| εν
ἀρχῇ ην ο
λόγος In the beginning was the word (John:1:1) |
In late 1957 I went off to the seminary in Richmond, California run by the Salesian Order founded by St. John Bosco. I would eventually spend 7 years with the order, three years at Richmond, one year of Novitiate, and three years at their college in Newton, NJ.
This adventure was in somewhat stark contrast to my previous time at St. Edwards Seminary in Kenmore, WA. Richmond proved to be a thrilling environment where I can remember making many friends and having a lot of fun as well.
Although my sophomore year was a bit sketchy, my junior and senior year was good because I was joined by some good classmates and also in my junior year I got to work in the Chem Lab as assistant. That was a lot of fun. I still keep contact with these classmates today.
The campus was quite large as indicated in this 220 degree composite I took the first year I was there.
This is the 1957 Richmond sophomore class; (L to R) Adrian Webber, Dominic Vautier, Ed Clemowitz, Pat Heilman, Bill Young, Rodger Millett, Ron Merritt, Remo Scagliotti, and Steve Stover. John Depies was not present.
Rodger, Ron, Ed, Adrian, and Bill did not return for their Junior year.
I don't have a picture of our Junior class but here are the six members of the Salesian Junior Seminary graduating class of 1960. In fact it was to be the last class to graduate because the school was moving to Watsonville the following year and the campus was to become Salesian High, a college prep high school which today is quite active.
(L to R) Rich Wanner, Remo Scagliotti, Larry Milally, Fr. ?, Dominic Vautier (God what a bad haircut), Phil Mandile, and Pat Borrage.
Pat Heilman and John Depies had left that year before graduation. We all made it through novitiate. Pat, Phil and Remo became coadjutor brothers while Larry, Rich and I went on to DBC. I dropped out in my third year and Larry later. Rich went on to become a priest and later resigned.
I managed to get this shot of the 1957 freshman class on a hike. Here is an enlargement in better detail that identifies some of the students.
Below was taken in 1960 of the entire Richmond Salesian
Seminary student
body. It's not very good but
several people are recognizable. I have a much better
picture of the entire student
body of 1957 at higher resolution where I was able to identify
many students.
Anyway when I came to Richmond my driving interest then was to become school photographer and be assigned separate and much more interesting responsibilities rather that the insidious and hateful “campus projects” that Bro. Jerry Fury was in charge of. Every Saturday afternoon after lunch he announced the assignments. We waited with great trepadation for our fates for that afternoon.
I was so relieved when the director, Fr. Grasetti himself asked me if I would like to work in the darkroom. I immediately agreed. The darkroom was this sinister dilapidated room next to the print shop in the old buildings. It was poorly ventilated and the chemicals used in photo development needed lots of air. Many times I emerged from several hours of darkroom work in a state of “exhilaration” to say the least. But that was my way out of the humdrum “campus activities”. I still was assigned my usual “morning choir” to be done after breakfast and before first period, but still, alas, life was good.
The Salesians loved to sing. There were all kinds of camp songs and religious songs especially when we went on the bus.
Here I have tried to record words and music of some of these Salesian songs.
SportsWe had the usual sports like basketball, baseball, flag football and soccer. In addition there were some really unusual sports described here.
Chapel just before Easter 1957. I became very familiar with this place.
Here is a slightly better picture of the chapel.
In front of the cafeteria entrance was a statue of St. Dominic Savio.
The old barber shop is being removed.
I got this shot of the dorm. You were not supposed to take pictures in the dorm. Here we were getting ready for a hike.
Fr. Simms raised bees behind the laundry building. We had lots of honey to eat. Every year the bees would swarm and we had to stay away. The sky was full of bees.
Easter was a special time. Lots of singing and ceremony.
The old cafeteria was pretty crowded in those days before the new one was built in 1960.
The seniors are collected at left (Froeler and Gibson) while a group of juniors led by Bob Simioni are talking to freshmen Dan Santillan and Tom Jaso. Ron Epperson strolls leisurely down the road.
Twice a week we went on a long hike often to the San Pablo hills. I got a bad case of poison oak my first time out..
Taking a brake. I am second from right standing next to John Depies.
On one hike up in the San Pablo hills, we found a dead cow. My classmates are grouped together (L to R) Miller, Webber, Depies, and Merritt (with funny hat).
In the previous year Andy Sneider had built a wonderful and diabolical electric chair--the thing gave only a slight shock--but it was enough to send fear and dread through the hearts of even the most stalwart of freshmen.
Every year it was the tradition that on Halloween we would conduct our annual initiation of new members--all lots of fun.
Seniors would stage mock trials and burnings and throw dummies off the roof of the main building.
In the picture above Borrage and Merritt are up on the post while Mulally watches on high. At bottom (L to R), Montgomery, Newicki, Fisher,
Bloom, Simioni and Webber.
Organized Sports got plenty aggressive. In this flag football shot, Bro. Dan tries to get some yardage. (L to R) Dave Purdy, Bob Simioni, John Depies (mouth open), Bro Dan (with ball), Weber reaching for flag.
We enjoyed a lot of rather rough organized activities, such as long flag, dodge ball, and the more infamous "hop the chicken."
Fr. Murphy tries to referee wearing his customary sunglasses. It's his excuse not to play anything.
Remo Scagliotti slugs a few. In the background is the south "stoop" We would usually gather in the morning at the north "stoop" and sing a song before classes began.
In 1960 work was begun on our new cafeteria.
The building was open by April.
Goofing off in study hall (L to R) Remo, John Depies, Pat Heilman.
Webber falls asleep in Bro. Dick's Latin class.
Klem (Ed Klemowitz) reads in Bro. Jerry's English class.
Studyhall was a quiet time. Montgomery is in foreground.
Camp at Bonnie Doon. One day Bonaparte and me had laundry detail and we short-sheeted the entire sophomore dorm.
1960 Seniors inspect the pool at Bonnie Doone. (L to R) Mandile, Scagliotti, Mulally, Fr. Grasetti. Below is Borrege getting a close look.
1960 Seniors enjoy a quick snack after tearing down the old laundry building. (L to R). Mandile, Borrege, Wanner, Mullaly)
Trip to Redwood Forest at Big Sur.
Here I am in the Grotto.
And the library..
Sophomores decide to climb a tree. (L to R) Merritt, Vautier, Heilman. bottom Miller.
On our way to Stimpson Beach, Bro. Jerry gets into the drivers seat while Joe Lockart waves at me. We would often sing on the road.