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“Letters. We get letters...”
Brother Thomas Hetland, FSC, Director of Development
4
Do you remember the song “Letters. We get letters. We get stacks and stacks of letters….?” (Do you
rmember who sang it?)
We all get stacks of letters and there’s always quite a bit that goes directly into the trash unopened. There’s
just not enough time to pay close attention to everything.
Every now and then, though, a letter comes along that’s a real gem, a treasure. We read it and we re-read
it. We’re glad it’s on paper so it’s easy to keep and to retrieve at will. It’s more permanent than a voice mail
and more personal than an email. It’s a real letter! It’s from a person who has had an enormous influence
on our life.
Russ Hogan enrolled in St. Mel High School in Chicago in 1947, and before he graduated in 1951 he had just
such a letter.
At St. Mel Russ was enrolled in the Classical
Course of studies. He liked the arts. He was
in the Art Club and the Drama Club and during
his junior year at St. Mel he made a decision
about his future – Russ Hogan would be an
English teacher.
He had not expected his career decision to
run into a roadblock, but indeed it did, just
as soon as Russ revealed his plans to his
father. Mr. Hogan did not envision his son
in the classroom. Mr. Hogan saw his son as a
businessman succeeding in some commercial
enterprise. Mr. Hogan was firm about that;
Russ would have to make new plans.
A dejected Russ Hogan returned to St. Mel and
confided his disappointment to Brother Justus
George, his English teacher. Brother George
listened and was equally distressed. He knew
of Russ’ hopes and saw great promise in Russ
as a teacher. Brother George decided that he
would do more than just listen and commiserate;
he would at least try to intervene and contact Mr.
Hogan on Russ’ behalf. Brother George would
write a letter.
And in the letter he told Mr. Hogan that Russ
displayed quite a passion for English and for the
field of education. He painted a portrait of Russ’
future life for Mr. Hogan, a rewarding life of
Brother Justice George & Russ Hogan as pictured in
the St. Mel High School yearbook, 1951