17th mural honors memory of brothers’ boys|[4/30/06]

Published 12:00 am Monday, May 1, 2006

About 90 people attended the unveiling of the 17th mural on the City Front floodwall Saturday – even though the threat of rain caused the location to change to the public library.

Chairman of the Riverfront Murals Committee Nellie Caldwell said the turnout for the Brothers’ Boys of Sacred Heart, sponsored by alumni and friends of St. Aloysius High School, showed the importance the brothers had in the community.

&#8220It’s obvious from being here today how much this school means to the brothers’ boys and what a huge impact the school made on them,” she said.

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The Brothers’ Boys of Sacred Heart mural depicts the original building of St. Aloysius High School and the brothers, who had an 89-year presence in Vicksburg.

Of those attending the unveiling, which was done by Power Point in the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library’s meeting room, nine were celebrating their 50th reunion at the once-all boys’ school. Only 16 had graduated in 1956.

For class member Don Roth, who now lives in Prairie Village, Kan., the word that came to mind when he first saw the mural was &#8220beautiful,” but it’s what the mural stands for that’s important, he said.

&#8220It symbolizes the contribution the brothers made,” he said.

The Brothers of the Sacred Heart began their work at St. Al, originally at First North and Grove streets, in 1879. The school’s enrollment tripled in their first year, from 50 to 150 fifth- through 12th-graders.

The mural, taken from the memory and description of 1946 graduate and mural committee member David Gibson, illustrates the large brick building that housed classrooms on the bottom two floors.

&#8220There’s no picture of it, so it’s mostly from my memory,” he said.

The original building was demolished and a new school was built on Clay Street in 1948. The Brothers left Vicksburg in 1968, and St. Aloysius and St. Francis, the girls’ school operated by the Sisters of Mercy, were combined into one system. In 1977, fire destroyed the Clay Street building, but a new one was built on the site in 1979.

Jerry Cronin, a 1956 class member who lives in Baton Rouge, pointed out a specific part of the mural that brought memories soaring back for him.

&#8220Those windows in the center of the building – that was our classroom. We had Brother Dean,” he said. &#8220It’s really special.”

Director of development and alumni affairs at Vicksburg Catholic School Chad Sonnek said the mural, as well as the Sisters of Mercy mural, unveiled in January 2004, is an important part of marking the schools’ history.

&#8220It’s a way of leaving bread crumbs that hopefully the next generation will continue to follow,” he said. &#8220It represents the spirit of what was there.”

Caldwell said a mural depicting the two Mississippi River bridges will be unveiled along the north floodwall later this year and possibly another one that has not yet been announced.

All of the historic murals are painted by Robert Dafford Murals and cost $16,500. The project began in 2001 and should be complete, with 22 murals filling the north floodwall, in less than four years, Caldwell said.