In this space, we remember and honor the good men who taught and mentored us, who molded and shaped us during our four years together.
Brother Al—Remembered
by Ken Perry
I am certain that many of my classmates well remember Brother Al as one of their best teachers and mentors. I never had a class taught by Al. However, he had a lot of positive effects on me both as a student at CBC and later on in adulthood.
The CBC years. . . In my last years at CBC I worked in the school cafeteria where Brother Al was in charge. He always managed using a fair hand. Some jobs were favorable (such as Cashier) some were less favorable (dishwasher). But Al seemed to move us around reasonably.
An Anecdote: The Cafeteria Menu Board was changed daily. Once in awhile Stewed Cabbage was presented. One day the Stewed Cabbage was changed to "Old Garbage"(not me, probably Gyrog) . When the nice lady/Head cook found out she started crying and went home. Brother Al was furious, called us all for a chewing out and then Fired us all. The next day we apologized to the Head cook and Al gave us our jobs back.
Another Anecdote: Senior year around March 1958 , I was given 25 demerits and the slip was signed by 3 Lt. Cols. Seems like a disagreement turned bitter and resulted in a Demerit Slip. Brother Al walked by the Tennis Courts where I was walking off the demerits. He stopped and asked why a 2nd Lt. (OD )was marching 3 privates and a Capt. ( me). Later he made me explain and said to report to the Cafeteria next afternoon and work for him ( he wrote off the remaining demerits).
In his normal calm demeanor he called us together and had us apologize and agree to forget. He reminded us that we were ruining a long-term relationship (since 5th Grade?).
After the CBC years: Al seemed to follow some of us, off and on. When I moved to Baton Rouge in 1971 many St.L. contacts faded but Al occasionally called. Around 1982, Al came to visit Ada and I (he was on his way to visit his sister in Lafayette). When I gave him a tour of our Hdqs office buildings, I related that business was growing and that we were buying a larger IBM computer system. Al asked what would we do with old system and I said that we were taking a big loss on the old—maybe better to give to charity. Well four days later I received a "joint" telegram from Bro.Michael and Al. It seemed CBC wanted a Computer Lab and they asked "wouldn't you like a tax deductible donation to CBC? ". Well. That turned out as a $45,000 tax deduction that would cost me about $60,000 (I paid the dismantling, shipping and St.L installation costs—Plus the cost of sending my Controller to spend 5 days teaching operations)
In April 1984 my company,ALPHA , had a Tenth Anniersary. celebration. One part was a Dinner/Dance at the Hilton with all employees, Insurance company VPs and the ALPHA Board of Directors invited. I asked Al to attend and give a blessing/convocaation at the start.
Well, Al decided he would also MC.
He blessed the group and guests but had more to say. He lifted a small wood plaque with a bronze plate on which he had etched all my Grades at CBC. He said "You all may know a lot about your President but here is his Report Card of 4 years at CBC." He then went on to read the course grades: Latin I—C, Latin II—D, Algebra I—D, Geometry II—C, Home Room I—B. . . etc. He finished with "Your early grades may not indicate your future—may be your attitude" Boy ,did I have some shots from a couple of those attendees!!!
For years Al would try to know when one of us had a problem or the passing of our parents. He came to my mom's funeral home and funeral mass. Three years later he and 3 other Bros. attended by dad's mass. Never expected , nothing said.
The last I saw Al was at the Retreat House around 1995 where he was celebrating either an Anniversary, Birthday, or Retirement(?). A number of Class '58 showed up (Pellegrini, Krater, Repovich and I). During the ceremony we were sitting around a back table where I was standing and taking pictures and Al stopped and pointed at us saying "See those folks back in the corner—they were partly the cause of my grey hair. . . and why I loved those cadets!"
D. C. Wilcutt (1923–2015)
by Jim Vogelsang
This mild-mannered man who was always kind and thoughtful had a very interesting life.
Born in 1923 and dies in 2015: that's 92 years! He was a graduate of Normandy H.S. class of 1941. D.C played basketball for Saint Louis University when, in 1948, the Billikens won the National Invitational Tournament. After graduating he played with College All Stars, barnstorming with the Harlem Globe Trotters. D. C. was selected to play for the St. Louis Bombers in the 1948 Basketball Asslociation of America draft . He played for the Bombers for two seasons—59 games. The first year they were in the Basketball Association of America, which later merged with the National Basketball League to form the modern-day National Basketball Association. After playing for one year, he retired from pro basketball.
D. C. started his career at CBC in 1951, but left after the first yearto be an assistant for Eddie Hickey and the Billikens. He returned to CBC in 1953, and proceeded to take a 2nd place in the state tournament in 1954. After taking a third place in state in 1958. he proceeded to win back-to-back state titles in 1959 and1960, and later in 1963.
Coaching for 35 years, he retired in 1969 from basketball, but remained the Athletic Director. He ended with a record of 560 wins and 331 losses.
He was married for 64 years to his wife, Vivian Wilcutt, and had seven childen.
He spent 43 years as a Geography teacher and a counselor while serving as the Athletic Director.
I worked my senior year after school in the AD office and asked him what D.C. stood for and he told me, "Damn Cute" with a wry smile on his face!
