Brooklyn’s Prep Seminary Graduates its First Class, 1919

CATHEDRAL COLLEGE HAS COMMENCEMENT. Catholic Preparatory Seminary Sends Forth its First Graduates. The Brooklyn Eagle, June 24, 1919, 5.

Cathedral College, the preparatory seminary of the Diocese of Brooklyn, sent forth its first graduates yesterday. The assembly hall was gaily packed with American and Papal colors and the platform was banked with palms. Seventeen young men, who had successfully completed the five-year intensive course in the classics and the sciences were graduated, and will continue their course in the Diocesan Seminary.

The Rt. Rev. Charles E. McDonnell, Bishop of Brooklyn, presided. The address to the graduates was given by the Rev. Anthony J. Reichert, D.D., Pro-Rector of the College, who has been closely associated with the class throughout its collegiate career. Ten other students of the class entered the Diocesan Seminary last February, and six others went abroad the same month to pursue their studies in the North American College, Rome.

The Salutatory to the Bishop and the Clergy was delivered by Arthur O’Connor; John Skelly read an essay on “The Church and Democracy.” Messrs. Cuddebach, Bradley and Jantzer rendered the musical selections. The Right Rev. Bishop congratulated the young men on the successful completion of their course, and awarded prizes to the honor students of each class. Following is the list of medal winners:

General excellence in college, Francis L. Peterson; silver medal for general excellence in college, Sylvester McGee; gold medal for excellence in Christian doctrine, Sylvester McGee; gold medal for essay on “The Immaculate Conception,” Francis L. Peterson; silver medal for essay, Thomas Lawlor; general excellence, fifth year, Francis L. Peterson; excellence in Latin, fifth year, Arthur O’Connor; general excellence, fourth year, Sylvester McGee; excellence in Latin, fourth year, Adam Pfundstein; excellence in Latin, third year, Charles Liegey; general excellence, second year, Vincent Margiotta; excellence in Latin, second year, Patrick McLaughlin; general excellence, first year, Edmund Dobbin; excellence in Latin first year, Edward Griffin.

The graduates, June 1919, are: James J. Byrne, Eugene J. Crawford, Stephen A. Cuddeback, James Ennis, Adolph Erhard, Paul J. Faustman, James E. Finnan, F. Victor Hyland, Lawrence Mawn, Stephen McGrail, Arthur J. O’Connor, F. Le Verne Peterson, Thomas Rafter, John McEvitt Skelly, John Winters, Adam Willman, Anthony Zasowski.

The following entered the Diocesan Seminary, February, 1919: James J. Barr, James J. Conlin, William Cullen, Hugh M. Graham, James Guinessy, Anthony L. Holzheimer, Francis L. Lynch, James J. McGowan, Henry W. Schumm, John E. Steinmuller.

The donors of medals and prizes: The Right Rev. Mons. Kaupert, V.G.; the Rt. Rev. Mons. McCarty, the Rt. Rev. Mons. McGoldrick, the Very Rev. Mons. Coan, the Very Rev. Mons. Flannery, the Very Rev. Mons. O’Hara, the Very Rev. Mons. FitzGerald, the Very Rev. Mons. Hickey, the Very Rev. Mons. McGuirl, the Very Rev. J.J. Corrigan, D.D.; the Very Rev. John B. York, the Rev. William B. Farrell, the Rev. Peter Donohoe, the Rev. Maurice Fitzgerald, the Rev. M.P. Heffernan, the Rev. John Hauptmann, the Rev. Joseph McGinley, the Rev. Joseph Curran and George Duval.   

NOTE: The school’s official title was Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception Preparatory Seminary. It opened in Brooklyn in 1914, and a Queens campus, which is still in operation, was opened in 1963. The Brooklyn school closed in 1985. Today that building houses Cathedral Condominiums. (The photograph of the Brooklyn building is by Pat McNamara.)