SENATE MEMORIAL 37

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Phil A. Griego

A MEMORIAL

DECLARING MARCH 5, 2009 "ST. MICHAEL'S HIGH SCHOOL 150TH ANNIVERSARY DAY" AT THE SENATE AND COMMEMORATING THE HISTORY AND TRADITION OF ST. MICHAEL'S HIGH SCHOOL'S ONE HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS IN THE CITY OF SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO.

     WHEREAS, in the summer of 1859, New Mexico Archbishop Lamy requested that the Christian Brothers from France come to Santa Fe to open a school for boys; and

     WHEREAS, Brothers Hilarien, Gondulph, Geramius and Galmier Joseph arrived in the early afternoon of October 27 and set to work opening a school on Old Santa Fe trail in an adobe hut next to the San Miguel mission just two weeks later; and

     WHEREAS, the first boarding students arrived on November 9 and classes began on November 22, 1859; and

     WHEREAS, eleven years later, amidst difficult financial times, Brother Botulph Schneider arrived in Santa Fe to motivate and direct the Christian Brothers and the students; and

     WHEREAS, his joy and enthusiasm inspired his co-laborers, and they began to raise money for upgrading and developing St. Michael's High School; and

     WHEREAS, during his thirty-six-year tenure as director of the school, new structures were erected and the school's academic reputation grew; and

     WHEREAS, two of those structures that remain are the present-day Lamy building and the present-day Lew Wallace building; and

     WHEREAS, in 1876, St. Michael's conferred diplomas upon its first graduates; and

     WHEREAS, the territorial constitutional convention met in the Lew Wallace building to draft the constitution of New Mexico in 1910, and one-fourth of the convention delegates were alumni of St. Michael's; and

     WHEREAS, in 1926, a fire destroyed the tower and upper story of the school; and

     WHEREAS, the damage was so extensive and estimated repairs so costly that St. Michael's faced closure; and

     WHEREAS, the school's director, Brother August, was walking downtown and contemplating the fate of the school, when he encountered Miguel Chavez, an alumnus and successful businessman; and

     WHEREAS, Miguel Chavez, upon hearing of the school's difficulties, decided to finance the rebuilding of St. Michael's; and

     WHEREAS, the St. Michael's community continued to grow over the next five decades, and by the 1960s, it had outgrown its location on Old Santa Fe trail; and

     WHEREAS, St. Michael's moved to its current Siringo road location in 1967; and

     WHEREAS, in 1968, the school became coeducational after the closing of Loretto academy; and

     WHEREAS, in the 1990s, science laboratories and new classrooms were added to St. Michael's and the Tipton sports center was completed; and

     WHEREAS, a new building was added in the 2000s, and improvements were made to classrooms, offices and athletic fields; and

     WHEREAS, a statue of St. John Baptist de la Salle was recently installed at the school's front entrance; and

     WHEREAS, St. John Baptist de la Salle founded the institute of the brothers of the Christian schools, the Christian Brothers, in 1680 in Rheims, France; and

     WHEREAS, the son of wealth and privilege, de la Salle joined the priesthood and became committed to educating the children of poor and working-class people; and

     WHEREAS, over time, he trained and organized a group of men to live in community and conduct the school; and

     WHEREAS, the core principles of a Lasallian school are:

          A. faith in the presence of God;

          B. respect for all persons;

          C. quality education;

          D. concern for the poor and social justice; and

          E. a united community where diversity is respected; and

     WHEREAS, St. Michael's high school, with a college preparatory curriculum, has, as its mission, to educate every student in a spirit of faith and academic excellence according to Roman Catholic principles in the Lasallian tradition of the Christian Brothers; and

     WHEREAS, the school's anniversary celebration begins today, with the reading of this memorial; and

     WHEREAS, April 30, 2009 will be dedicated to the founders of St. Michael's high school, with Archbishop Sheehan presiding over a celebration and mass and with a dinner reception to follow; and

     WHEREAS, the celebration will continue with a sports achievement event that honors St. Michael's high school's long-running and successful athletic program; and

     WHEREAS, all of Santa Fe will be invited to "Community Day" on September 27, 2009, celebrating St. Michael's one hundred fiftieth anniversary in conjunction with San Miguel fiesta and featuring tours, games and visual and performing arts; and

     WHEREAS, an all-class reunion and gala will take place the weekend of October 9 through 11, 2009; and

     WHEREAS, on Sunday, October 11, 2009, a mass at the St. Francis cathedral basilica will be held to honor the one hundred fiftieth anniversary celebration;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that March 5, 2009 be declared "St. Michael's High School 150th Anniversary Day" at the senate and that congratulations be extended to St. Michael's high school's Christian Brothers, students, alumni, staff and faculty, past and present, and that gratitude be expressed to Lasallian Brothers throughout the world for their commitment to educate all; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the Christian Brothers, the St. Michael's high school board of trustees, the archdiocese of Santa Fe, the mayor and city council of the city of Santa Fe and the county commissioners of Santa Fe.

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