Campion Knights Nostalgia Guestbook Archive 2008

January - December


Prior Messages
Mon Dec 29 13:41:40 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Yep, finally got confirmation from the organizers. June 15th is the all class PdC reunion golf tournament.
Mon Dec 29 09:15:41 2008 [Joe Williamson 1972]: Hey Joe Riley - Say hi to your brother Rory for me if you get a chance. He used to be one of my buddies until he left after sophomore year. I haven't seen or spoken to him since.
Sat Dec 27 15:26:24 2008 [Joe Riley 1969]: Tom, I received an email some time ago from Tom Peterson's Secretary. The golf event will be held on Monday, June 15, 2009. The class of 1969 will hold it's 40th reunion in Prairie June 12- 15.
Sat Dec 27 09:48:33 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Hugh, Did you get my email?
Sat Dec 27 09:48:17 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Clet Althoff has recovered some rare artifacts. A brown mug and an Apron. Check out the main page for MotherWear and the updated Logos links.
Thu Dec 25 14:37:41 2008 [Hugh Toner 1975]: Merry Christmas to all Knights and their Loved Ones. I hope that 2008 is a great one for all.Tom,if You could contact me when you get a chance ,I'd appreciate it.
Tue Dec 23 22:51:57 2008 [Mike Horrigan 1954]: Merry Christmas to all my Campion Brothers and to their loved ones.We were all so fortunate to have shared the Campion Experence and thanks to this site maybe some of our adventures there will live on with our kids and grandkids.Keep up with your comments and contributions, It's what keeps Campion still alive. Auld lang syne; the song you just heard, means (to the days of our youth) I'm glad that one of my last good deeds of this year was to enlighten some of you Kids from the 60s and 70s.May you all have a happy and healthy New Year.
Tue Dec 23 19:15:38 2008 [Mike A. Grosko 1977]: Merry Christmas to all Campion Knights everywhere - and of every year - along with their family, and best wishes for a healthy and happy new year. May God grant blessings and eternal peace to all Knights who departed this past year to their reward and final reunion, where Fr. John Scott S.J. is preparing another memorable lecture.
Mon Dec 22 21:36:26 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Merry Christmas everybody. It has been a heck of a year!
Mon Dec 22 21:07:12 2008 [Fred Nora 1970]: Merry Christmas to all Knights
Thu Dec 18 23:46:13 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: The 9th you see is for 2008. We are still waiting for Mark Peterson to chime in as to the official date. Either the 8th or the 15th.
Tue Dec 16 12:07:21 2008 [Keough '65]: Hi, Boys & Boys. Merry Christmas and a forever long Happy New year to you all. Now the bad news...I've pretty much convinced the wife that I really, really, really have to attend the coming PdC GolFiasco. I've seen 2 dates: the 9th, which is a Tuesday, so that's doubtful, and the 15th. (And, yes, that weekend coincides with the Chicago Blues Fest!) Is there a firm date yet?
Fri Dec 12 12:05:08 2008 [Eugene 'Geno' Petricca 71]: RE: Apr 4th, 2008....Easter train ride to Chicago!!! WOW, I remember it well...that ride was the beginning of the end of the "Campion Special!"...I remember the smuggled beer and vodka flowing quite freely and then the shock of going to my family's restaurant in Chicago, (Western & Grand Ave's) with my Dad who picked me up that evening to find Nat'l Gaurdsmen with machine guns across the street from us...those rides just got crazier after that...what a "rush" reading all this!! Looking foward to the ""JUNE 9th 2009"" Golf Outing in PDC this year 4 sure! Saw Joe Orrico, Celak, McErlean, Sullivan, Sheck, Beatty, Trad, and many more at Chicago reunion in '06...very cool and hope to do it again! My adress is St. Petersburg, FL ...GREAT SITE !
Fri Dec 12 11:11:55 2008 [Eugene 'Geno' Petricca 71]: 1971 >>> Great web site...just found it...great memories with all the 70-71-72 items on display here....and MY PIC in the "Ma's" section (me w cap on next to pinball machine...)...really a great place! I really wish it had endured...oh well ;-)
Sun Dec 7 08:56:12 2008 [Tom Lochner 72]: I just read in the LaCrosse Tribune that former Campion Math teacher Coy Kohn passed away in Richland Center, WI. I think he taught Geometry in the 1969-1970 school year.
Thu Dec 4 23:04:41 2008 [Mark Bodnar 1975]: Have enjoyed your website for the last 2 years. Brings back many good times. Is there any thought to putting up a section for alum that have passed away? Or did I miss it.
Thu Dec 4 08:05:58 2008 [nicholas primiano 72]: golf outing date is june 15 2009
Sun Nov 30 16:34:22 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: Hi Paul! Good to hear from ya. My lady, Karen, and I spent last night with Mike and Cris White in Galena, IL and had a blast. It was a beautiful weekend with beautiful weather as well. The Class of '70 (as always) ROCKS!!! I really don't want to go back to work tomorrow....HA!
Fri Nov 28 12:27:35 2008 [Paul Wagner 1970]: Clete - The web site was out of sight but not out of mind. It's been a bit busy with the financial crisis. However, I had lunch with John Roll and Mike Welsh last week. Heard from Mac who is now at Ft. Knox in Ky. All seem to be doing well. John was going to have lunch with Metzger on the way to pick up his daughter who attends college in No. Ohio. If Mac makes it to Cincinnati, I promised to host a lunch/dinner mini-reunion for the local guys plus Means, Cruther and Lyden as they are still close by. My wife has said she won't attend, go figure? Keep up the entries.
Tue Nov 18 20:22:09 2008 [Mike A. Grosko 1977]: If anyone cares to know, I received a few of the reproduction bumper stickers from Clet Althoff yesterday and they are very well done and easily worth the $2.00 price for each. Get them while Clet still has them because you may not get another chance.
Sun Nov 16 18:04:18 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: Hey, guys, does anyone go onto this site anymore? Anyhow, got a call from Rick Sevenants ('70) today!!! He is doing just fine, and, Rick, if you ever skips another a reunion I am going to drive up to De Soto at the first snow fall and re-initate you by filling your pants full of cold wet snow, like the class of '69 did with us! Actually, I was sapred the "First Snow Fall, Kill Them All" initation becuse I was a swimmer. You see, swimmers we were so burned out after practice that we didn't offer ourselves as valid targets by trying to run away. Running away made the "ass"aliants more agressive, andfor us swimmers, after practice, we really didn't care what happened to us. Our hair was frozen, we were physically worn out and couldn't run, and our eyes were burned by the excessive exposier to the pool water for over two hours....We figure, BRING IT ON! We had given up hope long ago and just played dead (cause we were). So the upper classmen just let us go because they felt sorry for us.
Fri Nov 7 12:30:07 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: Your all set, Kevin.... I will send them off today!
Fri Nov 7 10:46:18 2008 [Keough '65]: Clet Althoff, Where do I send my $20? I'm in for 10 of them. My email is kevnpamlv(at)yahoo(dot)com if you'd rather not leave your snail mail address here. (Also, please note there is no "i" in the kevn...) I sense a heck of a weekend coming up June 09. If the scheduling works out I can hit the Chicago Blues Fest on Thurs, Fri, & part of Sat, head on up to PdC. Visit the Petosi Brewery on Sunday, social studies Sunday evening, and then get in my 150 swings at the 18 holes on Monday---yeah my golf game has gotten better. The Blues fest begins on 11 June next year(I think). Will that gel w/PdC Reunion?
Thu Nov 6 17:38:28 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: Just to let you all know that the stickers also had a "set up" fee for doing the initial order and that brought the total for each one to $1.80 for this first batch; so if you are willing to send me back 2 bucks for each of them that will cover for mailing them. If there are only a couple of them you want then I will mail them in a regular envlope, otherwise I will use one of those larger cardboard envlopes from the post office like I did for Hugh. Guys.... none of the things like the shirts I did, or these stickers are in ANY WAY some idea I had to try and make any extra money for myself! It just gives me a "warm fuzzy" when I see a fellow Knight get a kick out of having them and I guess it is a way to prove to the world that CAMPION LIVES! I remember that after we closed and the Lutheran Academy had taken over, that someone always kept painting the words "Campion Lives" on their road sign next to the highway across from Ma's. Every time I drove by it I felt really proud. Who ever pulled that one off must let me know, and I will send you a free sticker in honor of your efforts.
Thu Nov 6 11:14:47 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Hugh is humble. He is actually the class of 1976. But he kicked butt and was able to graduate early with the class of 1975. I do not know many people who did this at Campion.
Thu Nov 6 11:01:29 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Hi Hugh and Joe. - The best and safest way to provide snail mail addresses and phone numbers and generally email addresses is to keep your information up to date on our roster in our private area. I'm removing it from here since Clet has it now.
Thu Nov 6 10:41:01 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Plus there is a link from the main page under the Logos section.
Thu Nov 6 10:32:07 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Clet - - Just received the stickers. Nice JOB! I have added your picture to the Logos Of Campion section. Look for Bumper Sticker 2008.
Thu Nov 6 05:10:09 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: Joe and Hugh, I got you both covered. Anyone else, you may E-mail me at ccalthoff@gmail.com that way we won't gum up Tom's site. Hey, Joe, my new HQ is now at Ft. Snelling and I have to go up in your direction sometimes. I'll give you a buzz when I get up there and have some down time.
Wed Nov 5 18:51:19 2008 [Hugh Toner 1975]: Although I was the only one to graduate,I attended Campion with two of my brothers. If you had a few extra, I would buy up to ten.
Wed Nov 5 18:32:10 2008 [Joe Haschka 1970]: My dear classmate, Cletus, I will gladly pay you Tuesday for two bumper stickers today. Thanks much. - Joe Haschka
Sun Nov 2 18:21:03 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: Hey, Paul and Mike, or anbody else...if you want a Campion bumper sticker let me know. Tom, I will send you some tomorrow. Look, guys....it's like the shirts I did, all of those were cost plus shipping ONLY. I had to order 125 of thses just to get one and they ran about $1.40 each, but frankly, I really don't care about the recoup on the bucks, and if you want to pay me back then send whatever, whenever. I realize that there are some of you might have taken a real "hit" on the stock markets recently, and might be living out of your cars. But, just having a real Campion bumper sticker on your car just might give you a glimmer of hope for a brighter future; or some other fellow Knight might see it and pull you over and offer you a really high end job, or even a beer, or maybe a really fine cabernet sauvignon. Stranger things have happened, ya know (like the fact I'm still a Sergeant in the Army, and that's a little odd!). Some of you guys might even want to put one on your jet (or jets), although they cannot be guarnted beyond speeds of 200MPH and up. Guys in Florida, keep in mind about the winds in the huricane zone, and you people in Iowa, remember we still have to deal with tornados. Also, if you place one on your vehicle and you find it missing the next day, it might have been a Aquinas grad who ripped you off in a fit of jealous anger because you took his pride....or his girlfriend.... Anyhow....BVMH/AMDG....
Sun Nov 2 08:13:28 2008 [Paul McCullough 1970]: Mini, mini-1970 Campion reunion 10/23/08 at the Harvard Club in NYC. In attendence were Paul Down, Chick Foxgrover, Keith Leighty and Paul McCullough. Our table was directly under the portrait of John F. Kennedy, a previous club member.
Sat Nov 1 13:44:56 2008 [Mike Udelhoven 1970]: If you are headed to Prairie for a nostalgic tour, by all means, budget enough time to run down to Potosi to experience the renovated Potosi Brewery. You will not only enjoy great micro-brew and food , the National Brewery Museum is a destination in itself. In fact, sitting at Gary David's custom made walnut bar is an experience in itself... steam bent focal point bonnet, beautifully matched inlays, a bar top cut from a solid walnut log ... truely, a work of art ( plus, furniture people love great expressions in wood...). Hops were hard to find this year, and the brewmaster told us he had to "win" hops through the Sam Adams "Lottery" ... another great story ( if you like weiss beer, their " Hefe Weiss' is noble. Potosi , as many small towns, was dying on the vine. A group of locals , concerned about the survival of their community, somehow secured 8 Million, and rebuilt the Brewery from rubble with tons of local sweat equity. Read their story at potosibrewery.com , you will be impressed. They are non-profit and would appreciate your visit, I am sure. When Dana and I were there over Labor Day the restaurant was swamped, they were running out of food ( but not beer), and the blue cheese burger smothered in portobellos was killer. Could there be anything better than the Campion Razor-Wire fly-by and then a trip to Potosi ?
Thu Oct 30 20:37:35 2008 [Cletus Althoff 1970]: Also, if any of you have forgotten what it meant to walk within the Spirit, just let me know, for I have learned a great deal from my expierence at Campion and also from the simple silence of a candle.
Thu Oct 30 19:27:43 2008 [Cletus Althoff 1970]: Matt, thanks for you observations. I thik I am probably the only Campion grad still in Military service, and the balance that FR O'Conner helped me to understand between what you knew, what was happening, and how you felt about it all had to be siffted through the Spirit to discover what it all really meant.
Thu Oct 30 09:29:22 2008 [Matthew Micka 1974]: It was probably in March, 1971, that I got drunk for the first time, on four beers, guzzled, standing in snow, two feet deep, in back of Campion Hall, during a dance. There were four of us, all freshmen from Wing Two South, Marquette Hall. Some senior had bought us three sixpacks, so we each drank four. The beer was so cold it felt like razor blades pouring down my gullet! Then we ventured into the dance, convinced that there was nothing about us that betrayed our state of enibriation. Tom Foley, our wing prefect, was chaparoning the dance, and it took him about five seconds to discern our drunkenness. He ordered us back to Marquette and promised that we'd face consequences the next afternoon, which was Sunday. On Sunday morning, my roommate Mark Feldmann and I, decided that it would be best if we attended Sunday mass, although we'd both stopped going with the commencement of second semester. Fr. O'Connor was saying mass. When he got to the sermon, he started talking about how many innocent civilians had been killed in the past week, in the War in Vietnam. Then it seemed to me that he stared right at Mark and I, and remarked that there were many students on campus who were much more concerned about how many beers they'd consumed the night before, than about how many innocent civilians had been killed the previous week in Vietnam. It was a real fire and brimstone moment, like the famous scene in James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, when an Irish Jesuit giving a retreat scares the shit out of the young atheist Stephen Daedalus, evoking the horrors of Hell. I took a course from Fr. O'Connor during the first semester of my junior year, a course with the innocuous name "American Problems," and he became one of my top two or three Jesuits thereafter. Although I didn't attend Campion for my senior year, Fr. O'Connor, by then in South Dakota, was under the impression that I had, and he wrote me (assuming I was at Campion) the nicest letter that anyone has ever written me, which I still have. In the early 1980s, I wrote a long letter to the "Fr. O'Connor" that seemed most likely to be THE Fr. O'Connor from my days at Campion (using an address given to me by a helpful Jesuit at Fordham University), but THAT Fr. O'Connor wrote back to tell me that MY Fr. O'Connor had died a few years earlier, and under what tragic circumstances. Alas!
Wed Oct 29 18:55:50 2008 [Cletus Althoff 1970]: Hey, Matt....when I get back home I will dig it out and fire it off to you. My understandng was that the young people had broken into the rectory and his fellow Priest had suffered a gun shot wound. During the stand off FR O'Connor suffered the heart attack that took him away from us and placed him at the side of God. There is more I learned about the incident and who did it, but I must see the script from the Des Moines news paper to verify. I also understood that FR O'Connor had fought Golden Gloves out of Chicago when he was young. I understood, as well, how he felt about war.
Wed Oct 29 09:24:27 2008 [Matthew Micka 1974]: Fr. James V. O'Connor had definitely been a "sarge" in a tank batallion during World War II, and became a Jeb afterwards. Mind you too however that by the 1970s he'd become Campion's most visible "anti-war" Jesuit during the war in Vietnam, and was very instrumental in Campion eliminating its ROTC Program, subsequent to 1970-1971 schoolyear. His was definitely the most prominent "sound bite" in the Campion segment of the "60 Minutes" piece that CBS did on high school ROTC programs. (They filmed on campus one day in the spring of 1972; the piece aired that fall.) Along with onetime Jesuit Richard Lundstrom (who himself died in the very early 1980s, on the South Dakota Native American "res," also of a heart attack), he personified Campion's "left wing." Note to Cletus Althoff: I'd be very appreciative if you'd post the text of the article that gave details of his death. So far as I know, he died of a heart attack while being held at gunpoint, by thieves who'd broken into his residence?
Tue Oct 28 17:54:02 2008 [Cletus Althoff 1970]: I remember a fly over by a F-14 Phantom jet, maybe 1967(68) or so. He buzzed the campus once and that made everyone bail out of the chow hall to see what it was. He came back around from South to North from the football field towards Campion Hall then kicked n the after burners, pulled the nose up and reached for the sky with a roar. Had to be a former Knight.....anyone want to fess up? Oh, and Tom, I had always wanted a Campion bumper sticker for my jeep, but I had to order 125 of the darn things, so if you want one let me know. They are based on a sticker I had kept for all these years and you have a sample of it on this site.
Tue Oct 28 09:22:12 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: So if somebody wants to start putting together actual information, references, links, etc; we can make a place for him on the C-K.
Tue Oct 28 09:20:33 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Too hard to find info about him. Google for James V. O'Connor drums up tons of stuff of a younger guy; A Doctor, author, cussing adversary... Almost sounds like our guy. But not. Google for James V. O'Conner drums up a ton of stuff on another guy; A Lawyer.
Tue Oct 28 09:07:57 2008 [Tom Lochner 72]: The story is that he was in WWII and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
Fri Oct 24 17:45:50 2008 [Cletus Althoff 1970]: I still have the old newspaper article from when I discovered he had passed during that incident at the Indian Reservation. But I will always have the image of that rock jaw, clamped onto his cigar and his sleeves rolled up. When he looked you in the eye, you knew he was listening, and you knew he cared. I had heard, somewhere, that he had served in WWII as a tanker...Can anyone confirm?
Fri Oct 24 07:55:30 2008 [Rick Schebler 1972]: Amen, Cletus! JVOC was one heck of a man and I still think about him to this day. His example has always been a guiding force in my life.
Fri Oct 17 18:42:24 2008 [Cletus Althoff II 1970]: I was there at the airport. His eyes were really bright blue! One of the guys asked him if he had really eaten all the hard boiled eggs he had been filmed eating at his recent movie "Cool Hand Luke". Later, I met the guy who did the billard shots for Jackie Gleason in that movie when he came to my dad's pool hall and did a trick shot demonstration for the local folks in my hometown. Oh, yeah... I also got to see the Supremes in concert and one of the first Milwakee Bucks games on Campion bus trips. Hey, Father James V. O'Conner....I know you are no longer with us, but you still have an impact in my life that gives me such great faith! AMDG/BVMH
Thu Oct 16 17:47:19 2008 [Joe Williamson 1972]: I checked with my brother Jim and he confirmed that Paul Newman just went to the airport on his way to LaCrosse but he said that Campion bused kids that wanted to go out to the airport to see him. Someone took a snapshot of him out at the airport and he made it in the 1968 yearbook. I knew we'd get to the bottom of this! May he now rest in peace!
Wed Oct 15 11:43:32 2008 [Tom Lochner 72]: The Jesuits will be leaving PdC on October 20, turning the parishes of St. Gabriel and St John back to the LaCrosse Diocese. An event was held on October 8 with the Bishop, clergy and Provincial participating. An article appeared in the September 10 Courier Press announcing the plan and providing some details of the history of the order in PdC. Joe Williamson I do recall Paul Newman campaigning in Prairie for McCarthy. I believe he just made a stop at the airport and continued on. I do not recall if he appeared at Campion but I may be wrong. I remember seeing him at the airport for about 2 minutes.
Mon Oct 13 15:06:51 2008 [Joe Williamson 1972]: With the recent passing of actor Paul Newman it made me think of the time he visited Campion to campaign for Eugene McCarthy(I think). I remember seeing the picture in my brother Jim's yearbook. Does anyone remember him coming to campus? Just curious.
Thu Oct 9 11:21:51 2008 [Richard Dungar ]: I was informed that the Jesuits will be leaving Prairie du Chien and that here will be a special mass. The reason was that not enough manpower.Does anyone have any information?Thanks-
Mon Oct 6 15:01:33 2008 [Jim Hartigan 1971]: One of our teachers and a genuinely "good guy" - Fr. Jim Egan passed on. His funeral Mass is Tuesday In Omaha.Keep him in your prayers.
Sat Sep 27 17:48:00 2008 [Mike Horrigan 1954]: Bob Bruchs, don't know if it will help but if you go back in the archives to May 6, 2003 Robert Smith reported that a Jim & Judy Frett of Madison Wis.can produce class rings for about 400.00. The mold was cast from Dan Caya's 1968 original ring. Their phone number in 2003 was 608 273 9288
Wed Sep 24 21:08:12 2008 [Robert Bruchs 1973]: While surfing the net looking for my Campion ring, I found this item that I have not seen posted here. ROTC guys may be interested. DONALD PATNODE Donald K. Patnode age 79 of Prairie du Chien passed away peacefully on Fri., Nov. 25, 2005 surrounded by his loving family. He was born Oct. 20, 1926 in Antigo, WI son of Marcellus and Rose (Brich) Patnode. He entered the U.S. Navy during WW II, serving in the 7th Fleet and Phillipine Sea Frontier. After discharge from the Navy he then entered the Army that same year. He was assigned to the Signal Battalion in Germany. During his years of service, Don "Sarge" was stationed in Washington and then with the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii from 1957 to 1960. Following this assignment he entered a tour of duty with the 4th Armored Division in Germany. Following 14 years of overseas service, he then served statewide, (locally) as an ROTC instructor at Campion Jesuit High School. In 1966 he was reassigned for a tour of duty with the 7th Infantry Division near the DMZ in Korea. On Sept. 30, 1967 Don returned from the US Army as a 1st Sargent. It was his earliest assignment in Germany that he met his wife Lieselotte (Lou) Kaufmann. They were married on April 11, 1947 in Mannheim, Germany. Don was an avid sportsman and loved the game of golf. He also enjoyed officiating high school sports. After his military career he was employed by 3M Company in Prairie du Chien. Don is survived by his wife of 58 years, Lou of Prairie du Chien, 3 children; Julie (Richard) Macomber of Augusta, WI, Patti Patnode of Prairie du Chien and Donald (Ann Marie) Patnode of Oconomowoc, WI, a sister Marjorie (Ervin) Schmoll of Antigo, WI, 9 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter Barbara Louise, a sister Catherine, and 3 brothers; Vernon, Robert and Wayne. Funeral services will be Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005 at 1:30 PM at the Garrity Funeral Home Chapel, Rev. Doug Mathison officiating, with burial in the Evergreen cemetery, both in Prairie du Chien, WI. Military Rites will be accorded graveside by the Prairie du Chien Honor Guard. Friends may call at the funeral home on Tues., Nov. 29, 2005 from 11:00 AM until the time of services.
Tue Sep 16 10:28:45 2008 [Richard Dungar ]: I let Tom Olson about this-the Aquinas High School yearbook staff dedicated the Aquinas HS Yearbook Aquin 2008 to Mike Drake.I went to the pep rally this past Friday during Aquinasfest when the dedication was made.It was mention of Mike Drake's dedication to Catholic education first at Campion then at Aquinas. Thank you-Richard Dungar class of 1969-Aquinas High School archives-
Tue Sep 9 00:45:53 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Wow! Almost all back up again. Had one big whopper of a power outage. Took out several pieces of equipment around here. Happened on Saturday, the 30th, and again on Monday, the 1st. What a crock!!!
Mon Aug 4 15:42:55 2008 [J Chris Chinn '62]: Some sad news to report: My daughter - Amy - was vacationing in northern Michigan this past weekend with a day trip to Mackinac Island today. I told her to be sure to look up Steven Doud (class of '62) at his grocery store on the Island and say hello to him for me. Well, late this afternoon Amy called and said she went and asked for Steven and was introduced to his son. According to his son, Steven died about 5 years ago of lung cancer. Amy felt terrible, but I told her Steven lived a full life doing what he wanted to do. RIP Steven - from your classmate and all Campion brothers.
Thu Jul 31 10:27:03 2008 [Keough '65]: I've been to two of the reunions in PdC since 2001 and have had absolutley wonderful times. Unfortunate events have negated my plans to attend more of the recent ones but right now, at this very minute, I see nothing to keep me from attending next year's. However, I'm a big fan of Geezer Rock'n Roll and The Blues & am wondering if anyone else might be interested in adjusting the scheduling of the Campion Golf Symposium and Social Studies/Jug Hall to run concurrently with the Prairie Dog Blues Festival with the golf tourney to be held on the Monday after. We golf on Mondays anyhow. That could make a 3 or 4 day weekend an event to really (try to) remember. I'd planned to attend this year's event with a stopover in Chicago for the 1st day of the Chicago Blues Fest on the way. Unfortunately, plans were flushed about 2 weeks out. Any interest??
Wed Jul 30 15:24:34 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: Tom was a remarkable diver. I don't think he ever lost a match. I didn't swim my senior year as I got an off campus job cleaning the ER at the local hospital after classes and I was kind of burned out about raceing at that point. Tom was a real character. He showed me how to bounce on the high dive over and over until you could finally reach up and touch the roof above the board. Scared the dickins out of me at first because I thought I would end up plastered to the deck or busted up on the board. I heard from him in my first year at college, but I don't think anyone has ever heard back from him with the passing of the years. Hey Tom!, if you are still "above ground", let us know, and make it to the reunions once and a while. All us guys from the class of '70 would love to see you!
Sat Jul 19 00:43:09 2008 [Robert Bruchs 1973]: I remember a certain swim team outing. Fr. Kerrigan was coach. We were on the bus on our way back to campus after a swim meet somewhere. No red blazers were involved. The bus had stopped at some sort of drive-in chicken restaurant. Most of the team members orderly filed out of the bus, purchased their chicken meal, and had returned to the bus. There were a few upperclassmen that were delayed by a random meeting with the fairer sex. I remember that one of these fortunate upper classmen was Thomas G. Schlinder
Mon Jul 7 19:07:53 2008 [Bill Friedrichs 66-67]: Terry Mied- I remember you and your brother Ron (QB)from that great 63/64 football team- without question the best team my father coached at Campion. I was in grade school at the time but couldn't forget those lobsided games (except Marquette). I see Tom Rink occasionally at the yearly Campion golf outing reunion and sometimes remind him of a fumble or 2 at that game!! All in fun of course- he was an outstanding running back. Danny Garrity wasn't too bad either! He shows occasionally at the golf outing as well. Nice to see you on the board. Take care.
Thu Jul 3 14:06:37 2008 [Terry Mied 1964]: What a suprise to find this site. I live in the Ft. Lauderdale, FL area. If your in the area please call me on my cell, 954.557.7271.
Sun Jun 29 15:26:12 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: When we went on swimteam outings over extended weekends, sporting our blazers (....looking goooood !!!), we used to get lots of letters back from the resturants and places we had stayed commending us on our behavior as gentleman. That always made me very proud of our team, and I got a kick out of that. It made us all feel cool!
Wed Jun 18 12:08:06 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Regarding that Red Blazer from Robert Bruchs, look for the new link on the main page about Knightly Formal Wear. Also look for the close up of the crest in the Logos link.
Wed Jun 18 10:45:41 2008 [Robert Bruchs 1973]: I own one of those red Campion blazers. I purchased it in 2003 from a PDC antique shop. Images have been sent to Thomas for his use.
Mon May 19 19:36:09 2008 [Mike A. Grosko 1977]: Mr Keough and Mr. Lochner: The red Campion blazers with school crest on the chest were also worn by those who performed, either as musicians or chorus members, in the 1972 and 1974 Mothers Day concerts. There is a black and white picture posted of all the 1974 concert orchestra members lined up in a row on this site. If you find it, I am the one standing at the left end of the line holding two tympani mallets. We wore white shirts, black ties and black pants to complete the outfit. The school owned the blazers but the pants were rented from Kozelka's mens wear. If the athletes wore the blazers to out of town games, that must have been a really classy sight, and I'll bet some of the opposition's coeds must have swooned when we showed up!
Wed Apr 30 10:05:32 2008 [Keough '65]: That's right! Thanks, Tom...
Fri Apr 25 11:56:20 2008 [Tom Lochner 1972]: The red blazers with the Campion Crest were worn by sports teams when they went to out of town games. A shirt adn tie were required as well. Other extra curricular organizations may have worn them to out of town competitions too.
Thu Apr 17 12:35:11 2008 [Keough '65]: Oops, I meant Tom Harrington, not "Mark"...don't know where I got that or why I wrote Mark.
Wed Apr 16 08:31:25 2008 [nicholas primiano 72]: golf outing is june 9th
Wed Apr 16 08:05:56 2008 [Sat Apr 12 12:07:34 2008 Keough]: Any dates set for this year's upcoming Golf Extravaganza? You know, the Campion Masters Tournament...Augusta awards a (hideous) green jacket to its winner. Perhaps we can award a red Knights jacket. Didn't the male cheerleaders or ushers or something wear a red jacket w/the Campion patch on the pocket? I seem to remember Mark Harrington '65 wondering around wearing one somewhere...maybe the debate team?
Fri Apr 11 14:54:51 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: Hi Ann, I sent you email about your book. I have not heard back from you, so I do not know if you received it. Please contact me about getting your Campionette Commencement scanned.
Tue Apr 8 17:28:13 2008 [Paul McCullough 1970]: Mike, Tom - please see "Something's Amiss" in "In Privatum".
Mon Apr 7 11:38:56 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: We!? Who's we? Inquiring minds what to know. Perhaps names should be used In Private though.
Mon Apr 7 08:16:06 2008 [Michael Doyle 1970]: Was this the one where we threw pillows and soda bottles off the back of the moving train? The pillows exploded nicely. Interestingly, the soda bottles usually bounced once and then exploded when they hit the ground the second time.
Fri Apr 4 15:21:25 2008 [Paul McCullough 1970]: April 4, 1968. While in absolutely no attempting to diminish from from the tragic assissination of Dr. Martin Luther King on that night, I also remember this date for something else - the "Campion Special" train ride to Chicago, delivering Campionites home for Easter vacation. (see Campion Forever newsletter, January 2005). What an amazing ride. Anybody else recall the trip, .....or subsequent fallout?
Thu Apr 3 15:32:38 2008 [larry wittig 31]: My dad graduated from Campion and always spoke highly of his time there. I have come across the The Campionette commencement 1929. It has the senior pictures, is this the yearbook? It is red, not hardcover, is this the book you are looking for? Let me know and I'll send it to whomever keeps the nostalgia material. Ann
Mon Mar 31 05:12:23 2008 [Richard Dungar ]: Some Wisconsin Correctional Institution guard stationed in Prairie du Chien was accused of sexual misconduct. Fortunately the article in the La Crosse Tribune did not refer to the Prairie du Chien Correctional Facility as being the former Campion High School. Thanks-
Tue Mar 18 16:34:34 2008 [J Chris Chinn 1962]: Tom. The "bookstore" certainly was a post office in the early '60's - the place where we mailed out our laundry boxes and received them back from home - always with 'goodies' packed inside. There's a picture, I believe, in the '62 Knight. Mine is buried away but I'll be happy to dig it out during Easter vacation (yea! no kids for a week) and scan it.
Mon Mar 17 16:47:00 2008 [Hugh Toner 1975]: Hope all you Knights have a great St Patrick's Day. For about the third time in twenty-five years I am doing a trial on the High Holy Day. Raise one for me.
Mon Mar 17 15:14:57 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: North of Hoffman Hall was/is Lawler Hall ( Jesuit Residence ( and administrative offices after Kostka burned down)). North of Lawler and connected was Loyola (primarily the Dining Hall). North of Loyola across the street is/was Xavier Dorms. I forget what we called the bookstore on the north end of Loyola. It think it was a post office too at some time.
Mon Mar 17 13:38:29 2008 [Joe Haschka 1970]: I was browsing the photos of the campus and came across a building I couldn't identify. What was the building between the Jesuit Residence (Loyola Hall) and the student union/athletic building (Hoffman Hall)?
Thu Mar 6 11:25:03 2008 [Richard Dungar ]: I must be doing something right: Fr. Scott's obituary was in THE CATHOLIC TIMES, Diocese of La Crosse, March 6, 2008 issue and it was a nice article. Also my alma mater Aquinas High School defeated Whitefish Bay Dominican High School in the basketball playoffs. GO BLUEGOLDS GO!!!! Thank you-
Fri Feb 29 10:33:00 2008 [Maury Oehler (chem prof) '63-'71 ]: Emma Bouzek, 92, passed away February 16, 2008. She was a Campion secretary for many years. I remember her as a walking encyclopedia (wikipedia now, I suppose) of knowledge of Campion personel (students, faculty, etc.) during the reign of four Campion presidents. Obit on link below.
www.prairieduchienarea.com/courier/deathnotice.htm
Wed Feb 27 07:54:37 2008 [Richard Dungar ]: I called Franz Klein of the Catholic Times- the La Crosse Diocese newspaper about getting some sort of obituary for Fr. Scott. Fr. Scott was in the Diocese of La Crosse for years.RD-AHS archives
Wed Feb 27 07:48:15 2008 [Richard Dungar ]: Tom I sent information you needed via your e-mail. Computers and copying machines are finicking and a little on the picking side as to what they will do or not do for you. Please let myself if you got the message. My greetings to everyone especially the Jesuit Community. To the Jesuit Community: Pleasesend my greetings to my friend and fellow Aquinas HS graduate Fr. James Pribek SJ class of 1979-Aquinas High School of the Milwaukee Province. Jim's dad was our family doctor. I hope Jim calls myself the next time he in La Crosse. I would like to show Jim the Aquinas High School archives.I had oral surgery and a nasty intestinal flu bug. I thank the Society of Jesus for their service to our church. Richard Dungar- class of 1969- Aquinas High School archives-
Sun Feb 3 04:15:33 2008 [Richard Dungar ]: Margaret Grelle 'Peg' died yesterday after battling a brain tumor since 2005. Peg's husband John Grelle graduated from Campion HS in 1962. My parents knew the Grelles quite well since my dad sold paper to the printing company John worked at. Peg Grelle taught science at Aquinas Middle School in La Crosse. Last year Peg received the St Francis Staff Award at the Aquinas Founders Day in La Crosse. I am very sadden I lost a dear friend but I know Peg is at rest. I thought you people should know since John Grelle is an alumnus of Campion HS. Thank you-
Mon Jan 28 16:50:57 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: Oh yeah, J Chris ('62), one more thing....this morning I got back to my barracks after PT and was freaked out that I discovered a crack on my butt!!!!! That is until I realized that the darn thing had always been there in the first place.... I guess you forget things when you get a little older...HAHAHA!
Mon Jan 28 16:15:57 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: Victory Tower still stands, and the big water tower that has "Victory Starts Here" is still towering over by my class room buildings. I did my basic (age 34+) @ Fort Knox, KY....and when I saw Bill Murray in "Stripes" it pretty much put a mirror in front of my face after I had enlisted....HA! I is neat that LTC DeVito was in charge of the ROTC program when I was at the old school. He was not very tall either and I wonder if the guys are related? He sure was a true Soldier. He never treated me like a kid, he always treated me like a Soldier and not a skinney snot nosed kid, and I felt respected and accepted. My dad had flown in WWII, and my Great Great Grandfather fought with the 15th Iowa Infantry under Sherman so I always felt a need to serve. Funny, but I found that one his last battles was fought here in Columbia, SC on Feb 13-14 1865. I want to thank you for your service in Viet Nam. I can remember walking around the second floor, alone, in Koska Hall and seeing all the gold stars that were next to the pictures of students that had served and lost their lives in war, the passing of our Priests were marked with a golden cross on their photo as I recall. I can still see all those young faces on those huge picture frames stare out towards their futures. I pray for peace, and pray for my Soldiers.....from all branches. The movie "Renaissance Man" was a kick, and it has a great lesson for us all.
Sun Jan 27 17:25:29 2008 [J Chris Chinn 1962]: Clet Althoff: My son went thru Basic and Advanced at Ft. Jackson in 1997 and froze his "rear element" in the beginning. A wonderful Army post. Just watch "Renaissance Man" with Danny DeVito and try to find the landmarks. Is the old tower still there? (J Chris Chinn. U.S. Army-VietNam (67-68).
Sun Jan 27 14:39:19 2008 [Clet Althoff 1970]: Hi guys! How are my fellow Knights of the CLASS of 1970 doing? I'm down here at Fort Jackson, SC at another military training school. Kind of a pain to be doing 5 mile runs and freezing my "rear element" off at 0400 hrs in the morning!!!! I had kind of hoped that South Carolina was warmer than this. Beginning to think I might be getting a little old for this stuff, but there are good people in the my morning formation, and we all suffer the same way. I guess that all that great "old school" ROTC training I got back at Campion helps me keep my head up, and as Fr J.V. O'Conner taught me, I can always find a time to pray.....even in a cold early morning Army PT formation......HA! DRIVE ON!!!!
Wed Jan 23 20:45:03 2008 [Derick Kelly 2005 (PdC High)]: oops...forgot the rest of my post. If anyone has any information, please share.
Wed Jan 23 20:44:06 2008 [Derick Kelly 2005 (PdC High)]: Bill Friedrichs - Thanks for the reply and the information, very interesting. I wish Martin Luther Prep had a site like this as it would be nice to research information on their rivalry with Prairie High. Robert Bruchs - Thanks also for the reply and the funny story. Ironically I live on Wacouta Avenue haha. If anyone has anymore information on high school athletics in PdC, especially between Prairie High and Campion.
Mon Jan 14 17:33:08 2008 [J Chris Chinn 1962]: Bill - what a great idea you have - a get together next summer in the Milwaukee area. I know how the "old folks" would enjoy such a day. I have two weeks off in early July, so, if your planned 'picnic' falls therin, I'll certainly be there. BTW, Bill, although I never played varsity sports, I remember your Dad as a very wonderful man. Change of subject - my team won big time on Saturday. I watched the game with my family in a restaurant. I may be from the Detroit area, but ever since my days in PdC there's been only one team. Go Pack - amd beat the Giants on Sunday!!!!
Sun Jan 13 11:29:30 2008 [Bill Friedrichs 66-67]: Tom- Dan Lipke and I attended the Memorial Mass for Fr. Scott Friday evening at St. Camillus in Milwaukee. Fr. Gladstone said Mass and it was attended by many of the area Jesuits. It was a great tribute to this man so dedicated to his mission of teaching all those years at Prairie du Chien Campion. Had a chance to talk to several old teachers/admistrators including Fr. Leiweke, Fr. Brodzeller, Fr. Dan Kenny, Fr. Jim Fitzgerald as well as Fr. Gladstone. Fr. Lambeck was there but somehow I missed a chance to talk to him. Some of Jesuits I talked to knew my father quite well from his coaching days at Creighton Prep, previous to his years at Campion so we were able to reminisce nicely and recall old times. We were shown a large board with pictures of many of our deceased teachers and administrators who resided at St. Camillus. The names I recalled fondly were Fr. Rohrer, Fr. Zimmerman, Fr. Halloren and Fr. Frank Burke. Fr. Kenny was nice enough to spend lots of time telling us the wherabouts and exploits of many former Jesuits and scholastics that we remembered and had questions about. Others that are alive and in the area include Fr.Gene (Duke) Dutkiewicz, Fr. Wally Boehme, Fr. Pat Walsh, Fr. Leonhardt, Fr. Kidd and Fr. Jim O'Leary in the process of moving back to Milwaukee from San Diego. I was able to secure a pretty comprehensive listing of Jesuits, their current positions, locations and e-mail addresses. If anyone would like to inquire about an individual Jesuit they would like info about, post a note or e-mail and I will see if he's listed. Over a few beers, Animal Dan and I decided to begin planning for a Jesuit picnic here in Milw. next summer and try to get as many of them as possible together for a nice day. They have a bus at St. Camillus and our informal survey told us they they would really enjoy a day out. It's hard to think of Campion and not think of Fr. Scott. It was obvious that his colleages held him in the highest esteem. I hope I haven't forgotten anybody but I'm recovering from a big day yesterday at Lambeau Field. Go Pack! Take care.
Wed Jan 9 19:04:37 2008 [Thomas Olson 1972]: There is a memorial page on Fr. Scotts page in the Staff section of the site.
Tue Jan 8 11:02:10 2008 [Richard Dungar ]: My prayers and sympathy upon the passing of Fr. John Scott. I meet Fr. Scott through my dad and he had dinner at the house several times. Fr. Scott and I would talk about current events. Again my sympathy to Fr. Scott's family, the Jesuit community, and the alumni of Campion High SChool. Thank you-
Tue Jan 8 08:58:20 2008 [ajoc 1958]: A MIGHTY OAK FELL IN THE FOREST. UNFORTUNATELY, AT HIS AGE OF 94 VERY FEW HEARD. FATHER JOHN M. SCOTT HAS PASSED FROM THIS LIFE, AND WE, ALL OF US, ARE THE LESS FOR HIS PASSING.
Fri Jan 4 03:51:06 2008 [Peter Ebeling 74]: I wish all of you a great new year. I loved Campion. How times have changed. Thank you Tom Olson for preserving our highschool through this wonderful website. It's nice to read about good memories but time is taking its toll. Pictures of The Camp shrouded with a chain linked fence, topped with razor wire, is sad. The history of Campion Hall is nothing but rubble now. Reading this bulletin board is becoming more like reading our alumni obituary. So, all I can say is a quote from Jerry Springer... "Take care of youself and the people around you." God Bless from Peter aka; Piggy, Pigs, and Dr. Pigs

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