GOLDEN MEMORIES

Duluth Cathedral Class of 1964 

BY JOHN DESANTO ’64 CLASS PRESIDENT

Reprinted from The Hilltopper Magazine, Fall 2024

 

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Whether the gem of the high school on the hill has been called Duluth Cathedral or Marshall School, we have always correctly been named the Hilltoppers. On the weekend of July 12-13, the school had the Class of 1964, the very first graduating class from the building “on top of the hill,” come together to celebrate our 60th reunion on campus.

On the following Tuesday evening, July 16, the inaugural Rice Lake Road graduates met at the Boat Club Restaurant in Fitger’s Historic Hotel building, overlooking Lake Superior. A memorabilia table there displayed The Hilltopper Newspapers published during our four years at Cathedral High School—all preserved by our “Class Historian,” Steve Welsh ’64.

Storytelling was resplendent throughout the evening! The Best Story Award went, by vote of everyone at the gathering, to Linda (Roske) Kloss ’64 from Florida. She summarized her joy and gratitude for attending with, “Such a great job, no sit-down dinner [which allowed for] so much mixing, story time, even door prizes. I’m so happy that I attended. It was good to visit with so many classmates doing well and enjoying their lives. For me, I got an extra boost of camaraderie and a reminder of how fortunate we are.”

Other awards included gift cards for—the classmate who traveled farthest to get to the reunion: RoJean DeChantal ’64 who lives in San Francisco; most grandchildren: Annabelle (Gooder) Genereau ’64 with 37; and most great grandchildren: Judy (Knoll) Moran ’64 with 6.

Classmate Dennis Dock ’64 from the Twin Cities area stated, “The get-together brought back so many good memories, happy people who wanted to see each other.”

Back in 1963 when our class entered the brand-new school building, which now is the campus for Marshall, we were informed that the students would all be required to wear uniforms. The boys were to be attired in blue shirts, black tie, grey pants, and a blazer or cardigan sweater. The color of the blazer was not specified. My brother and I, the DeSanto twins, showed up in classy red blazers only to be told by Principal Father Michael Hogan that red was not acceptable. After a protest of this decision aided by several of our teachers who wore “banned” red blazers, Father Hogan conceded that any color blazer could be part of the high school boys’ uniform.

At our gathering this summer, I displayed my controversial red blazer on the memorabilia table, while my twin brother Will wore his, with obligatory skinny black tie, the entire evening. It is important to understand that these red blazers are the original blazers worn during the 1963-1964 class year. They are not replicas; they are over 60 years old! The photo of the “Minnesota Twins” together wearing our red blazers clearly shows why mine was on the memorabilia table for most of the evening.

The Hilltopper treasure chest is full of wonderful memories such as these, and fortunate graduates.

Starting this fall, the Marshall School Hilltoppers are led by a new head of school, Anthony Pisapia. At the Golden Topper Luncheon held July 13 on campus, several of our class members were able to meet Anthony and discuss the riches that the Hilltopper tradition holds and continues to preserve. Faith, family, good fortune, tradition, and camaraderie are just a few of the jewels we of the first class at the top of the hill school—the Duluth Cathedral Class of 1964—garnered as a result of being Hilltoppers.

What a treasure our 60th reunion was for the 35 classmates from our graduating year who attended. The Hilltopper tradition continues to live on; thank you for these golden memories. We are already planning a Grand 80th Birthday Party in just two years, during the summer of 2026, and hope to see you all there!