The Seniors of the Class of '64
Here are shots of our brothers from the Senior Class of 1964
at St. Fidelis Seminary High School from the Fidelian of May, 1964 . . .
'Shout outs to Bill Graham, John Harvey, Jim Menkhus and Tom Weinandy.
So will they be celebrating their 60th reunion in 2024?
Jim Freeman ('71)
I entered St. Fidelis in September of 1967 into a class of 35. I spent 8 years at St. Fidelis which was truly a positive development in my life spiritually, academically, culturally, and athletically. The lay and religious faculty really inspired all students to achieve their maximum potential.
I am the oldest of 5 children of my parents Jim and Lorraine Freeman from SouthEast Washington DC. We were members of St Francis Xavier parish, and the Capuchins from Cap College helped out with Sunday Masses. Thus, the segue into Project Probe visits to St. Fidelis, and my acceptance in September of 1967.
I never picked up a basketball until I entered St. Fidelis, but as my classmate (and teammate) Paul DiMaio claimed, “we lived in a dormitory, got up for prayers and breakfast, went to class, and then played basketball!” Through knocks and pitfalls, I quickly learned how to play basketball!!
Rich Zelik ('67): Roots & Gym Rats
I am the 2nd born of 4 boys to my parents Edward and Dolores (Scherer) Zelik. I am also one of about 25 cousins on the mother side of the family and dad’s side. I have bunches of cousins whom I was able to get to know through family reunions. I am 2nd generation of immigrants on my father’s side of the family due to his parents migrating to the USA from the current Czech Republic and from Austria. Whereas on mother side of the family, her uncles and aunt held reunions that allowed me to get to know a broader range of cousins. Mother’s father was very active in politics and his one brother of 9 siblings had sons as police officers and fire fighters in the City of Pittsburgh. These family members introduced me at a young age to politics, public service and sports! I might add that my paternal grandfather is said to have built some of the Federal Court Room Benches in the City – a different aspect of politics.
Tom Betz ('75): Dream On!
Every time I visit Herman and see the Summit Academy, what used to be our beloved Saint Fidelis Seminary, I feel wistful. Although I was there only eight years out of a long life, those years were the most meaningful. They made me the man I became.
We lived a God-centered life at SFS. Our days began and ended with prayer. We knew that we were being prepared for a mission of brining God to people, especially people in need. Some of us SFS alumni became Capuchins; most alumni did not. Regardless, all of us grew up in a milieu where God was first and where we were taught that we had a duty to serve others in God’s name.
He may now be Provincial, but more pix tell the story . . . .
Art Nestler ('78) Invites us on Our Walk
St. Francis said to his early followers, “Go, my dear brothers, two by two through different parts of the world, announcing peace to the world and penance for the remission of sins.” Inspired by the Gospel passage, when Christ sent the Apostles out, two by two, with just their sandals and little else, St. Francis wanted his brothers to walk.
It's no longer easy to walk the grounds of what was St. Fidelis High School and College, because it's now a private school with limited access to the public. Though that's the case, we hope to establish an “on-line walk through,” or a “virtual walkabout,” that will take you back, or introduce you, to a beloved Catholic institution. In order to construct this site, we will need your help. By help, we mean the contribution of memories. Memories that include photographs, artwork, articles, essays and/or poetry.
Dave Schaffner - Class of '81.
I entered SFS in the fall of 1977 as a Freshman and was there until the school closed in 1980.
During those high school years at St. Fidelis, I was fortunate enough to also work there in the summers, cutting grass and helping to do general maintenance around the grounds and property. So in essence, I was with the friars almost every day for almost 4 years. Being with them on a day to day basis is when my love of the friars really grew.
After high school, I continued to live in the Butler area, and over the next 10 years, I worked at several institutions in the maintenance department, fixing, repairing and maintaining. One of these institutions was Laroche College where I met my wife Sue. Our life took us to the city of Butler where I worked at Elm Court, a mansion in the city owned by Fred Koch; I was a grounds keeper and gardener there for several years. From there I went on to Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel, PA. It's a 135-acre nature reserve with several buildings on the property where I was the Land and Facilities Manager.
Memories of St. Fidelis Come to Life
This year, the Annual Golf Outing to support our work in Capuchin Formation was coupled with the first St. Fidelis Alumni reunion on FRI-SAT, August 6th-7th. The turnout was tremendous given the resurgence of pandemic concerns, but the weather cooperated and the events both on the 
Golf Course and on the Picnic Grounds provided plenty of opportunity for bringing back fond memories and provoking questions like "Who are you?" and "Is that you?" It's been forty years since the last class graduated from the High School. That was 1981, even though the school closed its doors in June 1980. The men who left as juniors were able to return after a year spent in their local high schools to receive the last degrees the school conferred. Among them was soon-to-be affiliate David Schaffner who directs and animates the St. Fidelis Alumni. Dave was Editor-in-Chief of the Fidelian, the school's newspaper, when it produced its last issue in 1980, and the article he co-wrote in that final edition relays a great history of the 100 years of St. Fidelis' heritage (the edition we have was even signed by Dave and by Jeff Dauses!). We've placed it online. For those who may not know how precious it was to many of the friars who lived, prayed, studied and played there, you may get a glimpse of an important part of our Province story.