Over the years have lamented the tragic fall of Cardinal Brennan, writing about the history and the school and the eventual closing. We were first to report when the school actually closed .. Just for fun we even included the school in our “Skooky Things” last Halloween.
But as this new school year begins in 2021, the former Cardinal Brennan school came to my mind just as it does every year about now .. when that summer heat becomes humid and the roar of school buses in the distance begin to be heard. I have those quick flashbacks to childhood myself, preparing for school and feeling that ill feeling during the final week of vacation. As I moved on to high school, the sight of Cardinal Brennan was my morning ritual. So it goes without saying that it gets a passing thought even to this day.
So this year, I took a quick drive passed Cardinal Brennan out of interest of nostalgia — that dangerous nostalgia.
I snapped a beautiful photo of a somewhat dilapidated school against the background of a beautiful blue August sky. You can almost see the humid heat in the air in the photo..
And then it was realized: This is the 15th anniversary of the fall that the final senior class of Cardinal Brennan began ….
The school went on to close at the end of the 2006/2007 school year.
The 15th anniversary of the class of 2007.. WHERE ARE THEY NOW!!
The writing, it would seem, was on the wall. Or more so on the front page of the sports page in the fish wrapper.
The Republican HERALD reported that the Cardinal Brennan football team was done-fer, bott.
The lack of a team reverberated through local Friday night lights circuits.
At the time, some found it to be prophetic about the school itself, while others reminded people that CB had some issues prior.
As a matter of fact, the school had dropped its football program six years prior. It returned in 2001 though with Richard Geist as coach, CB went 7-4, losing the Eastern Conference playoffs. In 2002 they went 8-3 before losing in the District 11 Class A playoffs. In 2003 they had a perfect regular season 10-0, a win at District 11, Class A opening round before a double overtime loss to Minersville in the championship game, 21-14..
The Chargers had another undefeated season in 2004.
So two years later when the football program was put on hold, it was a shock for the school and others who followed high school football.
By the winter of 2007, announcements were made that the Allentown Diocese was going to “evaluate” the fate of Cardinal Brennan. While so many know now what that means, in 2007 some thought that it meant there was still a chance for the school to survive..
What played out was a long drawn out debate, public relations game, and eventually an announcement of a school closing.
By the end of the school year that began just 15 years ago about now, the entire history and legacy of Cardinal Brennan itself came to an end.
And what a fitting speech by a Elizabeth Butler, the salutatorian that year. She said “live every like it’s your last.” The emotions that year were heavy.. not only was the school closing, not only was it the final time a graduating class would toss their hats into the air in celebration, but the mood was heavy because of the tragic loss of a classmate and student at CB Corrine Kushwarra in a car accident just weeks before graduation.
Butler included in her speech words about the loss of the school itself. “We didn’t realize how much we appreciated Cardinal Brennan until we found out we were losing it. And we don’t realize how much we care for people in our lives until they are lost. These tragedies teach us an important lesson: to never take anything for granted, whether it be a seemingly unimportant day, or our lives as a whole.”
Butler said, “My advice to the class of 2007 and to everyone present: Appreicate the impact that Cardinal Brennan High School has had on your life, appreciate the impact we have all had on each other, and most importantly- live every day like it’s your last.”
For the record.. this is the final class of Cardinal Brennan, which began going to class right about now…. 15 years ago during a moment in time:
