T
he word "tradition" comes from the Latin word "traditio." Traditio, historically, means to pass on. As a Ph.D. and theologian by training, it has been my academic career to study tradition as it pertains to historical action and events. It has also been my impetus in thinking of the 50th Anniversary of Bishop McNamara High School in broader terms, as it defines itself by a tradition of excellence, a tradition of thinking with Christ, and a tradition of innovation. To look forward to 2064, when this school will celebrate 100 years of education (and I'll be 90 years old) we must first look at the school's first days. Since our founding in 1964, the philosophy of Bishop McNamara has promoted Christian education in the spirit of the Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C., Founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Sponsored by the Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Bishop McNamara has remained dedicated to the "harmonious development of the whole person," which was the challenge given by Brother Ephraim O'Dwyer, C.S.C., then Provincial of the Brothers of Holy Cross, Eastern Province. This challenge echoed
Catholic Church on Marlboro Pike in Forestville, Maryland, Bishop McNamara is the result of the vision, as was La Reine High School, of Msgr. Peter Paul Rakowski, to build a Catholic high school for boys, and one for girls in the southern part of Prince George's County. To that end, in 1962, His Eminence, the Most Rev. Patrick Cardinal O'Boyle, Archbishop of Washington, extended an invitation to the Brothers of Holy Cross to administer and staff the new high school, which would serve the county and parts of Washington, D.C. Ten Holy Cross Brothers and two lay teachers set the course for these boys to develop into young men of character. In 1964, Bishop McNamara came to be in a turbulent time. Located seven miles away from the steps of the Capital, the year this school opened its doors was the year that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 authorized federal action against segregation, and the year that President Lyndon B. Johnson announced the 'War on Poverty.' The 10-year anniversary of the school, in 1974, came the same year during which
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THE MUSTANG MESSENGER
In the 50 years since the school began, the vision of the founding brothers, who stayed up well into the night putting desks together for the first day of school, has not diminished. While companies, leaders, social movements, and organizations that dominated market places, political races, and social consciences have long since disappeared, Bishop McNamara has not only persisted, but also thrived. By remaining true to Fr. Moreau, the school has continued to provide an elite education, taught and accepted students of every demographic side-by-side, and never forgotten its founding mission and goal of education through personal and spiritual innovation. When Bishop McNamara opened its doors 50 years ago, it was an integrated school amidst national turmoil. When Heather Gossart was named the President/CEO in 1996, she was the first laywoman chosen by the religious order to ever head a school. When we began piloting our iPad 1:1 program this year, we sought to lead the burgeoning national desire for students well educated in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The cafeteria planned will allow for a more open, friendly setting for the student body. The environmentally friendly structure will provide a setting as progressive as the meals served.
the educational philosophy established by Fr. Moreau, which stated, "We shall always place education side by side with instruction, the mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart." Built on a site adjacent to Mount Calvary
individuality. In 1994, we celebrated our 30th anniversary while Nelson Mandela, imprisoned for 27 years, was released from prison and elected president and, during our 40th anniversary, we bore witness to the Battle of Fallujah in Iraq and the Middle Eastern conflict. In 2014, 50 years later, we celebrate the momentous milestone while educating our children about the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, the scares of Ebola, and the ever-increasing role of technology in our lives.
The expansion of our school, from the cornerstone laid in 1964 to now, and towards the next 50 years, has always been a vital part of our history. Just as the students and teachers that have walked our hallways have left indelible marks upon the culture and future of our school, our buildings are a physical manifestation of the opportunity we provide for our students to learn and to excel. Nixon resigned and Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's homerun record. The 20-year anniversary of our school was celebrated during George Orwell's prophetic 1984 year, during which Macintosh deliberately defied the idea of oppression and loss of
In the next 50 years, as you might gather should you take a walk through the main concourse of our school building, Bishop McNamara will restructure significantly. This move, funded by a comprehensive capital campaign by our school's leadership
THE MUSTANG MESSENGER
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The La Reine Science Center will provide an homage to La Reine High School with a dedicated wall of history as well as state of the art resources for the students.
will, at its completion, nearly double our space and capacity as an educational institution. With the addition of the La Reine Science Center, our department that features two Ph.D. teachers will have unprecedented resources at their hands. With the addition of the student commons center, our students will be able to congregate in an informative and enjoyable atmosphere. With the addition of a memorial garden, our entire community will be able to gather and reflect upon our remarkable history in a peaceful, safe environment. While these changes will long outlast my tenure, I know from my experience at 6800 Marlboro Pike that the changes will only be physical in nature. The same spirit that guided us these past 50 years will persist in the students, teachers, and administrators that have elevated the School to the position it has gained today. I know this because, in my time as an educator at Bishop McNamara and elsewhere, never have I experienced an institution that is more devoted to its mission, nomenclature, and tradition. We know, as a collective community, who we are, where we come from, and where we are going. As is tradition to say every morning,
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THE MUSTANG MESSENGER
"We are Bishop McNamara. We are Holy Cross. We choose through our words and actions to build family, show respect, educate our minds and hearts, and bring hope. We choose to Think with Christ."
THE MUSTANG MESSENGER
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