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DISCOURSE About the Students T. Kern Fitzgerald '79 “I have watched many teachers come and go, but for me these last 25 years have been about the students.” Thank you so much to Bill Burke and Tom Nunan. I must also extend congratulations to Bishop Boles. It was he who brought my family to this school about 40 years ago, completing this full-circle evening. And thank you to those people who came to celebrate my 25 years here at St. Sebastian's. Because I am often quiet and prefer a behind the scenes approach I thought I would introduce you to my 25 year version of St Sebastian's. In honor of those AD's I have served under, I will try and give you both a historical (Henry Lane) and mathematical (Bob Souza) view point. When I started at St Sebastian's 25 years ago, the following things were happening: · The First Apple Computer was released · Michael Jackson’s Thriller was the number one album · The Bill Cosby show debuted · Marvin Gaye and Ray Kroc (founder of McDonalds) Died · Prince Harry, Avril Levigne, and Labron James were born · The US Marines pulled out of Beirut · Bishop Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize · Geraldine Ferraro was nominated by the Democratic National Convention as the first female vice presidential candidate in history · The federal debt was ONLY $1.565 billion (now in the trillions) · Median household income was $21,000 (I made half of that when I started) · The Winter Olympics were in Sarajevo and the Summer Olympics in LA (there was a Soviet led boycott) and Carl Lewis won a record breaking 4 gold medals · Michael Jordan played his first NBA game, beating the Washington Bullets · The Super Bowl was won by the Raiders, the World Series by Detroit · In the NBA, Boston won over the Lakers, and at Wimbledon, the winners were Navritalova and McEnroe · The longest game in Major League Baseball history began at 7:30 p.m. between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago White Sox. The game was played over the course of 2 days, lasting 25 innings, with a total time of 8 hours and 6 minutes. (Harold Baines homered off Chuck Porter with one out in the bottom of the 25th inning for a 7-6 White Sox victory.) Father Riepe offered me this job at my Fifth Reunion over a few drinks, though after the celebration he didn’t remember making the offer! I had just finished grad school at Springfield College. I began as the first ever fulltime athletic trainer at St Sebastian’s. Since that time I have: · Taught gym classes to over 4,125 students · Taped about 31,500 ankles 24 | ST. SEBASTIAN’S MAGAZINE Volume V, Issue I
· Treated about 157,500 injuries · Taught 4 Burke boys · Taught 16 years of science (from Biology to Anatomy and Physiology) · Washed about 289,800 uniforms (I sew them back together too!) · Worked for 2 athletic directors for about 80,000 total hours · I have been witness not only to the death of William Judge, but to the extreme grace with which his parents came to Jean Lynch and I to make sure we were okay in the aftermath, which profoundly impacted me. · I have been part of the growth of many professional athletic careers (Joe Hulbig, Mike Grier, Mike Smith, Carl Corazzini, Kenny Roche, Noah Welch, Kevin Regan, Jerry McCarthy, John Toffey, Brian Boyle, and Sean Sullivan… and I suppose more whose names I am never good at remembering) Despite all this, Morris Kittler still calls me “Fitzpatrick,” and the Seb’s parents just recently stopped asking me what grade I am in! St Sebastian’s has given much to me and my family. I swam with sharks in the Galapagos through a gift to the Science Department; I have traveled to Ireland and England through the sabbatical program with my family; and twice I have traveled on safari from Botswana, to Robben Island, and the shanties of South Africa. I was able to bring gifts to a school in Zambia through the travel program with my family. I have traveled several times to New Orleans with Tom Nunan in the post-Katrina times, and I have received so much more than was given on each of those trips. Though quiet and often too busy washing uniforms to attend faculty meetings, many don’t realize how much my life is intertwined with the life of St Sebastian's. Many on the Board have likely never heard my name, many administrative staff are not sure “which one I am,” and there are few photos of me in yearbooks (I hate cameras). Father Riepe even once attempted to have my car towed saying there was no possible way an employee could be working that many hours, seven days a week! But my family is both literally and figuratively an integral part of St Sebastian’s. I wonder what life would have been like if it weren’t. My brothers Jimmy ’75 and Brendan ’78 and my nephews Brady ’05, Shea ’07, Garrett ’08, and Jim ’10. My mother was a Guild of St Irene president, as was my mother-in-law Pat Simmons. There’s also my brother-in-law Brian Simmons ’88. My sister-in-law works in the alumni office. Father Arens not only officiated the marriage of my wife and I 22 years ago, but he christened my daughters Kate and Maggie. He also attended the funerals of my father shortly after September 11th, and my father-in-law Carter Simmons in 2006. When Kate was little, she would often come over wearing her pink fanny pack, and she would put band-aids on Jay Spiegel’s ’96 knee, or talk about her shared birthday with Carl Corazzini ’97. I suspect there are few others here with lives so interconnected with St Sebastian’s. St Seb’s has been my family. From being Bob Souza’s first football team manager with no footballs and no other coaches, to being Dr Martin’s French nemesis, to teaching all these years with Danny Williams ’64 at my side. I have watched many teachers come and go, but for me these 25 years have been about the students. Working so closely with Jean Lynch and now Phil Madore to make the boys healthy both on and off the field. These are my 25 year memories. I would like to thank the Board for this opportunity to speak - I bet you didn’t know I could speak this much! I would like to thank all of my family beside me for tolerating all those hours when I could have been with them. I have to thank my wife Brenda for tolerating the ups and downs of these 25 years - she is beautiful, smart, wonderful, and a great speech writer! I could have done it without her, but it wouldn't have been nearly as fun. Lastly to honor Headmaster Bill Burke, who is famous for his quotes, I leave you with one of my favorites from Yogi Berra: "You can observe a lot, by just watching." ■ Kern Fitzgerald gave this presentation at the annual Faculty/Trustee Dinner on Thursday, November 12, 2009, where he was recognized for completing 25-years as the School's Athletic Trainer, teacher, and coach. Kern Fitzgerald '79 and classmate Owen Dugan '79 at their 30th Reunion in May 2009. WWW.STSEBASTIANSSCHOOL.ORG | 25
Page 1 and 2: Vol V, Issue I 2009-2010 ST. SEBAST
Page 3 and 4: FROM THE DESK OF THE HEADMASTER W I
Page 5 and 6: ARROWS IN THE NEWS Throughout the w
Page 7 and 8: ARROWS IN THE NEWS College Board Na
Page 9 and 10: ARROWS IN THE NEWS Faculty Michelle
Page 11 and 12: ARROWS IN THE NEWS Annual Christmas
Page 13 and 14: He was authoritative without being
Page 15 and 16: Thirteen Vignettes on Faculty Devel
Page 17 and 18: grade nine and above use to navigat
Page 19 and 20: Greg Wishart shows students how to
Page 21 and 22: But, in truth, the Flynn Family gif
Page 23: Super athlete Lance Armstrong said,
Page 27 and 28: so very prominent among them. Jack
Page 29 and 30: each student will need in order to
Page 31 and 32: The Marine Science Club is dedicate
Page 33 and 34: Connor Wiik '11 attempts to solve a
Page 35 and 36: Science Department Statistics '97-'
Page 37 and 38: Placement) test scores he obtained
Page 39 and 40: "...when you become a scientist...,
Page 41 and 42: “Even back in grade school I was
Page 43 and 44: Steve Thomasy at the top of Indepen
Page 45 and 46: seemed fated for the paper to be de
Page 47 and 48: SPEAKERS 2009. Close to 300 people
Page 49 and 50: FINE ARTS STRIKING A CHORD The Amba
Page 51 and 52: ATHLETICS FALL SPORTS breaking doub
Page 53 and 54: ATHLETICS FALL SPORTS average of 18
Page 55 and 56: ARROWS IN MEMORIAM Kenneth Quigley

ST SEBASTIAN’S

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