Pictures I snapped while in Windsor, Ontario 08 & 09 June 2011 for Hod’s Guilty pleas, reading of the Victims’ Impact Statments, and sentencing
Detroit skyline as seen from Windsor, Ontario
Assumption College Catholic High School, Windsor, Ontario
Assumption College Catholic High School, Windsor, Ontario
Metal structure on front lawn of Assumption College Catholic High School in Windsor, Ontario. On one side, as seen in this picture, the first words of the Basilian motto "TEACH ME" are carved through the metal.
Metal structure on front lawn of Assumption College Catholic High School, Windsor, Ontario. This picture shows the last words of the Basilian motto "GOODNESS, DISCIPLINE, KNOWLEDGE" which are repetetively carved through the metal in various formats from the top to the bottom of the stucture.
Sign in front of Assumption College Catholic High School, Windsor, Ontario
Minding the wee ones (down by the yacht club)
I have many very fond memories of the school all the “Men of Assumption” still love and respect. Hoping to hear from some of my old band buddies from 1956-61, and teachers too…c’mon we’re all old now! I used to play trombone, in case anyone forgot. I still contact Fr. Mailloux our great music legendary leader. Jimmy Tamborini passed on a short while back…God bless him. He was something…never forget “Jimmy”.
Well guys, I’m waiting to see who sends me an email to say hi once again.
MMWAB=Mary’s Men We’ll Always Be! God bless all. Bill Radigan
Hello, my Dad went to Assumption and I am not sure if he granduated in 1957 or 1958. He was in the band and played the saxaphone and was also on the football team. My Dad died 4 years ago and I cannot find any of his yearbooks nor do I have any school pictures of him. I don’t know where to look or find any info about his years at highschool. Since you were there from 56-61 I was wondering if you maybe knew my Dad. His name is Agostino Vincent Savoni. I hope that you can help me with my search. I only have pictures of him from my parents wedding and his life after that but I have no pictures of him before that. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank-you kindly,
Cheri Savoni
Dear Cheri, I am sorry but the name doesn’t ring a bell…of course there were around 1100 guys there . But I do recall that when my grad year came along there was no more “year-book”. Perhaps you can try to find past issues of “the Reporter” the school newspaper. Now maybe you might find a pic of your Dad in there somewhere. Good luck with that and it’s a pleasure to talk with you. May God bless…. Bill Radigan
Bill,
Perhaps this is a long shot, but I was wondering if, during your time at Assumption, you knew of Brother Joseph Mitchell. He was a young Brother at Redeemer College during the time you were at Assumption. Brother Mitchell (deceased) and a fellow Brother from the college were responsible for a number of sexual assaults. (including myself: 1961)
Since Mitchell is deceased and I don’t have the name of his cohort, the investigating detective from the O.P.P. has terminated the investigation began last year. Although Mitchell’s victims with whom I have spoken, have chosen not to come forward, I can’t help but think there are others out there who knew his “partner in crime” and have knowledge that would aid in this case.
To avoid personal liability, please contact me through Sylvia’s email rather than this post. (see: home page)
Thank you
Elizabeth
I remember Father Marshal from my math. class 1955 .
One morning he was called to the principal’s office . This was in the older building top floor on college grounds . I was @ one of the desks by the West Wall . He was called to the principal’s office . He forgot his keys on his desk & had apparently been knocking to get back into his class . No heard him return with spare keys . He opened the door & proceeded to walk each row punching all students in the face . Even broke one student’s glasses . I just waited my turn hoping he would soften the blow by the time he reached me . Anyone else remember this class .He was a tough looking priest with his brush cut .
Wow … Tough school. My father also went there Richard (dick) O’Gorman
Does anyone remember him. He played football too. 1958 grad
Sean,
I played football with your dad, called him Dick, at Assumption and at AKO.
Dick always gave me rides to the practices at AKO, at the time I lived on McEwan Avenue and he picked me up on Riverside Drive and McEwan, so we became good friends. Is he still alive? Would be interested – all this brings back a lot of memories.
Thanks,
Brian
Speaking as one of Hod’s victims, I can truthfully say that I have absolutely ZERO positive memories of my years at AHS! It was an institution with too many bullies and oddballs on the staff. Certainly, if a boy came from a stable family, had no emotional problems and was a top student (or athlete), it would have been a great place. For those of us who were not one of the above types, we were of no more value than any of the desks or pencil sharpeners in the classrooms.
I still cringe at the number of downright vicious assaults inflicted on some kids and the overall atmosphere of bullying that permeated the vile place.
Yes, I am angry. Yes, I am bitter. The viciousness and the evil that I saw there will be with me forever. If it were possible to turn back the clock, and I had one decision to make in my early life, it would be to NEVER set foot in that god-forsaken, hellish, institution .
The teenaged years are fraught with problems and insecurities. Some Basilians (not all) readily took advantage of kids such as myself and DID NOTHING to make the high school years either valuable or memorable.
Cheri Savoni,
I do remember your dad. He went by “Gus” in those days. I recall we did share a class or two in the fiftys. I do not have any of the old year books from Assumption. After my two years of attacks by Marshall I finally was able to transfer to another school without priests. When I left Assumption I destroyed any records I had of that living hell.
TH, you called it right. The out and out physical assault by the Basilians should have put the whole bunch behind bars. I ws a small guy in my early high school days and received many a smack from the Basilians for no reason other than they knew I couldn’t hit backwhile.
Cullen had the habit of coming up behind you and pulling up on the back of your hair if he thought it might be too long. On the plus side, I remember he did that to one rather large kid that was out watching a football game. The kid turned around and punched him in the face, knocking him on his big butt. It turned out he kid was from a different high school and was there to watch the game, not get beat up.
Cheri, my brother went to Assumption as well. He was not harmed by the vermin that were there. He may have kept some of the year books. If he did I will borrow them next time I visit Windsor and look for pics of you dad. If I find any, I will scan them and get them to you somehow.
Jerry Boyle
Pardon the spelling again.
I am so sorry for all of you. Lets hope and pray this is not still happening in any of our schools today.
When I think of all the anti bullying campaigns across the board, both in school and in the workplace… I have to question at what point in our past did anyone ever think it was okay to beat and molest children. Sickening to think about it.
Lets hope, society is finally moving forward in the right direction, making positive changes for the safety of all children.
I do not think that Bill Radigan went to the same AHS that I did. I would replace that idiotic adage of his (Mary’s Men We’ll Always Be) with Ruined Lives We Will Always Have.
He obviously did not see the very large English teacher knead a boy’s shoulder muscle for the best part of an entire class period until the boy cried.
He obviously did not see the same teacher punch a other boy’s upper arm for twenty minutes until the arm was black and blue.
He obviously did not see the French teacher slap the faces of two boys so hard that it could be heard on the other side of the room. (Continued on next page)
He obviously did not see the priest kick a boy’s leg which was protruding into a classroom aisle. The leg was broken and in a cast at the time.
He obviously did not see a priest strike a boy with a pointer across the back with incredible force.
He obviously did not see another French teacher carry a strap and systematically hit boys across the back.
He obviously did not see the large English teacher humiliate a boy by making the boy kneel in front of the class while he cut the boy’s hair with scissors. Continued.
Such was life at Assumption HS in the 1950s.
I still cry (both internally and externally) as a result of my years in that cult-ish institution.
Anyway, my congratulations to Mr. Radigan for his ability (or naivete) to see goodness
and Christian charity where very little of it existed.
Hello, my step father William Joseph Hughes attended this school and would have graduated I think in 1951 to maybe 1953. I am the Historian in our family and have been trying to gather info on his early years,, he died in 1978 in Detroit. He and his sister Mary Shirley were orphaned at an early and he was sent to that school by his Father’s brother… I’m hoping of some written material or pictures that would include him… He was born in Detroit July 1, 1933. Thanks for any info, Pamela Smith