Victor Schiro Key to the City, a regular gift presented by the mayor.
Victor Schiro Key
Key to the City, administration of Mayor Victor Schiro. Vic presented this key to Brother Martin Hernandez, S. C., at some point during his tenure as mayor. The Brother Martin High School Archives houses this key. This key has a loop for display on a chain for a necklace, charm bracelet, or perhaps a watch fob. Schiro handed the recipient the key in the plastic box shown above. The box reads:
VICTOR H. SCHIRO
MAYOR
NEW ORLEANS, LA
The box twists open, revealing the key.
Unanimous Election
Victor H. Schiro sat on the New Orleans City Council as Councilman-at-Large in 1961. So, in July of that year, then-mayor Chep Morrison resigned his office. President Kennedy appointed Morrison Ambassador to the Organization of American States. The City Council filled the vacancy by electing Schiro. The States-Item and WDSU-TV editorial cartoonist (and NOLA Legend) John Churchill Chase did a cartoon that noted Vic was the only mayor of New Orleans to ever be elected unanimously.
Schiro ran for mayor and won on March 3, 1962 (It’s important to note that the Democratic primary and runoff took place the November before the general election). He won re-election in November of 1965, with his victory in the primary that year. Schiro served until May 2, 1970. So, Moon Landrieu succeeded him at that time.
Honoring Individuals
Walt Disney and Vic Schiro, July 24, 1966 (courtesly LSM)
The “key to the city” represents a high honor. The tradition is that the bearer could come and go at will throughout the city. The key enabled the bearer to enter the locked gates of a walled city. Mayors regularly awarded the key to visiting dignitaries. So, the Schiro key made it all the way to Los Angeles in 1966. Vic presented a key to Walt Disney upon the opening of “New Orleans Square” at the amusement park.
Brother Hernandez receives the key
While we’re not sure of the circumstances of the presentation of a Schiro key to Brother Martin Hernandez, it’s possible he received it in 1969. The combined school opened in August of that year. Brother Hernandez held the position of Provincial at the time.
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