Murphy, Rev. Thomas A., S.J. - Oral History (transcript)

              Fairfield University
Oral History Transcripts
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Rev. Thomas A. Murphy, S.J.
Assistant Principal, Fairfield College Preparatory
School; Musical Director; Director Emeritus,
Alumni Relations
March 23, 1992
Rev. Thomas A. Murphy, S.J.
a brief biography
“I thought it was a terrific challenge. It was wonderful, because it was really pioneering and we
had to face the facts that we had to do a lot of work. We went out every weekend helping out in
parishes locally because we needed to help the financial support of the community, but it was a
very challenging and wonderful experience. I'd go through it again -- pioneering -- because
there's one thing that I remember most forcefully. The wonderful support on the part of the
parents… The parents were most helpful to us and that's why I never want them to be
forgotten.”
Rev. Thomas A. Murphy, S.J., was born October 8, 1906 in Brockton, Massachusetts. He
attended St. Patrick’s Parochial School in 1912 and then Boston College High School from 1920
to 1924. He earned a B.A. from Boston College in 1928. Father Murphy grew up learning to
play the piano, organ and violin, playing at such Brockton, Massachusetts movie theatres as the
Brockton, Strand, and Rialto. “I played the organ at the old silent movies,” he said. “That’s how
I paid my way through college.” He entered the Society of Jesus at Shadowbrook in Lenox,
Massachusetts on August 14, 1928. Father Murphy received his M.A. in Philosophy from
Weston College in Weston, Massachusetts in 1934. He taught philosophy and English at the
College of the Holy Cross from 1934 to 1936, and then studied theology at Weston College from
1936 to 1940. After being ordained a priest on June 17, 1939 and spending his Tertian year at
Pomfret, Connecticut, Father Murphy was assigned to St. Mary’s Parish in Boston in 1941. In
February 1943, Father Murphy came to Fairfield College Preparatory School as a teacher of
Latin, English, public speech and religion as well as the school’s Musical Director. At this time,
a total of 300 students were enrolled at the school, attending classes in McAullife Hall. An
accomplished musician, Father Murphy organized the Glee Club and orchestra, and composed
the Prep Fight Song as well as the Alma Mater to accompany words written by his colleague
Rev. John H. Kelly, S.J. In 1947, Father Murphy was appointed Assistant Principal of Fairfield
Prep, a position he held until 1950. Also in 1947, Father Murphy witnessed first-hand the
signing of the charter which established the newly created Fairfield University by Governor
Raymond Baldwin in Hartford, Connecticut. From 1950 to 1967, Father Murphy held the
position of Student Counselor, also serving as Vocational Guidance Director for seniors and
juniors. From 1967 until 1977, Father Murphy served as the school’s Director of Alumni
Relations and Moderator of the Bellarmine Guild. He also worked closely with the Bellarmine
Father’s Club and was Moderator of the Sodality of Our Lady, as well as being a retreat master
on numerous occasions. Father Murphy retired in 1977 as Director Emeritus of Alumni
Relations. After his official retirement, Father Murphy continued to play cocktail piano music at
the Center for Financial Studies at Fairfield University, the Black Rock Yacht Club for sing-a-longs
and also for retired people at nursing homes. In 1984 he produced an album of popular
songs called “At the Piano with Father Tom,” which included numbers like “Over the Rainbow,”
“Danny Boy,” and “Bells are Ringing.” The album earned him television performances on the
Joe Franklin Show and NBC’s The Prime of Your Life and its proceeds went to the Bellarmine
Guild at Fairfield. In 1992, Father Murphy was honored for his years of dedicated service with a
50th Anniversary Jubilee Medal. Later a plaque with his name was erected in his honor by
Fairfield College Preparatory School.
Sources: Public Relations Files, Folder “Rev. Thomas A. Murphy, S.J.,” Fairfield University Archives and Special
Collections. Photograph: Fairfield University Manor, 1958.
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INTERVIEW WITH FATHER THOMAS MURPHY
April, 1992
QUESTION $1, VHS u 10-00-00-00) WHAT WAS HERE THEN WHEN YOU FIRST
-. --
ARRIVED?
ANSWER : There was McAuliffe Hall and ~ellarmine Hall. Those were
the two places on the campus and we lived in Bellarmine and then we'd
have to walk over to McAuliffe, across every day and there were a lot
.
of woods around at that time and we'd walk down. in the morning and
have to go through a fence to walk up to McAuliffe and we'd teach up
there. It was very primitive and so on. It was a very interesting
thing. The Parents, the Father's Club raised money to build a road
to connect the two properties. That was a great asset for us because
@ that meant that we didn't have to jump through the fence, through the
woods, to get up to McAuliffe, so it was very wonderful, very
'primitive, but we loved it.
9UESTION $2, VHS fi (0-00-56-231 WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE ORIGINALLY
WHEN YOU FIRST CAME? HOW DID YOU FIRST COME TO BE HERE?
ANSWER: Well, I was supposed to have gone on and do graduate
studies and I was supposed to go on to the Missions and that was
changed so then they sent me to St. Mary's Church in Boston. I was
supposed to have gone for a Doctoral Degree in Music, but the war
broke out, so I went to St. Mary's Parish in Boston, a Jesuit church
there and did a lot of preaching and then they were going to have me
:@ go on and study preaching for two years and then I received a letter
from the Provincial, Father Dolan, asking me t o accept a
quick change t o F a i r f i e l d Prep. I said "Where's F a i r f i e l d Prep?''
So I came down here on February 15, 1943 and I took over a freshman
class. I taught Latin and English, Theology and then they organized
the musical t a l e n t in the school, an orchestra and glee club. Then
Father John Kelly, who was the Prefect of Discipline, he was very
clever a t words for songs, so one evening I s t a r t e d playing the piano
and he and I composed the Prep Fight Song, the Prep Alma Mater. He
wrote the words and I did the music, so t h a t was in '43 and I've been
here ever since. Over the years a f t e r teaching, I was made Assistant
Principal for two years in McAuliffe a t the t i m e because Berchmans
was opened a t t h a t t i m e and then a f t e r t h a t , I was made the Student
Counselor, Guidance Counselor. I was the only Guidance Counselor a t
t h a t time i n 1947, it was. That was in Berchmans a t the t i m e . And
then because the school had grown so and the faculty had grown, when
they b u i l t Berchmans, the top floor was supposed t o be a Physics Lab
and a Chemistry Lab, but we needed more room for J e s u i t s s o they made
living quarters up there for us -- 14 of u s l i v e d up there -- and it
so happened that I lived there for 32 years.
QUESTION $3, VHS (0-03-22-00) I N 1943, WAS THAT THE FIRST YEAR
OF THE PREP SCHOOL? ANSWER: That's r i g h t . It opened in September
of 1942 and the f i r s t graduation was '43 of people who had
transferred t o the school. There w e r e about 8 or 9 who graduated
t h a t year. I forget the exact number you know.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 2
a QUESTION $4, VHS u j0-03-42-01) NOW WHERE'DID THEY GO AFTER
GRADUATION --ON TO COLLEGE?
ANSWER: They went to college and some of them had to go into the
Service
.-
and so on. It was very interesting and many of them have passed
on now, but I've tried to keep up contact with them over the years.
QUESTION $5, VHS u (0-03-58-11) WHERE WERE THE STUDENTS FROM AT
THE BEGINNING --RIGHT AROUND HERE, OR...?
ANSWER: Well, some of them came from New Haven, but most of them
were local, either from Bridgeport and Stamford and Fairfield and
Norwalk.
9UESTION $6, VHS 10-04-15-01) IT MUST HAVE BEEN KIND OF
STRANGE, I WOULD IMAGINE TO BE TEACHING STUDENTS WHO YOU KNEW WERE
GOING TO GO INTO THE SERVICE AND MAY NEVER HAVE SURVIVED THE WAR.
ANSWER: Well, see, I taught the Freshmen and though they were
actually in their last year of high school at the time, so I didn't
know them at the time, but some of our Jesuits, Father Eugene Burns
taught them and he taught French and Latin and so on, but they met
all the requirements if they wanted to go to college. It was very
exacting at the time.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 3
QUESTION $7, VHS (0-04-48-04L HOW DID YOU SORT OF FEEL ABOUT
BEING HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
ANSWER : Oh, I thought it was a terrific challenge. It was
wonderful, because it was really pioneering and we had to face the
facts that we had to do a lot of work. We went out every weekend
helping out in parishes locally because we needed to help the
financial support of the community, but it was a very challenging and
wonderful experience. I'd go through it--again -- pioneering --
because there's one thing that I remember most forcefully. The
wonderful support on the part of the parents. Mrs. Ellen
Gilhuly who just received a medal for the 50th, our 50th year
medal, she founded the Bellannine Guild and they raised money for the
school. She had a $10 Club and they raised enough money so that we
could put in a Physics Lab at the Prep School in McAuliffe. The
parents were most helpful to us and that's why I never want them to
be forgotten because as I told you, the Father's Club raised money to
build a new road connecting the property and Mrs. Gilhuly started a
Mother's Club and it's gone on now for 50 years -- most supportive
over those years.
QUESTION $8, VHS ~ (0-06-16-03) HOW DID THESE CLUBS GET STARTED?
ANSWER : Well, they were all the parents of the students and that's
the way they started. They had a monthly meeting -- I think on the
3rd Wednesday of each month and was very helpful to us.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 4
QUESTION $9, VHS u (0-06-36-18) DID YOU GO AND ATTEND THE
MEETINGS OR SPEAK AT THE MEETINGS?
ANSWER: Father Barry, James Barry, he was the Chaplain and Father
Jim went to Jamaica and so I took over then-as the Chaplain of the
Bellmarmine Guild. We'd have a group in Bridgeport, a group in
Stamford, a group in Norwalk and a group in New Haven, so they'd have
their monthly meetings, but then it was brought in to have one group
only in Bridgeport and they'd come to the-meetings, but they were
most supportive over the years, running Bridge parties and running
style shows and all this business, whatever they had to raise money
for us, you know.
QUESTION $10. VHS u (0-07-23-16) HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHAT THE
MONEY SHOULD BE RAISED FOR?
ANSWER: Well that was up to the Rector at the time. We had
nothing to do with that, unless they designated for some particular
thing. It was a great help because we really needed financial help
at the
time. Our tuition that first year was $100, plus a $5.00
Activi.ty Fee and we had 19 Jesuits he-re and so we just took things in
stride.
Oral History: Thomas -Murphy, S.J. Page 5
QUESTION $11. VHS fi (0-07-52-181 HOW MANY STUDENTS WERE HERE I N
THE EARLY YEARS?
ANSWER: I think about, maybe a t the beginning about 300 I think.
I stand open t o question about t h a t . It grew as the things went on,
you know. I think an i n t e r e s t i n g ... the words of the Prep Song,
which Father Kelly wrote, "in '42 the world was blue and needed
something ... something new, something t z ' r e v i v e its f a l t e r i n g steps
and someone got the inspiration and shouted out t o a l l the nation
what w i l l ease the s i t u a t i o n , F a i r f i e l d College Prep.'' So he wrote
t h a t and we made copies of it and we sold it and so on, so it was
raising money. It was a l l the question of raising money f o r t h e
needs of the school.
9UESTION $12, VHS fi (0-08-42-28) WAS THERE ALWAYS THE SENSE THAT
ASIDE FROM THE PREP THERE EVENTUALLY WOULD BE A COLLEGE HERE AS WELL?
ANSWER : I wasn't aware of it a t t h a t t i m e , but as Father Dolan
came in, he told us about the plans. It's very, very i n t e r e s t i n g .
They got the charter f o r t h e University and there was a lawyer,
Gaynor Brennan, who's passed on from Stamford. He had two sons a t
Prep and h i s brother, B i l l , was a big man on the Republican Party in
Connecticut and Gaynor, through h i s influence, was able t o get the
charter, so when the charter came, I went up with Father Dolan and
Gaynor Brennan, f i r s t of a l l t o Wesleyan University where ~ i l b u r
Snow, the Lt. Governor, signed it and then we went up t o the State
House where Governor Baldwin signed the charter and I was with Father
Oral History: Thomas ' Murphy, S .J. Page 6
Dolan. I saw Father Dolan sign that
charter and it was a very memorable occasion and that was around,
I think '45, that happened and then the University started in '47
because first of all, he was very progressive and having had a lot of
business experience, he put up Berchmans Hall. Very interesting
about Berchmans...it was during the time of the War and to get
permission was'very, very difficult and he had applied and it didn't
look too hopeful. I had a brother Morris Murphy who was in
Washington on the W.P.B. and it was through his influence, too, that
the permission came through to put up Berchmans, so it was very
successful. Then the University occupied the first floor of
Berchmans when they opened.
QUESTION $13, VHS (0-10-40-241 WHAT KIND OF BUILDING WAS
BERCHMANS? I MEAN, WERE YOU INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING FOR IT, OR THE
ACTUAL PLANS FOR THE BUILDING?
ANSWER : The plans for Father Dolanls you mean?
QUESTION $13 (CTN) YES. FOR BERCHMANS. WERE YOU PRIVY TO WHAT HE
WAS PLANNING FOR THAT BUILDING?
ANSWER: Well he showed us the plans. There were to be classrooms,
all classrooms and the cafeteria and a lounge for the faculty. As I
mentioned, the labs were to be up on the fourth floor and it just
didn't work out and that's when 14 Jesuits occupied the place, but it
was supposed to be all classrooms. Now remember, the fact that we
had to face when we lived up there they didn't have enough money to
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 7
put the elevator in the first year so those of us who lived up there
had to walk up the five flights every day and so on, but it was part
of the way of pioneering and I was thin and after one year, we did
get the elevator, so it was good.
9UESTION $14, VHS fl (0-11-46-281 DID FATHER DOLAN LIVE THERE AS
WELL?
ANSWER: Oh no, he lived in McAuliffeT-'Oh no, he lived in
Bellarmine. That's where the Rectors always lived -- up in
Bellarmine.
9UESTION $14 (CTN) WHAT KIND OF MAN WAS FATHER DOLAN?
ANSWER : Father Dolan was a very gifted man, businesswise. He had
@ been President of Boston College. He was Provcinial and then he came
down here as Rector. He was very wonderful in business because the
years he was here, he paid off the debt in Berchmans and Xavier.
With us, he was a very strict superior, but he accomplished great
things and we did what he told us to do and that's what I think made
us love the place so much because we saw the development and we could
look to the future as he planned it. But the pioneering was a
challenge to us and he was kind to us, but at the same time, he was
demanding and very strict on rules and so on, which was a very good
point.
Oral History: ~homas Murphy, S.J. Page 8
9UESTION $15, VHS #1 (0-13-05-001 DID YOU WORK WITH HIM ON ANY
PARTICULAR PROJECT AT ALL?
ANSWER: Well, no, I would have frequent contacts with him,
especially when I was Assistant Principal and also Guidance Counselor
and also when I had charge of the music and so on. You'd go in and
talk things over with him and so on because the first years would
always have a Glee Club Concert with Laurelton Hall and that went on
for years, so he was aware of these things. Then we'd have the Glee
Club sing for the parents and the gatherings of the Parents' Nights
and so on and any of the plays that we had, which we would put on
down in the Klein Memorial. He would be aware of all that because
we'd notify him of everything that was going on because he had to
keep his hand on the pulse of things.
QUESTION $16, VHS #1 (0-14-00-20) WHEN YOU WERE GUIDANCE
COUNSELOR, WERE THERE ANY PARTICULAR PROBLEMS THAT CAME UP THAT YOU
SPOKE WITH HIM ABOUT ALL THAT YOU RECALL?
ANSWER : It was a wonderful thing if the Guidance Counselor and
also the Spiritual Counselor that it was a wonderful experience for
me 'cause I would interview every Junior and every Senior and during
those days, it would be wonderful to hear of their intentions of
going on to college and so many of them did and so many of them went
to Fairfield University which was a wonderful tribute to us as
Jesuits. I remember many vocations came from the Prep School at the
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 9
@ time. There were 7 priests who are actively in the priesthood in the
Hartford Diocese who went to Prep. I would be, not only the Guidance
Counselor, but the Spiritual Counselor, too and that was part of the
pattern which has changed of late. There's one active in the
priesthood in Atlanta Diocese. ~ h e s - a S 3 4 - a c t i v ein the priesthood
in the Bridgeport Diocese, 4 active in the priesthood in the
Franciscans, 1 active in the Priesthood of the Lasolette, 1 active in
the Priesthood in the Benedictines, 2 are active in the Holy Ghost
Fathers and 2 are in Maryknoll and 1 is-active in the Mill Hill
Fathers in England and 1 of our graduates is Bishop of Iceland,
Father Jolson; he was our first vocation, but it wasn't only the
academics, but also the spiritual at that time because you combined
the Academics with the Spiritual. It was very good because you could
never make a judgment on a high school boy at Prep because some
people, you'd look and see, they didn't have much in the way of
potential
until they matured and when they matured, they established
themselves beautifully in all the various professions and so on and
so many doctors in this area and so many lawyers and businessmen and
education and so on, that's why you could never make a judgment
regardingstheir teen-ager because as they matured, they achieved
great things for themselves and it's been a great credit to their
parents and to the school and to us.
QUESTION #17, VHS (0-16-31-26) THIS MATURING PROCESS THAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT --HOW WOULD IT MANIFEST ITSELF? HOW WOULD YOU
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 10
SEE IT HAPPENING?
ANSWER : Well, first of all, they wouldn't be doing their homework
and you'd have to punish them for it and the more strict you were
with them, the better you were going to get results. Then if they
went on to their junior year and then their senior year, saw the
manifestations because they were thi,nking in terms of college, they
had to take the College Boards and so on and the maturity, it would
appear then, but it did not come to its fullness until they got to
-- -
college. That actually happened to-me. I really didn't reach my
maturity until I got my junior year at college and when I did, it was
a great asset for me because I received many academic honors at the
time, which my family didn't expect at the time, but I said to
myself, "Well I want to dedicate myself to a particular work1' and I
was thinking in terms of the Jesuits and so on and I said wWell, 1'11
see how my marks arew and spiritually, I asked for help and guidance
and I got it and I achieved and that maturity came in my junior year
at college. I graduated from Boston College and that's also happened
to many of our Prep Students. Once they get into
college, too, they matured and it was a tremendous factor. So
many of them in the area have never forgotten our own ability to make
them realize their potential is there if they'll only do their work
and that had to be stressed and I must say they had a nickname; they
had nicknames -- they always called me "Little Caesarw for the simple
reason that I demanded that they lived up to their contract with
their parents to do their homework and to do their studies and so on
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 11
because if they didn't, then they would fail and then they would
discredit themselves to their parents and so on, so it was
interesting.
QUESTION # 18. VHS #1 (0-18-50-031 WAS THE COURSE OF STUDY HERE,
AND IS IT STILL MORE DEMANDING THAN THE USUAL PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRAM?
ANSWER : It was at that time when I was actually teaching because
they had to take Latin for 4 years and English for 4 years and they
had to take a Modern Language and they had to take Chemistry and they
had to take Physics and so on and all those things were demanding.
It wasn't a question of an elective and some people who were very
gifted also took Greek, but not all of them took Greek, but they had
the Latin, the English and the Modern Language and the Sciences, so
it was very demanding and they achieved. It wasn't easy on us
because we would be teaching Latin, English and Theology and so on
and other men would be teaching History, Chemistry, Mathematics and
Physics and so on, so it was very demanding.
9UESTION $19, VHS #1 j0-19-47-071 SO YOU GENERALLY TAUGHT MORE
THAN ONE TYPE OF COURSE? ANSWER: That's right. Most of us as
we called Homeroom Teachers, would teach Latin and English, Public
Speaking and Religion and those
who had homerooms, then the others would come in with their
History and their Mathematics and their Physics and Chemistry. When
I was at college, of course, Boston College at the time, an AB Degree
and I went to Boston College High School too, you took Latin and
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 12
Greek and English and you also at college you had to take Physics and
Mathematics and Chemistry and so on and it was very demanding. That
was the old AB degree then.
.--A PUESTION $20, VHS #1 (0-20-32-29) THE--EARLY DAYS, I 'VE READ ABOUT
THE JESUITS WHO WERE HERE ... THEY SORT OF HAD TO BE A JACK OF ALL
TRADES, NOT ONLY DID YOU TEACH, BUT YOU HAD TO REPAIR CERTAIN THINGS
IF THEY BROKE DOWN, YOU HAD TO MOW THE LAWN.
ANSWER: That's right. We did. We had to take our turns up at the
house. When the Chef was off for the weekend we'd have to take our
turns helping in the kitchen and so on, helping to take care of the
lawns up there because we didn't have the money at the time, so we
had to do a lot of those particular jobs for the sake of economy,
'cause we didn't have the money to hire people at the time.
QUESTION j/2l, VHS #1 (0-21-14-01) WHAT WAS THE RECEPTION WITHIN
THE FAIRFIELD COMMUNITY TO THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NOW A PREP SCHOOL
AND EVENTUALLY A COLLEGE?
ANSWER : Oh, it was very well received. I never noticed any
negative attitudes at all in my years here and I'm in my 50th year
now. In the beginning of those early years, I never noticed any
negative attitude whatsoever. We were always well received it seems
to be, so I never noticed anything negative.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 13
9UESTION $22, VHS fi JO-21-43-25] WE ARE IN THE '40's AND MOVING
INTO THE EARLY '50's AS YOU WENT ABOUT TRYING TO GET NEW STUDENTS TO
COME HERE...HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT DOING THAT? HOW WAS THE RECRUITING
OF STUDENTS DONE?
ANSWER: They would go around the various schools. The Principal
of the school at the time, they would go--around to the various
churches and announce the examinations for Prep and also it would be
in the papers and also they'd go around to some of the schools. Now
they go around to many more schools than they did in our time. We'd
advertise it in the churches and the papers and we would have the
entrance examinations. Many would come and we could judge how many
we could take.
9UESTION $23, VHS a (0-23-06-09) DID YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEM GETTING
ENOUGH STUDENTS?
ANSWER: No. We were getting so many at one time we had to buy a
place in Bridgeport, down in (I forget the name of the street) and we
had ... University of Bridgeport finally bought that property; we had
that for 2 years and the freshman went there for 2 years and then
when we expanded and had Berchmans, they came back to the campus
here.
QUESTION 424. VHS (0-23-38-22) DO YOU RECALL THE BUILDING OF
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 14
THIS BUILDING THAT WE'RE IN NOW?
ANSWER: I do. I've seen them all go up -- every one of them.
GUESTION $24 (CTN) AND THE PREP SCHOOL WAS EVENTUALLY MOVED INTO
-- A HERE, WASN'T IT?
ANSWER: It was. Eventually it was supposed to be here, but with
the expansion of the college, Berchmans was the first building that
went up and then Xavier where we are now and then the expansion has
been tremendous. It's been a wonderful~'b1essing from Almighty God.
When you stop and think -- 220 acres we got when
we bought those 2 properties and now it's expanded even more with
the Dolan Campus, but it's been remarkable the way the development
a has succeeded.
QUESTION $25, VHS #1 (0-23-54-20) DID THE WAR IMPACT THE PREP AT
ALL? I MEAN, WAS IT MORE DIFFICULT TO GET STUDENTS OR WERE STUDENTS
LEAVING PART WAY THROUGH TO GO INTO THE SERVICE?
ANSWER: You mean for the Prep School?
YES.
No, no. There was no difficulty that way. Some of them, as I
mentioned, some seniors left to go into the Service, but no, we
always had good numbers applying.
QUESTION $26, (CTN) . YOU WERE ALSO WORKING WITH THE GLEE CLUB
DURING ALL OF THE TIME THAT YOU WERE THERE.
ANSWER: That's right.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 15
9UESTION $27, VHS #1 (0-24-18-181 HOW DID YOU FIND STUDENTS FOR
- - - - -- - -- - -
THE GLEE CLUB? DID YOU AUDITION?
ANSWER: We'd audition and what we had all this extra-curricular
activities. We had Debating and we had the Bellarmine Quarterly
which was a magazine that they put out, we had people working on the
Hearthstone, which was the Yearbook, we-~-d-.-hpaevoep le in the Glee
Club, in the musical clubs, but it would be after school once a week
and that's the way we started all, 'cause then we got to know the
students better by this extra curricular activities and also the
athletics too, that was very, very good because then the Priest who
was Chaplain of the Athletic Department, he would get to know them
very well and we had all the athletic activities for them which was
very, very wonderful.
PUESTION $28, VHS #1 (0-25-16-281 WHERE DID THE GLEE CLUB SING,
GENERALLY? WAS IT JUST HERE?
ANSWER: We'd sing for the parents, for the Parents' Meetings and
any occasions that might come up. We might go out locally some
place. There weren't too many because you had changing voices at
that age level, but then the Laurelton Hall was the big factor, but
that was the Prep School. The University, of course, has been
tremendous in their development of the musical clubs.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 16
QUESTION $29, VHS #1 (0-25-48-01) NOW, FATHER DOLAN, I GUESS WAS
--
IN CHARGE OF THE PREP AT THE BEGINNING. IS THAT RIGHT?
ANSWER: Father McEleney
FATHER MCELENEY. Later, Bishop McEleney. He was a tremendous,
tremendous man. He had great rapport with the people, great rapport
and he was only here for about '42, I think it was '44 he went to
Boston as Provincial and Father Dolan came back here and Father
McEleney was tremendous. He established a great rapport with the
people and he was wonderful with us. Knowing that we're meeting the
challenge of pioneering he was very kind and thoughtful and very
sensitive to our needs too.
QUESTION $30. VHS #1 (0-26-34-041 WAS THERE ANY FEELING IN THOSE
EARLY DAYS THAT THE PREP SCHOOL MIGHT NOT SUCCEED? DID YOU EVER HAVE
ANY DOUBTS ABOUT THE SUCCESS?
ANSWER: No, I never did. I never felt that. I hope it will never
happen because it's established itself so well, although it's a
question of finances, I guess. It's expensive every place, but no
there was never any talk of closing it down.
$WESTION $31, VHS #1 (0-27-05-041 IF YOU HAD TO COMPARE FATHER
MCELENEY WITH FATHER DOLAN, WERE THEY THE SAME IN PERSONALITY OR
DIFFERENT? ANSWER: Oh .no, different personality. Father Dolan
Oral History: Thomas Murphy; S.J. Page 17
was a great business man, very demanding, in a professional way.
Father McEleney was not as demanding, but he would accomplish the
same thing in a different mode.
-
QUESTION $32, VHS #1 (0-27-31-23) WHAT -EXACTLY DO YOU MEAN BY
THAT?
Father McEleney, when he would see you, "How are you feeling? You're
not over-tired now, or if you are over-tired, I want you to go to the
City for a day and just relax." With Father Dolan, that wouldnlt
happen, you see, but Father Dolan had other great assets which were
tremendous with what he's accomplishing. Father McEleney would
accomplish it, but in a different way, but I think the rapport with
the people, which he left a great heritage to Father Dolan because
Father Dolan picked up the friendliness of these people that had been
established by Father McEleney.
QUESTION 433, VHS #1 10-28-18-17) AFTER FATHER DOLAN LEFT, WHO
TOOK OVER THE RUNNING OF THE PREP SCHOOL? WHO WAS THE NEXT? DO YOU
RECALL WHO WAS THE NEXT?
ANSWER: Father Joseph Fitzgerald was the next Rector and he was
wonderful. He had been Dean at Holy Cross College and I think he was
in the Provincialls Office in educational capacity. He was very
fine. Father Joseph Fitzgerald.
PUESTION $34, VHS #1 (0-28-45-19) DID HE RUN BOTH THE UNIVERSITY
AND THE PREP SCHOOL? WAS HE IN CHARGE OF BOTH?
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 18
He did.
QUESTION $35, VHS #1 10-28-48-181 IT WASN'T SPLIT OFF?
ANSWER: No, no. You see, we're under the jurisdiction in a way of
the University. In so many Jesuit places, they're separated from the
University, but not here, as of now.
QUESTION $36, VHS #1 (0-29-06-151 WAS -T. HERE A LOT OF TURNOVER
AMONG THE JESUIT TEACHERS? DID THEY COME FOR A FEW YEARS AND THEN GO
OFF SOMEWHERE ELSE?
ANSWER: That's right, that's right.
I SEE.
Many of them transferred. Some of them came from Boston College.
They were transferred down here from Holy Cross and from Boston
College High School. In those days they transferred you. It never
happened to me so I was never transferred but many of them were here
for perhaps two or three years and then they went back to their other
assignment. It was, at the time, you expected changes, because where
there was a need, they had to make the change and those changes took
place. Many were transferred.
QUESTION $37, VHS #1 (0-29-55-03) DO- YOU RECALL ANY OF THEM
INDIVIDUALLY --ANY THAT STAND OUT FOR YOU?
ANSWER: Yes, I remember Father Rodney McDonald, God be good to
him, he's passed on now, very gifted man in Physics and he was here
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 19
in the Physics Department at the University from the beginning. Then
he went to Holy Cross to teach up there and he passed away about a
year and a half ago. Father Langguth who taught Physics at the Prep
became the first Dean of the University and then when he was in
charge ... at a particular time he was made--Rector of Shadowbrook,
our Novitiate in Lenox, Massachusetts and he did a
great job up there. After his term, he went down to Fall River
to teach there in our high school. It's an amazing thing. Father -.
Langguth was studying at Harvard for his Doctoral Degree in Physics
and in those days, you just received letters. I received a letter to
come to Fairfield. He received a letter about a month ahead of me to
give up Harvard and come to Fairfield. Father John Kelly did a lot
a of radio work around Boston. One time he was located at Holy Cross.
He received a letter. "Come to Fairfield''. So, in those days, you
just obeyed and came. They accomplished great things.
QUESTION $38, VHS #1 (0-31-32-08) WE TALKED TO FATHER LANGGUTH, OH
I GUESS LATE LAST YEAR AND WAS TELLING US ABOUT THE FIRST PHYSICS LAB
THAT HE DEVELOPED, I GUESS IT WAS IN THE BASEMENT. -
ANSWER: In the basement of McAuliffe. That's right.
AND HE SAID IT WAS REALLY QUITE SOMETHING TO DO THEN.
And Father Landry, Father Jerry Landry, he had charge of the
Chemistry and he had the Chemistry Lab, I think it was in the kitchen
of McAuliffe there. Father Landry went from the Prep to the
University and then to Boston College and now he's at our Jesuit
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 20
House; he's 89 years old in Boston. Father Langguth is stationed
there with him. Father Jim Barry who was the first Student
Counselor. Father Jim went from Fairfield Prep to Jamaica where he
was in the mission field and he became Superior of Jamaica and he was
. - - - - . . . . . .
down there for many, many years and--now he's back at our Campion
Center, Health Center in Western Massachusetts. So many of those men
-- Father Gene Burns, Father Gene left here, he was transferred to go
to St. Philip Neary
. - -. . - .
School in Boston and from there he went to Baghdad and he taught
there for some time and then he came back here and he went to Alaska,
working up there in Education, in Priestly Education, too. They were
tremendous men.
QUESTION $39, VHS #1 (0-33-08-01) DID YOU EVER HAVE ANY DESIRE TO
BE TRANSFERRED ANYWHERE ELSE? DID YOU EVER LOOK LONGINGLY AT ALL
THESE PEOPLE?
ANSWER: No, I just accepted God's will; that was it; if He wants
me here, this was it. I think at one time I was going to be
transferred too, I was told I was going to be transferred to one of
our, to be Principals of our of our high schools and the Provincial
told me not to mention it to anyone, so I didn't. Then Father Joseph
Fitzgerald was the Rector and he came into my office, Student
Counselor's Office and he said What did the Provincial say to you?n
I said, "1 was going to be Provincial at this particular high
scho01.~ And he said, "Well, I'm not going to let you go." So, it
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 21
never went through.
QUESTION $40e VHS #1 j0-33-53-20) - NOW;- AS- STUDENT COUNSELOR, WHAT
EXACTLY WERE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES? WHAT DID YOU DO IN THAT
CAPACITY? ANSWER : Well, for example, if a youngster came into
me and was thinking of Pre-Medical and he certainly didn't have any
ability in Chemistry and so on, I'd direct him to go into some other
course. It would be, I'd have their record in front of me and I'd
test them on the Couter Test at the time and their interest and if I
found that they didn't have scientific ability, I wouldn't let them
go into the area of Science and they appreciated that. If they had
ability in languages and so on, I'd direct them into the classical
course, but that's what you had to be perceptive enough
to know their potential and what they could do because I wouldn't
want them to go into pre-medical course in college and flunk out. I
interviewed each one of them, the Seniors, in their junior year and
then in their senior year and they would tell me all their
difficulties regarding their education and so on and I could counsel
them. I still keep up contact with them. They've never forgotten
it. I remember when I taught in McAuliffe there in Sophomore Year
one year and now he's a very prominent surgeon locally and he just
went off the classroom, just walked out of the classroom one day, it
was on the lower floor and he came back and he had missed a class,
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 22
you know, so I had to put him in what we called llJUG1lt,h at was
"Justice Under Godw. I put him in punishment and he's never
forgotten it. He still talks about it. Other people locally, the
little things that happened with them.
- - - - - - -
QUESTION $41, VHS #1 (0-35-49-071 DO YOU REMEMBER ANY OTHER
INCIDENTS LIKE THAT?
ANSWER: I remember one, he's passed on now, a very prominent
lawyer, he was brilliant, absolutely brilliant, but his conduct was
terrible, so I gave him a "DM in deportment. He said...I met him in
the back of McAuliffe and he was crying and I said What's the matter
with you?IB And he said "You gave me a IBDN in Deportmentu. I said,
"1 could have given you "ZN, but he never forgot that, but had a very
brilliant career as a Lawyer, brilliant, and he passed away about 3-4
years ago, no about 5 years ago now.
QUESTION $42, VHS fi (0-36-28-15) DID YOU WORK WITH THE STUDENTS
HELP TO ADVISE THEM AS TO WHAT COLLEGES THEY OUGHT TO AIM FOR?
ANSWER : Yes, that's right. I'd tell them to apply to 3 different
colleges of their choice, you see and in those days, the
entrances, it wasn't as demanding as it is now. For example, if
someone came in to me, I taught at Holy Cross as a scholastic up
there and if somebody wanted to go to Holy Cross, as Guidance
Counselor I could call up there, the Dean of Freshman and mention the
fact and plus the very good record, there'd be no difficulty, he'd
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 23
get in, the sane way as Boston College, the same way as Georgetown
and these places, but the whole pattern has changed now because of
the demands that are coming in. I was very happy that so many of
them, our students, went to the University here. Father Eddie Walsh
was in charge of entrance, I think hg was-in-charge, Freshman, maybe
it was Father Langguth, but if you'd tell him they had a good record
and so on, they would accept it.
QUESTION #43, VHS #1 (0-37-39-21) --. WAS-'THERE ANY SPECIAL
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PREP SCHOOL AND THE UNIVERSITY THAT MADE IT
ANY EASIER FOR STUDENTS FROM THE PREP TO GET INTO THE UNIVERSITY?
ANSWER: Provided they had the ability. If they didn't have the
ability we couldn't recommend them, but there's been a good rapport,
although as the place has grown now, I think the Prep is more or
less, a little in the background now, not in any deliberate way, but
with the progression of the University and so on, but our numbers are
still up in the people who are coming to the Prep. The applications
are still up even though the tuition's very high now. Again,
locally, they're high at other private schools in the area too, so
I'd like to see, it can't be separated as it is now. I don't
understand the whole legality of it, but anyway, it's flourishing.
PUESTION $44, VHS fi (0-38-36-28) NOW WHILE YOU WERE STILL
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR AND YOU SERVED IN THAT CAPACITY RIGHT THROUGH THE
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 24
ANSmR: 17 years, yes.
QUESTION $44 (CTN) DID YOU SEE THE CHANGE BEGIN TO OCCUR SO THAT
YOU COULD NO LONGER JUST CALL SOMEONE IN THE UNIVERSITY?
ANSWER: There were exams... -- -.
OUESTION $44 (CTNI COLLEGE BOARD EXAMS.
College Boards. Once they started to become activated and so on, it
was a different story because for example, some people don't test
well at all even though their academic re- cord is tremendous, they
don't test well. That happened to me musically one time because the
Good Lord has given me talent in music and we had a music test one
time in the course as a Jesuit and I was sitting aside one of our
Jesuits who would always sing at any functions and he always went
flat, but I could transpose. So, I said to him this night, I said
"Here's where 1'11 shine." So, anyway, they gave us the music test
and when the results came out, he was in the 89th percentile and I
was in the 22nd, so with testing, I didn't have much hope after that,
'cause apparently I didn't test well, even though I had the ability
in Music.
9UESTION $45, VHS #1 (0-40-05-02) DO YOU RECALL STUDENTS WHO HAD
DONE WELL ACADEMICALLY BUT DIDN'T DO AS WELL ON THE COLLEGE BOARDS
AND YOU HAD TO WORK WITH THEM TO HELP THEM DECIDE WHAT TO DO OR WHAT
COLLEGE THEY COULD GET INTO?
ANSWER: You'd have to write to these different Deans of Admission
and explain the situation. It depends, with the Deans of Admission,
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 25
it depends on the numbers that are applying, you see, but it's a
very sensitive thing, very sensitive. -
PUESTION $46, VHS #1 J0-40-35-18) WOULD YOU BE THE ONE WHO WOULD
WRITE THOSE LETTERS?
ANSWER: Yes -- or contact them. If they were good benefactors of
. ----.
the school and the parents were, the student was very, had great
potential for achievement, I'd write and let them know.
PUESTION #47, VHS (0-40-53-07) WAS FAIRFIELD PREP, DURING THE
'50's AND THE '60's FEEDING THE STUDENTS MAINLY INTO CATHOLIC
UNIVERSITIES?
ANSWER: Yes, at the time because there was...a dictum came out
that they should go to their Catholic universities and so and I
remember one student with a great sense of humor and came into me and
of course we'd tell him that he'd have to apply to a Catholic
University and that's the spirit that should carried forth.
remember one young man, he's a very prominent businessman now. He
came into me and I said "Now what are you planning?" He said, "Ivm
going to Southern MethodistN. So I said, "Fine, go to Southern
Methodist, but where else are you applying?" He was just kidding me,
you know, because Southern Methodist is a very fine college and I
certainly would have approved of it, but he finally went to Boston
College, but he was baiting me that day. Some of them, a lot of
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 26
them, went all around. They weren't restricted to one, just to
Catholic colleges because they went to other colleges at the time.
9UESTION $48, VHS #1 (0-42-12-05) NOW THIS HAS BECOME MORE TRUE
-- -
OVER THE LAST 15 OR SO YEARS.
ANSWER: That's right.
SO THAT YOU'VE GOT STUDENTS, I IMAGINE, GOING INTO, I BELIEVE THE IVY
LEAGUE SCHOOLS.
ANSWER: Oh yes, definitely. We neverlooked down on the Ivy
League
schools, at all, in any way whatsoever, if they wanted to go
there, fine. If they had the ability and so on, we certainly would
a approve of them.
QUESTION $49. VHS #1 10-42-36-05) DURING THIS PERIOD OF THE '50's
AND THE '601S, I PRESUME THE REPUTATION OF THE SCHOOL WAS GROWING AS
WELL, WAS IT NOT?
ANSWER: That's right. The achievements of our students have been
a great asset for us here, there's no doubt about it.
QUESTION #50, VHS DURING THE PERIOD OF THE '50's AND I'M TRYING
TO TAKE YOU BACK A LITTLE BIT, ARE THERE INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED,
SPECIAL THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT YOU RECALL IN PARTICULAR, THAT SORT
OF STAND OUT IN YOUR
MIND?
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 27
Regarding ...
9UESTION $50 tCTN1 (0-43-07-161 WAS THERE A SPECIAL EVENT HERE AT
THE PREP SCHOOL OR WERE THERE PARTICULAR STUDENTS THAT YOU RECALL,
SOMETHING THAT THE GLEE CLUB DID?
ANSWER: Let me see. You know whenthey-first opened the Gymnasium
over here, all the basketball games, the college basketball, the
Father's Club gave a $3,000.00 organ to that gym over there and all
the basketball games I'd go over and play the organ like you'd think
you were in Madison Square Garden or"some--place. Then the University
Glee Club, whenever they were without an accompanist, I'd accompany
them you know, accompany the Glee Club and then we had the 25th
Anniversary of Prep, which was a big function and we had that in the
Campus Center and hundreds came and Father Gannon, God be good to
him, he was President of Fordham at the time, was the main speaker.
I was the Moderator of that particular event with the Mother's Club
and it was a
tremendous, tremendous event and there must have been about 400
or 500 people there at the dinner and afterwards there was dancing
and so on. So, musically, I would help and at the Prep Graduation
and the College graduations, at the beginning I always did the music
work for it. I remember one university graduation was over in the
field here, the athletic field and we had the stage there at the
time, I forget what they call it, but I always remember the first
University graduation in 1951. It was the hottest day we could
possibly have and Father Rodney McDonald, my Mentor, was in charge of
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 28
arrangements and he hired a band from Bridgeport t o play the march
and they played, being a musician I knew the march, the Bay State
Commandry was the name of the march, and I knew t h a t the t r i o of t h a t
particular march was Adeste Fidelis, the Christmas hymn, so anyway as
they marched down with caps and gowns-and-so--on, it must have been 95
and there they were playing I1O Come A l l Y e Faithfull1, so 1'11 never
forget t h a t , but then when they got over t o the f i e l d up on the
stage, they had the organ there. But the people over the years gave
these various instruments and organs'and--pianos and t h a t was where I
was part of t h a t .
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 29
a His son, now a Jesuit -- he was teaching at the University. I
remember one time they were going to perform at the Waldorf Astoria
in New York. I don't know what happened, but something happened
because they didn't have an accompanist so they asked me to go down
and I went down and played for them, accompanied them there. Father
Murray did a tremendous job.
9UESTION $51, VHS #1 (0-46-41-101 WHAT KIND OF MAN WAS MR.
HERR1 CK?
ANSWER: Mr. Herrick was a charming gentleman, charming gentleman
and a very excellent musician and his wife had a beautiful singing
voice too. I remember .one occasion she did perform and I accompanied
her.
PUESTION $52, VHS #1 (0-47-01-221 WHAT WAS IT LIKE PLAYING AT THE
WALDORF ASTORIA? ... PLAYING AT THE WALDORF ASTORIA MUST HAVE BEEN
QUITE AN EXPERIENCE FOR YOU.
ANSWER: It was. It was a great big organ. I forget what the
occasion was, but I know they needed someone so Father Murray asked
me if I would go down and help which I did.
PUESTION 353. VHS j#J 10-47-21-29) WAS THE TYPE OF STUDENT THAT WAS
COMING INTO THE PREP, WAS THAT CHANGING AS THE '50's AND '60's WENT
ON? WERE THEY DIFFERENT...DID YOU FIND THAT IT WAS A DIFFERENT TYPE
OF PERSON COMING OR WAS IT STILL THE SAME TYPE OF STUDENT THROUGHOUT
ALL THE YEARS THAT YOU WERE THERE?
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 30
ANSWER: W e l l , the Admissions Committee goes over the thing and i f
we found t h a t a youngster j u s t didn't have t h e a b i l i t y , it was
foolish t o spend the money, but i f they have the a b i l i t y ... for
example, I have a Scholarship Fund over there t h a t was s t a r t e d by
friends and alumni and so on and I put the condition down t h a t it
would
be given t o the son of an alumnus or the son of a benefactor or
the grandson of a benefactor who I was aware of because I have a list
of names of a l l those people who have given t o the school and r i g h t
now I am helping an individual who had 2 brothers a t Prep, a sister
a t college and they had a l o t of health problems, the mother died.
So I ' m able t o help him. That's what I want t o do. I want t o build
up t h a t Scholarship Fund t o help others, too because with the
recession now, t h e y ' l l need help and t h a t ' s what I think is so
necessary and so charitable and honest. I can never, over the years,
I've l i s t e d what I c a l l the Bellarmine Hall of Fame. I have a list
of a l l those people who the early years were great benefactors.
Great benefactors. I remember one -- Ray Flicker, who owned the
Bridgeport Telegram and Post -- he was a great benefactor and h i s
grandsons went t o Prep and so on and over the years, a l l those names
I have, I w i l l do something for them i f t h e i r grandchildren come
along and they need help; t h a t ' s what I think is so e s s e n t i a l because
it's so easy t o forget people who have been good t o us, you see.
That's why I c a l l it the Bellamine Hall of Fame -- a l l these names
because I never want them t o be forgotten. For instance, it's not
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 31
known, I mean, when you bring up names and the people never heard of
them and yet they were great benefactors. When you stop and think of
it, there was Gonzaga now, there's a painting there in the foyer and
it was done locally by an artist -- who knows him? Mr. Riley. They
don't know these things. I don't know if they are in the archives or
not, but I'll never lose sight of that because there's been such
tremendous generosity on the part of people in
the area that I never want them forgotten.
9UESTION #54, VHS #J (0-50-23-101 WHAT DO YOU THINK INDUCED SOME
OF THESE PEOPLE TO BECOME BENEFACTORS?
ANSWER: Well, I think they were interested in Catholic education.
I don't say that in a negative way to other education and I think
they were interested in the Society of Jesus and then establishing
contacts with other people who have had sons go through here and they
carried on a tradition. Many of these students who came to us, their
fathers had been to our Jesuit colleges; it's been tremendous the way
they've supported us you know.
QUESTION $55, VHS #J (0-51-01-281 WHAT IS THE TRADITION THIS
SCHOOL GIVES ITS STUDENTS?
ANSWER: Well, the Jesuit tradition -- the greater honor and glory
of God -- that's why we're in business and the Jesuit ideal as
Ignatius pointed out to us is the importance of not their
intellectual growth but their spiritual growth with almighty God
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 32
which is so important. That's our whole vocation to have their lives
become of great value. Recently there was one of our graduates in
the Class of '48 who was playing golf in Florida and dropped dead and
I preached at his funeral mass and his father was a very great,
generous benefactor and his father had passed on and his brother, who
went to this school had passed on, so I keep up that contact because
I don't want the families to think they were forgotten. It's an
interest and a dedication that to me is very blessed.
Oral History: Thomas.Murphy, S.J. Page 33
QUESTION #56. VHS u (0-52-12-11) DID THE SPIRITUAL FOCUS OF THE
PREP SCHOOL CONTINUE AS STRONG DURING THE '60's AND '701S?
ANSWER: No. No. It's a different pattern. In the early years, we
had a beautiful chapel in ~c~uliffe,-beautiful chapel and we had
first Friday devotions -- the Sacred Heart and then during the year
we had the Sodality of our Blessed Mother and that would be a weekly
meeting -- all spiritual dedication to our Blessed Mother. Then
during the month of October, we'd say the Rosary decades of the
Rosary before every class and then during the month of May, we'd have
May shrines in all the classrooms. The one who had the best, we'd
give them a prize, but every year, we had our annual retreats and
weld have different Jesuits come from out of town to give three-day • retreat to the school, the different year separately. Then when I
was the Student's Counselor, I took them up to our Retreat House in
Monroe, New York for three days, each section of the Senior Class and
it was a tremendous blessing for them and they liked it very much. I
don't think it's gone because they still have a retreat in some form
for the students. Then we'd have daily mass too for them over there,
so I'm not as aware of it now as I was when I was in that particular
job.
QUESTION $57, VHS u (0-53-56-24) DO YOU THINK THAT THERE HAS
BECOME LESS EMPHASIS --DID YOU SEE LESS EMPHASIS ON THAT ASPECT OF
THE.. . . .3
ANSWER: We don't have it as we used to have it, you see. I don't
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S. J. Page 34
want to be negative, but we don't have it as we used to have it which
I would like to have seen renewed, but the whole approach is entirely
different.
QUESTION # 58, VHS #I. (0-54-24-171 WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
ANSWER: Well, for example, when we had the first Friday Devotions,
we'd go over to McAuliffe, Loyola Chapel and we'd have mass for them
and we'd all receive Holy Communion and then they'd have the
Sacrament of Reconciliation the day before and all the priests would
be there. That has gone. It isn't as it used to be. To some extent
it is existent, but not as prominently as before. It's not a
question of being negative, but it's a question of being factual.
9UESTION $59, VHS #1 (0-55-09-021 WAS THE PREP SCHOOL AFFECTED AT
ALL BY THE TURMOIL THAT WENT ON AT THE UNIVERSITY DURING THE '60's
AND EARLY '70 IS?
ANSWER: No, no we weren't. But the University had that turmoil. We
didn't have that. We didn't have that at all, thank God.
QUESTION $60, VHS #1 (0-55-23-291
YOU SERVED AS DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS IN THE '60's AND '701S?
a ANSWER: I did.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 35
DO YOU STILL CONTINUE? WHAT WERE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES IN THAT?
ANSWER: Well, it would be first of all looking up lost alumni which I
enjoyed very much and keeping up contact with them and then running
the annual reunions every year and then sending them letters,
announcements, having the Phone-A-Thon. It was very interesting work
because and I'd hear from them frequently during the course of the
year and it was keeping up. For example, this morning, now I read
the paper and from the Death Notices, I noticed that the parents of
two of our alumni had passed away, so immediately I called up the
office and gave the data and I said,
''Send a card to the family and put my name on it.!! That's what
my job really is now -- keeping up contact and the two men were of
the Class of ' 4 9 . I looked up that and I'm aware of it and that's
what I like to do.
QUESTION $61, VHS #1 (0-56-36-021 WHEN YOU WERE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI
RELATIONS, DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH FUND RAISING AT ALL?
ANSWER: Yes. We would and the alumni would be very generous, very
generous in the very functions that we'd have. The Phon-a-Thons's
they'd be very good, but of course, right now, it's the recession.
PUESTION $62, VHS #1 (0-57-27-01) WAS THAT THE MAIN FUND RAISING
a ACTWITY, THE PHON-A-THON?
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S..J. Page 36
@ ANSWER: That's right and then we'd have a football night out here and
the alumni would come and we'd raise money on that.
QUESTION $62 (CTN). WHILE THE PREP SCHOOL IS CONSIDERED PART OF
THE UNIVERSITY, ALTHOUGH IT'S SEPARATE, BUT IT'S PART.
ANSWER: No, I don't think it's part.
IT'S NOT PART, IT IS SEPARATE.
Separate.
QUESTION $63. VHS (0-57-27-011 IS THERE SOMEONE WHO IS
BASICALLY THE ADMINISTRATOR OVER THE PREP SCHOOL?
ANSWER:The Headmaster.
AND HAS THERE BEEN A HEADMASTER SINCE THE BEGINNING?
Since the beginning. Yes. There have been many of them.
DO YOU RECALL ANY OF THEM IN PARTICULAR?
Sure, I do. The listings of the Past Presidents, the past
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 37
Headmasters, Father Leo Riley, Father Walter Kennedy, Father Frank
Cardy, Father Joseph McGrady, .Father Ed Fain, Father A1
Morris, Father Bob Start, Tim McGuillicudy was an Acting
Principal, Father Powers, Father Boler, Father Eugene O'Brien, Father
Charles Allen and now Father Aramon.
PUESTION $64, VHS (0-58-32-121 CAN I TAKE YOU BACK TO SOME OF
THEM AND ASK YOU ABOUT SOME OF THEM? -.- -
ANSWER: Sure.
Father Leo Riley was the first Principal. He was very tremendous in
the first years.
9UESTION $64 (CTNI THIS WAS DURING THE I4O1,ST HAT HE WAS
PRINCIPAL?
He was Principal in l42, '42 to I45 and Leo established a great
regime in the Prep School -- wonderful. He was a very good leader
and very level headed, knew what he was doing all the time, very
perceptive, I thought.
9UESTION $65, VHS (0-59-12-19) NOW WHEN YOU SAY THAT HE
ESTABLISHED A GOOD REGIME, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
ANSWER: Well, because we had confidence in his ability, we had
confidence in his ability to run the school which was very, very
essential.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 38
9UESTION $66, VHS u (0-59-24-281 DID HE ESTABLISH VARIOUS
PROCEDURES AND SO FORTH?
ANSWER: He would, like office examinations and so on and things
like that. He would go, which was a good thing and was carried on
when I was Assistant Principal and at her ~ e aolw ays went around to
observe the teachers while they were teaching. If there were
defects, he would bring them out and that was a tradition that we had
which was very essential. He would do that because if he got
complaints from parents regarding the teacher, then he'd go and
observe and that was very, very excellent I thought. As Assistant
Principal, I used to do that to. We were supposed to
do it and it's a very, very wonderful idea because we have to
e check to see if they are messing up in certain presentations.
9UESTION 367, VHS u (1-00-22-071 NOW WHEN YOU SAY THAT HE
ESTABLISHED OFFICE EXAMINATIONS, WHAT WERE THEY?
ANSWER: For instance, we'd have Section A, B, C, D, E, and F --
Freshmen. He'd give an Office Examination in Latin and now if I
taught Section D, my class would take the examination. Section A
might correct it, then he could established the efficiency of the
teachers. Or Section F, perhaps Section F wasn't doing as well as
Section B and so on, then he'd have his hand on the pulse of things.
9UESTION $68. VHS 11-01-04-01) NOW WHEN YOU SAY SOMETIMES
PARENTS USED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A TEACHER, HOW WOULD THEY KNOW THAT
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 39
THE TEACHER WASN'T DOING AS GOOD A JOB -- THE STUDENT WOULD GO HOME
AND TELL THEM? ANSWER : Yes. You know the way they might be
critical of them. Then the parents would call up and come in for a
consultation. I know that there are, when I was Assistant Principal,
there was one youngster who just would not adjust, he was defying the
teacher and I just dismissed him from the school. I had to do it
because he was giving great disedification to the other students in
the classroom, so I said "This is the fact, you're just not living up
to what you're supposed to do." So I let him go. You had to do it,
disciplinewise; otherwise, the whole spirit would get down.
QUESTION $69. VHS #1 (1-01-56-201 WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED
FREQUENTLY?
0 ANSWER: Oh, no, no, no. It did not happen frequently. And then
the parents would come in and they might say 'IWell, how come my son
was not getting a good mark in English?" You'd have the data
there to tell them that he wasn't doing his homework, he wasn't
applying himself and so on. You had to establish an honest rapport
w i t h t h e m in every w a y .
PUESTION 4 70, VHS #1 (1-02-30-18) HOW MUCH HOMEWORK APPROXIMATELY
DID THE STUDENTS GET EVERY DAY?
ANSWER: Well, we wanted them to do at least 2 hours1 homework at
night, 3 because you know...the point is this if you gave them enough
homework, you're going to have less problems with them as they exist
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 40
today, I mean, in general.
9UESTION $71. VHS fi (1-02-48-22) WHAT TIME DID THE SCHOOL DAY
START IN THE MORNING? HOW LONG A DAY WAS IT USUALLY?
ANSWER : It started from 9 to 2:15.
QUESTION $72, VHS fi (1-02-59-221 THERE WERE ACTIVITIES, I TAKE
IT, AFTER THAT.
ANSWER: 2:15 and the Athletic activities and all the other extra-curricular
activities, so they'd be here-until about 4 o'clock. Then
there'd be a bus that would pick them up, take them home.
LET'S JUST GO ON WITH A FEW MORE OF THE PRINCIPALS.
Father Walter Kennedy -- he was 1945 to 1951. He's passed on too.
QUESTION fl3, VHS (1-03-24-21) DO YOU RECALL HIM AT ALL?
ANSWER: Oh sure. He was in my class in the Jesuits. He was the
first Principal in Berchmans and he did a very fine job. He came out
of the Army; he had been a Chaplin, so he was in command and you knew
it, but very kind man, very good rapport with the faculty, very good
and the students liked him very much.
QUESTION $74, VHS fi (1-03-55-06) WHAT SIZE WAS THE STUDENT BODY
AROUND THAT .TIME?
ANSWER : Maybe about, I'd say, must be about 700 anyway. I stand
open to question; it might be more.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 41
9UESTION #75, VHS #1 (1-05-05-09) THERE WERE 4 GRADES HERE, 9, 10,
11, 12?
ANSWER : Yes. And then we had Father Frank Cardy. He was here for
8 years and Frank did a fine job, too. Very good spirit and very
fine in his relationship to the faculty and the students. Then
Father A1 Morris -- he had been a scholastic here and then came back
to us, then he was teaching, then he was made Principal. A1 has
passed on and he was a very kind man and had a good relationship with
the faculty and also with the parents and thought very well of, you
know, in the area too and people remember him very well. A1 has
passed on too.
9UESTION $76, VHS #1 (1-05-05-09) WHEN DID YOU SERVE AS ASSISTANT
PRINCIPAL?
ANSWER: I think it was '47 to '50. Oh no, it might have been '48
to '50. '48 to '50 I think it was.
9UESTION $77, VHS #1 (1-05-16-26) , DID YOU ENJOY,THAT ROLE? DID
YOU LIKE THAT?
ANSWER: No. I said to the Provincial that it wasn't my ... 'cause
you're t~roubleshooting, either with the parents, the kids or the
faculty and I said that's not my style. I didn't like it as well as
when I went into Student Counsel and Academic Counseling, I enjoyed
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. 'Page 42
a it very much. But the other one with the responsibility was just in
McAuliffe and then Father Kennedy was in Berchmans and we had a great
friendliness between us, but it wasn't my style; I didn't enjoy it as
much as I did teaching or counseling. So I asked out of that which
--
they took me out.
QUESTION #78, VHS u (1-06-06-05) WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE
HEADMASTER TO HAVE A GOOD RAPPORT WITH THE PARENTS AND TO BE INVOLVED
WITH THE COMMUNITY?
ANSWER: Oh definitely, definitely -- that's part of their job.
And if you're passive and so on and don't have a rapport with them,
it's just unfortunate because you've got to have that rapport and
you've got to establish a good relationship with people and
friendliness because if you're going to be passive, they'll say
forget about it.
QUESTION #79, VHS u (1-06-32-15) I IMAGINE YOU ALSO HAVE TO.HAVE
A CERTAIN ABILITY TO RAISE MONEY TOO.
ANSWER: That's right because that's part of the Headmaster's job.
9UESTION $79 (CTN). WERE PEOPLE DURING THE '501S, WERE THEY FAIRLY
FORTHCOMING WITH DONATIONS?
They were. They were very, very generous I thought and that's what I
say -- all those benefactors. What the parents have done has been a
tremendous factor.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 43
QUESTION $80. VHS #1 (1-06-59-051 ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THE
PARENTS HAVE DONE BESIDES JUST DONATING MONEY FROM YOUR POINT OF
VIEW? . -- . - - - -
ANSWER : Well I remember the Mother's Club one time in Berchmans
raised money to put up new drapes over there in the cafeteria and
also what they did -- we had a small chapel in Berchmans and they
donated money to put statues in Berchmans in the chapel and also up
in McAuliffe, there was a benefactor who gave a big organ up there
for the chapel and also parents of two students who had passed on,
they gave beautiful statues up there, so this has been going on over
the years and these people can never be forgotten
@ because the Mother's Club and the Father's Club, what they have
done for the athletic field here has been tremendous.
QUESTION $81, VHS #1 11-08-00-04) WHAT HAVE THEY DONE FOR THE
ATHLETIC FIELD?
ANSWER: Well, they raised money to make that new baseball field
over there and also you know, the Prep did it and it was the Prep
field. I remember Father Jim Leffler, one of our men, he was the one
who did all the ground work to establish our first football field
over there and it was the Prep Field and now they call it Alumni
Field. It is the Prep actually and I don't say that in a negative
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 44
way, but I don't want the Prep to be forgotten in that regard because
it's been very essential to this Fairfield community, that Prep was
established.
- -- -- --.
QUESTION $82, VHS #1 (1-08-47-031 I GET A SENSE THAT YOU ARE
CONCERNED THAT THE PREP MAY BE FORGOTTEN A LITTLE BIT.
ANSWER: I am a little.
---.a
THAT THE UNIVERSITY MAY BE OVERSHADOWING THE PREP SCHOOL.
Sometimes. I don't want it to happen, but I don't want the Prep ever
to be forgotten. It's been my whole life, my 50 years, I'm on my
50th year now and knowing what all these people have accomplished for
us, I don't want it to be pushed in the background at all. Years
ago, under .Father Dolan, he -a sked me if I wanted to go and teach in
the University and the first year I said "No, I prefer to stay and
work at that age level of the high school peoplew, which is a
tremendous challenge and which I liked very much. So, my whole
concern and my whole interest has been with the Prep and I never want
it to be put in the'back seat in any way whatsoever because it is
Fairfield as far as I am
concerned and the University has been tremendous. God has
blessed us tremendously with the development of the University, but
with that development, we can't forget the Prep. Now it's unusual
now, they have all these plaques around the campus now, 50th
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 45
anniversary of the University, but nothing about the Prep. But
anyway, we have a flag over in the quadrangle for the Prep
Anniversary too.
QUESTION $83, VHS #1 (1-10-26-08) ARE ALL THE FACULTY AT THE PREP
JESUIT FACULTY?
ANSWER: There are 14 of us there.
SO THERE ARE NO LAY FACULTY AT ALL?
ANSWER: Oh, many, about 44.
9UESTION #83 (CTN). (OH I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT. WHEN DID THE
CHANGE BEGIN, I MEAN, WHEN DID LAY FACULTY BEGIN COMING IN TO THE
PREP SCHOOL?
ANSWER: Well, because our vocations have dropped down in numbers
you see. We had many more Jesuits then and so many of those
Principals that passed on now and so many have passed on and we don't
have the numbers coming in, it's the same way with the University and
so we have to get the lay people, the lay teachers to come in and
you've got to pay them well to, so that's why your tuition goes up
and so on, but there's a need. Let me see, if we had 14 teaching,
some were in Administration.
9UESTION $84, VHS #1 (1-11-23-16) DID THE CHARACTER OF THE PREP
SCHOOL CHANGE AT ALL WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF MORE AND MORE LAY
FACULTY?
ANSWER: No, I don't think so because they understand what our
mission in as ~esuits and we let them know what they are to achieve
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 46
according to our ideals and our norms.
9UESTION 4 85, VHS #1 11-11-47-22) ARE THERE ANY OTHER TEACHERS
THAT STAND OUT OTHER THAN HEADMASTERS THAT YOU TAUGHT WITH, IN
PARTICULAR?
ANSWER: Father O'Neill, who is the Dean of Men at the College now
was at the Prep School. He taught as a Scholastic and then later on,
he was the Dean of Discipline and also he was a Student Counselor too
at one time and then there are others that I'm just trying to think
of who have gone on. I mentioned Father Landry and Father Langguth
and Father Berry. I'm just trying to recall some of those great men
we had. It's. not coming as quickly as I want.
9UESTION $86. VHS #1 11-12-52-171 I NOTICED YOU HAD THAT SHEET OF
PAPER YOU BROUGHT WITH YOU AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WERE OTHER
THINGS ON THERE THAT WE HADN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU WANTED TO
DISCUSS?
ANSWER: I mentioned that it was during the first Commencement Week
of the University the program listed the planting of a Dogwood Tree
on the right side of the walk leading from Berchmans up to McAuliffe
and the tree is still there, fully grown and healthy and at the
ceremony, a senior college student who was a graduate of Prep, gave
the inspiring address there -- Bob Fitzpatrick. I remember that day
because his mother and father were great workers and great
benefactors of the Prep School. His mother was once the President of
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 47
the Bellarmine Guild and his father was President of the Father's
Club, so Bob gave that particular address and I still remember that
very much, very well.
QUESTION $87, VHS #1 (1-14-05-20) DID-MOST OF THE STUDENTS FROM
THE FIRST FEW GRADUATING CLASSES AT THE PREP, ONCE THE UNIVERSITY HAD
OPENED ITS DOORS, DID THEY GO ON TO FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY BY AND
LARGE?
----
ANSWER: The first graduating class?
QUESTION $88, VHS #1 (1-14-17-01) NO, NOT THE FIRST BECAUSE I KNOW
THE UNIVERSITY WASN'T HERE THEN, BUT BY THE TIME THE LATE '40's OR
EARLY '501S, DID MOST OF THE PREP STUDENTS GO ON TO THE UNIVERSITY?
ANSWER: They did, they really did. I think I mentioned Bellarmine
Hall where we lived, it was the Hearthstone, it was the Fairfield
Prep Yearbook and that's after the Hearthstone up in Bellarmine Hall,
up in the Lasher Estate and that's how it got the name, the
Hearthstone. There was a group up there, living up there, I remember
at the time of the War I lived on the second floor facing the Sound
and we had to put heavy drapes over the windows so we couldn't be
seen from the shore, from the water. We had one car then, too and we
had to use it, with the shortness of gas, if we had to go downtown,
we'd have to walk those days.
THINGS MUST HAVE BEGUN TO CHANGE GRADUALLY I GUESS AS TIME WENT ON .
ANSWER : Oh they did, they did.
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 48
QUESTION $89, VHS #1 (1-15-31-22) LOOKING BACK ON ALL THE YEARS
YOU WERE AT THE PREP, WHAT DO YOU REGARD AS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT
ACCOMPLISHMENT, YOUR LEGACY TO THE PREP?
ANSWER: Well what I've ... my own Jesuit life has been tremendous
here because it's been my life. Now I'm on my 50th year and my
teaching and my contact with the people and my musical work because
and I've gone out to do a lot of parish work too, giving lenten
courses and Novenas and I've gone all over the country giving
retreats to various religious orders. It's been a spiritual work and
then the music...what I do musically, I go
around to various nursing homes now and play for them for a
little Sing-A-Long because it gets them out of themselves, you see,
so my whole life here has been one blessed event in my whole life
which I'd never wanted otherwise because I have thoroughly enjoyed it
in every way. At times, it hasn't been easy, but nevertheless the
Good Lord gives us the grace to carry on so that's what I'm trying to
do. But musically I've been able to do a lot for the school and
spiritually I have. Many of these young men that I've mentioned
entered the Seminary and I keep up contact with them. I remember
when Bishop Sheehan was here. He had me give spiritual conferences
to all the seminarians once a week in the summertime, so it's been an
involvement with education and spiritual work and so on and it's been
wonderful. I've enjoyed it very much.
PUESTION $90, VHS #1 (1-17-38-06) WERE THERE ANY DIFFICULT PERIODS
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 49
HERE THAT YOU RECALL, ANY OBSTACLES THAT HAD TO BE OVERCOm, PROBLEMS
THAT YOU ALL HAD TO FACE TOGETHER?
ANSWER : They weren't serious problems. It was the pioneering. I
remember we couldn't get home to visit our folks too much in those
days. I remember the fare to ~ostonat-that time was $4.57 one way
and we'd get home about once a year and so on, which was fine because
our work was down here and so on. The other obstacles we had to do -
- we never had to do with them now -- we didn't live in as nice a
setting that we have at the present timeL-down in the Ignatius House,
but we lived it. As I mentioned, on the top of Berchmans, even
thought we lived up there we had to go up to Bellarmine for our meals
and for all our spiritual
conferences and that was it, you just accepted it and went. Then
you'd be assigned every Friday night to help in some parish, which
meant that you had to go to New Fairfield and Old Saybrook and all
around you took those things in stride, which meant that your
weekends were just occupied from Saturday afternoon to Sunday
afternoon and you'd come back to start your teaching, so it was
constant, but that was the way it was. Looking back, it was
interesting, but it wasn't negative. It was different than what we
have at the present time because the place has grown so.
9UESTION $91, VHS #J. (1-19-30-26L WERE YOU ALWAYS TEACHING PRETTY
MUCH THE SAME COURSES OR DID YOU TAKE ON NEW RESPONSIBILITIES?
ANSWER: Oh, I taught Freshmen and then I taught Sophomore Latin
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 50
and English. Then when I was the Student Counselor and Academic
Counselor, I taught Religion to all the Senior classes, so I had that
along with my counseling, I did all the Religion teaching too.
QUESTION $92, VHS #1 (1-20-02-23)- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE PREP
TODAY? DO YOU FEEL IT'S AS STRONG AS EVER, HEADED IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION?
ANSWER: It's a little different, but things are different,
patterns have changed and I don't say that-negatively, but I'm not as
aware as I would be if I were up there every day. It's a different
ball game in some ways you see and the approach is a little
different, but again, things change, but that hasn't changed our own
Jesuit ideals, what we're supposed to do. But the lay teachers and
@ there are so many of them and they are fine people, but it's a
different thing. I don't say that negatively at all, but I think we
need good friendly relationships in every
Headmaster to establish good rapport, not only with us, but with
the people, the teachers and so on; that's very essential because
there have been some tremendously devoted people presently to the
Prep. I still have contacts with the Bellarmine Guild and I try to
get to their monthly meetings, but they're just very enthused about
the school which is a great thing.
QUESTION $93, VHS #1 (1-21-28-16) ARE MOST OF THE STUDENTS, THE
MAJORITY OF GRADUATES STILL GOING ON TO FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY?
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 51
,WE,: Oh no, no, I don't think so. It depends...so many of
them, it depends financially I think, their f.inancia1 resources.
THAT'S FXNE.
Terrific. You edit this thing? .It's 11 o'clock. I thought it was
. .- - - --
about. ... .
TIME MOVES ALONG VERY QUICKLY WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS.
-ANSWER: I booed at some things, but you edit the thing.
WE CAN EASILY DO THAT.
- .-
There's a list of all these. A nice 'history of the Prep here.
WHO WROTE THAT? ANSWER: It was in the Prep ...
Oral History: Thomas Murphy, S.J. Page 52