Class of 1954

Carol Ann Dankers Creswell sent in the picture above - listed with her picture were the following names:

M.L. Bray, Larry Hendricks, Barb Socier, Tony Kolleth, M. Ecarius, Janet Reimer, J. Kratz, Mike Green, Mary Green, Karen Keating, Jeanette Sonefeld, "TEACHER" Carol Dankers, Terry McInerney, Lloyd Bishop, Jack Kocks, Nanette DeRosia, Mike Ryan.

Along with an email to my brother Jim she sent some memories of the High School baccalaureate breakfast of 1954.

The song they sang follows:

FROM THE HALLWAYS OF CATHEDRAL HIGH, WE SAY FAREWELL
AND WE’LL REMINISCE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, AND HER PRAISES TELL
AND AS WE PART TODAY, CLASS OF FIFTY FOUR….
KEEP HER MEM’RIES EVER IN YOUR HEART, NOW AND EVERMORE.

On that 1954 Baccalaureate breakfast day, she said she gave a recitation, and it’s still crystal clear:

THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER’S HAND
T’WAS BATTERED AND SCARRED, AND THE AUCTIONEER
THOUGHT IT SCARCELY WORTH HIS WHILE
TO WASTE MUCH TIME ON THE OLD VIOLIN,
BUT HE HELD IT UP WITH A SMILE.
‘WHAT AM I BIDDEN, GOOD FOLKS?
‘WHO’LL START THE BIDDING FOR ME?
‘A DOLLAR? A DOLLAR? NOW TWO? ONLY TWO?
‘TWO DOLLARS. AND WHO’LL MAKE IT THREE?
‘GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE, GOING FOR THREE’,,BUT NO!
FROM THE ROOM FAR BACK A GRAY HAIRED MAN CAME FORWARD,
AND PICKED UP THE BOW.
THEN, WIPING THE DUST FROM THE OLD VIOLIN,
AND TIGHTENING UP ALL OF ITS STRINGS,
HE PLAYED A MELODY, PURE AND SWEET,
AS SWEET AS AN ANGEL SINGS.
THE MUSIC CEASED, AND THE AUCTIONEER,
IN A VOICE THAT WAS QUIET AND LOW, SAID
‘WHAT AM I BID FOR THIS OLD VIOLIN?’
AND HE HELD IT UP WITH THE BOW.
‘A THOUSAND DOLLARS! AND WHO’LL MAKE IT TWO?
‘TWO THOUSAND! AND WHO’LL MAKE IT THREE?
‘THREE THOUSAND ONCE, THREE THOUSAND TWICE,
‘AND GOING…AND GONE!’ SAID HE.
THE PEOPLE CHEERED, BUT SOME OF THEM SAID,
‘WE DO NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND.
‘WHAT CHANGED ITS WORTH?’ THE MAN REPLIED,
‘THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER’S HAND.’
AND MANY A PERSON WITH LIFE OUT OF TUNE,
AND BATTERED AND TORN WITH SIN
IS AUCTIONED CHEAP TO A THOUGHTLESS CROWD,
MUCH LIKE THE OLD VIOLIN.
A MESS OF POTTAGE, A GLASS OF WINE,
A GAME, AND THEY TRAVEL ON..
THEY’RE GOING ONCE, THEY’RE GOING TWICE,
THEY’RE GOING AND ALMOST GONE…
BUT THE MASTER COMES AND THE FOOLISH CROWD
NEVER CAN QUITE UNDERSTAND
THE WORTH OF A SOUL AND THE CHANGE THAT’S WROUGHT
BY THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER’S HAND