Looking Back

Captured in Time

Feast Day Becomes Politically Correct

Edited to suit the times, co-ed relevance is important

Although the Church celebrates the feast of St. John Baptist de La Salle on April 7 (the date of his death in 1719), this was not always the case. For decades, the traditional day was May 15, as remembered by anyone over age 50. Howard Brodie, a Lasallian student from Chicago (and later a World War II artist), drew this sketch depicting De La Salle and a single student...the boy depicted in the image.

However, when De La Salle High School in New Orleans went co-ed in the 1990s, the administration asked the school’s art department to adapt Brodie’s sketch to reflect changing realities. The image above is the result. It appeared on page 1 of "Lasallian Signum Fidei" (March 1996), published by the Christian Brothers in Don Mills, Ontario (Toronto District).

If you know more about this photo you would like to share, contact Brother Joe Grabenstein (La Salle University Archives) at grabenst@lasalle.edu