Wednesday, September 7, 2022

A New Adventure

     I ran across this among my things.  It is the "Daily Schedule and Rules for Saint Joseph Hall" given to us at the start of the school year on September 3, 1962 [60 years ago] and the opening of the High School Minor Seminary Residence Hall for the Diocese of Greensburg named Saint Joseph Hall.  I was beginning my sophomore year of high school.  You might find it interesting.

 

     History  -  Saint Joseph Hall, the residence hall for minor seminary students of the Diocese of Greensburg was planned and established by the Most Reverend William G. Connare for the sole purpose of training boys to help this Diocese as secular priests.  Saint Joseph Hall opens its doors on September 3, 1962, for the first time.  The residence hall will be under the direction of a diocesan priest and other diocesan priests will staff the hall in the capacities of Spiritual Director, Prefects of Disciple and Prefects.

     The boys will reside at Saint Joseph Hall but will journey each morning by bus to Saint Vincent Prep for their scholastic training.  They will return to the Residence Hall each evening.

     With the opening of the Hall there will be one member of the junior class and many sophomores and freshmen.  In September of 1963 we hope to add a new class until the full minor seminary course of six years is completed.

AIMS   -   The exclusive aim of the Residence Hall program is to train young men for the priesthood of the Diocese of Greensburg.  The program will embrace the spiritual, intellectual, the moral and physical training of the candidates.


Suggestion for the Daily Schedule for Students

6:00 am - Rise

6:20 am - Chapel for morning prayers

6:30 am - Holy Mass

7:00 am - Breakfast

7:30 am -Making of Bed

7:45 am - Board bus for Saint Vincent

8:15 am - Classes begin at Saint Vincent

11:45 am - Lunch at Saint Vincent

3:15 pm - Return to Saint Joseph Hall

3:30 pm - Recreation

5:15 pm - Spiritual exercises (Rosary)

5:45 pm - Supper

6:15 pm - Recreation

7:00 pm - Study

8:30 pm - Chapel for night prayers

9:00 pm - Retire ... lights out ... strict silence

NOTE: This schedule is somewhat varied on Saturday, Sundays and holidays.

[ With that schedule who had time to get homesick!  Note the time for bed, with strict silence until morning - 9:00pm!]

     Note also these regulations:

We had a weekend each month off to go home, plus Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and a summer vacation.

"Letters, papers, books and packages may be sent and received.  The authorities of Saint Joseph Hall have the right to open and inspect the mail of all students.  All students are expected to write their families at least once a week."  [Try to get away with that today!]

All students are required to wear suit or sports coats or sweater coats to classes, dining hall and chapel, and ties.

There was limited tv watching (only at designated times and with permission - also only one tv in the rec room) ... no personal tv, radio, alarm clock (we were awakened by a handheld school bell) or phones (long before cell phones, computers, iPads etc.).


     These were different times, and these regulations and schedules were not "out of the ordinary" ... we survived and were generally better for it.