Martin Marty's Fedora “How can Catholic education be saved?” - Play Small Ball

I read an interesting article by University of Chicago scholar Martin E. Marty. The article rather whimsically treats Catholic Schools as reified artifacts - a fedora e.g.  things that fade out of fashion and necessity.   I'm no scholar, but I have taught and worked in Catholic high schools since 1975.  So, since we are doing metaphors, Catholic schools remain the Cadillac of American education; back in 1975 more Americans could afford a Caddy.

I taught at Bishop McNamara High School in Kankakee, Illinois. The Clerics of St. Viator(CSVs) operated this co-educational high school under aegis of the Joliet Diocese.  There were five Viatorian priests in the Administration and teaching staff and there were also nine Sisters of Notre Dame(CNDs)  in teaching and clerical positions.The balance of the faculty were lay persons.  Together we served the 400 young men and women from diverse backgrounds.  The school was mirror of Kankakee County - heavily French with African Americans and Dutch Protestants filling out the demographic.  The students were the sons and daughters of farmers, factory workers, tradesmen, white collar workers, doctors, lawyers and a couple of bankers.

1975 saw the fall of Saigon and my baby steps in teaching.  The American economy began to tip due to OPEC and Jimmy Carter responded by manfully donning a sweater.  Kankakee had been home to many big sized businesses, Roper, AO Smith, Armstrong Tiles & Pharmeceuticals.  These operations as well as the foundries, metal fabrication and pallet operations provided a robust employment.  Tuition, which would be considered invisible by today's Catholic school prices, was set at $ 787 per year, sans fees and books.

I was paid a salary of $ 6, 800, with medical and allowed to pay into a retirement plan.  My salary every two  weeks amounted about $ 264.00 every two weeks.  I paid $ 225 a month for an apartment near the school, as I did not own a car.  I walked for two years.  Things were good. I received a modest raise each year according to the Levels and Steps Salary Scale of the Joliet Catholic Schools.

The economy broke bad. The Shah was bounced, America held Hostage, OPEC kicked sand in our eyes and Jimmy Carter paddled away from a rabbit.  Malaise.



AO Smith and Roper went to Mexico and so did the secondary industries.  Our parents were laid off.  One gentleman, Mr. W, had three kids in Catholic schools and was a shift manager at Roper in 1977.  In 1979, he was bagging groceries at Grocery World and Mrs. W. babysat. The kids all graduated, but they had moved from four bedroom bi level home in the  the very upper middle class west  side  Kankakee Parish of St. Martin of Tours to rental slab home in Bradley, IL. The W Family were heroic.

Other families just could not hack it and parted for the Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Momence, St. Anne and Herscher School districts.  The enrollment and the tuition revenue plunged. The faculty went without raises, but kept the school operation first rate. The athletic and academic programs blew away the competition from the tax-fueled public schools all over the county and beyond.

In 1981, due to declining vocations, the CSVs ended their operational ties to the school.  Shortly thereafter the CNDs did the same.  More lay persons swelled the salary slot in the budget ledgers.  That same year the school and the parents initiated the Negotiated Tuition program to keep as many of the students in the school.  Parents agreed to bring in their W-2 forms and negotiate tuition, or opt to meet the $1,400 tuition.

Regardless of the struggle, Catholic families sent their sons and daughters to Bishop McNamara.  The school held on.  After three years, the negotiations ended and tuition was set once again.  No miracles.  This was small ball*.

The faculty was an immensely talented body of teachers who sent Kankakee kids to Yale, Brown, Rutgers, University of Chicago, West Point, Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy, as well as Illinois, Purdue, DePaul, Loyola, ISU, EIU and Olivet.

Graduates stood out - Lori Hoekstra became a producer for Saturday Night Live, Letterman and now manages Norm McDonald, Kara Zediker is a movie star, America's first Casualty in the Operation Iraqi Freedom was Capt. Ryan Beaupre USMC (dec.) and there are so many more like  Napoleon Harris and Ron Young in civil and public service. There is also a thick handful of Catholic priests brothers and nuns who graduated from Bishop McNamara at the end of the last millennium.

No miracles.  This was small ball played out with huge sacrifices.  In piece linked to Marty Marty which uses the metaphor of Fedoras for Catholic schools misses a point. I continue to work in Catholic schools; did I mention I work at Leo High School?

Fedoras can still be purchased at vintage boutiques and they tend to cost a hell of lot more than the original price.  Fedoras might not be worn by a huge male demographic anymore.  Some folks worry that a Catholic education might become available only to the elite, the affluent and label conscious - like Notre Dame University. Catholic schools exist because of Catholics.  Catholics who take of precious things - faith, family, and freedom are not fads.

Fashion - even grown men wearing bow-ties- fades.  Fads even faster.  Catholic education is no fad; no matter how much public school educators try ape the school traditions - a Cadillac is no Prius. Catholic schools like the Dodo bird?  Like the Fedora, Marty?

I don't believe that to be the case at all.  I work at a school that 'smart' people insisted would close 'next year' with the same passion and precision that a Cubs fan sees a Cub World Series trophy.  The Cubs won one in 1908; Leo has been closing since 1967.

Here's your Fedora; see you next year Marty!.

* Catholic League football is remarkable for slugging it out yard for yard and eating the clock as well pounding to the goals.  However, small ball is more of a  baseball term:"When Paul Richards took over as the manager of the Chicago White Sox in 1951, his team had few power hitters, so he decided that he needed to manufacture runs by emphasizing speed as well as a strong defense.^[6] The White Sox became a contender and eventually, the team known as the Go-Go Sox won the American League championship in 1959 by relying on speed and defence."

Thank You to NBC's Sharon Wright and The Sun Times Media Group for the Fine Coverage of the Tribute to Cpl. John P. Fardy

Leo Alumnus Bernie Pepping, Class of 1957 watches members of Chicago's Own 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines solemnly fold the flag for the relatives of Cpl. John Fardy, USMCR and Leo Class of 1940 at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. ( photo NBC 5 Chicago)

It's been more than 65 years since Marine Corporal John Fardy was killed on the beaches of Okinawa in a battle with Japanese forces, but his brave actions were remembered at a gravesite ceremony in Alsip Monday.

Fardy is considered a hero for throwing himself onto an enemy grenade and absorbing the blast, therefore saving the lives of his comrades while sacrificing his own. Then President Harry Truman posthumously recognized him with the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest honor, for his bravery.

Fardy's living relatives, some of his fellow soldiers and classmates from the Leo High School Class of 1940, gathered at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Alsip Monday for a rededication of his gravesite.

Many of the gravesites for the WWII soldiers dubbed the "The Greatest Generation" are modest at best, and don't begin to describe their many accomplishments. The hope is to place a Medal of Honor designation on Fardy's marker to fully honor a hero who gave his life for his country.

"This ceremony is so meaningful because we see how his life impacted so many people," McGuire's niece, Anne Thomas McGuire, said. "It really makes me realize how important it is for all of us to really appreciate what the men in service are doing for our country." Sharon Wright NBC Chicago

Hannah Kohat's feature in today's Southtown Star links the Leo Men of the 1940's to the young Lions of 2011. Sgt. Jauwan M. Hall, USMC ( Leo '04) who is now the Marine Corps Recruiter at the station at 712 E. 87th Street, following his multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan paid tribute to fellow Marine and Leo Lion and the family of John Fardy along with Leo seniors. The Southtown Star story follows in full.

When the telegram came notifying Martin and Mary Fardy that their son had been killed in action in World War II, there were no details about his death.

There was no mention that Marine Cpl. John Peter Fardy — a South Sider who had left to fight in Okinawa, Japan, just months earlier — had jumped on a live grenade, sacrificing his life to save those of his men.

The Fardys wouldn’t know until later that their son, his life cut short at age 22, was up for a Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroics.

Through the decades, there have been others who had no way of knowing Fardy was a Medal of Honor recipient, either. That’s why his story was being recounted Monday by military historian and writer Dr. Terrence Barrett.

There had been nothing on the headstone of Fardy’s grave at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Worth Township to mark his sacrifice until Monday, when the headstone was rededicated at a ceremony with full military honors. More than 200 people attended, including nieces, nephews and cousins of Fardy.

“My mom, grandma and aunt would be thrilled,” said Fardy’s nephew, John Martin, of Tinley Park. “The first time I brought my grandmother here, she hit her knees and started crying.”

According to Barrett, after Fardy’s death in Okinawa on May 7, 1945, his body wasn’t even returned home in time for his memorial service. The Leo High School graduate’s family was presented with his Medal of Honor in 1946, according to the U.S. Marine Corps website. His body didn’t come home from Okinawa until 1949, Barrett said.

For decades, no one walking past Fardy’s grave could tell an American World War II hero was buried there. When fellow Leo High School grad Jim Furlong found that out, he and his fellow alumni and members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart made it their mission to get Fardy the recognition he deserved.

They had the Medal of Honor inscription added a couple of weeks ago, leading to Monday’s ceremony.

“It’s amazing how many people showed up today,” said Rich Martin, another of Fardy’s nephews, also of Tinley Park.

Martin said that although his uncle died before Martin was born, he remembers visiting the grave while growing up.

“He was my mom’s brother,” Martin said. “We used to come here to visit and clear his gravesite.”

The sacrifice

Barrett said Fardy was a quiet, modest and hard-working kid whose parents had emigrated from Ireland. He was drafted by the Marines in 1943 and became proficient with a Browning automatic rifle, which, Barrett said, meant he was destined for the thick of the war zones.

On May 7, 1945, in Okinawa, Hardy and his men came under fire, and he huddled them into a drainage ditch. When a hand grenade was thrown in, Fardy covered it with his own body to absorb the explosion.

Fardy’s cousin, Ann Powen, of Oak Lawn, remembers the day she and her family received the news of his death. She said they were all waiting for him to come home, and “got that call instead.”

Barrett said Fardy’s platoon commander recommended Fardy for the Medal of Honor.

The Medal of Honor citation written by then-President Harry Truman was read to the crowd Monday by John Martin. The citation said that “Corporal Fardy, by his prompt decision and resolute spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death, had rendered valiant service. … He gallantly gave his life for his country.”

Fardy apparently had been proud of his service. A high school classmate, John Hanlon, of Chicago’s Beverly community, said Fardy joined the Marines after high school, but “he came back to class one day to show off his uniform.”

The ceremony

In keeping with Fardy’s Irish roots, the Irish national anthem was performed at Monday’s ceremony. Veterans presented the colors, there was a 21-gun salute and “Taps” was played by bagpipers. When “The Marines’ Hymn” was sung, the eldest of veterans stood up straight and tall and belted out the tune.

“This is a plain and simple ‘thank you,’ ” said Illinois Military Order of the Purple Heart Cmdr. Dan Finn, who lost his left leg in the Vietnam War.

“It’s a great honor that we can give to one of our fallen heroes,” said Ray Perison, a World War II Army veteran who said he fought in Europe from 1944 to ’45 and was imprisoned in Nuremberg for five months.

Tony Matkovich, another former prisoner of war who fought for the Army in Germany from 1943 to ’45, said, “I’m honored to be here. It’s too bad they waited so long to honor him the way it should have been done.”

“God bless his soul,” said William Stefanu, a World War II combat engineer. “He did his duty for us.”

Seniors from Leo High School’s football team also were on hand, standing out in their black and orange jerseys and saying they were proud to honor an alum.

“I just want to say thank you,” Eric Owens said.

“I’m just happy to see alumni sticking together,” Jamal Boulden said. “We have a lot of vets.”

The crowd sang the Leo High School fight song to close the ceremony.

( emphases my own)

The Oak Lawn Patch covered the ceremony as well and will appear shortly.

Leo High School thanks Sharon Wright of NBC 5 Chicago and Ms. Hannah Kohat of the Southtown Star for their poignant and fitting tributes to Cpl. John P. Fardy.

God Bless All Who Serve and Have Served.

USMC v. ACLU

This was sent to me by Two-time Emmy Winner, Jazz Pianist, Journalist, Essayist and Implacable Foe of Abortion and Progressive Nonsense, Michael Moriarty.

If you look closely at the picture above, you will note that all the Marines pictured are bowing their heads. That's because they're praying. This incident took place at a recent ceremony honoring the birthday of the corps, and it has the ACLU up in arms. "These are federal employees," says Lucius Traveler, a spokesman for the ACLU, "on federal property and on federal time.. For them to pray is clearly an establishment of religion, and we must nip this in the bud immediately."

When asked about the ACLU's charges, Colonel Jack Fessender, speaking for the Commandant of the Corps said (cleaned up a bit), "Screw the ACLU." GOD Bless Our Warriors. Send the ACLU to France !

Please send this to people you know, so everyone will know how stupid the ACLU is getting in trying to remove GOD from everything and every place in America May God Bless America , One Nation Under GOD!

click my post title for a fine essay by Michael Moriarty!

Chicago's Own - 2-24 USMC: Welcome Home! A Cause Greater Than Ourselves Met By Four Kids from St. Cajetan's Parish

On August 23rd, five heroes return from long and bloody service in Iraq will be welcomed home by their families, friends and neighbors on Western Ave. - already Mr. Swifty, McNally's, County Fair, Di Cola's Fish, Computer Bay and others have placed up public signs in their support. You gotta love this neighborhood! Welcome Home to:

Mike Hughes
Jim Kelly
Bob Carroll
Nick Parker
John Folliard

. . . all Marines of 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines.* Our young men will be greeted down Western Ave. - their hometown mainstreet. These five heroes are members of St. Cajetan's Parish! There are Yellow Ribbons all over this neighborhood in Morgan Park of Chicago. God Bless You, Marines!


*The origin of 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, "Chicago's own" can be traced back to the establishment of the 9th Reserve Battalion in 1922. They were mobilized in November 1940 as part of the preparation for World War II. Many of Chicago's reservists became part of the newly founded 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force.