The Old Charlestown Schoolboys Association came from near and far on Sunday, May 19, to gather in the Father Mahoney Hall at the Knights of Columbus for the 111th annual reunion.
The Schoolboys are the oldest educational organization in the oldest neighborhood of Boston, and the group traces its roots back to the former Winthrop School on the Training Field. This year, President Jim O’Brien called the meeting to order around 5 p.m. as the group socialized with old friends about the days at the Towns public schools or Catholic Schools – from the Harvard School to St. Catherine’s School to Charlestown High School, all bases were covered.
This year, the Schoolboys honored the Charlestown High Townies State Championship basketball team and welcomed more than 120 members of the Schoolboys for the reunion. The James W. Conway Community Service Award went to Derek Gallagher of the Charlestown Boys and Girls Club, while the George E. Murphy Fellowship Award went to John ‘Jack’ Sindoris.
Father Paul Coughlin was on hand to say the blessing, and the traditional menu of hot baked chicken pot pie was served with sides.
Treasurer Ronan FitzPatrick read off the names of those who have passed in the last year, including Francis Brown, Dave Condon, Bob FitzPatrick, Frank Geysen, Jr., John Goggin, Jack Heelen, John Herrick, Dennis Kane, Frank Kelley, Charles Kirk, Jimmy McCallum, Paulie McCarthy, Francis McInnis, Arthur McManus, Victor Merullo, Frederick Mitchell, James F. O’Brien, Thomas Sexton, and Paul Sullivan, Sr.
Last week, the Schoolboys Scholarship Committee gave out 16 scholarships at the annual Scholarship Dinner.