VOLUME 3 • CHAPTER 1 • January 2003

This newsletter, because of its special content, is being mailed to all of our non-computer guys, including our brothers who have elected, for one reason or another, not to support this newsletter. Hope you all enjoy it.

OK... let's start the new year with a bang. Follows, as promised, the story of the life of Father Walter Halloran '39. If there ever was a Joe Campion, Father Walt is the man. The story is a bit lengthy, but methinks you will enjoy it. Thanks to Father Halloran for his cooperation, and to his little brother, Jack Halloran '46, for his labors in helping us gather this information. Maybe even a standing O for Jack.

"The Exorcism", a stunning story of demonic possession so many years ago in St. Louis, and its attendant publicity, books, television interviews and television dramas is certainly the best known, however not the most significant event in the life of Father Walter Halloran, this remarkable Jesuit priest and Campion alumnus.

Halloran was born in Jackson, Minnesota on September 21, 1921. Jackson is a small farming community located in the southwestern corner of the state. He was the first of nine children born to Walter and Teresa Halloran. His father was a doctor who, with his wife, a nurse, owned and operated the first acute care hospital in Jackson County. Halloran's mother, in later years, operated a hospital for the profoundly retarded. As one of his brothers, Mark, said, "There was never any question in our home as to what was really important and what was merely superficial."

Halloran 1939

Halloran cannot remember a time, in his early life, when he did not know he was going to Campion. As a young boy, his mother and father had spoken of Campion as a place that was academically demanding and where serious study and exemplary conduct were assumed. It was impressed upon young Walter how fortunate he was to be accepted at such an institution. There was also a family connection. His paternal grandfather, Florence John Halloran, and paternal great-uncle, John Tracy, had been students at Campion in the latter half of the 19th century. In September of 2002, while visiting one of his brothers, Halloran remarked, "I am now 81 years old, and still the idea of Campion as a unique place has never left me."

Halloran arrived at Campion with his parents, on September 12, 1934. "Little did I realize at the time that I was beginning a new and far different life from that which I had previously known" he observed. Before his parents left him in the care of the Jesuits, his mother assured several of the faculty members that "They would have no trouble with Walter because he is a very good boy." This assertion proved not predictive. "In reality, he stated, "I became one who provoked special observation."

He was a frequent visitor to "jug" during much of freshman year. He was terribly homesick and really didn't care much about anything. "I have always been highly competitive and that quality, not well restrained, combined with my general attitude of not giving a damn eventually landed me in a lot of hot water," he recalled. He further remembered how a conversation with Jack Touhy, a close friend of those years, affected his attitude. Touhy told Halloran that the frequent punishments he received were his own fault. "Take a look at yourself and accept responsibility for your conduct," Touhy advised him. His friend's insights were taken to heart, and marked the beginning of a maturing process and an accommodation to the new life. It was during the early years at Campion that he developed a more realistic faith." I came to the realization that the appearance of piety engendered by frequent visits and the lighting of candles was not what it is all about." He also came to realize that pious practices were no substitute for serious study of demanding subjects.

In his sophomore year, Walter became seriously ill and returned home. He was home for the entire year. The next year he started anew as a sophomore. In reminiscing on his student years, he said, "My last two years at Campion were among the happiest of my life. The studies went well. I was a good student. I was always a good athlete and excelled at both football and track. The deepest and most enduring friendships of my life were made during those years. I even had a good relationship with the faculty - most of them at least. The Campion curriculum was demanding and my resulting education was excellent. In my view, other lessons I took with me from Campion were equally as important as the academics. They were many, chief among them a mature faith, but also the concept of personal responsibility, the importance of hard work, the pleasure of achievement and the importance of kindness in human relationships."

Halloran graduated from Campion in 1939 and matriculated that fall to Regis College in Denver. He was there for one year. "It was a pleasant time. I made many friends," he recalled; "I studied enough and was a regular end as a freshman on the Regis football team. It was a fine year."

Dr. Halloran had hopes that his eldest son would study medicine, and did not think the attractions of Denver and the Rocky Mountains were conducive to preparation for that demanding work. The next year, 1940-41, Halloran, at the direction of his father, transferred to the University of Minnesota. It was a propitious move. It was during that year that the idea of a vocation to the religious life became a conviction. In August of 1941, he joined the Society of Jesus in St. Louis. "It is well," Halloran reminisced speaking of the time before he entered the Society, "that we are not completely aware of what our new life will be. Certainly this was the case with me. I approached the Jesuit life with enthusiasm and confidence. Wisdom followed, but slowly."

For the next four years, he was at the Jesuit seminary in Florissant, Missouri. The first two years, the novitiate, were times of intense spiritual training. It was not a very easy time for him. Obedience was absolute and the daily routine was unvarying and meticulously observed, but he persevered and survived. The next two years in the Juniorate were less restrictive and more enjoyable. The greater part of the seminarians' time was spent in academic pursuits. Latin, Greek, English literature and history were the areas of concentration.
During the academic years 1946 through 1949, Halloran, along with his fellow seminarians, studied philosophy at St. Louis University. These years saw the beginning of a long and pleasant relationship with St. Louis and the University. It was also during this period (1949) that the now well publicized events surrounding the exorcism of a young boy took place.

We have in our hands a transcript of the diary written by Father Raymond Bishop, S.J., a participant in the procedure, as the exorcism played out. His original hand written document is still around somewhere and we are searching for it. This diary is the source of the movie "The Exorcist", as well as the true story "Possessed" written by Thomas B. Allen (Doubleday 1993). Herein the author conducts lengthy interview(s) with Father Halloran. If you are interested, this is a good read. We will attempt to make copies of the diary transcript, and, if successful will make it available to you. Please know that Father Bowdern, mentioned below, was president of Campion during Halloran's years there. He and Father Walt became friends and it seems that Father Bowdern liked the idea of a football player being in attendance during the exorcism. Below is portrayed the cover letter that Father Bishop used to transmit his diary to the Rector of the Alexian Brothers Hospital, where the exorcism took place, as well as parts of a typical day during the exorcism, both unedited. ("R." is Father Bishop's abbreviation for Ronald E. Hunkeler, the victim.)

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ST LOUIS UNIVERSITY
221 North Grand Boulevard
St. Louis 3, Missouri

April 29, 1949.

Rev. Brother Rector, C.F.A.
3933 South Broadway,
St. Louis l0, Missouri

Dear Brother Cornelius:

The inclosed report is a summary of the case which you have known for the past several weeks. The Brothers' part in this case has been so very important that I thought you should have the case history for your permanent file.

We have been informed by the Chancery Office on two different occasions, March 16 and April 27 that the case is not to be publicized. I fear that the news has already broken in various parts of the city through individuals asking for prayers and perhaps through some who took part in the case. The difficulty of keeping some of the facts secret is practically beyond our control right now, but insofar as we are able we should not make this case public until we have a definite statement from the Chancery Office.

One of the finest benefits that has come to me as a result of this case is a high appreciation of the work and religious devotion of the Alexian Brothers. The prayerful assistance of your Community was certainly a strong factor in winning the battle against Satan. Your own cooperation to the extent of establishing public devotion to Our Lady of Fatima will always be associated with the inspirational aspects of the case.

The Hunkeler family has been won over completely by the wholehearted charity of your Brothers. There is little doubt that the intention of becoming a Catholic has been deeply influenced by the Christlike attitude of the Brothers who worked with Ronald.

It will always be a distince privilege for me to remember you and your Community at the Holy Sacrifice.

Gratefully in the Sacred Heart,

(Signed) RAYMOND J. BISHOP, S.J.

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And from the diary:

Wednesday. March 16. (1949)

Permission was granted by the Most Reverend Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter that Father William S. Bowdern, S.J., Pastor of the College Church in St. Louis might read the prayers of exorcism according to the Roman Ritual. Fathers Bowdern,

Bishop, and Mr. W. Halloran, S.J., arrived at the Hunkeler home between 10:15 and 10:30 PM. Shortly after 10:30 R. was sent to bed and Father Bowdern helped him to examine his conscience and make an act of contrition. Then Father Bishop, Mr. Halloran, R's mother and the uncle and aunt of R were called into the bedroom in order to prepare for the exorcism. All those present knelt down beside R's bed and acts of Faith, Hope, Love and Contrition were recited together (R said the prayers too)………..The most distinctive markings on the body were the picture of the devil on R's right leg and the word "HELL" imprinted on R's chest in such a way that R could look down at his chest and read the letters plainly. The imprint of the devil and "HELL" appeared at the repetition of the "Praecipio" demanding the devil spirit to identify himself. The devil was portrayed in red. His arms were held above his head and seemed to be webbed, giving the hideous appearance of a bat. All the room observers agreed that the above two signs could not be mistaken for other designs………

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After philosophy Halloran was assigned to St. Louis University High School. There he taught English and history. He also assisted in the coaching of football. The school reminded him in many ways of Campion. St. Louis University High was (and still is) a very good school. It continues to excel both academically and athletically.

The next and last stop in his training as a Jesuit was at St. Mary's Kansas. Here for four years he studied Theology. In 1954, after the third year of Theology, he was ordained. After completing his studies at St. Mary's he spent a year at Decatur, Illinois in what was known as the "tertian" year. The fifteen long years of training, at that time required of all Jesuits, was finally concluded.

Mr. Halloran 1960

In the academic year 1956, he returned to Campion and was there until 1963. He taught history, and assisted L.G. Friederichs in coaching the varsity football squad. Not a great deal had changed at Campion since his graduation seventeen years earlier. Halloran observed that the curriculum was still the typical course of study at Jesuit secondary schools. It was one that had worked well for centuries throughout the world in educating young men. The rules had not changed at all, but they, unlike the curriculum, should have. The rules were far too strict and were not, he felt, conducive to the development of the students' personal growth and responsibility. "The problem was that in subsequent years when changes in the rules came, all else was thrown out too. The situation was revolutionary-out of control. Centuries of wisdom were jettisoned."

In 1963 he was assigned to Marquette University and remained there until 1966. While there he taught history. He also became a friend of Al Mcguire's and the chaplain of the basketball squad. He spent a considerable amount of time with the students, and while he was not officially a counselor, students came to him for advice and counsel. He enjoyed them. They were much like the Campion group, but older and more mature and serious.

In 1966 he began his quest to join the United States Army. He was forty-two years old and that was fifteen years too old for the grade of captain, the entry level for chaplains. He needed a waiver. His brother Jack had been active in Minnesota Democratic politics and knew Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale. Jack solicited the help of these two worthies; however, the influence of the county judge in Halloran's hometown was the determinative factor in being accepted into the army. The judge was a reserve army officer and a good friend of Major General "Red" Ryan the then Army Chief of Chaplains and a priest of the archdiocese of St. Paul. The judge contacted General Ryan and the commission came through.

Halloran's first assignment was at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served as chaplain to recruits. He was at Bragg for six months, and then was assigned to Germany. There he was chaplain at Patrick Henry Village, a residential community for the military and their dependents. He was also chaplain at the army hospital in Heidelberg.

In 1969, when he was forty-eight years old, he applied for and was accepted for Army Ranger-Paratroop training. At that time, he was twenty years older than the next eldest man in his class. He completed the course successfully and volunteered for Viet Nam. He was accepted and within the year was in Saigon, and assigned to the 173rd Brigade, an elite airborne infantry unit. He stayed in Saigon for a month and was then moved to Bongson where he became chaplain of the 2nd Battalion of the 173rd.

A mobile infantry brigade is comprised of four battalions It is a mobile force with armor and enormous firepower. The personnel are normally dispersed at fire bases throughout the area for which the brigade has responsibility. Usually each fire base had a complement of fifteen American soldiers and a like number of Vietnamese. The only way to get to the men was by helicopter, and that was how Father Halloran traveled. He declined to talk about the dangers connected with his work.

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The interviewer knew that Halloran received two Bronze Stars while in Vietnam. He also knew one of Halloran's friends from Vietnam, Lt. Col. Peter McKenzie, U.S. Army (ret.) and obtained an account of his recollections of Halloran's time in Viet Nam. McKenzie's reminiscences follow:

I met Walt in June 1969 at Landing Zone UPLIFT where I had just been assigned as Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade (Separate). Walt had been assigned as battalion Chaplain, prior to that time. As it happens the chaplains organizational boss is the Bn XO (Battalion Executive Officer) - me. Our perimeter made up one-half of a two battalion perimeter sitting astride Hwy ONE on the East Coast of RVN, between Cam Ranh Bay to the North and Qui Nhon to the south.

The newly painted white (to make it a better target, I guess; no fault of Walt's) chapel was his workplace and also his living quarters. An area behind the altar was partitioned off for his living quarters - spartan to say the least, one door and no windows, no bathroom.

Father Walt 1991

Before we go farther, you need to know that everyone in the 173d except the helicopter pilots, were trained parachutists and had exited an aircraft in flight at least 5 times. Why Walt elected to go to jump school in his late 40's is unknown to me, but is probably based on some facet of his Jesuit training and the need to be a little closer to God, however temporarily. He was the oldest of some 7000+ troopers to have attended jump school in the 173d, but did so in Germany, much to the chagrin of his Sergeant Major, prior to coming to Viet Nam.

The fact that maybe we should not have even been in Viet Nam never entered Walt's mind. The thing that drove him was his need to insure the well being of the troops and to do everything in his power to be as close to them physically to accomplish that mission.

To do this Walt had no trouble at the LZ (Landing Zone) where we lived. The only problem was that only about half the battalion at a time was there. So Walt spent the rest of the time figuring out ways to "get to the troops".

This was made difficult because the Battalion Commander wanted Walt to administer to the troops at the LZ and not flying out to combat operations per chance to be zapped and not to be able to "administer" back at the LZ. Walt begged anyone who was going to a combat area (as if we were not in one already) for a ride in their chopper. He always had his Mass Kit on his hip and was ready to go. The Battalion CO caught him on a number of occasions and tried to reason - finally giving him a direct order to cease and desist!

I did travel with Walt on a logistics chopper to a combat/security surveillance site one day. He and I and the Protestant Chaplain flew to Eagles Nest, a mountain outpost on the coast. He was to say Mass and the other chaplain to have Protestant services. When we landed on this high elevation postage stamp the place was anything but waiting for religious services. An artillery spotter was calling in 8 inch artillery fire from an Australian cruiser 8 miles off the coast and directing it to the base of our site where a platoon strength force of Viet Cong were attempting to take our position. At the same time our airborne infantry soldiers perimeter defenders were rolling hand grenades and firing down at them. Not daunted in the least Walt conducted mass for those in the reserve squad and the other chaplain conducted services 15 feet away, accompanied by taped hymns. It would have made a great scene in a good movie. We held the fort and we returned to the LZ in one piece. Walter was fulfilled that day.

He and I and others spent many sorrowful occasions in the Battalion aid station when medivac choppers brought back the dead and wounded from combat operations. Although his avowed duty, Walt hated to give the last rites to a soldier.
Walt was one of the best poker players I have ever played with. When things were quiet some evenings Walt and I would join a number of other younger officers in the game. When it was obvious to all that Walt was going to win the pot he would fold his cards allowing someone else to win. I asked him about this and he said he could do nothing with his winnings because of his vows and that the officers needed the money more than the Church. In that same vein he refused at mass to take up a collection for the same reason. He told this to the Chaplain hierarchy on a number of occasions, which, among other noteworthy acts, were probably the reasons he was never promoted past the grade he had when he entered the service. Walter was not a political animal and could care less if he ever got promoted even though I gave him the highest possible ratings on his efficiency reports.

An aside. I had been married to a Catholic girl for eleven years when I met Walter and decided to convert while under Walt's pastorship. The ceremony took place in the Battalion chapel at midnight New Years Eve 1969. He told me I was his first convert. Later that night the entire battalion perimeter forces contributed their military combat skills by blowing up the garbage dump welcoming in 1970.

Peter McKenzie
Ltc. US Army retired

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In 1971 Father Halloran was back in the United States and assigned as chaplain to the stockade at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Also in 1971, he was separated from the service.

In 1972, he returned to St. Louis, first to the University doing alumni work for a year, and then to St. Mathew's parish. From 1973 to 1978 he was pastor of St. Matthew's. St. Matthew's is an inner city parish of about 125 families; at the time it also had a grade school. "I enjoyed pastoral work and I enjoyed St. Mathew's. I still remain in contact with the parishioners. We were a small, but active, and generous community," Halloran commented.

Following St. Matthew's, Halloran took a sabbatical and spent it caring for his mother who was seriously ill. He became pastor of a small country parish, St. Luke's, in Sherburn, Minnesota near his hometown. He stayed there during his mother's illness and following her death. Shortly after her death he went to Creighton University in Omaha where he did alumni and parish work for two years.

Retirement was never on his mind. At the age of 80, when asked by his sister Ann, "How do you handle old age?" He replied "I ignore it" The midwest winters, however, were becoming too severe, and in February 1990, he moved to San Diego. Halloran worked as an assistant in several San Diego parishes. Finally, in 2001, a number of years after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma, when he was told by his doctor that he must stop working, reluctantly, he did. He now lives in San Diego in retirement, playing golf as often as he can.

It is difficult to characterize this remarkable life. Halloran's sister Mary Harrington recently said of him, "He is my hero. He was my hero when I was a little girl. I am now a mother with grown children and grandchildren and he still is my hero." His brother, Jack Halloran, speaks of his brother's almost mythic qualities. His nephew Tim Harrington said it best when on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his marriage, he wrote his uncle and said, in part, "I wish that I could have lived a life as meaningful and rewarding - to others, of course, and therefore to oneself - as yours. …Whether as an athlete, coach, priest, soldier, pastor or just Uncle Walt, I have had the greatest love and admiration for you. I have hoped to see what you see and feel what you feel. I want to be known for what I have done for others. If I get at it from now to the rest of my life - largely starting from scratch - then I'd still fall far short of as meaningful and rewarding a life as yours. But that's all a lot of talk of measurements. Isn't it all in the trying? I hope so. Thank you for everything. Love, Tim"

Halloran was followed at Campion by his brothers Bill '43 (now deceased), Jack '46, and Mark '49.

From John Gormley, '53:

The class of '53 will be having a 50th year reunion at Indian Lakes Resort, Bloomingdale, Il. June 27th, 28th and 29th, 2003. Contact Bill Downing at wtd1024@aol.com or by phone at 630-910-6433 or Henry Lauer at henrylauer@msn.com or by phone at 773-728-9593.

This from my old classmate, Ernie Ament, '47:

Attending our class reunion in Chicago five years ago was a moving experience for me - reinforcing all that Campion has meant to everyone who went there. That seems to be the universal agreement we all share. I was talking to my sister just a month ago about how absolutely formative Campion was for me for my entire life and she wondered if a high school could really have been so influential. I assured her it was, and, interestingly, the essay in your last issue by Donald Parker of course dwelled on that same point. I've met many people in my life who were more gifted, intelligent, successful, wealthy, whatever, than I am, but I never met a person who I felt could top or match my Jesuit education - particularly at the high school level. I also had Jesuit education in college and graduate school, two different Universities. Jesuit Universities vary greatly today and need to be chosen carefully.

I was near Campion six weeks ago. My brother, Fr. Robert ("Bob") Ament, class of '43, celebrated his fiftieth anniversary as a priest on April 26 - at Ft. Atkinson, Iowa, fifty miles from the Mississippi and Prairie du Chien. He served his entire priesthood in the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, mostly in smaller country towns, and retired five years ago to Ft. Atkinson (pop. 374), where he was once pastor. The parishioners there got up a celebration for him and a packed church of former parishioners, relatives and friends from eastern Iowa, including his two sisters and myself from Chicago, Billings (Montana), and Detroit attended - with a big dinner in the town hall afterward. He loves his retirement, although in my opinion he is almost as busy as before. With the growing shortage of priests he is booked for weeks and months ahead to substitute for priests on vacation or making retreats or convalescing.

Later he and our sister, Mary Flo Whalen, took a drive to Prairie du Chien and Campion. They lunched at Kaber's, which should stir memories for you. I'm enclosing a couple of pictures they sent me. You're welcome to use them in your newsletter if appropriate, but don't feel compelled to. Kaber's (established 1920) was, as you will recall, the best of a miniscule number of restaurants in Prairie du Chien in our time for visiting parents and their Campion sons to eat at. And a dinner off campus of course was one of the highlights of a parental visit. The restaurant, as the pictures show, proudly memorializes its association with Campion and the waitress fondly volunteered that every year in May a group of Campion graduates meets in Prairie du Chien for two days of golf and dinner at Kaber's.

Campion, as we all know, is a correctional facility now with a stout double fence around it. Odd isn't it? In our day we struggled to get out of it; now we'd have to struggle to get in. Also, the town now extends around and beyond the former campus, making "sneaking into town" rather meaningless today. Also enclosed are obituaries of two Jesuits who taught at Campion and who died last year, which might be of interest to your readers. Fr. Sweeney was in our time of course and was featured as alive in your issue Vol. 1, Chp. 4. I kept in touch with him for some years because our professions were complementary; his philosophy, mine Classics. He was among a group of Jesuits greatly disturbed by the "liberalizing" trends of the modern Jesuit order. Keep up the good work.

George Lennon '48 adds these comments to Dick Rawe's riot story:

Dick did a terrific job. The "gum" Brother was Brother Stockley also known as Bro Sto.
An interesting side note or 2 on Brother Pete: Brother Pete was a Russian National. He was almost deported during the war. A Campion Grad by the name of Walker Butler interceded for him. The Jesuits didn't admit he was an Alum until he did that, because he was divorced.

Brother Pete picked up the mail in town and developed a romantic interest. He and his honey took off and Fr. Reinert pursued them for at least 100 miles.

Finally, I heard that Fr. Reinert arranged a meeting a few years after we had left Campion in Washington in which he admitted that his handling of the "riot" was inappropriate.

Sincerely, George

John Haurykiewicz '63 offers us this trip back to Prairie:

I enjoyed reading the back issues of the newsletter, and look forward to more. In 98 we had a 35 year class reunion in Chicago with about 40 out of 125 attending. George "Skip" Sayer was instrumental in researching and reconnecting with or at least identifying all but one of our class (1963). On the way to the reunion in Chicago, my wife insisted that we swing past Prairie du Chien so she could see the school. I showed her "Ma's" and took her to base of the bluffs, where I told her the story of how we rocketed down the ski hill on a toboggan and shot through an opening in a barbed wire fence to the road below. She then said, "Let's look to see if the fence opening is still there." As near as I could estimate, there is a line of power poles going up the bluff where the ski/toboggan run was. I was shocked to see that the roof type shingles are still on the building where "Ma's" was. In 1998 it was an ice cream shop. My pictures of the campus through the double cyclone fence topped with razor wire prompted the comment at the reunion: "They finally made it official." Best regards…

10/24/2002
Members named to sex-abuse commission

VATICAN CITY - Five days after rejecting the U.S. bishops' sweeping zero tolerance policy against clerical sex abuse, the Vatican announced the names Wednesday of the joint American-Vatican commission that will revise the plan.

American members of the commission are Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, Archbishop William Levada of San Francisco, Bishop Thomas Doran (Campion - '54) of Rockford, Ill., and Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, Conn.

The Vatican will be represented by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, who heads the Congregation for Clergy; Monsignor Juliän Herranz, who heads the Council for Legislative Texts; Monsignor Tarcisio Bertone, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Monsignior Francesco Monterisi, secretary of the Congregation for Bishops.

No schedule for their meetings was announced, but they are expected to begin work soon because Bishop Wilton Gregory, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said he hoped they would complete their work in time for a meeting of all American bishops in mid-November.

John Dyrud '53 (a towney) writes:

September 28, 2002
Just received a note from Fr. John Scott, S.J. He just got out of the hospital recovering from a stroke - his written word did not seem to be noticeably impaired.

John Patrick Donnelly, S.J. '52, offers this mini-bio:

I graduated from Campion in 1952 and immediately entered the Jesuits. I taught as a Jesuit scholastic at Campion during the 1961-62 school year. After my regular Jesuit training I did a Ph.D. in history at U. of Wisconsin-Madison, then came to Marquette U. where I have been teaching history the last thirty years. I have written, edited or co-edited twelve books dealing with the Renaissance and Reformation, mostly dealing with Italian religious writers. My health remains pretty good, so I plan to teach several more years, God willing. I am currently working on two books dealing with St. Ignatius of Loyola. I continue to play lots of golf and do some parish work.
John Patrick Donnelly, S.J. '52
Professor of History

From Chuck Lambeck, '60, our host for the next all-class reunion:
Second Annual All-Class Reunion - March 2003

Alumni:
Your reunion committee has put together a package for the upcoming 2nd annual all-class reunion that has something for everyone. We will be the first large group in a brand new 4-star Hilton hotel 100 yards from the Gulf of Mexico. Events to choose from include a trip to casinos in Biloxi, a visit to the Naval Aviation Museum, golf, shopping at the South's largest outlet mall, shopping within walking distance of the hotel, or deep-sea fishing. The menus for Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday morning have been chosen with the utmost care, the hospitality suite has been booked, and the alcohol is aging. We have started a new tradition for the annual reunions and asked Fr. Walter Halloran, '39, to be our guest of honor.

All we need now is you. Hope to see everyone this March.
Chuck Lambeck, '60; Dick Crenshaw, '60; Mike Redmond, '61; Bill Hunter, '55; Bob Costello '52; & Fred Nora, '70.

P.S.: Looking for a Florida alumnus to host the 2004 reunion. Let Aaron know if you're interested.

Will Rogers sez:

There's two theories to arguin' with a woman.
Neither one works.

Keith Rothschild, '57 provides this:

Class of 1957 Reunion
It was hugs and photos, hugs and photos, and more hugs and photos as the Campion Class of 1957 met for the 45th anniversary of their high school graduation. It was held August 2-4, 2002, at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, IL.

It was the first reunion in 25 years and only the third one for the Happy Days class, which had 108 seniors. Eight were known to have died and twenty could not be located. Of the remaining 80, 43 came for some portion of the two day gathering.

The event started with a Friday evening gathering and dinner followed by a report from each class member on what he¹s been doing for the past 45 years.

A video made from an old 8 mm film taken during senior week and graduation was shown, much to the amusement of wives present.

After a Saturday of touring the area with special friends, the class met for a Mass concelebrated by the class two priests present, Fr. Tom Woerth and Fr. John Callahan. It included prayers for the class members who have died and those with health problems, plus a special Indian invocation chanted by Dave Dantzer, who currently runs a tennis instruction program on Indian reservations throughout the country.

Saturday evening concluded with another dinner, a group photo and more group remembrance therapy. On Sunday, several alumni met for breakfast before departing to their current lives, with thoughts of the 50th get-together on their minds.

The event was organized by Jim Bayley and Bob Haas with help from Keith Rothschild and Pete O'Brien. Besides the organizers, those attending were Paul Aschoff, Bob Bell, Jim Berger, George Burbach, Kevin Butler, Fr. John Callahan, Lauren Choutka, Herb Clemens, Bob Constable, Dave Dantzer, John Doman, Dan Dries, Mike Frain, Mickey (Max) Frost, John Gaffney, Greg Gehred, Tom Gill, Tom Herman, Paul Hinko, Dan Holly, Julius Johnson,Jerry Kay, Paul Koch, Charles Lenz, Jim Madda, Joe Marlovits, Jim Miller, William Moloney, Jim Nack, George Newton, Bill Reed, Jim Smith, Jim Wall, Bob Weber, Fr. Tom Woerth, Alan Zable and Joe Zorc.

The event had a sad footnote when it was learned that Jim Madda, who had attended the event, died of a massive heart attack at his home in Crystal Lake, IL that Sunday afternoon. Jim apparently felt queasy and laid down for a nap. His wife, Judy, found him with the covers over his head and told him to stop fooling around. When he didn't respond she pulled the covers off and found him not breathing. She tried CPR but coudn't revive him. She later said that Jim spent the hours after the reunion talking about the good time he had seeing a bunch of his old friends again. Those who attended knew he had a good time. A fiftieth reunion is already being discussed.

From Jack Dunn '54:

My wife and I were up in Minnesota and Iowa seeing some friends. When we got back to Dubuque, I suggested we take a ride to Prairie du Chien, so north we went. When we crossed the river into Wisconsin, I could see the smoke stack and we turned south and found good ol' Campion.

If any of you think the Jesuits ran a tight ship, you should see it now! It is now run by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. There's a 15' high cyclone fence with double rolls of barbed wire on the top. They started moving prisoners into the facility a couple of years ago.

You can't see much because of all the bushes and fences that surround the place, and can't take any pictures, either. I stopped at the entrance and was told that if I was on the W.D.C. grounds and caught taking pictures, I would end up in jail! So much for getting another look at Campion!

Paul McCullough '70 writes:

Have enjoyed reading your newsletters, particularly about Campion's last years. Being from the class of 1970, I can recall that the longstanding philosophies that were in place at the school were being phased out during 1966 - 1970: as examples, jug was abolished in the fall of 1967 in favor of a demerit system, Sunday mass attendance became voluntary for upperclassmen (at least no attendance was taken), the four hour Sunday brunch (9am to 1pm) was initiated 1968, independent study projects were initiated for seniors in their final semester (in some cases, leaves of absences from the school were granted for up to 4 to 6 weeks). And yes, upheavals did occur such as the Kostka Hall fire, the riot on the Chicago bound Burlington Zephyr (carrying students home for spring recess) the night of April 4, 1968, 'the hearse', and of course 'The Poem'.

Campion was still functioning in its capacity as a prep school in the spring of 1970, evidenced by the placement of its graduating seniors. The '70 yearbook records graduates going to Harvard, Princeton, Haverford, Brown, Rice, Univ. Chicago, Macalester, Annapolis, Northwestern (2), Washington Univ., George Washington, Santa Clara (3), Georgetown, Boston College, Villanova (2), Notre Dame, Marquette (2), Loyola (Chicago) (6), Wisconsin (12), Michigan (3), among others.

This from Chuck Thegce '66:

I am sad to report that Roger Lucey S.J. died here in Northern California on Sunday evening, April 7, 2002, of complications from cancer. His funeral Mass is Wednesday evening, April 9 at Santa Maria Church in Orinda, California. Lucey was highly influential in the years he was at Campion in the '60s. Lucey Hall was named after his family. His brother Patrick was Governor of Wisconsin. He will be fondly remembered and missed. Chuck Thegze, H.B. "Tex" Morgan and George Wendt, all Class of 1966, will attend the funeral. Ave atque vale.

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