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YOUNG CHEMISTS — Susan Berberich and
Madeleine Gatherer test for oxygen in
manganese dioxide and hydrogen peroxide.
An archdiocesan capital funds drive, Campaign ’83, ap
propriated $4 million of its $7.2 million goal to expand St.
Pius’ facilities and to improve the quality of the school’s
programs. By the fall of 1985, the new wing, Hallinan Hall,
named after Atlanta’s first archbishop, was open and ready
lor students. The wing housed an auditorium, the Flannery
O’Connor media center, as well as a dance studio, music
studio and arts center. At that time the older wing was re
named Monsignor Cornelius Maloney Hall. The old chapel,
being used as a library, became once again a place for
prayer and worship.
Opportunities for spiritual growth abound at St. Pius. In
addition to taking religion classes all four years, students
have the advantage of daily Mass, yearly retreats, and in
dividual spiritual direction. Freshmen take a “Life
Choices” course in which they explore their values.
‘‘Following Your Inner Call” helps juniors deal with the
conflict between the world’s values and Christian Catholic
values. The campus ministry department, in operation
since 1976, makes these opportunities available.
St. Pius now serves students from nine metro Atlanta
counties who come from a broad socio-economic base and
represent 26 parishes and the Korean Apostolate. While 97
percent go to college, the school attempts to evaluate each
student, asking the question “Where is the best place this
student can study?” according to Father Young. Lou Lon-
caric, director of the development and alumni office,
pointed out that while one student may excel verbally and
take level one English classes, his mathematic abilities
may place him in a basic math class. The school's present
organization allows for such individualization.
For Father Young, the school’s size and its lack of space
1961 PHYSICS CLASS — Sister Mary Anselm,
R.S.M., assists students in a science experi
ment.
30th Anniversary
(Continued from page 6)
modules of time; another four. A subject that required
laboratory time or an extended period for an audio-visual
presentation would have this flexibility. The system “really
opened the doors,” according to Ann Guscio.
Then, for two years, the high school used a completely
open system in which students arranged, according to their
needs, to meet with teachers. While this might work with a
smaller student population, Miss Guscio pointed out, it did
not serve St. Pius students’ needs and was discontinued.
The “fourth school” St. Pius has become is hard to label,
Ann Guscio said. “It’s mainstream with good academic and
good religious formation. There’s a very good pastoral
ministry program that meets the students’ spiritual needs
apart from religion classes. Father Young (the present
principal) has developed a caring sort of community.”
She credits Father Terry Young with making provisions
for students with lower academic ability. “He believes
everybody has potential and he has provided for developing
this potential through a range of curriculum possibilities
and variety of qualified teachers.”
Father Young, principal since 1976, divides the school’s
history into three periods: the early, "traditional, Catholic,
college-preparatory school based on the Philadelphia
model with a limited curriculum;” the 1969-76 period which
had less structure and depended upon a high degree of stu
dent responsibility and maturity; and the period since 1976
which has seen a reorganization and a synthesis of the best
of the first two periods.
During the 1970s the school added a gymnasium activity
center and four classrooms to meet increasing enrollment
needs.
VISUAL
RECORDS
Junior Chad Eaton, a
member of St. Pius’
audio-visual club,
videotapes media
specialist Carolyn
Chandler.
e
>
«:
PAGE 7 — ’The Georgia Bulletin, November 24,1988
INFORMATION SEARCH — Using the
media center’s microfische, senior Robbie
Davidson researches material on microfilm for
a psychology class paper.
to expand, is a blessing. “St. Pius doesn’t have the capacity
to get more students. It’s large enough to float programs
and sports that are good for a school. At the same time it’s
small enough for you to know your population.”
St. Pius is now old enough to have students of alumni as
part of that population. Junior Will Euart and freshman An
na Euart are children of Susan Murray Euart and John
Euart, class of '64.
As parents of second generation Pius students, the Euarts
have some perspective on “then and now.”
“The pressures today — alcohol, drugs, sexual activity —
they’re so foreign to what we had to deal with,” John Euart
observed.
The Euarts explained they "talk a lot about what is right.
We can t go on dates with them, can’t go to the parties,”
Susan Euart pointed out. "The only thing we can do is teach
our values. We know they’ll be offered something to drink
— or drugs. ‘Are you going to have the guts to say ‘no’?’ we
ask them.”
"Another big change,” John Euart said, “is in the
physical plant. We didn’t have a gym. And in the area of the
arts, there are a lot of choices for these kids — drama,
classical music — the junior and senior play was ‘it’ for us.
This is a tremendous enhancement.”
Mrs. Euart noted that cheerleading and basketball were
the only athletic opportunities open to girls when she was a
student. “I’d give anything to be a teenager now and have
all the choices they have.”
The addition of the learning lab for students with learning
difficulties is a major improvement. “I had a learning
disability,” Susan Euart explained, “and 1 didn’t know why
school was so hard for me and the teachers didn’t know.
Now they realize that children may learn in different ways
and they capitalize on that.”
“Teachers seem to be available on other than an
academic level. There are people they can go to and say,
‘I’m really feeling down. ”
“When we were at Pius,” Susan Euart concluded, “it was
all white. Now there are Koreans — Vietnamese — there’s
wonderful acceptance at Pius.”
To celebrate St. Pius 30th birthday, alumni gathered for a
weekend of festivities, October 28-30. Jan Smith Banister of
the class of 1962, who helped organize the weekend, said,
“It’s hard to put into words what the celebration meant. I’d
totally lost touch with a lot of friends — hadn’t seen them
since graduation. I love rekindling old friendships. To me it
was like we were in high school again. We just let our hair
down and enjoyed it.” The main function of the weekend
was a Saturday night wine and cheese party, attended by
approximately 300 people. The Fall Arts Festival Nov. 19
celebrated the anniversary with student performances in
drama, music and the arts.
The 30th anniversary “was an opportunity for us to re
affirm our commitment to Catholic eduction,” Father
Young said. “We may look back, reflecting on what we’ve
done, but we also want to work together to pull the school in
to the next century.”