Greetings, all. Francis here again. We have a guest column this week from Dick Klus, a member of the faculty whom we all remember well. Enjoy ….

In the fall of 1972, the Class of 1976 entered St. Xavier High School. As a group, they showed great promise, but I’m sure many if not all were apprehensive of the high school experience ahead of them.

I was serving in the role of Assistant Principal for Discipline/Student Affairs. During the
next two years, I would get to know the members of the Class of ’76 well. Some of the
‘76ers I would get to know VERY WELL!

As I recall some 50+ years later, they were a well-behaved group. There were no major
infractions of good order, but there were the usual misdeeds such as tardiness and
violations of the dress code, typical actions of immature young men wanting to test the limits of good behavior. Then, near the end of the ‘76ers sophomore year, there was “The Bus Incident.”

A certain enterprising ‘76er sophomore, deciding he wanted the east side bus to detour from its prescribed route and drop him off at the front door of his residence, told the bus driver he would get him a better job with his father’s company if the driver would take the bus to his front door rather than stopping at the assigned stop at the street corner. Unfortunately, the driver swallowed the bait.

After some period (days/weeks/months?), the driver pulled to a stop at the ‘76ers
residence; and, before letting the ‘76er depart the bus, asked about his prospects for a
job with the father’s company. The ‘76er laughed and sneeringly commented that it was all a hoax!

The driver then refused to open the bus door…the strong-willed ‘76er attempted to bull
his way out…the driver left his seat and grabbed the ‘76er…and they wrestled to the
floor! As another student on the bus later described the situation to me, “Mr. Klus, all
hell broke loose!”

Fortunately, the bus did not cause an accident and no students were injured. When I
called the yellow bus company (not Queen City Metro) and reported the incident, the
owner, a nice guy named Lou, with a crusty, gruff manner replied, “That S.O.B. is fired!
You will have a new driver tomorrow!” Now I had to deal with the ‘76er, the other
wrestling participant.

I do remember banning the ‘76er from riding the east side bus for the remainder of the
school year. This was a punishment/inconvenience for the parents as the ‘76er’s father
reminded me on the phone when he said, “Now I have to transport him to and from St.
X.”

I can’t remember the additional discipline, but I didn’t like suspensions for several
reasons. Rather, I probably enacted my favorite method of discipline: INDEFINITE JUG!
Yes, that’s it!

EPILOGUE

In August of 1974, the School president, Fr. Schuler, asked me to become the Director
of Alumni, Development and Public Relations, and Tom Meyer succeeded me as AP. I
wish Tom was still with us to relate some tales about the ‘76ers’ junior and senior years. Tom was a great guy! RIP!

I do remember well the commencement exercises for the illustrious Class of ’76. The
guest speaker was Fr. William J. O’Malley, S.J. Fr. O’Malley was a long-time AP English
teacher at McQuaid Jesuit in upstate New York. He also played the role of a priest in the movie The Exorcist. Fr. O’Malley’s speech was one of the best commencement talks I’ve ever heard in my 50+ years of commencement talks.

It was so well received that Paul Zook and I printed it in the ST. X BULLETIN, the black
and white publication circulated quarterly to alumni, parents and other friends. I believe it was in the 1976 summer or fall issue. Contact Nick Kemper, the capable and willing St. X archivist, for a copy of Fr. O’Malley’s speech.

In closing, I am pleased to maintain contact with the members of the Class of 1976
though reunions, Brewer Open Colf Outings, and monthly STOTM gatherings. Thanks
for including me!

Dick Klus

Brothers, it is I, Francis, back again. No, I have not been aimlessly wandering in the desert,

nor have I been on a mountain hiking trip with Jesus.

I must sheepishly admit that even a saint can get writer’s block. To remedy this situation, I sought help from our friends on the reunion committee. They have told me that these events listed below occurred during our time together at Saint Xavier. However, I think these guys may be pulling my leg. I am not sure all this stuff actually occurred.

Please respond to my email or to the class blog, ST. XAVIER CLASS OF 1976 – A space for all things St X ’76, to let me know whether each of these events are true or false. After I receive all of your advice and am able to crowd source (isn’t that the term they use today) the correct answers, I will report back those answers along with the name of the most helpful classmate(s) (highest number of correct answers). That classmate will qualify for some serious swag for pick-up at the reunion.

Here is the list …..

1.       The class of 1976 50^th reunion starts on May 28 with the ‘76ers escorting the Class of 2026 into the Cintas Center graduation ceremony. Shortly thereafter, the Class of 1976 will immediately be convened at a nearby local establishment.

True ____ or False ____

2.       Senior year Mike Osterfeld led the football team in tackles.

True ____ or False ____

3.       A certain chemistry teacher who shall remain nameless had a rare eye disease that caused his eyes to water and who would often visibly rub the eyes to relieve the discomfort.

True ____ or False ____

4.       St. Xavier Chess Club reigned victorious over the city of Cincinnati and the state of Ohio our senior year.

True ____ or False ____             

5.       Before the nautilus machines arrived (I think sophomore year), young aspiring athletes lifted with free weights. Dick Piening made these weights available.

True ____ or False ____

6.       From many a classmate’s perspective Justice Under God was meted out liberally and somewhat capriciously. Mr. Meyer, who in a compassionate attempt to rectify this injustice, assigned JUG for those arriving late to school based upon the creativity of the tardiness excuse.

True ____ or False ____             

7.       Tom Ballaban was a true sportsman. In addition to serving as our head football coach, during the off-season, Bal was a Big 10 basketball referee and worked summers at River Downs.

True ____ or False ____

8.       It is an urban legend of the 1970’s that high school boys were streaking the high school girls’ schools. Ursuline Academy purportedly was paid visit by a group of young naturalists. The girls, who quickly ran out of the school building to greet the lads, identified them as Men of Moeller because one of the visitors wore only a football helmet.

True ____ or False ____

9.       Mr. Emmett, aka Latin Jack, helped bring back the yearbook, The X-Ray, after a two-year hiatus by serving as the X-Ray moderator during our senior year.

True ____ or False ____             

10.  Before cross county highway became a highway that actually crossed the county, Caldwell Road was the chosen path for many classmates from the northeastern metropolis. While driving the family station wagon home after school, a classmate played chicken with an oncoming driver. That driver lost and ditched into Hartwell Country Club.

True ____ or False ____

11.  The ‘Harry Buffaloes’, who originated from the Class of ’76, were bound together in a passionate solidarity to save the America buffalo from the fate of the dodo bird. They conducted many fundraisers during our junior and senior year to save the American treasure from extinction.

True ____ or False ____             

12.  Every first Tuesday of the month, a member of the class of 76 hosts a happy hour for all classmates at a local Cincinnati watering hole. All classmates are welcome.

True ____ or False ____

13.  Rich O’Connell was announced as ‘king’ during Homecoming game in 1976.

True ____ or False ____             

14.  During summer practice junior year, one of the football coaches stopped all activity in its tracks as players and coaches alike listened to his smart, articulate manscaping advice for a senior running back.

True ____ or False ____

15.  The Reds, aka the Big Red Machine, won the first of its two back-to-back NL pennants and subsequent World Series by defeating the New York Yankees in the 1976 World Series.

True ____ or False ____             

Please help me sort out these event by responding to this email or to our blog, ST. XAVIER CLASS OF 1976 – A space for all things St X ’76.

Godspeed, Francis

Francis Xavier here. (How, I love speaking with you guys!)

Our reunion (May 28-30) is now only 2 months away. Don’t make a freshman mistake. Don’t forget to sign up for the reunion. Don’t be like these freshmen who forgot their ties on student picture day.

Sign up at Class of 1976 50-Year Reunion – St. Xavier High School. The school has several fun-filled activities. This year we have added pickleball, which is all now the rage for young and old alike.

Pickleball wasn’t a thing back in the1500’s when I was roaming the world, so I must admit I don’t really understand the game. I don’t understand why you need a court to play but my brothers at the reunion committee have informed me that we do and need to lock down the number of courts at the pickleball venue. The pickleball venue owner is definitely not a Man For Others. The owner is requiring we know the number of players by Wednesday, April 15.

Whether you are a beginner or an expert, I encourage you to join the fun and register by April 15. Everyone can play and have fun. Even if you are a beginner, have never played or are a dorky old man you can do it.

I plan to give it a go myself. Please join me. You can play solo, include your significant other but you need to go to sign up by April 15 at Class of 1976 50-Year Reunion – St. Xavier High School.

Maybe one of you pickleball enthusiasts can teach this old dog a new trick.

Godspeed,

FX