November,2004

The 50th Reunion was held on campus...on the site of the original club meetings...but it is now a very attractive building...O'Keefe Commons...

Nick O'Neill was the Master of Ceremonies, Bill Rothschild gave a brief history of how the organization was founded, Father McShane, a former Dean and now University President introduced the new Dean, O'Donnell, and the new members of the Club were introduced.

It is interesting how the Club is the same and yet different. It is clear that the original mission of "honoring those who have give beyond the call of duty" are still those selected to be members. However the members are now more oriented to "making a difference in the world" than just those who wanted to make the campus a happier and more creative environment".

Grades are now more important than they were when Leo blessed the organization. But in today's world things are much more complex and even too serious.

The event was highly successful because it honored Leo and the real intent of making Fordham a better place and honoring those who helped to make it happen.

These are Bill Rothschild's Summary of How the Club Was Founded and Its Mission.

It is very hard to believe that it has been 50 years since Leo McLaughlin introduced the first members of the Fordham Club members, which took place on this very site, when it was a converted Army barrack that served as the Business School and the Russian Institute.

I would like to provide some insights about the club and why it was founded.

Let me start with some of the characteristics of my classmates, the Class of 1955. We were born in the Great Depression and raised in the Greatest War. In short we started in a very hostile, uncertain world. Most of us went to Catholic Schools and a large percentage from the key Jesuit Schools, Brooklyn Prep, Xaxier, Fordham Prep and Regis. I mention Brooklyn Prep first since it is my alma mater, and though it was closed in 1972, since contributes to the other surviving Jesuit Schools

Eight-five percent of us commuted. Many as long as two hours each way on the subway. Most of us worked either after school or on weekends or both. There were no fraternities, no national honor societies.

Many of us were very active in extra curricular activities. My class produced two "original" musical comedies, The Senior show was " Its' Maroon" which described how Fordham got its school colors. There was a major two band Junior Prom in the Gym, a senior prom at the Pierre Hotel. My classmates made significant contributions to the RAM, WFUV, Student Government was very important to campus life, ROTC and many other activities. Running for Student Government was like running for the mayor of New York and was very demanding. It reminds me of the primaries of today.

But there was no recognition for those who gave so much of themselves to the school, even while working, commuting and of course going to class, which by the way was a 9AM to % PM schedule for many of us. The administration had created a "Honors Program" to recognize academic achievements but there was no equivalent for honoring extra curricular activities.

Fortunately we had a new dean, Leo Mc Laughlin SJ. Leo was always interested in new ideas and approaches and was always available personally to students, especially the student officers.

When I was elected Senior Class President, I went to Leo and recommended that we establish an organization that would recognize "student Leaders" in their senior year.

Leo without hesitation said YES and formed a selection committee consisting of three students ( Dick Rack (Student Government President) Ron Taggisasco (Chief Justice of our Student Court) and me (Senior Class President), and three faculty members ( Dr. Telfair, Father Roth and Leo).

We invited those who had made major contributions in extracurricular activities to apply. The major criteria was extracurricular leadership and not academic achievement, though many of those selected were both honor students and leaders. They normally go hand in hand.

Thirty Two were selected and they are listed below.

The first meeting was on December 14th, in the faculty dinning room of Keating Hall. There was no student center building. Keating was our student center, the cafeteria, and where we went to class. It was all we had.

Leo with the approval of Father McGinley, who also attended some of our meetings, made sure that the honor of being a member of this honorary society was recognized, had the following added to our transcripts " member or Fordham Club, Honorary Society for Outstanding Achievement in Extracurricular Activities."

The Fordham club has the following characteristics:

• No officers were elected, we were all equal
• No major activities--- since the members were supposed to to continue to lead in the other activities and not compete against them.
• Few meetings were held and those which were held were fun, social, FRATERNAL, designed to build what might be called today as "bonding", but was them called school spirit.
• We were given the privilege of having beer on campus, which was a major honor and also a recognition of our having matured.

I have asked several of my classmates about what they remembered about the club.

Most of us remember Leo since he was the real leader and mentor to us all. Some remember Leo doing an Irish jig in one meeting, others remembered Leo leading us across Edward's Parade grounds. All remember it was fun and that it achieved its mission of precognition and having fun.

Enclosed on are articles that appeared in the RAM. These articles said I was the founder of the club. This is only partially true... since it was LEO what was the one who made it happen and if he were not the Dean I am convinced the club would have only been a suggestion and never a reality.

Leo was always willing to accept new Ideas. I also suggested to him that the College should have its own GRADUATION ceremony to honor its students. The University ceremony was too large and boring. Leo again said yes and ENCAENIA was born. It too will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year as well. This event had the same characteristics of the Fordham Club, honoring those who made major contributions to the college and also to have FUN.

Leo was always positive... but he did say no to one of my ideas. I recommended that the Fordham Club be COED. Since there were no women in the college at this time, I recommended that we import girls from the School of Education. Leo could not agree, but later as President he was instrumental in making the college coed. And I must admit that this is one of the most positive changes in the Fordham Club of today. The members are much more attractive than our first group.

In closing I want to thank each of you for keeping the FORDHAM CLUB alive and even better than it was ever conceived. It only happen because of the deans that followed Leo and recognized that the quality of the Fordham Club members is a major asset to the school.

I hope that 50 years from now there will be another bigger and better meeting like this to celebrate the 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FORDHAM CLUB and that many of you will repeat my opening words' It is hard to believe that 50 years have passed".

Our New College Dean O'Donnell give the special honorary certificate Ray Schroth SJ...all of the 50th Fordham Club received this special honorary certificate.

Fordham Club was founded in the Fall of 1954 to honor those who provided extraordinary leadership in "extracurricular" activities.

The class officers presented the concept to the College Dean, Father Leo McLaughlin SJ, and he enthusiastically supported the program.

Candidates were selected, evaluated and then approved by Leo, three faculty and three student government officers, who automatically became "ex-officio full members".

The faculty members were Fathers Roth, Ewing and Professor Telfair.

The student selectors were Dick Rack (Student Government President) Ron Taggiasco (Chief Justice) and Bill Rothschild (Senior Class President and founder of the club).

The members was provided with a special honorary certificate and a notation was made on their college transcript. In addition, the Club was given the extraordinary privilege of being able to drink beer on campus, of course with supervision.

No one would have dreamed that the Club would still be "alive and prospering" 50 years later. There are reunions scheduled every other year.

This is the article in the THE RAM...December 2, 1954 that described the initiation of the Fordham Club....

32 Named to New Fordham Club

Prior is First of 32 Seniors In Honor Unit

By Warren Spellman

RAM Makeup Editor

Jim Prior, Managing Editor of the RAM, has been selected by a special election board as the first student to become a member of the Fordham Club, the Rev. Leo P. Mc Laughlin SJ, Fordham College dean announced today.

1. A total of 32 students, including three ex-officio members, were chosen by the board. Their names are:
   Bill Carruth
   Dick Cieciuch
   Don Cody
   Jim Conway
   Ed Dixon
   Tom Fahey
   Mat Fitzgibbon
   Hank Greer
   Vin Guinee
   Jim Heffernan
   Jerry Holden
   Steve Huben
   Bob Kennedy (now deceased)
   Dan Kozera (now deceased)
   Tony Lo Frisco
   Steve Mahoney
   John Mayer
   Jim McErlean
   Jack McGovern
   Dick Murdy (now deceased)
   Nick O'Neill
   Frank Parascandola
   Sal Pillitteri (now deceased)
   Jim Prior
   Dick Rack
   Bill Rothschild
   Tony Saintomas
   Ray Schroth
   Ted Stanton
   Ronald Taggiasco (now deceased)
   Tom Tobin (now deceased)
   Langdon Toland (now deceased)

Launched two months ago by William Rothschild, president of the senior class, the Fordham Club is an honorary society of the college designed to foster student spirit by recognizing those who have worked hard and effectively in student activities.

In order to be eligible for membership, each student applicant had to submit a detailed record of his extracurricular activities, both past and present, to the Dean's office. This was then reviewed by a special committee of six sorted the information and made its selection.

The committee consisted of three ex-officio members: Richard Rack, Student Council president; Ronald Taggiasco, chief Justice of the student court and William Rothschild founder of the club.

The three faculty members of the committee included Robert Roth SJ, moderator of Senior class, Professor Samuel Telfair and Rev. J. Franklin Ewing SJ moderator of the senior show.

Father McLaughlin SJ also stated each student selected for participation in the Club will have the following commendation listed on his permanent record: "Member of the Fordham Club, Honorary Society for Outstanding Achievement in Extracurricular Activities."

__________________________________________________________

The "Tri-F Reporter" reported the first meeting of the Fordham Club:

FORDHAM CLUB

The initial meeting of the Fordham Club was held Tuesday evening December 14th, in the faculty dinning room of Keating Hall. The nature of the club, its structure, and activities were discussed by those in attendance which included Rev Leo McLaughlin SJ, Dean of the College and Rev Robert Roth SJ Moderator of the Senior Class and 28 of the 32 charter members of the organization.

Though several major problems were settled, most of the evening's business concerned discussions of the numerous aspects of the club.

Decisions on these matters were prudently delayed until future meetings.

As evidenced by the spirit of those present, the Fordham Club is already on its way to becoming not merely a society of recognition or a service committed.

But, it is being molded into an organization of past performance have been singled out for commendation, and grouped together as a fraternal body for the purpose to fulfill their obligation to Fordham.

One of the highlights of the evening was the club's adoption of "What Fordham Means To Me" as the official club song.

After the meeting which was embellished by coffee 'n cake supplied by Student Government, the members heartingly rendered an "interpretation" of the song.

_____________________________________________________________________

The February, 1955 issue of TRI-F Reporter reported the following activities of the Fordham Club.

Twenty-five couples spent an enjoyable evening last January 22nd in LeLande Lounge of Martyr's Court, as the Fordham club held its initial social activity.

Though tabbed "An Informal Dance", the affair more closely resembled a party due to the leisurely atmosphere supplied by all who attended..

The evening's highlights included an impromptu concert rendered by a few members of the Glee Club, an abundance of Coke and goodies, plus some delightful dance music (via victrolla) faithfully provided by Mrs. Lamm.

According to reliable sources, Fathers McLaughlin, Loughran and Roth found the social to be quite successful and most typical of the Fordham Club's membership.

On the following Thursday, January 27, 1955, the club held its third business meeting.

Such topics as organization, admissions, and the insignia were discusses by the members who report much progress on all. At this meeting the organization also decided upon one of its major projects for the year.

The Fordham Club will sponsor a literary supplement to the RAM, which will be published by the RAM. It's purpose is the immortalize the literary talents of the Fordham student body, as displayed during the 54-55 academic year.

All are invited to submit manuscripts (poems, short stories etc.) to the RAM prior to the APRIL deadline.

A special effort will be made to obtain contributions from the underclassmen, particularly the Freshman and Sophomores.