
Bottom: Composer and spiritual leader
Gregory Norbet, seated, with Fr. John
Arens and Religion Department Chair Jack
Goulet. Norbet led a group of students,
faculty, parents, and friends through an
evening of prayer and song.
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| 31
FINE ARTS WINTER PLAYS
The St. Sebastian’s School Fine Arts
Department Presents
Students perform two plays and participate in Drama Festival.
The Stage in Ward Hall
On Tour
Drama Club Presents
Two Comedies
Students Earn Awards
at Drama Festival
P
Tom Keefe ’11, Paul Lee ’11, Tom Murphy
’11, and Sean Frazzette ’12 earned
Individual Acting Awards and were named
to the “All-Star Cast” for their
performance in John C. Gerber’s Dress
Reversal at the Massachusetts High School
Drama Festival on Saturday, February 27.
These students, along with other members
of the St. Sebastian’s School Drama Club,
presented their play during the
competition, held this year at Wellesley
High School.
Started in 1931, the Drama Festival
brings together over 100 high schools each
year for a day-long competition. Through
the Festival, students with an interest in the
acting, directing, and technical aspects of
the theatre gain valuable performance and
production experience. ■
arents, students, alumni, faculty, and
friends filed into Ward Hall for the St.
Sebastian’s School Fine Arts Department
Winter Production on Friday and
Saturday, February 12-13. Two one-act
plays featuring students from all grades
were presented.
The evening started with Bradley
Hayward’s Attention Detention. Students
from grades 7-8 acted in this production,
which looked at the wild excuses given by
three students who were spending time in
the detention hall. After a brief
intermission, students from grades 9-12
presented the John C. Gerber play Dress
Reversal, the story of a student group
rehearsing a murder mystery play.
Money raised from the performances
was donated to The National Theatre
Workshop of the Handicapped, a nonprofit
organization which provides the disabled
community with the communications skills
necessary to pursue a life in professional
theatre and enhances their opportunities in
the workplace.
32 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
FINE ARTS CERAMICS
In the Art Studio
An accomplished artist and a student award winner show what can
be done with ceramics.
Learning from a Master
Peruvian Artist Works
with Students
J
osé Yamunaqué, a Peruvian ceramic
artist who teaches pottery and sculpture
at Harvard University, visited St.
Sebastian’s with his wife Florencia on
Friday, January 22, 2010. During the
afternoon classes Yamunaqué
demonstrated the technique used in his
native country to make pottery. While he
worked and spoke in his native tongue,
Florencia translated his instructions to the
students.
After classes ended, students, faculty,
and other people interested in more
detailed instructions had the opportunity to
work hands-on in the ceramics studio with
Yamunaqué.
José Yamunaqué trained with his father
in a Peruvian village and worked as a
restorer of ceramic artifacts for the
Peruvian National Institute of Culture. He
also studied art at the National School of
Ceramics in Buenos Aires and with Italian
master sculptor Salvatore Cipolla.
Yamunaqué uses traditional techniques and
natural materials in much of his work. His
skills, ideas, and resources inspire students
in the creation of vessels and sculptures.
Recognized in Competition
Haughey ’12 Receives
Honorable Mention
C
onor Haughey ’12 received an
Honorable Mention from the Boston
Globe Scholastic Art Awards for his glazed
terra cotta mask, which showed creativity,
originality, and excellent technique.
Over 10,000 entries were submitted to
this year’s competition, which is now in its
60th year. The jurors, who consisted of
retired art educators and artists, awarded
over 2,000 prizes. ■
Top: Glazed terra cotta mask by Conor
Haughey ’12. Bottom Left: Students look
at a jar that was formed by José
Yamunaqué. Bottom Right: José
Yamunaqué demonstrates his Peruvian
technique.
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| 33
FINE ARTS ON STAGE
Two Boards and a Passion
According to Lope de Vega, Spanish soldier, adventurer, playwright, and scholar, all that is required to
stage a production is a platform on which to stand, and a script which evokes passion. John Barrack ’11
seems to have both.
By Dan Tobin
J
ohn Barrack ’11 was first introduced to
drama productions as an elementary
student at Dexter. Although he was never
able to perform in one of their plays, only
seventh and eighth graders are permitted
to act in the plays at Dexter, he started to
form an interest in the theatre and
wondered what it would be like to be up
on stage, performing and having a good
time.
After watching the St. Sebastian’s Fine
Arts Department production of H.M.S.
Pinafore as a seventh grader, he was ready
to give it a try. When auditions were
announced in early January 2006 for the
winter play, James Thurber’s A Thurber
Carnival, Barrack jumped at the
opportunity and landed his first on-stage
role.
John Barrack '11 in a scene from The Fifteen Minute Hamlet.
34 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
“I had a blast,” he commented.
“Everyone was friendly and really good at
acting. They all encouraged me and helped
me to feel less afraid and intimidated about
stepping out onto the stage.”
More productions followed, Arsenic and
Old Lace, The Fifteen Minute Hamlet, An
Enemy of the People, the list goes on and on.
With each new role, each new play, Barrack
became more comfortable being on stage.
He came to enjoy the challenges of learning
lines and cues, and he loved the
camaraderie that formed between his castmates.
“I love the nervous feeling I get while
on the stage. I love entertaining the
audience,” Barrack said. “I love making
people laugh, making them cry. I love it
when people leave the theatre happy.”
Barrack goes on to describe what it is
like to act in a production, “The entire
universe is compressed into two and a half
hours of fantasy. I’m up there having a
good time, interacting with people. Even
when things go wrong, you learn to work
around it and, usually, can laugh about it
later.”
Barrack says his favorite character so far
has been Applegate, the devil in the St.
Sebastian’s production of Damn Yankees.
He enjoyed working with a large cast and
crew, and he was grateful for the
opportunity to perform in a production
that mixed two areas of great interest –
musicals and comedy.
“I loved being able to interact with the
audience,” he noted. “There was a song I
sang which required me to go into the
audience and randomly sit on someone’s lap
while singing to the person. During the
first performance, I went out and picked my
sister’s godfather. The second night I saw
Ned Supple ’09 from the stage and knew he
FINE ARTS ON STAGE
would be the target. Both of these guys
laughed so hard. I enjoyed seeing their
reaction, and the reaction of the audience,
to the scene. I loved that so much.”
He went on to describe another scene
which required him to look directly at one
audience member while singing a verse.
When the time came to sing the verse, he
locked eyes with Mr. Dan Burke and sang
away. He commented now, “I’m sorry, Mr.
Burke… but you were there!”
During the 2008-09 school year,
Barrack, along with classmate and good
friend Tom Keefe, realized that many of the
middle school students were not able to be
cast in the fall or winter plays due to a large
turnout of students in the upper grades. In
order to enable the younger students to
become more actively involved in drama
productions, they went to the Arts
Department Chair, Mr. Rogers, and asked if
they could direct a spring play exclusively
for middle school students. After gaining
the approval of Mr. Rogers, Barrack and
Keefe got to work.
They decided on Eleanor Harder’s play,
Darius the Dragon, the story of a dragon,
Darius, who was unearthed from his
underground cave by a bulldozer and was
thrust into a world of tall buildings, weird
objects, loud noises, and strange smells.
Fifteen students were cast into the
production. The group would work
together to build sets, design lighting, and,
ultimately, act in the play before an
audience in Ward Hall.
Barrack enjoyed his directorial debut.
He freely admitted, however, that it was a
lot more challenging than he had originally
thought it would be. He also gained a
much deeper respect for Mr. Rogers and the
effort he puts into being a theatre teacher
and a play director.
“I learned to really appreciate the work
Mr. Roger does in preparing for a major
production,” Barrack commented. “Here
we were, Tom and I, two guys doing the
work usually done by Mr. Rogers alone.
Our play was shorter and we were dealing
with fewer students than Mr. Rogers does
during the fall and winter productions. By
the end, though, we were pulling out our
John Barrack '11 (right) and Lou Heck '11 in a scene from Damn Yankees.
hair. It proved to be stressful, but we all had
a blast.”
He added, “Mr. Rogers has been a huge
influence on my development. He has
always been available to provide individual
help whenever needed. He’s given me a lot
of encouragement along the way.”
Barrack hopes to turn his love for the
theatre into a career after he is graduated
from St. Sebastian’s School in June 2011.
While he greatly enjoys being on stage, he
would like to have the opportunity to
experience all aspects of the profession,
from live theatre to acting in front of the
camera. He also hopes to have the ability to
work behind the scenes at some point as a
director.
To further his development, Barrack
spent three weeks during the summer of
2009 at Stagedoor Manor, a theatre camp
located in Loch Sheldrake, New York,
which boasts among its alumni Natalie
Portman, Jon Cryer, Zach Braff, and Robert
Downey Jr. Each summer session attracts
over 400 students ages 12-18, who take
classes in all phases of theatre productions.
In addition, all participants are cast into one
of 13 productions. For his part, Barrack
was cast as Messerschmann in Jean
Anouilh's Ring Round the Moon.
“I played a melancholy millionaire from
the 1790s. Despite his millions and
millions of dollars and a huge mansion, he
thought he had nothing. He tried to get rid
of everything, only to accidently make
himself even richer. It was a lot of fun. I
really enjoyed the experience.”
This summer Barrack hopes to find
another program in which to participate.
He will also be making the rounds of
colleges and universities, attempting to
locate the perfect school to help train him
for a career in the theatre.
Meanwhile, he is looking forward to his
senior year at St. Sebastian’s. Knowing his
days as a student will quickly be coming to
an end, he wants to take full advantage of
everything the School has to offer him,
especially as it relates to the Drama
Department. ■
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| 35
ATHLETICS WINTER SPORTS
Arrows in Action
A complete review of the 2009-2010 winter sports season.
Coach Sean McCann
Varsity Hockey
T
he 2009–10 varsity hockey team
underwent a major overhaul as 11
players from last year’s team departed.
These vacancies created new opportunities
for returning players and aspiring
underclassmen. Returning for his second
season with the varsity team, newly
appointed captain Tom O’Regan was
supported by seniors Peter Burke, Ryan
Coffee, Robbie Donahoe, Mike Ewing, and
Mike Green.
The season started rather inauspiciously
with a last minute tie against Rivers and a
humbling defeat at the hands of Milton
Academy. With a full week to regroup and
prepare for their next opponent, the squad
started to define their identity with an
intense and physical week of practice.
BB&N was up next and it was a monster
performance by sophomore Brendan Burke
that led the way with an amazing five goals
in only two periods of work as the team
cruised to an 8-3 victory. Four days later, in
their first home game of the season, the
Arrows outdid themselves by jumping all
over Brooks 12-1. Newcomers junior
Gerard McEleney and freshman John
Doherty joined junior Desmond Bergin,
Tom O’Regan, and sophomore Joe Prescott
in contributing 2 goals each during the
game.
Up next for the Arrows was the St.
Sebastian’s Tournament. Albany Academy
was Seb’s opening opponent, and
sophomore Gordon Donnelly earned his
first shutout of the season stopping all 15
shots he faced en route to a 3-0 victory. The
following day St. Andrew’s from Aurora,
Ontario provided one of the most exciting
games of the year. This game was extremely
fast paced and intense with numerous
36 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
scoring opportunities by both teams. Even
with junior netminder Donny McGuirl
providing some spectacular saves, St.
Andrew’s jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.
The Arrows refused to quit as Mike Green
scored his first varsity goal just over two
minutes into the second half and Brendan
Burke connected five minutes later. The
game went into overtime and then into a
shootout and it was Ryan Coffey who
provided the game winner to allow Seb’s to
advance to the finals. The Boston
Advantage U-18 team awaited Seb’s and the
Arrows were not going to be denied.
Desmond Bergin led the way with a goal
and an assist as the varsity hockey team
claimed its own tournament for the first
time in four years.
The team then embarked on a grueling
10 game stretch away from home with 7 of
those games being played in 9 days. The
first stop was Harvard University, where the
annual Mutch Cup against Catholic
Memorial proved to be a classic. Gerard
McEleney provided the heroics with just
1:35 left to go in the game. Sophomore
Steve Brown drove the puck wide and
perfectly fed a driving McEleney just
outside the crease. The goal was the game
winner as Seb’s finished CM off with an
empty net goal.
New on the schedule this year was the
Foxboro Showcase. The Arrows were to
meet Berkshire and WillistonNorthampton. After a very disappointing
loss to a strong Berkshire team, Seb’s
bounced back with an inspiring
performance against WillistonNorthampton. Robbie Donahoe provided
the spark by recording his first career hattrick, and Joe Prescott put the game out of
reach with a high-light goal as he undressed
ATHLETICS WINTER SPORTS
Sports Awards
St. Sebastian’s School held a Winter
Athletic Awards Assembly on Tuesday, March 9. All students who participated in varsity sports received
letters. In addition, the following regional and special awards were presented to students.
All-League ISL (Independent School
League):
Basketball - Ryan Hayes, Ryan Kilcullen
Hockey - Desmond Bergin, Tom
O’Regan
the opposing defender and then fired a
bullet over the goalie’s shoulder.
After the New Year, Seb’s travelled to
Tabor to compete in their second
tournament. The day started with an early
morning game against Tilton as Freshmen
Tommy Kelley scored the lone goal and
Gordon Donnelly once again shut the door
to secure a 1-0 win. A tough Tabor squad
was up next as both teams battled to a 1-1
tie. Sophomore Conor Reenstierna played
a strong defensive game, but it was Mike
Green who scored in a 14 player shootout
to send the Arrows to their second straight
championship game. Milton stood in the
way and secured the tournament trophy
with a 4-2 victory. The game was much
closer than their opening meeting as an
empty net goal with 18 seconds left sealed
the win.
Two days later the Seb’s varsity team
played at historic Fenway Park in the
Winter Classic against Belmont Hill. With
over 3,000 people in attendance, Seb’s
spotted Belmont 1-0 and 2-1 leads, but an
outburst of 4 unanswered goals provided
Seb’s with a 5-2 lead. Unfortunately, even
with the great Seb’s fans providing support,
Belmont Hill mounted a comeback and
scored the game winner 9 seconds into
overtime.
With no time to rest the Arrows
travelled to Nobles, St. Paul’s, and Andover
without recording a win. The most difficult
part of this stretch was losing Brendan
Burke to a season ending injury and
breaking up a very successful top line. It
wasn’t until a home contest against
Governor’s that Tom O’Regan provided a
much needed overtime goal to return Seb’s
to their winning ways.
Home games against Nobles, Thayer,
and Milton only resulted in one win but all
three games were extremely well played by
the team. After spotting Nobles a 3-0 lead
Seb’s dominated the second half of the
game. Mike Ewing set the tone physically
as Seb’s outshot their opponent 23-10, but
an empty net goal halted the comeback
attempt. Once again Seb’s was struck with a
serious injury as Tommy Kelley was forced
to sit the remainder of the season. Donny
McGuirl didn’t allow a single goal against
Thayer as Steve Brown notched two goals in
a 4-0 victory. Milton once again proved to
be Seb’s Achilles heel as the Arrows lost a
tough game 2-0 with another empty net
goal by the Mustangs.
The annual Travis Roy Cup at Tabor
was a special event as Travis Roy was in
attendance to see the game and talk to a
couple of the locals teams. The game was
exciting and high-paced, but Tabor scored
three goals in the second to pull away and
win the annual contest.
Skiing - Nick Chappel
Swimming - Jack Adams, Will Adams,
Andrew Spencer, Jack Supple, Matt
Vandini
Wrestling - Paul Federico, Alex Morin
Honorable Mention All-League:
Basketball - Deric McCottrell
Wrestling - Brian O’Malley
In addition to being named AllLeague, Paul Federico was also
named All New England for his performance on the wrestling team.
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ATHLETICS WINTER SPORTS
Seb’s continued their play within the ISL
with mixed results. An outstanding 47 save
performance by Gordon Donnelly resulted
in a 3-1 victory at Lawrence. Five days later
a determined St. Paul’s team scored two late
goals to steal the game 2-1. Finally, even
with a 42-23 shot advantage and an
outstanding game from Peter Burke (1g,
1a), Seb’s was not able to halt Governor’s in
a 5-4 loss.
Only three games remained on the
schedule, but none were as large as the
Belmont Hill match. Having gone 5 years
without beating them and losing a very
disappointing game at Fenway, the Arrows
and former Hillie Dalton MacAfee were
determined to change recent history. Seb’s
controlled the early part of the game as
Tom O’Regan (3g), Ryan Coffey (1g, 2a),
and Joe Prescott (3a) propelled Seb’s to a
commanding 3-0 lead. An intense third
period made the game interesting, but some
great penalty killing by freshmen Jake
McLaughlin and an insurance goal by Tom
O’Regan guaranteed a Seb’s victory.
After the emotional high of beating
Belmont Hill, Lawrence provided a
disappointing last home game for the
seniors by winning 5-3. However, this
resilient Seb’s squad was not going to finish
the season without a fight. The Valicenti
Cup against Thayer at BU was sparked with
some last minute heroics by Tom O’Regan.
His second goal of the game with under a
minute left closed out a come from behind
win and a successful season.
The team finished with a 14-13-1
record, and the loss of six seniors will leave
a hole on next year’s team. With a talented
core and captain elect Desmond Bergin
leading the way, anything is possible.
Coach James Jenkins
Varsity Swimming
S
wimming continues to gain
momentum after another undefeated
season, which featured the inaugural men’s
EIL Championship Invitational Title and
seven swimmers advancing to the New
England Prep School Championships,
where the Arrows improved from 2009 to
finish 15th out of 23 schools. With
increasing competition and opportunities
to perform in big meets, the team’s culture
and measurable outcomes continue,
enabling St. Sebastian’s athletes to grow
and excel.
The 2009-2010 season marks the first
time the boys competed in the EIL
Championship Invitational at Wellesley
College. Because only four ISL schools
have swim teams, and St. Sebastian’s and
Dana Hall swim together, this event serves
as an excellent culmination for team
competition. With St. Sebastian’s
swimming alums and parents in the stands,
every member of the team contributed to
the close victory (683-667) over
Portsmouth Abbey and other schools at the
meet.
Along with the team triumph, five
swimmers earned All-League honors: Jack
Supple set two EIL records in the 50
freestyle (22.37) and the 100 freestyle
(49.43). Andrew Spencer earned second in
the 100 breaststroke. Seventh grader Jack
Adams set an EIL record in the 100
backstroke (1:08.7). Finally, Will Adams
earned meet MVP honors with records in
the 200 individual medley (2:03) and the
100 butterfly (53.07).
In addition to the EIL success, seven
swimmers qualified for the New England
Championships. Ricky Mulroy and Joe
Tamburello joined the All-League squad for
the meet at Hotchkiss School. The
opportunity to compete at the highest level
of competition in New England led to great
performances for all swimmers. Will
Adams posted two team records in the 100
freestyle (48.8) and finished ninth overall in
the 200 freestyle (1:47). Next year the team
hopes to send a larger squad to the meet at
Exeter.
While the team’s co-ed practices with
Dana Hall make for fun and camaraderie at
one of the best pools in Greater Boston, the
partnership also builds hard work and
competitiveness among the two teams. The
schools share a range of talented yearround and single-season swimmers
developing through the program. Even
with the team’s short-term success, the
swimmers and coaches continue to set
ambitious goals for the future when Will
Adams, Sean Sullivan, and Alex Hunnewell
lead the team as captains during the 20102011 season.
Coach Deirdre Rynne
Varsity Skiing
T
his was a big year for Arrows Skiing as
the team transitioned from the Ski
East League to the Independent School
League, which is part of the New England
38 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
ATHLETICS WINTER SPORTS
Preparatory School Athletic Council. The
physical move of location from Blue Hills
to Nashoba Valley brought forth a circle of
new competition against Belmont Hill,
Nobles, Milton, Rivers, Middlesex, Thayer,
and Lawrence Academy.
In his first season with Arrows Skiing,
Coach Brian Simoneau joined Coach
Deirdre Rynne. The team competed in
seven races at Nashoba Valley, consisting of
both Giant Slalom and Slalom courses.
On February 10, the group travelled to
Mount Snow to compete in the NEPSAC B
Division New England Championships.
Although school was cancelled due to snow
that did not come as anticipated in
Needham, the Ski Team braved wind and
snow atop Mount Snow, which made for a
grueling day of poor visibility and cold
temperatures. Mr. Arms and Mr. Wiik
joined Coach Rynne and the skiers Captain
Nick Chappel, Kevin Wolfe, Richard Arms,
Connor Wiik, Henry Finnegan, James
Astrue, Patrick Ciapciak, and Chip Cabot at
Mount Snow. Chappel earned second place
in the Giant Slalom and led the team in a
9th place overall finish during the event.
Chappel had an outstanding season, which
earned him the honor of ISL All League for
his ability as an athlete and his approach to
the sport as a dedicated and enthusiastic
leader. Chappel represents all the good and
greatness to which St. Sebastian’s School
strives and delivered an impressive season
with consistent finishes in the top 10.
Together with fellow classmate and captain
Will Vietze, these young men served as
mentors for the team and strived to develop
this up and coming group of skiers into top
notch racers. Vietze joined Chappel in
earning top 15 in the League.
Early in the season Vietze suffered a
concussion and joined Nick Cortese on the
sidelines. Behind the scenes they all
continued to work, cheering on the team
and attending races. Cortese had a solid
season when able to compete.
The team was anchored by Kevin Wolfe,
Richard Arms, and Henry Finnegan. These
three proved to rise to the occasion. As
underclassmen (Arms and Finnegan are
both in 8th grade) their finishes were
impressive and their consistency
encouraging. All three proved to be
technical skiers and worked hard to carry
speed and endurance through the course.
Connor Wiik, Patrick Ciapciak, and
Gus Gordon joined the team and worked
hard alongside returning members James
Astrue, Chris Riley, Parker Hentz, Will
Barnard, and Chip Cabot. Chip, the only
senior on the team, has been a steady and
solid performer for the past 3 years. The
team will miss Chip next year.
Parker Hentz and Will Barnard were
called up to compete in the last varsity
event of the season, which turned into a
rough race which saw racer after racer
being disqualified due to crashes and
missed gates. Barnard, who earned top
medals as a snowboarder in the Ski East
League during the 2008 and 2009 season,
was able to convert to skiing and ended his
season competing at the varsity level. His
strong performance and daring athleticism
transformed his style and technique, a
testament to the team itself.
It was an exciting season for this young
and enthusiastic team. We hope more
skiers and boarders consider skiing next
season. As H. Jackson Brown Jr. once said,
“Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s
where the fruit is.”
Coach Rynne and Coach Simoneau
thank all members of the St. Sebastian’s
Staff and the parents for their continued
hard work and support.
John Donovan ’12
Varsity Wrestling
T
hree years ago the St. Sebastian’s
wrestling program was launched.
That season, a very tight knit group of
students came together to form the
School’s first group of Arrows grapplers.
From those early beginnings, Paul
Federico, team captain for the 2008-2009
and 2009-2010 seasons, led the team in
wins and spirit. He has consistently shown
true leadership qualities and has always
been someone to look to for a victory, even
when the wins seemed few and far between.
Federico’s wrestling prowess asserted him as
the dominant man on the mat and his
confidence assured him the wins. During
the last two seasons he has been undefeated
in the ISL. Two years in a row he has
placed second at the ISL tournament, and
has followed that success with even more
triumphs at the New England’s. This year
Federico, along with teammate Alex Morin,
pushed St. Sebastian’s wrestling to an
entirely new level. After placing second and
fifth respectively at the New England’s,
Federico and Morin traveled with Coach
John Ryan to Lehigh University in
Pennsylvania, where they participated
along with 100 other schools from across
the country in the National Tournament.
Both successfully qualified for the third
round at the tournament, but were unable
to advance past that round.
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ATHLETICS WINTER SPORTS
The success of Federico and Morin has
enabled St. Sebastian’s School to reach two
milestones for the wrestling program.
Thanks to their accomplishments the
School was represented at its first ISL
Championship and was able to send two
wrestlers to a national tournament.
Adding to the success of Federico and
Morin has been a group of wrestlers eager
to work hard as a squad to secure a number
of victories for the team. The
determination and effort of all members of
the team has helped to secure a top ten ISL
Championship finish for the Arrows squad
for the 2009-2010 season. Individual
member performances have also helped to
advance the team. For example, the Arrows
wouldn’t have defeated Middlesex in a close
match won by only three points if Matt
McGuire hadn’t stepped up and pinned his
man in the second period to take the lead.
Also, in a tough match against BB&N,
Andrew Sullivan was able to toughen up
and dominate his opponent, bringing the
team home three points, which nearly tied
the team score. Brian O’Malley may have
had the most memorable matches of the
season as twice he pulled out a victory in
the waning seconds of the match. Against
Tabor O’Malley recorded three back points
in the last ten seconds to win by one, and
against Exeter he secured a two point
reversal in the last second to win by one as
well. This last match guaranteed him a spot
in the New England Tournament later in
the season.
The grapplers who contributed at the
varsity level include Brandon Jones ’13,
Matt McGuire ’13, Brian O’Malley ’13,
Andrew Sullivan ’13, Scott Kingsely ’13,
Anthony D’Amato ’12, John Donovan ’12,
Alex Morin ’12, Nick Creegan ’11, John
Fiore ’11, Robbie Spencer ’11, Severin
Chambers ’10, and Paul Federico ’10.
Due to the combined efforts of the
entire team the Arrows had a very
successful year, bringing nearly a full team
to the ISL’s, three to the New England’s, and
two to the National Tournament. The team
looks to improve next year when it returns
the bulk of its squad. Thanks to Sergeant
Ryan and Coach Mac for a great season. It
surely was a team to remember.
Coach Ryan Moore
Squash Club
T
he squash program at St. Sebastian’s
took a large step forward this season.
Behind Coach Ryan Moore and senior
team captain Tom Smail, the roster grew
almost twice in size from last winter. First
year players Sam Washburne, Teddy Mead,
Chris Nadeau, Will Jundanian, Tommy
Allen, Jared Clement, Pat Wallace, Jarrod
Dillon, Dan Conley, Chris Stadtler, and
Alex Pappas made an immediate impact
on the team, each winning a match this
season. John Cheever, Andrew Bono, Matt
Bell, and Kevin Dillon represented the
remaining experienced core of returning
players and held their positions at the top
of the ladder throughout the season. After
two strong early season wins against
Milton and Weston High School, the
Arrows lost three matches in a row to
some of the top teams in the League:
Belmont Hill, Middlesex, and Brooks. The
matches were competitive and, in the case
of Brooks, decided by a single point. The
team posted an impressive win in their last
match of the season against Nobles to
finish at a club record of 3-3.
40 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
Practices for the team are held two
evenings each week at Nobles and one
evening at CrossCourts in Natick, where
the boys are given the opportunity to work
with a professional instructor. The team’s
skill level grew visibly as the weeks wore on,
and their schedule reflected that newfound
talent. For the first time in the history of
the program, the Arrows took on
competition from the JV level.
The hard fought matches and tight
scores are a testament to the effort put forth
by the team, and a good indicator that the
squad is working its way toward the varsity
level. Coach Moore hopes to expand the
roster even further next year, and hopefully
work a few more matches into the schedule.
Chris Dillon ’10
Varsity Basketball
T
he 2009-2010 St. Sebastian's varsity
basketball team had another
successful and exciting season. The team,
coached by George Morelli, Patrick
Durgin, and Sedale Threatt ’03, returned
seven players from the previous season junior Deric McCottrell, seniors Charley
Allen, Kevin Lynch, Jake O'Malley, Chris
Dillon, and senior captains Ryan Kilcullen
ATHLETICS WINTER SPORTS
and Ryan Hayes. The team welcomed
newcomers Quandel Johnson ’12, Kendall
Dardy-Jones ’12, Edmund Murphy ’11,
Patrick Jacques ’11, Taylor Peck ’10, and
David Ruffolo ’10.
The first game was against KingswoodOxford. The Arrows went down early,
facing a double-digit deficit at the end of
the half. In the second they fought back,
but could not hold off the future playoff
team. St. George's was next. A clutch
performance by Ruffolo, who drilled the
game clinching three-pointer, catapulted
the Arrows to their first win of the season.
A win against Tabor Academy followed,
giving the Arrows some momentum going
into the Rivers Tournament.
In the first round at Rivers, the Arrows
were matched with rival Belmont Hill. The
Sextants gained an early lead with a myriad
of shots. In the second half, the Arrows
came out determined to stop the attack,
and were able to punish Belmont Hill with
tremendous performances by Kilcullen and
McCottrell, who helped to secure a first
round win. In the second round, the
Arrows played the Mustangs from Milton.
The game was close throughout, but several
clutch threes by Milton players ended it for
St. Sebastian’s. A final win over Pingree
secured a Third Place finish at the
tournament.
The St. Sebastian’s Holiday
Tournament saw the Arrows beat a very
athletic Boston Trinity Academy in the first
round, before facing Holderness in the
second. The edge in athleticism and size
went to Holderness, but heart and
determination went to the Arrows. The
Arrows were competitive the entire game
due in large part to O'Malley, who dialed
home three triples, but were unable to
convert on a last second three and fell to
Holderness. A win in the final round
against Tabor secured St. Sebastian’s
another Third Place tournament finish.
With the regular season now underway,
the Arrows looked at their schedule and
saw a chance to start off strong. They
handily took care of a young Roxbury Latin
squad, before facing an experienced Brooks
team, which resulted in a 54-51 win.
St. Sebastian's continued the streak with
two more wins: away at Groton, followed
by a home thrashing of Thayer Academy.
The Arrows then faced a week they referred
to as "Rivalry Week," which featured games
against Nobles and Belmont Hill. After
trailing at halftime against Nobles, St.
Sebastian's was able to rally to a 56-41 win.
Then in front of a packed crowd at home,
St. Sebastian's took the court against
Belmont Hill. The stage was set, but once
again St. Sebastian's came out flat. Belmont
Hill was playing good pressure defense, and
took a 31-22 lead into the half. The Arrows
came out determined in the second and,
after trailing by as much as 13, stormed
back with a full court press that stifled the
Belmont Hill attack. A rim-rattling dunk
by McCottrell with minutes left sealed the
Arrows fate. The Arrows outscored the
Sextants 40-15 in the second half, and won
by a final score of 62-46.
The low point of the season was the
game against BB&N, when three-pointer
after three-pointer resulted in a nail-biting
56-52 loss for the Arrows. Losses to Rivers,
Middlesex, St. Mark's, and Lawrence
followed, before the Arrows managed to
secured a 77-63 win on the road against
Governor’s, which was inspired by a 32point effort by Hayes.
The Arrows next faced Milton
Academy, where Kilcullen’s game high 25
points and 15 rebounds were not enough to
secure an Arrows victory. The final game
against St. Paul’s followed. Every senior
was given a jersey with his name on the
back for the game. Not only did every
senior get into the game, but every senior
scored. From Taylor Peck flexing his
muscles on the defensive end, to Kevin
Lynch out-hustling everyone, to Charley
Allen getting rebound after rebound, the
Arrows seniors ended their careers in style.
The team shot over 60% from the field to
secure an incredible 86-55 win, which
resulted in a 14-9 season (9-6 in the ISL) for
the Arrows. ■
Letter from Coach
Bob Souza
Spring 2010
To All who Donated to the Mutch
Fund this Year,
I wanted to drop a quick note to
thank all of you who responded to
my letter and donated to the Mutch
fund on behalf of the Rich family. Although my letter was sent out to former players in the football program,
with the help of people like Joe Hulbig ’92 and others, many graduates
responded and we were able to raise
a little over $9,000 to help Kevin
and his family fight this disease.
The money you donated, along with
the proceeds from the game, allowed us to give the Rich family over
$13,000.
I have always been proud of the kids
who played on our athletic teams,
and I am even prouder of the many
alumni who stepped up to help one
of our families in a time of need.
In the most recent update on Kevin’s
battle, his mother Cara describes
Kevin as waking up from his anesthesia, giving her a hug, and whispering to her, “This cancer is going
down.”
Kevin is a fighter. It is that spirit,
along with your generosity, that
gives me confidence that this is a
battle he will win.
Thank You and God Bless,
Bob Souza
WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
| 41
ARROWS IN MEMORIAM
In Memoriam
We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of the graduates
and friends of St. Sebastian’s School.
Rest In Peace
Jacqueline Alderson
— January 29, 2010
Grandmother of Peter ’07 and Dillon ’11
Kerr.
James Connolly
— January 21, 2010
Father of James ’11 and Colin ’15.
Lawrence McAuliffe ’48
Mr. McAuliffe passed away on October 12,
2009. While at St. Sebastian’s he played
half-back on the School’s football team and
was an outfielder on the baseball team
during his junior and senior years.
"Happy are those who have died in the Lord!
After being graduated from St. Sebastian’s,
McAuliffe earned a degree at Boston
College before becoming a United States
Marine and serving in Korea and Vietnam.
He retired as a Captain. He went on to
earn a Master’s from Princeton and a Ph.D.
from Andover-Newton Theological
School. McAuliffe was a priest for many
years, leaving the priesthood to
concentrate on a writing career later in life.
Happy indeed the Spirit says;
Now they can rest forever after their work,
Since their good deeds go with them."
Revelation 14:13
McAuliffe is survived by his wife Marilyn,
brother Andy ’48, sister Joan, nephews
Edward ’81, Drew ’75, Paul ’86, and John
’78 McAuliffe, and a great-nephew Justin
Lee ’15. He was also the uncle of the late
Lawrence ’79.
Cecilia Cortese
— February 15, 2010
Grandmother of Nick ’11.
Rev. Dr. Francis D’Ambrosio, Sr.
— January 11, 2010
Father of Anthony ’72.
Mary Judge
— February 10, 2010
Grandmother of John “JP” ’09 and the late
William ’11.
Florence Kittler
— February 18, 2010
Mother of faculty member Peter and
former Dean of Students Morris.
Paul Marchione
— March 4, 2010
Grandfather of Ryan Schnoor ’13.
Kenneth Mercier
— February 28, 2010
Father of Development Office staff
member Linda Panetta.
Carole Sheridan
— February 2, 2010
Grandmother of John Doherty ’13.
Mary Ellen Strachan
— February 2, 2010
Grandmother of Brian ’11 and Connor ’14.
Richard Walsh
— March 20, 2010
Grandfather of Brendan ’05 and
Christopher ’10 Moses.
42 | S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE Volume V, Issue II
CAREER ADVISORY NETWORK
Tom Cronin ’91, Jay Murphy ’95, and Mike Sexton ’97 at a St. Sebastian’s School networking event.
Purpose of Network
Access the List
The purpose of the Career Advisory Network is to
provide members of the St. Sebastian’s School
Community with access to alumni and parents who
are willing to share their professional and
educational experiences.
The Career Advisory Network Directory can be
accessed from the Alumni section of the School’s
intranet site. If you need to obtain a password
for this password-protected section of the web,
contact Dan Tobin at dan_tobin@stsebs.org
or 781-247-0151.
St. Sebastian's is a relatively small "family" of
alumni and parents who represent a variety of
career fields. Many have already volunteered to
serve as Career Advisors in our Network.
Become an Advisor
To become a Career Advisor, visit
www.stsebs.org/alumni/update.html and complete
the online form. Make sure you answer “yes” to the
Career Advisor question at the bottom of the form.
Arrows working together to build
a stronger community.
Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Boston, MA
Permit No. 19943
1191 Greendale Avenue
Needham, Massachusetts 02492
William L. Burke III
Headmaster
Richard F. Arms
Director of Alumni & Development
Dan Tobin
Director of Communications
Phone 781-449-5200
www.stsebastiansschool.org
Fax 781-449-5630
The St. Sebastian’s and Belmont Hill varsity
hockey teams squared-off under the lights
at Fenway Park on Tuesday, January 5.
Teammates John Doherty ’13, Stephen
Brown ’12, Peter Burke ’10, Mike Ewing ’10,
and Tom O’Regan ’10 sit in the stands prior
to the game. A complete summary of the
winter sports season can be found starting
on page 36.