Sister Patrice Garrity, the last principal of Mission High School, passed away last month in Connecticut at the age of 86. Sister Garrity, a 1946 Mission High alumna, locked the doors of the grand high school on Alleghany Street for the last time in 1991. “Although it is a sad day, I’m glad it was I, someone who loved the school, who closed the door for the final time,” said Sister Garrity.
The school had a tremendous last hurrah, as Mission’s 1990 basketball team won the Div. 3 Eastern Massachusetts basketball tourney. That team was coached by 1970 alumnus Tom McDermott, and featured stalwart players, including Charles Pina and James Hendrick.
Upon winning the championship game at Boston Garden against undefeated Harwich, Sister Garrity sat misty eyed at courtside. The following day Boston Herald columnist Joe Fitzgerald wrote, “This was beautiful, Mission High, the little school on Mission Hill, with no gym and no campus, stealing a scene from “Hoosiers,” the inspirational film its students watched that afternoon.” Sister Garrity loved her students and adored this basketball team.
A tip of the hat to Jim Filaretos, who is a dedicated maintenance worker at the New England Baptist Hospital. Jim helps keep the hospital running, fixing appliances, and anything in need of repair.
Congratulations to Jonah St. Clair, who was selected to the Catholic Conference All-Star Basketball Team. Jonah, a former Mission Hill resident, played for Malden Catholic High School, from where he will graduate in a few weeks. Jonah’s dad, Jim St. Clair, was a hard-hitting first baseman in the Mission Hill Softball League in the 1980s.
Kudos to John “JJ” Geary, who completed the Boston Marathon in April. John ran in honor of fallen MIT Officer Sean Collier.
Kudos also to New England Baptist Hospital employees Scott Siegel, Codey Gillum, Allison Gwilliam, and Paige Legassie who finished this year’s Boston Marathon running for NEBH charities.
On Patriots Day many people gathered outside Mission Church to view the annual reenactment of the William Dawes ride of 1775. “It’s a terrific history lesson,” said Mission Hill resident, Brian Lynch, who watched with his three young sons, Dylan, Trevor, and Wesley.
Being a fan of “Oldies Music,” I frequent Flann O’Brien’s on Sunday evening where Bartender Paul Griffin, a great guy, plays a variety of 1960s tunes, from “Teen Queens” to the Beach Boys. See you there.