The St. Aloysius ring 1969 marked 100 years of educating young men in New Orleans.
St. Aloysius Ring 1969
St. Aloysius High School presented rings to their final class, 1969, in the fall of their senior year. The Brothers of the Sacred Heart announced the closure of the school the previous summer. The campus at Esplanade Avenue and N. Rampart Street would close after graduation in May, 1969. The institute combined the student bodies of St. Aloysius and Cor Jesu High School, forming Brother Martin High. The BMHS Class of 1970 received the first class rings of the combined school in the fall of 1969. With fond memories of the legacy schools, those underclassmen of 1969 carried on at the expanded campus on Elysian Fields.
The Legacy
1937 Senior Ring, courtesy Mr. Tommy Longmire
As we mentioned in our article on the 1936 ring, the original colors of St. Aloysius High School were purple and gold, and the mascot was the “Panthers” The Sacred Heart encrusting on the 1936 ring gave way to the Aloysius “A” the following year, for the class of 1937. The stone was still purple. When Brother Hernandez approved the name/color changes, the stone became red.
The Ring
The Class of 1969 ring followed the pattern for the school’s class rings since the change of mascot and colors in the 1930s. The school’s final class ring sported one major change. Instead of the text surrounding the stone saying “SAINT ALOYSIUS HIGH SCHOOL,” the 1969 ring replaced the bottom text with “100 YEARS” to mark a century of tradition in New Orleans.
The left side of the ring presents the bust of a Crusader. the knight wears chain mail armor, with a coronet of nobility on his head. He stands in front of two crossed swords. The class year appears above him.
The right side displays an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A scroll above the image says, “Amateur Cor Jesu.” The date, 1869, marks the year St. Aloysius opened, on Barracks and Chartres Streets in the French Quarter.
A word from your sponsor
We hope you’ve enjoyed this series on the senior rings. While NOLA History Guy is not affiliated with Brother Martin High School, I am a 1976 graduate of the school. My book, Brothers of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, traces the history of St. Aloysius, Cor Jesu, and Brother Martin from 1869 to 2010. Here’s the back-cover blurb:
When New Orleanians ask “Where did you go to school?” they aren’t asking what university you attended but what high school. That tells a native a lot about you. For over 150 years, the Brothers of the Sacred Heart have educated the young men of New Orleans, giving them the opportunity to answer the question proudly by replying St. Stanislaus, St. Aloysius, Cor Jesu, or Brother Martin. Images of America: Brothers of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans showcases photographs, illustrations, and maps tracing the role of the institute in making New Orleans a vibrant and dynamic city, able to overcome even the worst of adversity. From their roots in the French Quarter, moving to Faubourg Marigny, and finally settling in Gentilly, the Brothers of the Sacred Heart continue to make a major contribution to metro New Orleans and Southeast Louisiana.
The book is available at all the usual suspects — the link here clicks through to Amazon. If you buy (or have already purchased) the book, feel free to contact me (edward@ebranley.com), and I’ll be happy to inscribe your copy.
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