Page 35 - Gonzaga at 60
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GONZAGA AT SIXTY: A WORK IN PROGRESS
Fr Joe Brennan SJ plays the organ
of John Henry Newman; it shares his language and phrasing. Its principles (the blue-print for
Gonzaga educaion) are well expressed by Ross Geoghegan:
‘ . . . the main purpose was to make people think and ask quesions, even dangerous
quesions, about why things are as they are, how things might be made beter, who
beneits from the present set-up and who does not. Along with this was the need to be
ariculate, so that educaion was also about learning to speak well and to write well. His
encouragement of formal and informal debate encouraged the boys to think about their
own privileged place in society. He wanted [them] to make a diference, to become leaders
who would create a beter and more just society.
‘ . . . he saw litle diference between English class and Religious Knowledge class. The
later was interpreted broadly: [along side] the orthodox oicial curriculum he introduced
sociology and philosophy at a level which was a challenge to teenagers.’
Geoghegan adds comment on his criicism of ‘the narrow-minded and philisine culture of
the Church’s leadership’.
Much of this blueprint is evident in the College life of the recent forty years. Its principles
of freedom to examine religious belief and the search for a more just society are key-notes of Benny Lynam, who died
graduaion homilies, headmasters’ addresses and school captains’ valedictory addresses. More on June 16th 2010, had
of which later. Its results in the irst twenty years are striking: ‘commited public servants, been Groundsman in
Gonzaga since 1982.
businessmen upholding the highest standards, others in diferent [professions] whose Benny’s irst acquaintance
commitment goes far beyond their own personal gain’. One can add four poets and and more with the College was as works
2
foreman for Sisk during the
than one novelist among the students of the irst twenty years. construcion of the Science
3
Nor was it as narrow an educaion as the classical emphasis and the original exclusion Block. His calm management
of a large project caught the
of science might suggest. It produced, ater all, professors of Mathemaics (Ross Geoghegan), eye of Br Jim Barry SJ, who
Economics (Brendan Walsh), History (Michael Lafan), Clinical Psychiatry (Anthony Clare), invited him to take control of
Gonzaga’s extensive grounds.
Pathology (Eamon Sweeney) and Astronomy (George Miley). Here, the name of Fr Harry Lawlor The two men developed a
close understanding.
needs to be highlighted, as it has not always been; those who early fell in love with Maths did so Benny gave far more
because of his teaching. to the school than the
perfect maintenance of the
Some of the early Past are represented in the following pages. The unifying thrust of the environment and playing
early educaion is evident in the aricle writen by Philip McDonagh; the pursuit of a more just pitches – the seasonal round
of planing and pruning. For he
society in the pieces by Peter MacMenamin and Niall Crowley. had that memorable quality
of sharing his own warm
What of the academic life of the College in more recent years? Judged by the perilous companionship with all with
criterion of ‘Results’, its standing is extremely high; individual exellence has marked very many whom he came in contact,
whatever their standing within
of the students. The original unity of purpose, however, has naturally fallen to the fragmented the wide Gonzaga community.
We miss him greatly.
2. Garrett Sheehan, Gonzaga Record 1988. 3. see page on Gonzaga Writers.
GONZAGA AT SIXTY: A WORK IN PROGRESS
Fr Joe Brennan SJ plays the organ
of John Henry Newman; it shares his language and phrasing. Its principles (the blue-print for
Gonzaga educaion) are well expressed by Ross Geoghegan:
‘ . . . the main purpose was to make people think and ask quesions, even dangerous
quesions, about why things are as they are, how things might be made beter, who
beneits from the present set-up and who does not. Along with this was the need to be
ariculate, so that educaion was also about learning to speak well and to write well. His
encouragement of formal and informal debate encouraged the boys to think about their
own privileged place in society. He wanted [them] to make a diference, to become leaders
who would create a beter and more just society.
‘ . . . he saw litle diference between English class and Religious Knowledge class. The
later was interpreted broadly: [along side] the orthodox oicial curriculum he introduced
sociology and philosophy at a level which was a challenge to teenagers.’
Geoghegan adds comment on his criicism of ‘the narrow-minded and philisine culture of
the Church’s leadership’.
Much of this blueprint is evident in the College life of the recent forty years. Its principles
of freedom to examine religious belief and the search for a more just society are key-notes of Benny Lynam, who died
graduaion homilies, headmasters’ addresses and school captains’ valedictory addresses. More on June 16th 2010, had
of which later. Its results in the irst twenty years are striking: ‘commited public servants, been Groundsman in
Gonzaga since 1982.
businessmen upholding the highest standards, others in diferent [professions] whose Benny’s irst acquaintance
commitment goes far beyond their own personal gain’. One can add four poets and and more with the College was as works
2
foreman for Sisk during the
than one novelist among the students of the irst twenty years. construcion of the Science
3
Nor was it as narrow an educaion as the classical emphasis and the original exclusion Block. His calm management
of a large project caught the
of science might suggest. It produced, ater all, professors of Mathemaics (Ross Geoghegan), eye of Br Jim Barry SJ, who
Economics (Brendan Walsh), History (Michael Lafan), Clinical Psychiatry (Anthony Clare), invited him to take control of
Gonzaga’s extensive grounds.
Pathology (Eamon Sweeney) and Astronomy (George Miley). Here, the name of Fr Harry Lawlor The two men developed a
close understanding.
needs to be highlighted, as it has not always been; those who early fell in love with Maths did so Benny gave far more
because of his teaching. to the school than the
perfect maintenance of the
Some of the early Past are represented in the following pages. The unifying thrust of the environment and playing
early educaion is evident in the aricle writen by Philip McDonagh; the pursuit of a more just pitches – the seasonal round
of planing and pruning. For he
society in the pieces by Peter MacMenamin and Niall Crowley. had that memorable quality
of sharing his own warm
What of the academic life of the College in more recent years? Judged by the perilous companionship with all with
criterion of ‘Results’, its standing is extremely high; individual exellence has marked very many whom he came in contact,
whatever their standing within
of the students. The original unity of purpose, however, has naturally fallen to the fragmented the wide Gonzaga community.
We miss him greatly.
2. Garrett Sheehan, Gonzaga Record 1988. 3. see page on Gonzaga Writers.
