A Few Weeks of Ambivalence

This year I have the pleasure and the challenge of teaching junior English. "Ambivalent" was one of our recent vocabulary words and as we determined a definition, I recognized the past two weeks as ambivalence at its best!
Two weeks ago we learned of the passing of Linda Fannon who taught art (and life!) at Mt. Carmel for almost twenty years. As we prepared for her funeral, emotions ran high. As always at Carmel, it seems that the most difficult experiences bring out the best in us. So many teachers and staff helped prepare a Mass that I believe Linda would have loved. It was a tribute to her in every way. The music, under the direction of Dr. Jeff Bunn was powerful,and many alumni and current students sang. It could not have been more lovely. The readings described Linda as if the inspired Scripture author had her particularly in mind. Msgr. Bob's homily rang true. The celebration was a worthy send off!
As I sat in Mt. Carmel Church that day, I saw so many former students who came back to pay their respects and to say goodbye. At the viewing the day before, there was another outpouring of support. The presence of hundreds and hundreds of visitors, many of them alums, was a tribute to the love we have for Linda and the family. It was wonderful to see so many of you that graduated lately and many years ago. I was touched by your presence and so was the Fannon family. You did "good" during these sad days.
I started this by talking about ambivalence. Here it comes! Guess what else happended last weekend? You are right--Homecoming! On Friday night there was the traditional dance which was very well attended. Students looked grand as they danced the night away. Some things never change--Girls took off their shoes and yanked up their dresses while boys pulled down their ties. Fun was had by all and behavior,overall, was quite impressive!
The weekend continued with games all day Saturday. The morning hours were filled with volleyball contests and soccer games were played in the afternoon. The victories and defeats were mixed but the enthusaism was high all round. The weather held until the boys' varsity soccer game when the sky opened!
The new (and I hope first annual) event of the weekend was an Alumni Night. The plan was to begin outdoors and then move into the cafeteria for food and festivities during the evening. The rain made our move to the cafeteria earlier than planned! Old yearbooks were available and there were tours of the building as well as a DJ, food, and dancing. It was fun to watch people find themselves or friends in the yearbook and then burst into laughter. The times really have changed and so have styles!
Our very first graduating class, the Class of 1963, held their 50 th reunion at the Alumni Event. They had so much fun! They had stories about each other, their teachers, the building of the gym, and the rules they followed--or at least mostly followed. They also spoke of the deep friendships that were forged at Mt. Carmel High School, some that have lasted half a century. They spoke of the academic program and how prepared they felt to meet the challenges life had in store for them. They spoke of learning respect, self-discipline, and the importance of hard work. They also spoke of the inner strength that comes from having faith and applying it to all aspects of their life. They stated that, though they didn't appreciate it so much in their youth, the lessons taught at Mt. Carmel had provided them with a life time of values.
I know that the values of which they spoke remain priorities in our school today. Though the world is very different, some things remain true: faith is key to facing life's joys and challenges, success does not come without hard work, and discipline must come from within. It was a joy to meet the members of the Class of 1963! I hope that 50 years from now, our current students can share fond memories and such a positive testimony about their love for Carmel--even in these days of ambivalence!