A Letter From the Class of 1975 to 2025 Graduates

Dear Class of 2025,

Well let me start out with a little ancient history. Way back in 1972 I was drooped off as a boarding student here at St. Bede in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing as far as you could see but corn fields, pigs, and cows.

The highlights of the campus was the hill from the gym to the cemetery for our beloved priest and the apple orchard’s if you could avoid being dunked in the creek from the filtration plant by an upper classman eager to teacher you a lesson in traditions’. Yes; I said to myself I’ve finally landed in prison where of course most thought I would be coming from Chicago’s inter city if not dead before my 21st birthday!

I remember (not really listening) but hearing someone saying: THESE WILL BE THE BEST FOUR YEARS OF YOUR LIFE! MAKE THE BEST OF THEM BECAUSE YOU CAN NEVER GET THEM BACK!!!

With that being said I’m proud to you I was part of St. Bede’s last all boys class to enter the academy in 1972. Then having some of the strongest and bravest young ladies join us as sophomores in 1973. We were the first graduating class in then the New Worship Assemble in 1975.

Now 50 years later, with my fellow Golden Bedens the Class of 975, lifelong brothers and sisters, to say they were right…

THOSE WERE THE BEST FOUR YEARS OF OUR LIVES, and I AM ST. BEDE, YOU ARE ST. BEDE, WE ARE ALL PROUD BRUINS NOW and FOREVER! NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE THAT AWAY and YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK HOME TO ST. BEDE!!!

So now it’s your time to shine, take all those bonds and the great foundation you’ve built at St. Bede. Be all that you can be in whatever dreams you pursuit.

It was my privilege from the Class of 75,

Clifton Shay Stone Jr. III