Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Banner: Honoring A Hero
The Banner: Honoring A Hero
The Banner: Honoring A Hero
1902
M I L I TA RY S C H O O L
The Banner
Leaders are Made.
Honoring a Hero
On the 68th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Benedictine Military School’s Corps of Cadets and
American Legion Post 184 honored SSG George K. Gannam (BC Class of 1938) and all Ameri-
cans who gave their lives in patriotic service during the school’s Gannam Day Ceremony De-
cember 7 at the BC drill field. Gannam was the first Savannahian to give his life at Pearl Harbor.
Brigadier General Jeffrey Phillips, Senior Commander of Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield and
3rd ID deputy commander-rear, was the guest speaker and William J. Quinan III (BC Class of
1955) from Post 184 served as the Master of Ceremonies.
During the ceremony the American Legion recognized two BC Cadets. The American Legion
honored Cadet CPT Anthony L. DeVane with the God & Country Medal and Cadet SSG James
C. Reintzell, II with the George K. Gannam Memorial Medal. In addition to the two awards, the
American Legion presented an American Flag to the Gannam family. Joe Gannam, on behalf of
the Gannam family, then dedicated the flag for BC to fly at its campus in 2010.
December 2009
Letter from the Principal...
Dear BC Cadets, Parents, Alumni and Friends, Board of Directors
During November, our Front Office and Business Office assistants and our Facilities
team, Lori Saunders and Gayle Josey, Liz and Buddy Vars, put their talents together
and created a Christmas manger display on our front lawn. They further came up
with the idea of having the senior class stand for a Christmas card-quality photo be-
fore the manger, Pam Veiock helped with that piece. I like to think that they have started a BC tradition.
Lori, Gayle, Liz, Buddy and Pam put quite a lot of imagination into the display and I hope that you are as
pleased with the results as we are.
If Christians see the manger as the “The birth of hope”, perhaps other faiths could view it as an expression
of hope born in desperate times yet sustained by the genuineness of the love that gave rise to the moment.
I think that the decision by our creative team to include the Senior Class in the photo speaks so well of
what Deb has frequently called the “Band of Brothers”; as one, they offer to all their best wishes for this
Christmas and Holiday Season. I see this greeting as going from us to you knowing that this scene that
would not have been possible without your support.
Just recently, Bishop J. Kevin Boland of Savannah was on hand in Latrobe, Pennsylvania for the closing
celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of the St. Vincent Archabbey’s founder, Boniface Wim-
mer, O.S.B. Bishop Boland’s presence served as the visible link that was forged between the Diocese of
Savannah and Abbey during the 1870’s. That link resulted in the first Benedictines coming to Savannah
and eventually led to the establishment of Sacred Heart Parish and BC by the monks of Belmont Abbey,
itself, founded by Archabbot Boniface. As Benedictines, we take considerable pride in our long associa-
tion with the Savannah Diocese and the City of Savannah.
If we at BC can look with pride to our past we look with confidence to our future. May the Author of
Hope’s birth guide our efforts as we seek to serve those within this diocese and this city. May God’s bless-
ing be with you and your family throughout this holy season the New Year!
Sincerely,
Please contact Lake Daly at 657-0500 or Jill Guthrie at 507-9642 for more information.
The Spanish Club elections were held last month with the following students being elected as board members:
All of these members have been active in promoting our activities and helping to raise funds for our yearly St.
Augustine trip.
Thirty of the Spanish Club members headed out to St. Augustine to explore and
learn about the historical influence of Spain in our modern day culture. We took a
tour of the historic town of St. Augustine, including a guided tour of the Castillo
de San Marcos and ended our day with a visit to a different type of museum,
Believe it or Not! As you might have guessed, our last stop took us to Ripley’s
Believe it or Not. All in all the trip was fun and informative day for our Spanish
Club students. The trip was made possible because of the 2 very successful bake
sales we had this year. Thanks to the efforts and donations of the parents and students, we were able to cover most
of the expenses for the St. Augustine trip. Thanks and kudos to all of the students and parent volunteers!
SPANISH II NEWS:
Part of our Spanish II class was able to enjoy a tasty bit of culture. We
put our knowledge to the test and headed for Jalapeños. The students
were able to practice their Spanish in a real live setting with the waiters
and hostess. Everyone ordered and spoke in Spanish and they were able
to digest some of the information they had received in the classroom! We
were hoping to place the Sombrero on Ms. Veiock but she snuck out be-
fore we could sing to her in Spanish. We´ll get her next time! Our special
thanks to Mr. Ray Whitten for accompanying us and making our field trip
possible.
With a purchase of a raffle ticket you will have a chance to win your very own customized
Benedictine motorcycle. Tickets are $25.00 each and will be available for purchase at all
BC home football and basketball games. Drawing will be held at the “Motorcycle Madness”
party on Saturday, January 30th in the BC Cafeteria. Winners need not be present to claim
prize. For further information please contact Coach Carl Moore at 912‐664‐6541 or
Carl.Moore@bcsav.net
Motorcycle generously donated by Elison and Richard McAllaster
PARENT
TEACHER
ORGANIZATION
Hope all are doing well in this busy part of the school year. There are so many commitments pulling us in
different directions. It is great to know that our volunteers strive to always put this school first. It is that
time to remind ourselves of what we are thankful for. I am very thankful for you, the parents for making
my job easier. If it weren't for you stepping up in every way possible it would be impossible to have such
success at our school functions. Another aspect of this whole "volunteer" process is the wonderful staff
here at Benedictine. Thank you for making the volunteers feel welcome and know we are working as a
team on any event.
PTO has been working in many capacities behind the scenes at the fun functions, Can Concert and Fall
Dance. Also, PTO helped with the Open House by giving a reception. Thank you to all that helped with
these functions.
Please continue to support the "volunteer" side of this school. We all appreciate you. Your Auction Com-
mittee continues to work so that this years' auction will bring more success than last year.
Brigitte Rentiers
Susanna Powers
DON’T MISS
THIS YEAR’S
AUCTION...
SAVE THE DATE!
Cross Country places 5th in the State!
Cadets take fifth place at Georgia High School Association’s (GHSA) Class AA Cross Country championship.
Benedictine Military School’s (BC) Cadets placed at state after winning their second consecutive Region 2AA
championship.
BC’s Cross Country Team recently completed its season by taking fifth place in the Boys Division at the Georgia
High School Association’s Cross Country Class AA Championship. The championship was held in Carrollton,
Georgia.
“Our fine season was highlighted further when considering we graduated three of our top runners from last sea-
son’s squad,” said Coach Bill Curley. Last season’s squad placed third at the state level.
“One has to realize how hard it is for teams from ‘The LOW Country’ to compete with schools from the north-
ern, hilly-to-mountainous part of the state,” Curley added. Leading the way for this outstanding 2009 Cadet
Cross Country team was junior Joshua Bruce. Last year, as a sophomore, Bruce finished seventh for the Cadets
in the State Championships and was the Number One finisher for Benedictine in every one of its races this year.
Curley noted that Bruce was also the “overall” winning runner in six out of 10 races.
Rounding out the team were senior captains, Scott Clark and Nick Wright. Senior Anthony Devane was a con-
sistent top five finisher all year. Devane also proved to be an emotional leader when the team needed him the
most, which was at the State championship, according to Curley. Matthew Moore, Andrew Gill, Harry Persse,
and Zwei Lagat and Brandon Zipperer rounded out the senior team members.
Juniors Dylan Frawley, Travis Tucker, Rhett Anderson, and Sean Boyle, along with Bruce, hope to continue the
winning tradition for Benedictine next season. They will have plenty of help from sophomores Joseph Ryan,
Davis Remler, Daniel Kennedy, and brothers Michael and Daniel DeMauro.
BC Basketball Has 2 Future Bears in their Midst
Basketball standouts Jibri Bryan and Daniel Coursey of BC have signed let-
ters of intent to attend Mercer University.
“I am very excited for the future of these two fine cadets,” BC Basketball
Coach Jason Helton said. “Any time a program has a Division 1 signee it is
a big deal, but to have the opportunity to coach two on one team is amazing.”
Helton added “Mercer University is a program that has a proud tradition and
is on the rise in college basketball. The education that these cadets will re-
ceive at Mercer is one of the best possible. I look forward to seeing them wearing orange next year and screaming
Go Bears! All of us at BC wish these two fine men the best.”
Bryan, a 6’3” guard, during the 2008-2009 season averaged 19 points per game, 9.3 rebounds, four steals, 86%
free throw percentage, a season high points per game (PPG) of 32, and season high rebounds per game (RPG) of
15. His honors include being named to the First Team All Region his junior year and Second Team All-City his
sophomore and junior years.
A 6’9” center, Coursey had an average of four block shots per game during the last basketball season. In ad-
dition, he averaged 6.7 points per game, 7 rebounds per game and had a 67% free throw percentage. Coursey’s
2008-2009 season included a season high PPG of 14 points and RPG of 16 points. Good luck to Jibri and Daniel
at Mercer!
Daniel and Jibri, surrounded by their family and fellow Cadets, sign letters of intent to play basketball together at Mercer
University.
Congratulations to the 1st Quarter Honor Roll
From October 20th – 25th, I attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Na-
tional Security (NYLF – NS) in Washington, D.C. The purpose of this forum is to
bring together motivated students who are interested in exploring career options in
the fields of national security, foreign affairs, and government service and to help
them prepare for the changes that are taking place within the defense, intelligence and
diplomatic professions.
For anyone who is interested in enhancing their leadership skills or learning about working in the government,
specifically national security, this is the event for you. Even if you are not very interested in government work or
working in national security, I highly recommend that you participate in the NYLF-NS. It was a fun yet extremely
educational experience that I will never forget.
The student body embraced the call to help a fellow cadet. At BC we all know the importance of Brotherhood,
and Kit Lowe is one of our older brethren. When he asked us to help him with his
foundation, there was no hesitation. With the help of Ms. Carol Taylor, Head Advisor
of National Honor Society, our school was able to collect seventeen boxes of school
supplies. These boxes, which were delivered to Ms. Lowe’s store, Colonial Quilts,
included everything from white boards, pencils, pens, paper, legal pads, safety scis-
sors ( because Kit Lowe made it a point that there were to be no sharp pointed scissors
the kids could use against him!), markers, crayons, and many other supplies that these
children could use for school. The supplies will be trucked to Tampa and will then be
airlifted into Afghanistan.
We want to thank all the students, faculty, and parents who participated in this drive. We also want to thank Kit
Lowe for his strength and the inspiration he gave us all for his brave and selfless acts. Thank you to our military
and God Bless America!
The Writing Rehtorically Effective Sentences workshop will focus on the the idea
that studying the structure of effective sentences and writing their own versions,
students begin to understand good writing at the base-line level.
The workshop that Mr. Brown is putting together directly links to the initiative in the English department to
that calls for teachers to center the writing curriculum on this kind of learning. By doing sentence combin-
ing, studying the syntax of model sentences, and building sentences based on certain syntax rules, students
learn a practical grammar that allows them to make sentences work for their purposes. In the workshop, Mr.
Brown will be leading college and high school teachers through the actual in-class lessons, making refer-
ences to the research as they go along. Good luck Mr. Brown!
Financial Aid
Freshmen and sophomore cadets have been preparing for semester exams this
week at BC. Counselors, teachers, and administrators are aiding in the review
and preparation by reviewing course materials, showing review work during
tutorial, conferring with students regarding end of semester projects.
• Review each night for exams. Waiting until the night before to review and study notes does not
give the student an edge on exam success. Some work each night is a better device for retention
than cram sessions.
• Check with each teacher, early on, to be certain all work has been turned in on time.
• Be sure to review all study sheets and notes from classes and review sessions for each class.
Study and rewrite notes for class exam review. Each time students see and hear information, they
have a better chance for retention.
• Get enough sleep during exam week. Being rested is a key component for performance on exams.
• Stay focused on the week’s schedule by knowing the exam schedule and the time for each exam.
• Be on time to class to take the exams. Being late for exams is not a good way to begin the day.
Tardiness is a sure way to cause frustration for students trying to do well on exam day.
Contact our office if we can be any assistance to parents or students. Our numbers are 644-7010 for Jan
Rogers for freshmen and sophomores and 644-7011 for Larry MacDonald for juniors and seniors.
PRINCE OF PEACE
Chapter 9 of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah contains these beautiful verses: "For there is a child born for us, a son
given to us and dominion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they give him: Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-
God, Eternal-Father, Prince of Peace. Wide is his dominion in a peace that has no end, for the throne of David,
and for his royal power, which he establishes and makes secure in justice and integrity, from this time onwards
and forever, the jealous love of the Lord will do this."
The Advent Season is a time of preparation for the coming of the Prince of Peace. And the peace that is longed for
and awaited is not a superficial peace, a brief interim, a short cease fire. No, the peace that most people desire is
"that peace that has no end," of which Isaiah speaks. It is a profound peace because it is the peace that Jesus gives,
which is quite different from that which the world gives. The peace of Christ is that peace which is experienced by
the "weaned child on its mother's knees." Such a peace is as the psalm says, accompanied by a silence. True peace
is attended by silence because true peace only emerges after there has been "justice and integrity" established on
earth. When this comes about we feel secure, we are not always on the alert, jumpy, full of worry about our lives
and our future. We experience silence because we have been freed from all the noise, the hubbub, and the fears
that beg for our attention and keep us on edge. We are content to rest in the knowledge that God loves and cares
for us, and will not let us be harmed.
Years ago, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen wrote a book called, "Peace of Soul." In this book he points out that nothing
happens in the world that does not first happen within the human soul. To make his point he adds that the atomic
bomb in the hands of St. Francis of Assisi would not be a threat at all. For Francis was a man of peace, his interior
disposition was that of a man who was gentle and loving. He cared about others and would not do them any harm.
Not everyone is like that, and that is why there is so much violence and hatred in the world. Long before Bishop
Sheen, Jesus pointed out that it is our inner attitude that affects our outward actions when he said, "It is not what
goes into a man that makes him unclean, but what comes out of him." Therefore, if there is to be true peace in
the world we must begin with the inner man and bring about in him a change of heart, a conversion from what is
negative and destructive to what is positive and uplifting.
Conversion is an ongoing process, one that meets with success and failure. Experience shows us that we progress
and become more God-like, holier, at times, and at other times we regress and slip back into our old ways. On
our own we are incapable of freeing ourselves from the power of sin, and that is why the Father sent us His only
begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, precisely so that the power of sin would be overcome through his
death and resurrection and that it would no longer have any power over us. So "the Word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us."
So "a child is born for us, one that will be peace." Note the expression, "He will be peace". Christ himself is
peace. Contrast the "holy night" when Christ was born with the anniversary of that coming as it has evolved in the
world. Mary gave birth to a son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. Joseph and Mary
adored him in silence, the animals gathered around, angels, shepherds and wise men came to see him, and "all was
calm, all was bright." In today's society things may be quite bright, but not necessarily calm. Calmness results
from letting Christ come into our hearts, and minds, and souls, for He is peace. He is the peace that transforms
chaos into right order. Into 'right' order, for peace is the result of right order. And right order is the result of the
establishment of justice and integrity in a person and in society at large. When Jesus enters into a person and into
Campus Ministry
the society he reorients that society or person towards God the Father, and
makes the Father and his will the center of our lives. Once God becomes
the center of our lives then everything falls into place, each thing with its
relative importance, and this brings peace.
During the Season of Advent Christians await that moment when true
peace will enter the world, and we ardently long for it like the psalmist
who says, "O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting, my body pines for you,
like a dry, weary land without water. So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory."
Only the coming of the new born child, Jesus Christ can slake our thirst and bring us true peace, His peace.
In the holy seasons of Advent and Christmas my wish for all is that you be blessed with the Peace of
Christ, and rest in the Father's love, rejoicing in His goodness. "Maranatha," come Lord Jesus and do not
delay. Amen.
This concert is designed to help attendees get into the spirit of Christmas by enjoying and par-
ticipating in the sounds of Christmas from a variety of musical genres. Other performers include
the 13th Colony Sound Barbershop Chorus and the Savannah Storm Barbershop Youth Chorus
directed by Jeremy Conover; the award winning quartet On Demand; and Timothy V. Hall playing
the magnificent Cathedral organ.
There is no cost to attend the Grand Night in the Cathedral with Ole BC.
The BC Campus - An Architect’s Delight By: Br. Tim Brown, O.S.B.
For the past 11 years, SCAD Architectural History Professor, Dr. E. Daves Rossell and his students have
been studying the architecture of the BC campus. In 1998, at the request of Professor Rossell, a tour of the cam-
pus buildings was initiated. To begin with, Fr. Meinrad Lawson, O.S.B. presented a history of the Benedictines
in Georgia, which included a history of the school. He then took the SCAD guests through the campus buildings.
As Dr. Rossell and his students proceeded on the tour, he would enthusiastically focus on and discuss notewor-
thy exterior and interior architectural features of each building.
After Fr. Meinrad left BC in 2001, Br. Timothy Brown, O.S.B. has continued the tradition. Because of listening
to Dr. Rossell, Br. Tim has developed a deep appreciation of the campus architecture. According to Dr. Rossell,
“all the buildings work together to frame the central parade ground, but
the location and details of each signal their particular function…..the
relatively elaborate design and details of the monastic complex, includ-
ing the circular chapel set in a reflecting pool, the arched windows indi-
cating individual rooms, and the richness of interior spaces and finish of
materials demonstrate a deep respect for the calling of the monks. The
academic building sets the tone for the campus with its clear organiza-
tion and subtle use of level change and skylights. The gymnasium has
a definite grandness created by its height, the curve of the façade and the
dramatic cantilevered entry structure. Finally, the cafeteria/auditorium
Br. Tim discusses how the chapel serves as a setting sits at the most public edge of the campus signaling its dual role as a re-
for prayers and Mass. spite from the rigors of academic study and also the setting for plays and
services open to the community. A freestanding arcade links the build-
ings functionally, aesthetically, and in the spirit of the community.”
On a recent visit to the campus in October, Dr. Rossell and some of his
students were accompanied by several SCAD photographers who took
snapshots of the tour. The photos are going to be included in SCAD’s
2010-2011 general catalog and will be put in the architectural history
section of SCAD’s website. This is a first in the history of the school . It
certainly demonstrates the architectural importance of our beautiful
campus and should foster an appreciation for the hard work that was
put into the planning and construction of it. Persons affiliated with the
school should be grateful to Dr. Rossell for his interest and his desire Dr. Rossell responding to a student’s question about
to publish the photos which will be viewed by hundreds of people. the construction of the arcade.
Photo credits:
Courtesy of SCAD Visual Media. Photos by Wayne Moore.
Swimmers - On Your Mark...
BC Swimming Schedule
2009-2010
The first annual Harry Deal Golf Classic was a huge success! Congratulations to the team of Fromond/Poe on
their first place finish. Their score of 61 was 2 shots ahead of the Sells family. On behalf of the team, I want to
thank everyone involved for their participation and their support of BC Golf and a special thanks to the Deal
family for all they do for BC. I would also like to thank Chip Reismann. Without his hard work this tournament
would not have been possible.
GLASSBLOWING:
On three different field trips, students in art classes attended
a demonstration in glass blowing at Drayton Glassworks here
in Savannah. Jon Poirier, owner/glassblower, showed students
the gathering, rolling, blowing, and manipulation of glass into
birds, cups, plates, and paper weights. Students enjoyed their
visit to Drayton Glassworks.
FILM:
On October 19, students in the Introduction to Film class were given a personal guided tour of the Eisenhower
Cinemas’ projection booth and the intricate threading of films today both in reel to reel and digital projection. Mr.
Tim Fontenot, manager, explained the setup of the different types of screens for regular vision films and 3-D
films. The whole experience was enormously fascinating.
It’s Not Too Late for 2009
You have not missed the opportunity to make a GOAL donation for 2009. The Georgia Department of Reve-
nue (DOR) has waived the November 1 deadline for submitting forms for making GOAL donations. ACT NOW
as the form must be received and approved by DOR, returned to the donor, and the approved form and check must
be postmarked by December 31, 2009.
Join the dozens of alumni, parents, faculty and friends who have contributed nearly $700,000 in 2009 to provide
financial aid for our cadets. Please take five minutes now to complete the very simple form and mail it to the
DOR today. GOAL donations are deductable as charitable contributions on the taxpayer’s federal return. For
Georgia income tax purposes, the GOAL donation is returned to the donor with a dollar for dollar tax credit.
This credit reduces the donor’s Georgia income tax liability by an amount equal to the donation amount. Limits
for GOAL donations are:
More detailed information about GOAL and the TP1 form that is sent to the DOR may be found at http://thebc400.
com/benedictine/ways_to_give/ under the GOAL Scholarship Program.
Please contact John Boyle at John.Boyle@BCSav.net or at BC at (912) 644-7017 or via cell phone at (912) 856-
6990 for additional information on making this no cost donation to Benedictine.
In addition to building objects, students in Basic Mechanical receive an understanding of basic engine parts and
how they work. They learn about tires, brakes, basic repairs and upkeep. This is especially helpful to those boys
who already drive.
One of the main projects the class undertakes is how to start a business, beginning with the paper and finishing
with building the product to be sold. Students find that the most enjoyable parts of the classes are when they take
items apart just to see what’s inside!