The Christian Brothers Period from 1964 to 1971

         The following people were involved during the Christian Brothers era from 1964 to 1971: Archbishop Robert Emmett Lucey, Archbishop of San Antonio; Brother Conrad and Brother Rafael, Provincials to the Christian Brothers; Brother Abel Rockenbaugh, first Principal of Antonian; Fr. James Brunner, Superintendent of Schools; Rt. Rev. Msgr. Bernard Popp, Very Rev. Msgr. Michael Holden, Father James Brunner, Brother Abel, F.S.C., Brother Victor, F.S.C., and Brother Titus, F.S.C., members of the first Antonian School Council; Rt. Rev. J. M. Boyle P.A., Rt. Rev. Henry Herbst, Very Rev. Michael Holden, Rev E.A. Juraschek, Rt. Rev. A.A. Leopold, Most Reverend Stephen Leven, Rt. Rev. Albert Maneth, Rt. Rev. Bernard F. Popp and Rev Ralph Smith, Pastors of the founding parishes; Brother Langlinais, second Antonian Principal and Archbishop James Francis Furey who inherited the school upon the retirement of Archbishop Lucey in 1971.

Students are quite content at the end of the first semester. The Smoke Signal, the school's newspapers tell a story of success. Its first editor was John Etlinger. The school's first play is staged entitled The Little Man Who Wasn't There.  New Clubs are also established such as the Student Council, the Drama Club and the Stamp Club. It is reported that Apaches are known to have lived on the property where the school was built since students continue to find "arrowheads".  The Student Council was led by Steve Scecina - President; John Ebeir - Vice President; Larry Lapaglia - Secretary; Chuck Klien - Program Manager; Dennis School and Larry Boyd - Delegates; and homeroom Presidents Dennis Sholl; Tim Ehhnger; Walter Kerr; Larry Mengden; and Doug Phillip (Antonian High School, 1964).

On February 4, 1965 there was a meeting with Archbishop Lucey where it was reported that the school would have a deficit of $16,000 at the end its first year. Initial enrollment was 158 students. "The Archbishop was understanding and cooperative. But he asked me to send a letter in which I offered some plan of solution to the problem" (Bodin, 1968). On February 18, 1965 Brother Rafael, New Provincial of the Christian Brothers wrote a letter to Archbishop Lucey with some suggestions. In the letter, Brother Conrad thanks the Archbishop for his gracious interview of February 9^th. He also acknowledges that he is fully aware of the contract in which the Brothers accept responsibility for the financial operations of the school but further states that the school is $16,000 in deficit and some solution must be found. He stated that the deficit comes from two sources: equipment and furnishing including a car (8,500) and deficit incurred as a result of a smaller freshmen class (10,000). He further suggests "at the risk of seeming temerarious" that the Archbishop authorize a disbursement of from the building fund for $8,500 and that he asks the Pastors with children enrolled to pick up the deficit for the 1964-1965 school year which would amount to $55.00. He lastly suggests that the disbursement be done as soon as possible. Brother Conrad writes in Notes for Himself, obtained from the Christian Brothers Archive in Lafayette LA stating: "The Archbishop answered my letter on March 3. Then started the rounds of communication from one department to another... remarks, promises, questions... finally a request for a complete breakdown of receipts and expenses... a few meetings... clarification of ideas. I stopped in San Antonio in early April to see what could be done... Saw Father Brunner (Superintendent) and he is supposed to have reported to the Archbishop our desire to get a better mode of operation with the Archdiocese" (Conrad, 1965). The actual letter from Archbishop Lucey passes on some greetings and extends an explanation for the delay in responding to the Archbishop's "atrocious calendar". The main point in the letter is to tell Brother Conrad of his disappointment in that "the bill was handed over to me. This was not a very thoughtful procedure. Large expenditures even when made by Pastors who pay the bills out of parish funds must have my approval and I would find it difficult to become accustomed to have anyone, priest, Brother or Sister, purchase a car and send me the bill. Giving me prior notice is the part of wisdom, if not of courtesy". Archbishop Lucy concludes, "The administration of private high schools today is becoming definitely a headache. The two Archdiocesan High Schools which I must support in this city are what some people would call a pain in the neck ". He concludes, "I do not anticipate that the Presidents war on poverty will relieve us of very much pain (Lucey, 1965).

On March 30, 1965, there is a meeting between Father Brunner and Brother Rafael. In a letter to Archbishop Lucey, Father Brunner tells of his meeting with Brother Rafael. He tells him that the Christian Brothers want to know whether the contract signed with them is considered binding or if there will be deviations allowed. If so, he says that Antonian operations will have to be cut down since the school is not viable and may not be viable for 5 or 6 years. Father Brunner suggests that a meeting of Pastors be assembled to discuss the present and future problem with the contract. Fr. Brunner states that the contract frees us from the obligations of making such subsidies, but strict adherence to the contract in this instance will not do much to promote the cause of Catholic education. He asks the Archbishop the following questions: Shall I set up the meeting between the Pastors and Brother Superior?; If so, shall we try to get the Pastors to assume the projected $16,000 deficit for the year?; and What commitments, if any, are we prepared to make to the Brothers for the next six years (Brunner, 1965)?

On April 1, 1965, Monsignor Popp writes to Brother Rafael requesting that a complete picture of income and expenses of the school be presented to include any and all income from groups (Popp, 1965).

On April 2, 1965, Brother Rafael writes to Brother Abel, Principal of Antonian blaming him for this mix-up in communication due to a letter dated March 15^th but postmarked March 30^th. If the letter had been received earlier, Brother Rafael says that he could have addressed the matter while he was in San Antonio. He further directs Brother Abel to meet with Monsignor Popp and make all statements, bills and the like available to him. He also tells him that his BIGGEST P-R Job to do right now is a business PR with the people who support the school (Bodin, 1965)

On June 28, 1965, Brother Rafael writes to Archbishop Lucey. In the letter Brother Rafael indicated that the original contract was not a feasible contract but rather an optimistic one - for the province to make some money and for the Diocese to avoid some subsidy. Three questions were posed needing a solution now. 1. Will the diocese give an additional subsidy bringing the total subsidy to $12,558? This is in addition to the disbursement $8,000 for original equipment. 2. Can we raise tuition to $300? 3. Will you consider new contract due to less Brothers being available considering Brothers going on Lay Salaries (Bodin, 1065).

On July 12, 1965, Archbishop Lucey writes a memo to himself. It reads:

The demands for personal reimbursements to the Christian Brothers are incredible. They already have permission to put on what Brother Conrad called a bazaar and in this appeal he had hoped to get $10,000. We have never had a report on the store, either at La Salle or the Antonian, but it would seem that at the later school the net profits could be $7,500. Every Brother receives a salary of $1000 a year totaling $8,000 per year. Brother Rafael is demanding an additional $1,500 for every Brother or 12,000 all together for food, clothing and the like. In the twenty-four years no religious community of priests, brothers or sisters have made such a demand on this Chancery office ... It seems that for $12,000, the brothers could have filet mignon for dinner every day. Such a demand is of course absurd. The grand total of those demands is $38,000 (Lucey, 1965).                                                                                                                       

On July 31, 1966, Brother Rafael writes to Brother Abel on what seems to be a realization that they have lost Antonian. He writes:

Let them come up with the recommendation for the Archbishop. It is here a question of attempting to put the burden where it belongs. I do not know how we ever gave the impression that we could run this school "as ours". Unfortunately it has been given. Now we must show them that we are willing to run an "ARCHDIOCESAN" school for them but that they will have to see to the finances. At least this is the way I see it. I know quite positively that we could not run Antonian High School as ours - not enough brothers, no money, and tuition too low (Bodin, 1966).

On August 20, 1966, Brother Rafael writes to the Antonian School Board as Provincial Superior of the Christian Brothers and in it tells them three things. The deficit for 1966-1967 will be over $40,000; there is impossibility on the part of the Christian Brothers to financially carry this school; the impossibility of the problem of increasing the number of Brothers at Antonian High School; and the urgency of finding a solution to prevent the loss of teachers due to unpaid balances (Bodin, 1966).

On October 16, 1967, Father Brunner informs Brother Rockenbaugh that the Archdiocese is no longer able to subsidize Antonia to the degree suggested by the budget and that he should formulate a new budget with a maximum expenditure of $200,000. (210) Brother Rockenbaugh responds on October 20, 1967 indicating that the budget will only bring in $104,000 from tuition and that it is very impossible to meet the projection with a deficit of $77,000 (Rockerbaugh, 1976).

On November 24, 1967, Archbishop Lucey writes to Father Brunner telling him that the situation at Antonian has changed and that students are coming from many different parishes providing a need to review the assessments that parishes are making (Lucey, 1967).

On December 7, 1967, Brother Rockenbaugh writes to Brother Rafael informing him that the School Board has resolved to tell the Archbishop that they do not think the Northside Parishes should pay for the ongoing deficits due to the fact that the current deficit from Las Salle and Holy Cross were coming from the development fund. The board had hoped to meet with the Archbishop but was unable to (Rockerbaugh, 1967).)  On January 8, 1968, there is a meeting between Archbishop Lucey and Brother Rafael in which the topic of money was on the table. However, the meeting agenda dealt mostly with problems being reported to the Archdiocese concerning Antonian: obscene language by coaches; imprudent statements in Religion Classes and the like. Brother Rafael writes that "we should abandon the idea completely that we can run this school as if it were ours". In a letter dated January 27, 1968 written by Provincial Superior Boden to Archbishop Lucey, he suggests that the closing of one of the two school they operate (La Salle or Antonian) might be in order and gives no preference for one over the other (Bodin, 1968). In a letter to Archbishop Lucey dated March 13, 1969 from Brothers Rafael and Brother Beck, they formally informed him that they would withdraw from Antonian at the end of the 1969-1970 school year or at the end of the present (Bodin, 1969). On April 8, 1968 Brother Rafael writes to Archbishop Lucey asking that they be relieved from duty effective June 1969 (Bodin, 1968).

In a letter dated July 23, 1968, the Antonian School Board President, Dennis Burkholder writes to Archbishop Lucey suggesting that a new contract be developed between the Archdiocese and the Christian Brothers (Burkholder, 1968).

Archbishop Robert Lucey was appointed in 1940 and retired on June 4, 1969, died on August 1, 1977. Archbishop Francis Furey was appointed Archbishop of San Antonio on June 4, 1969 and died April 25, 1979.

The previous arrangement between the Archdiocese and the Christian Brothers was formally terminated by Archbishop Furey and Brother Francis Beck at the end of the 1970-1971 school year (The Alamo Messenger, 1971).

Around that same time, February 1970, Archdiocesan officials continued to receive complaints from parents and others related to the various productions put on by the Antonian Drama department (Gonzalez, 1970). The complaints also followed with letters stating that Antonian was de-moralizing religion (Hanley, 1970).

On February 4, 1971, Brother Langlinais, Antonian Principal, writes a letter to parents to parents telling them that "because this is our last year and due to rising costs and decreasing enrollment, it makes it impossible to continue to operate next year" (Langlinais, 1971).

On March 16, 1971, Archbishop Furey made some indications that Antonian would remain open (O'Shea, 1971). In fact, on March 26, 1971, The Alamo Messenger reported that Robert Leyva will become Principal of Antonian for the 1971-1972 school year.  Fr. Leyva is to be ordained on May 29, 1971 (The Alamo Messenger, 1971). The Archdiocese also put out a press release indicating:

Antonian High School will have a new Principal, Rev. Mr. Joseph Leyva and faculty for the 1971-1972 school year. Archbishop Furey said he is making know the name of the new Principal at this early stage to put a stop to false rumors the Catholic school is to be closed. When it became known several weeks ago that the Brothers of the Christian Schools would withdraw from Antonian at the end of the present term, the prelate stated, he immediately pledged he would not permit the school to close and publically expressed his determination to help those it serves in their efforts to obtain a new faculty. Rev. Mr. Leyva will be the Rev Father Leyva when he takes over as head of the school is scheduled to be ordained in the late spring or early summer (The Alamo Messenger, 1971).