Page 19 - The Gonzaga Record 1990
P. 19
the ·in· thin~ to do. I remember entering a classroom when such a device
had just been tri~gerL'd oil. My reaction was eagerly awaited. but I proved
a disappointment. Well-schooled in youth in another Jesuit colle ge. I _just
ordered all the windows to be shut. closed the door. made my exit and
let the perpetrators stew in their own _juice. It was a tellin!!, counter.
From the ,·ery beginning there were boy prefects. There were four of
them and they \\Crc called Ceunnoir/(Irish for 'leaders·)- a little group
often-year-old authoritarians setting the standa:·d. (I have no note of their
names: perhaps they would identify themselves to me sometime).
Time \\·as ,,·hen school caps. school scarves and school bla;.ers were
the ord er of the day. These were worn widely and proudly. Nowadays.
e\·en th ough there is still some kind of school uniform (grey trousers and
wine pullover). the idea of appearing thus ctparisoned would make any
modern schoolboy shrivel . I cannot clearly remember when the fashion
of caps ctc. faded out - perhaps at the sa me time as school!!,irls could
hardly wait to get out of th eir uniforms in to the sloppy dress (grandpa
shirts and tattered jeans) that seems th e style of the day.
At this juncture I might mention that in I Y59 the first School Captain
was appointed. Thi~ was Brian Davy. and he was supported by the Vice-
Captain (Tommy Eustace). Secretary (i\nthony Clare) and two Coun ci l
Members (Ted Farrell an d Brian Lawless). The age of the Cconnair/ was
ove r ~
I lik e to think that when the Jesuit Provincial moved me to Gonz.aga
(from 35 Lower Leeson St.. where I was Editor of Th e lris/1 Mont lily )
he was making use of my modest talents - the ability to teach Greek
and play some tenni s. Even now. apart from the deeper considerations
th at moti va te a Jesuit. these remain among my prime interests and if I
lin ger on th em a little I hope I'll be excused.
The littl e room now occupied by the Greek faculty is a veritable oasis
for me. On its door is the inscription that graced Plato's Academy:
MEDEIS AGEOMETRFTOS EISITO. On its walls is a roll of honour. some 18
names of those who won scholarships to UCD and TCD. Successive
Headmasters (once yclept Prefects of Studies) were always most
supportive. But now I fear that I am fighting a rearguard battle. The
number of Classic students is dwindling and the time allowed for its
subj ects more and more attenuated. But I'm still convinced that it is th e
ultimate educational subject. I know of no Greek scholar that regretted
his option. My conviction received a boost very recently in an article
in Th e Times (23-5-'90) headed ' Disci pi ine of Classics Meets Demands
of Modern World'. I cannot refrain from giving a few quotes:
'The ancient world of Cicero and Socrates. PI iny and Pythagoras.
is being call ed in to help modern industry and commerce meet the
demands of the 21st century.'
'A study of Greek and Roman history and its ancient languages help
managers to hold their own in the competitive modern world.·
17
had just been tri~gerL'd oil. My reaction was eagerly awaited. but I proved
a disappointment. Well-schooled in youth in another Jesuit colle ge. I _just
ordered all the windows to be shut. closed the door. made my exit and
let the perpetrators stew in their own _juice. It was a tellin!!, counter.
From the ,·ery beginning there were boy prefects. There were four of
them and they \\Crc called Ceunnoir/(Irish for 'leaders·)- a little group
often-year-old authoritarians setting the standa:·d. (I have no note of their
names: perhaps they would identify themselves to me sometime).
Time \\·as ,,·hen school caps. school scarves and school bla;.ers were
the ord er of the day. These were worn widely and proudly. Nowadays.
e\·en th ough there is still some kind of school uniform (grey trousers and
wine pullover). the idea of appearing thus ctparisoned would make any
modern schoolboy shrivel . I cannot clearly remember when the fashion
of caps ctc. faded out - perhaps at the sa me time as school!!,irls could
hardly wait to get out of th eir uniforms in to the sloppy dress (grandpa
shirts and tattered jeans) that seems th e style of the day.
At this juncture I might mention that in I Y59 the first School Captain
was appointed. Thi~ was Brian Davy. and he was supported by the Vice-
Captain (Tommy Eustace). Secretary (i\nthony Clare) and two Coun ci l
Members (Ted Farrell an d Brian Lawless). The age of the Cconnair/ was
ove r ~
I lik e to think that when the Jesuit Provincial moved me to Gonz.aga
(from 35 Lower Leeson St.. where I was Editor of Th e lris/1 Mont lily )
he was making use of my modest talents - the ability to teach Greek
and play some tenni s. Even now. apart from the deeper considerations
th at moti va te a Jesuit. these remain among my prime interests and if I
lin ger on th em a little I hope I'll be excused.
The littl e room now occupied by the Greek faculty is a veritable oasis
for me. On its door is the inscription that graced Plato's Academy:
MEDEIS AGEOMETRFTOS EISITO. On its walls is a roll of honour. some 18
names of those who won scholarships to UCD and TCD. Successive
Headmasters (once yclept Prefects of Studies) were always most
supportive. But now I fear that I am fighting a rearguard battle. The
number of Classic students is dwindling and the time allowed for its
subj ects more and more attenuated. But I'm still convinced that it is th e
ultimate educational subject. I know of no Greek scholar that regretted
his option. My conviction received a boost very recently in an article
in Th e Times (23-5-'90) headed ' Disci pi ine of Classics Meets Demands
of Modern World'. I cannot refrain from giving a few quotes:
'The ancient world of Cicero and Socrates. PI iny and Pythagoras.
is being call ed in to help modern industry and commerce meet the
demands of the 21st century.'
'A study of Greek and Roman history and its ancient languages help
managers to hold their own in the competitive modern world.·
17
