Column Four: Numbers 73 to 96

For about half of his years at La Salle, Hugh Wilson was known as Brother Giles Raymond, but after 1966 he took his name before becoming a brother and was known as Brother Hugh Wilson. Arriving at La Salle in 1939, he taught chemistry at the high school level for one year, then moved to the college level (1940-1944), but reverted to teaching high school students for the next two years (1944-1946) because of the exigencies of World War II. He returned, however, to the Chemistry Department at the College (1946-1949 and 1953-1980) completing a grand total of 34 years of college instruction. Brother Hugh was a positive influence as a residence hall advisor and as an avid follower of Explorer sports teams.

2. Ronald D. Fisher (19__ - 1986)

Little is known about Ronald Fisher. He served as the Director of the Language Laboratory from the 1960s until approximately 1983.

3. Paul R. Doran (former Bro. G. Robert) (1920 – 1987)

Paul R. Doran entered the Christian Brothers in 1935 and received the religious name of Brother Gerard Robert. He taught English at La Salle College High School during periods in the 1940s. Although he was still active at La Salle High during the 1949-1950 school year, an official questionnaire from La Salle College in his file indicates that Brother Robert began teaching English at the college level during 1949, and was definitely a member of the English Department for the next six years (1950-1956). He was promoted as the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences (1956-1969), and helped guide La Salle from the relatively placid 1950s through the tumultuous 1960s. After Brother Robert left the Dean’s chair, he resumed teaching English at La Salle College. He withdrew from the Christian Brothers in June 1971 and soon thereafter married Catherine E. Gorman. He continued to be a member of La Salle’s English Department until illness forced him to relinquish teaching duties during spring 1987. Dr. Doran was considered an expert on the works of Jonathan Swift. Mrs. Doran, who had received a La Salle degree in 1978, was a part-time volunteer in La Salle’s Art Museum for fifteen years before her own sudden death in 1994 as she was returning from China. In 1995 La Salle was named the beneficiary of $400,000 from the estate of Mrs. Doran. The gift was used to establish an endowment for scholarship aid and assistance to students majoring in English.

4. James P. Foote (1932 – 1987)

James Foote taught English and drama (1972-1987) and directed various plays presented by the Masque and by the La Salle Summer Music Theater. He wrote several plays himself during his career and acted in plays ranging from farces to Shakespearian tragedies in summer stock theater.

5. Thomas J. Lowery ( 1922 - 1987)

Dr. Thomas Lowery taught biology at La Salle for twenty-five years (1962-1987).

6. E. James Conaghan, F.S.C. (1904 – 1987)

In tribute to his leadership skills in other Lasallian schools, Brother James received an honorary degree from La Salle College in 1939. Many more connections with La Salle, however, arose during his twilight years. He became the Director of the Christian Brothers’ community at La Salle, and after just one year (1953-1954) was selected as the Provincial of the Baltimore Province of the Christian Brothers. As Provincial (1954-1960), he oversaw the apostolate of each brother and also the activities of each teaching establishment conducted by the Brothers in the Baltimore Province. After this post, Brother James returned to La Salle College as its Assistant Treasurer (1960-1962). From around 1962 until his official retirement in 1974, he held the title of “College Representative, Special Affairs” in which he served as La Salle’s cheerful ambassador for its Centennial (1863-1963) and other projects. Brother James also taught theology classes in the mid-1960s. After 1974 and up to his final months, he volunteered in various capacities on the campus, notably in the roster office. At the Second Regional Convocation of the Christian Brothers in California in 1990, Brother James was named one of the three specially-selected Brothers of the Baltimore Province to represent the very best of the Brothers’ rich legacy.

7. Charles V. Kelly (1915 - 1988)

Charles Kelly was a member of a prominent Philadelphia family; he counted Princess Grace and John B., Jr., as first cousins. Mr. Kelly, however, made his own impact on his native city by teaching English at La Salle (1947-1951 and 1953-1988) with considerable aplomb. He received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1962. He served a chairman of the Governance Committee, which organized the Faculty Senate on the campus and later served as its president. Mr. Kelly also served as editor of Four Quarters magazine. When he retired from full-time teaching in 1985, a student lounge near the English Department offices in Olney Hall (Olney124) was named in his honor.

8. Joseph C. Mihalich (1926 -- 1988)

Joseph Mihalich combined a keen interest in sports with philosophy, and the results benefited La Salle for three decades. As a young man he had been a pitcher in the New York Yankees farm system; his roommate was Whitey Ford. He joined La Salle’s faculty in 1946, was a longtime member and chair of the Athletic Committee, and was La Salle’s delegate to the NCAA. Dr. Mihalich received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1964. He authored Sports and Athletics: Philosophy in Action, reflecting his two fields of expertise.

9. Joseph J. Sprissler, A.F.S.C. (1909 -1988)

For four decades, Joseph Sprissler proved himself an indispensable man at La Salle College. He joined the faculty in 1932 and during the first several years taught what the catalogs officially termed “Business English and Industrial Geography.” This course changed into an accounting course, and one year (1941-1942) he combined teaching this subject with being the Director of Students’ Employment Bureau. Although La Salle had organizations for dramatics—under various names—before 1934, Sprissler was one of the founders of a student group which unofficially called itself The Masque, and he directed their first play in December of that year (the name "Masque" would became official in 1935). In 1936 he co-founded Alpha Epsilon fraternity for students with outstanding academic and service credentials. Around 1942 he obtained employment elsewhere during the war years. With La Salle’s burgeoning postwar enrollment, however, Sprissler returned to La Salle as the Comptroller in 1946. That same year, he founded and guided the Evening Division of La Salle and became its first director, until his own sibling (Brother Gregorian Paul) succeeded him in 1953. A grateful La Salle recognized Sprissler with an honorary degree in commercial science in 1952. His title of Comptroller, meanwhile, evolved into “Business Manager.” In 1958 his realm of responsibility was considered at the vice-presidential level of administration so La Salle officially designated Sprissler as Vice-President of Business Affairs in 1960, and he retained this title until his official retirement in 1976. A particularly salient honor was given in 1964 when Sprissler was granted Letters of Affiliation by the Christian Brothers; he thus became the first lay colleague of La Salle to become an honorary member of the Christian Brothers.

10. Edward J. Domineske (1927 – 1988)

Very little is known about Edward Domineske, who taught business law for nearly 30 years at La Salle, beginning in 1960. He received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1974.

11. Richard Hawley, F.S.C. (1928 – 1988)

Brother Richard taught biology (1966-1988) at La Salle, and was honored in 1976 with the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. For four years (1968-1972), he was the part-time director of the College’s Audio-Visual Department. Brother Richard also served as moderator of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and became the posthumous winner of the annual Holroyd Award in 1989.

12. Ormond P. Macoretta (1925 – 1989)

Born and raised in Canada, Mr. Macoretta taught philosophy at La Salle (1962-1986).

13. Gilbert Jude Sapone, F.S.C. (1916 – 1989)

Brother Jude was synonymous with the teaching of the classics for 29 years at La Salle:1951-1960 and 1966-1986. (During the fall semester of the 1951-1952 academic year, he resided and taught at the Christian Brothers Scholasticate in Elkins Park.) He was the author of Inscriptions Illustrative of Roman Private Life (published 1954); it dealt with epigraphy, the study of Latin inscriptions on stone or metal.

14. Bernard B. Goldner (1919 - 1990)

An internationally-recognized expert on creative thinking, Dr. Goldner served La Salle for four decades (1949-1989). Throughout that time he taught “industry,” a course which became management in the early 1970s. Throughout his career, he lectured on management and creative problem solving in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Israel, and Japan, authored The Strategy of Creative Thinking (1962), and held two patents. He was the first director (1981-1989) of La Salle’s Small Business Development Center, which provided free comprehensive management assistance and services to hopeful entrepreneurs in the Philadelphia area. In 1977, in the wake of gag gifts such as pet rocks, Dr. Goldner manufactured boxes of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” (i.e. invisible clothes on a four-inch plastic hanger with dust cover) and marketed them nationally for $4. He even mailed them to President Jimmy Carter, to his cabinet members, and to all 100 U.S. Senators; several officials wrote to Dr. Goldner to thank him for the gift.

15. Joseph M. Carrio (1907 – 1990)

Mr. Carrio was a native of Cuba and taught Spanish at La Salle from 1946 to 1972.

16. D. Thomas Gimborn, F.S.C. (Brother Didacus Thomas) (1905 – 1990)

For longevity at La Salle, and for the sheer variety of courses taught, the record-holder might be Brother Didacus Thomas Gimborn. His years of active collegiate instruction (1935-1957 and 1958-1972, a total of 36 years) initially involved philosophy and the classics. Brother Thomas was one of the few Christian Brothers in the entire Institute who earned the conferral of all five certificates of the “Cours Superieur” in Sacred Doctrine (i.e. the professional theological training of the Brothers). The late 1930s and early 1940s, however, found him teaching mainly German. During the next decade or so his teaching centered principally in the classics, but for most of the 1950s until his retirement, Brother Thomas taught religion. He was affectionately known to his colleagues as “Doc Tom.” He served as chair of the Philadelphia region of Teachers of College Theology and was a charter member of the College Teachers of Theology Society. Brother Thomas lived in retirement at La Salle until March 1990, for a grand total of nearly 54 years at 20th and Olney.

17. Anthony Wallace, F.S.C. (1910 – 1990)

Brother Anthony’s voluminous contributions to education transcended La Salle…and even the Christian Brothers. His name became nationally-known in pedagogy, especially in Catholic circles. Brother Anthony taught English at La Salle (1938-1943) and, several assignments—including two principalships—later, he returned to teach in the Education Department (1962-1964). In 1964 he was released to serve with the National Catholic Educational Association at its headquarters in Washington, D.C.and to provide assistance to secondary schools around the country regarding accreditation and evaluation. Over 500 high schools in the United States benefited from their contact with Brother Anthony during this time, regarding self-evaluation and accreditation, either by personal contact or through conferences at a diocesan level. While a member of the Criteria Committee of the NCEA, he held workshops for administrators at scores of institutions. Brother Anthony edited Criteria for the Evaluation of Catholic Elementary Schools, a landmark study which was published in 1965. He rose through the ranks to become Executive Secretary of the Secondary School Department of the NCEA (1967-1971), and received its Merit Award from this body in 1971. A year later, the National Association of Secondary School Principals similarly recognized Brother Anthony’s dedication in a public way. He returned to La Salle to teach in the Education Department in 1971 and retired in 1977.

18. Gregory Paul Sprissler, F.S.C. (Brother Gregory Paul) (1907 – 1990)

With a mind “designed like a jeweler’s scale,” Brother Gregorian Paul brought a methodical mindset to whatever post or task he embraced. He taught chemistry at the college level of La Salle (1933-1937 and 1941-1952). During part of his 1941-1952 period, he simultaneously served as Dean of the College (1944-1945) until an unexpected occurrence came in November 1945. Brother Dominic Luke suddenly stepped down from La Salle’s presidency because of health concerns. Brother Paul was summoned from a chemistry laboratory and told to prepare for a new position in a few days. As President of La Salle (1945-1952), he capably dealt with the resurging postwar enrollment under the G.I. Bill. Spatial shortages were met by adding Leonard Hall, Benilde Hall, rooms beneath McCarthy Stadium, and the first two residence halls. He reveled in on-site inspections of building projects, such as a new library. La Salle converted its evening offerings into a degree-granting curriculum in 1946, with Brother Paul’s sibling, Mr. Joseph Sprissler, serving as the first Director of the Evening Division. La Salle introduced its first Master’s degree program (religion) and added R.O.T.C. to the curriculum with his encouragement in 1950. (Brother Dominic Luke’s departure simultaneously ushered Brother Paul into the role of Director of the Brothers’ Community at La Salle, which he held until 1947.) After a brief assignment in Baltimore, he returned to La Salle to inherit his brother’s post; Brother Paul was the Dean of the Evening Division (1953-1961) and led it into renewed expansion and energy. He went back to teaching chemistry (1961-1972), and around 1966 he changed his name from Brother Gregorian Paul to Brother Gregory Paul. In 1970 his talents were tapped for the new—and lengthy—title of Coordinator of Physical Development and Planning. A deserved full retirement came in 1977, and Brother Paul continued living at La Salle until March 1990. Awards included honorary degrees from Villanova (1947) and from La Salle (1981), the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1967, and the Holroyd Award in 1990 for service to the heath professions. In 1982 he chaired a committee of his peers who designed the Faculty-Staff Memorial in Olney Hall and developed criteria for inclusion.

19. David C. Pendergast, F.S.C. (1915 – 1990)

Brother David began his collegiate apostolate as La Salle’s Director of Public Relations (1953-1955). When the College divided its curriculum into two main schools in 1955, he became the first Dean of the School of Business Administration (1955-1969), updating La Salle’s offerings from postwar realities and keeping pace with the modern and changing times. After his deanship, Brother David became a “programmer analyst” in La Salle’s Computer Center, where he handled student class schedules, registration, and data processing, until his retirement in 1986. He continued to live at La Salle until a few days before his death.

20. James J. Henry (1906 - 1990)

Jim Henry was a Director of Athletics, but not the first; several others carried that title before him. Ironically, his name emerges in La Salle’s history in ways that most Explorer fans would not expect. First, he starred in football and basketball during the 1929-1930 season…for rival Villanova. Second, he was the first varsity basketball coach of La Salle College (1930-1931 season), posting an impressive winning record. Third, Jim was an accomplished teacher at a young age. His starting year as a faculty member is not currently known, but he was teaching economics at La Salle as early as Fall 1931; an article in the April 22, 1932 Collegian referred to him as the head of the Economics Department. He moved into teaching finance in 1934 and continued in the classroom until about 1971. Fourth, he was coaching both football and basketball for La Salle High School in the 1931-1932 school year. Because of his positive influence in the high school, he was chosen to be the line coach for the College football program in 1933. When a new Athletic Director was needed by the mid-1930s, Jim Henry was given the post in 1935. While retaining his athletic directorship, he was the last football coach (1940 and 1941 seasons) before La Salle was compelled to drop football because of World War II. La Salle confirmed his athletic and classroom prowess by conferring an honorary degree on him in 1955. In the same year, Jim helped make history with the formation of Philadelphia’s legendary Big Five collegiate basketball competition. Jim proudly watched La Salle receive national acclaim with its championship basketball teams and Dad Vail victories of the 1950s, and various Olympic heroes each decade. La Salle granted him membership in its Hall of Athletes in 1976, and he was elected to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He served as an official at many collegiate football games over twenty-five years, including some bowl games and the Army-Navy game. Because Jim served as the chair of the board of the prestigious Maxwell Football Club, the club annually presents its Jim Henry Award to the Philadelphia area’s top high school player. He retired from the Athletic Director position on December 31, 1968—after nearly 34 years of service in this position.

21. Richard E. Lautz (1935 - 1991)

Dr. Lautz became a member of La Salle’s English Department in 1968, and after only seven years at La Salle was honored with the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1975. For two decades he was advisor to La Salle’s undergraduate literary magazine, Grimoire, and was a longtime poetry editor of Four Quarters, La Salle’s professional literary magazine. In 1990 he donated his several hundred volume collection of contemporary American poetry, nearly all first editions and many inscribed to Richard, to form the Lautz Special Collection in the Library. He was an especially popular teacher in the Honors Program with his “The City in Literature” upper-level seminar. A sketched portrait of Dr. Lautz appropriately appeared on the cover of the Spring 1991 issue of Grimoire.

22. Walter Kaiser (1922 - 1991)

With his La Salle education interrupted by serving in the Armed Forces during World War II, Walter Kaiser completed his course work and was hired by La Salle in 1947. For over four decades, he was a member of the Accounting Department (1947-1989). He also became a certified public accountant and managed his own firm.

23. F. Christopher Businsky, F.S.C. (Brother F. Christopher) (1908 – 1991)

Brother Christopher skillfully handled his various La Salle posts. He taught at the high school level (1935-1937 and 1944-1945), but moved into the collegiate level (1943-44 and 1945-1951) as an instructor of biology. During this time he helped to landscape the property by planting pin oaks along the street-side frontage of College Hall. He was the co-founder, charter member, and advisor of Alpha Epsilon Delta (1950-1966). Because of Brother Stanislaus’ studies in Rome, Brother Christopher was named as Acting Dean of the College in 1951 and simultaneously began his longtime direction (1951-1972) of the office of admissions. This deanship became official when Brother Stanislaus became the new president the following year. In 1954, the “Dean of the College” position was divided into both academic responsibilities,retained by Brother Christopher who was simply the“Dean,” and student affairs, assumed by Brother Daniel Bernian, Vice President for Student Affairs. In 1955, the Explorer yearbook was dedicated to Brother Christopher, and he relinquished the deanship to another Christian Brother. Then Brother Christopher subsequently concentrated his full attention as the Director of Admissions in the Day Division. He also served as admissions director for La Salle’s Evening Division (1955-1965). After stepping down from being fully in charge of the admissions area in 1972, Brother Christopher continued with the title of Coordinator for Transfer Admissions (1972-1981) and became the Coordinator for Foreign Admissions until his 1983 retirement. He continued to live at La Salle thereafter. In 1982 he was a member of a committee which designed the Faculty-Alumni Memorial in Olney Hall and developed criteria for inclusion. In 1984 he received the Holroyd Award for distinguished service to alumni in the health professions. Brother Christopher’s death ended nearly 39 years of active service to La Salle College and nearly a half-century of living at 20th and Olney.

24. Joseph W. Simmons (1933 - 1991)

Mr. Simmons taught physics at La Salle from 1958-1990.