A History/ a Tradition
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ARCHBISHOP RYAN HIGH SCHOOL A HISTORY/ A TRADITION Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………. 2 History of Archbishop Ryan High School for Girls (1966-1988)………………………3 History of Archbishop Ryan High School for Boys (1966-1988)………………………4 History of Archbishop Ryan High School (Post merger, 1989-present) …………….. 5 Girls’ Athletic History ……………………. ………………………………………….. 6 Boys’ Athletic History ……………………. ………………………………………….. 7 Current Athletics ……………………. ………………………………………………... 8 Activities (pre and post merger) ……………………..…………………………………10 Biographical Sketch of Archbishop Patrick John Ryan …………………….………….13 INTRODUCTION Archbishop Ryan High School for Boys (South) and Archbishop Ryan High School for Girls (North) were founded in 1966 as the newest addition to the school system of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. This brought the total to 28 high schools in the Archdiocesan system, and six founded by John Cardinal Krol. The schools were named for Archbishop John Patrick Ryan, the sixth bishop and second archbishop of Philadelphia. The 35-acre campus on Academy Road was originally designed with shared facilities (auditorium, library/media center, and chapel) as well as separate office, classroom, and cafeteria space for each school. The schools drew students from the neighborhood parishes of St. Anselm, St. Martha, Christ the King, St. Katherine of Siena, St. Jerome, Maternity B.V.M., St. Christopher, and St. Albert the Great. From 1966 to 1989, the schools had individual identities, with separate administrations and faculties. The boys’ school was staffed by the Franciscan Friars of the Assumption Province and lay teachers. The girls’ school was staffed by diocesan priests, several religious communities of women, and lay teachers. In January 1988, the Office of Catholic Education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced the merger of the two schools. Today, Archbishop Ryan High School is a coeducational Catholic institution. 2 History of Archbishop Ryan High School for Girls (1966-1988) In 1966 Archbishop Ryan High School for Girls opened its doors to students from 11 neighboring parishes. Initially, the school housed only 2 grades (9th and 10th) but in the next 2 years, the building was filled with 4 classes. The first graduating class was the class of 1969 graduating 364 young women. The first full four-year class, with 432 graduates, was the class of 1970. The first faculty comprised of lay teachers and religious women from 5 different religious communities. Reverend Edmund Wesolowski, a diocesan priest, was the founding principal. The school colors were purple and gold and the Ragdoll was the school mascot. Academically, there were 9 subject areas with most departments offering elective courses. Home Economics was the only department that did not survive the merger and was disbanded in 1989. Two key social activities were the Proms. The Junior Prom was held in the school gym, which was transformed into a student selected theme and decorated by members of the junior class. The Senior Prom was held at an outside facility. A highlight of the fall was the annual Halloween Dance where faculty and students came costumed for a night of fun and games. A variety of extracurricular clubs and activities to get the students involved in their school and their community were available The clubs ranged from the Equestrian Club to Community Service Corps, to the Sewing Club, and many others. In 1966, our sports program consisted of 8 interscholastic sports. Just prior to the merger, 2 additional sports became part of the girls’ athletic program. Intramural basketball allowed students who did not make the varsity team to participate in competition against other classes. School spirit was observable at all extracurricular events with the gym and auditorium overflowing and buses to away games filled to capacity. The biggest event of the school year started out as a “Spirit Day” and evolved into “Spirit Week”. Spirit Week began with Intramural basketball games. At week’s end students presented a parody skit and the week culminated in a faculty-student basketball game. Spiritually, liturgical and para-liturgical services were offered including Masses, May Procession, Retreats, 40 Hours, Liturgical Dances, Share-a-Prayer club, and Sacristy Aides. Each year in January during Catholic Schools Week a luncheon was organized with students, faculty, and staff shared their favorite ethnic foods. The involvement and interaction of faculty and students in school activities cultivated a caring bond and close knit rapport. To this day, the Ryan Girls Alumnae ’69 to ’89 fondly remember their school as a vibrant and spirited community where leadership opportunities flourished, academic courses challenged, spiritual activities enriched, and extracurricular activities invited them to grow and develop into the best young Christian women they could be. 3 History of Archbishop Ryan High School for Boys (1966-1988) Ryan Boys, as it was known, was always a vibrant, happy, and sometimes, tumultuous and raucous place. It was a place where boys went to school and learned to become men. It was characterized by extremely high morale and a genuine sense of community. Teams won; activities thrived; leaders emerged. Many of our coaches, some legendary, are still here. Rodgers and Hammerstein found new life on our stage, and our marching band was second to none. Our newspaper was the Raiderscope, our yearbook was The Arrow. And we were the Ryan Raiders. Warpath Weekend was, well, just that – a spirited outpouring of pride and tradition. The culmination of the varied events was a faculty-student basketball game. The faculty was stocked with athletic young men. The students never won that game; that, also, was a tradition. These years witnessed the emergence of WARB (the TV studio), eleven strong athletic teams, and a truly involved student government, replete with its own hilarious skits and shows in the auditorium. There was the annual Franciscan Chance Drive, the hospitality of the Franciscan Friars, the Carnival out back. There were Cozy Morely shows … No one wore uniforms. But crepe-sole shoes were required and no pens were permitted. This was in deference to Brother Ed who kept the school absolutely spotless. Battles of the Bands taxed our hearing, while pep rallies in the auditorium, along with dress- down days often preceded our biggest games. Athletes came onstage in sweaters bearing varsity letters. And one of our kids got into Harvard. We had Diocesan Scholars, the Swenson Skill Center program, graduation in the auditorium, and St. Francis Day liturgies featuring Fr. Ira’s memorable sermons. We had bicycle racks, homeroom after second period, and a nationally televised hostage crisis. Students were dismissed after morning performances of school shows, and young men often settled their differences with oversized boxing gloves in the gym. (Some did it elsewhere.) Everyone played intramurals. Retreats were solemn affairs. But, ultimately, Ryan Boys was the people: that endless march of footsteps down hallways. …Forero, Wycheck, Reenan, Crow, Barbera, Ferguson, Nardo. The famous and the not-so- famous. Noel, Quinn, Ulmer, Todt, Liguori, Scioli, Morris, David, Joel. 4 MERGED HISTORY (1988 to present) The process of the merger began with of the faculty during the 1988-1989 school year and was completed with the merger of the students in the fall of 1989. The first combined class graduated in June of 1990. The merger created some necessary changes for the student body. With the population now being coed and the entire building now open to both boys and girls, a new uniform was instituted for both girls and boys. The academic and discipline regulations had to be standardized. The boys and girls each retained their original mascots, the Raider and Ragdoll respectively. Before the merger, some events were already coed, such as marching band and the drama program. Annual events, such as proms and school picnics, have been combined and continued after the merger. Other traditions were blended to become part of the new coed school. Archbishop Ryan has traditionally offered extensive educational programs, changing over the course of school’s existence to adapt to the changing needs of the modern workplace. Due to the merging of the schools, more academic opportunities could be offered to the students. Incorporating state of the art technology with traditional instruction methods, Archbishop Ryan has prepared generations of students to be successful in their post high school endeavors. Archbishop Ryan has always been primarily a Catholic institution, as reflected by our religious education curriculum, special religious events, in-house and overnight retreats, and daily witness to our Catholic faith. From its start, the school has been staffed by a number of religious communities of men and women. Sisters of Saint Joseph, Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, and Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary can be found in many of the offices, as well as the classrooms. Early in 2008, the Assumption Province made the decision to reassign all but one of the Franciscan friars, beginning with the 2008/2009 school year. At this time, two diocesan priests were assigned to replace the friars in both the classroom and the school ministry office. Archbishop Ryan has offered a wide variety of extracurricular activities over the years. The clubs, sports, and service opportunities at Ryan have evolved to reflect student interests, faculty availability, and changing times. The music department offers a variety of performance activities, as well as two musical theater productions each year. At this time, approximately 90% of the student body participates in the various activities. Today, Archbishop Ryan is the largest high school in the Archdiocesan system. The school’s distinctive red and gold seal, containing the Archbishop Ryan motto, “In Vite Mane” is visible throughout the school. It’s meaning, “Remain on the Vine,” is not an empty phrase. Students and alumni continue to be a part of the Ryan family. Alumni events are well attended and 700 current students are children of our alumni.