1977 - 78

Class Leaders

Student Body Officers – Perry Vietti, president; Rose Barbiero, 1st Vice President; Robert Boyd, 2nd Vice President; Karen Wright, secretary; Monte Cruz, treasurer.

Senior Class Officers – Scott Coupe, president; Mark Hafeman, 1st vice president; Judy Schovaers, 2nd vice president; Denise Reynolds, secretary; Mike Marushack, treasurer.

Junior Class Officers – Christina Fowler, president; Lynn Ivers, 1st vice president; Dean Burchett, 2nd vice president; Cathy Meyers, secretary; John Boyd, treasurer.

Sophomore Class Officers – John Stransky, president; Rena Barbiero, 1st vice president; Chris Smith, 2nd vice president; Mary Roney, secretary; Paul Heath, treasurer.

Freshman Class Officers – Andy Deiss, president; Pam Burt, 1st vice president; Kari Maloney, 2nd vice president; Mary Jo Ahlin, secretary; Jim Carty, treasurer.

The Year

National Merit Finalist: Daniel Andrus

National Merit Semifinalist: Rowland Davis

The Administration: Fr. David Whalen took over as principal. Assistant Principal and Dean of Studies: Jim Yerkovich; Dean of Students: Tim Carr; Guidance Director: Sonny Tangaro; Director of Activities: Fr. David Kenehan; Athletic Director: David Disorbio; Senior Class Moderators: John McGean, Marjorie Pierce and Sr. Josephine Burns. The faculty and staff numbered 50. An Administrative Council was established, including Fr. David Whalen, Jim Yerkovich, Tim Carr, Sonny Tangaro, Fr. David Kenehan, David Disorbio, Marjorie Pierce, Sr. Noel Marie, Sr. Maxine and Sr. Josephine Burns.

Nuns with the Sisters of the Holy Cross lived at 430 S. 1200 East. Sr. Maxine, a Benedictine nun who taught at Judge, resided at 563 S. 1100 East. The Oblate house was at 941 E. 500 South.

The year started with enrollment at 642 students – 146 seniors, 157 juniors, 169 sophomores and 170 freshmen.

The lay faculty submitted a proposal for salary and benefit increases. The faculty had forgone increases the previous year “due to last year’s budgetary difficulties. We feel that we have sacrificed greatly over the past four years and that few are aware of our current situation. Since Sept. 1972, teacher salaries had gone up 9.5% compared to 34.7% statewide and a CPI [Consumer Price Index] increase of 46.4%. Base salary in 1976 was $9,858 compared to $12,617 in Granite School District and $12,973 in Salt Lake City School District. Judge paid $150 per teacher per year for medical insurance. A single teacher paid an additional $137.40 annually, a married teacher $535. Retirement accrued after three years at $200 a year. School lunch was provided, a tax-free benefit of $135. Granite and Salt Lake City paid all medical insurance ($58.20/month for families and $19.95 for singles). Granite contributed 5% of a teacher’s annual salary to retirement, Salt Lake City 10%. “Teachers at Judge are paid less by far and receive less in benefits than any of the forty school districts in the state of Utah,” the report said, noting that teacher salaries at Judge were comparable to Granite’s in 1972 and Salt Lake City’s in 1973. “We believe that when a great need is recognized, support, goodwill and generosity will be found,” the teachers wrote, adding that money was located for football and kitchen equipment and the donation of $20,000 worth of electric typewriters. “Judge Memorial is second only to the Cathedral as a symbol of Catholicism in this valley – to let it flounder or fail would be an inconceivable stigma to our Catholic community. So we ask for your support and we pledge out continued concern and work for JM – remembering that we must first care for our families.”

The teachers requested an average raise of $1,196 (total cost $22,725); an increased in the employer medical contribution of $10 for singles and $30 for families. They predicted the maximum annual expense to the school would be $4,300. The teachers requested that for each year of teaching at Judge, one year of tuition free education should be granted to a child of a teacher. The administration was asked to try to secure the cooperation of businesses and professionals in granting discounts for goods and services to families of Judge faculty and the start of a campaign to get businesses to support scholarships. The faculty recommended establishment of a structure that tied salary-schedule increases to the cost of living. They also wanted tuition to be increased to equal the cost of educating a student ($755), while providing an extensive scholarship or sponsorship program for needier students. They also suggested the school hire a financial director to raise money and begin a promotion and public relations effort. The document was signed by 21 lay faculty members.

A fundraising campaign launched Sept. 11 from parish pulpits was designed to generate $1.5 million for capital improvements. It was overseen by the newly established Judge Memorial Board of Financial Trustees, formed by Bishop Joseph Lennox Federal in the spring to “develop a financial and business management plan for the present and the future.” Enid Cosgriff, widow of businessman Walter E. Cosgriff, was the general campaign chairman. Four committees were established: Business, John F. Dillon; Parents, Gene Erbin; Parishes, Robert Neville; Special Gifts, Harold Isbell (husband of Judge graduate Lyn Cosgriff). The board appealed to the 3,200 Judge alumni since 1925 for financial help, noting that enrollment numbers were up 109 over the past year. Board President James Schultz said Judge finished the 1976-77 school year with a balanced budget. But by February of 1978, the board projected the 1977-78 school year would end with a $90,000 deficit because of “inadequate tuition” in that school year alone. “Neither Judge Memorial nor any institution can continue to function in an operating deficit with runaway inflation,” the trustees wrote, recommending a substantial increase in tuition for the 1978-79 school year – $765 per student for subsidized Catholics, $885 per student for non-subsidized Catholics and $975 for non-Catholics. At that point, pledges to the $1.5 million capital campaign had reached $705,000 (minus $211,000 in expenditures).

Under the direction of trustee Michael Clark, the money was used to renovate the fourth floor into a library and three classrooms, to install maintenance-saving carpet, to modernize the gym, put on a new roof and expand the auditorium’s facilities for drama, art and home economics. A new 52-seat diesel bus also was purchased. Funds were set aside for the Judge Memorial Elementary School Sports Complex at St. Ann’s “to provide facilities for all Catholic elementary school athletics for girls and boys.” Judge graduate E. Timothy Schomburg, 31, was hired as the first development director responsible for community relations, alumni programs and the $1.5 million capital development campaign. He worked with Bob Neville and Charlene Furano to organize an active Alumni Association.

The first trip for the new bus was to take the football team to a game at South High School, where the Bulldogs beat the Cubs 21-6. An Intermountain Catholic story about the bus and other fund-raising efforts showed Coach Frank L’Etoile looking down from the front steps at players Tony Mele, Paul Colosimo and Tiger Ellefsen.

The Varsity Cheerleaders were Peggy Colosimo, Beth Geiermann, Joanie Perfili, Roxanne Larrabee, Anne Brennan, Mary McGill, Annette Ravarino, Jamie Hammill, Joanne Williams, Patty McCabe, Jackie Moore and Erin Murphy.

Sr. Jose Maria, who taught business at Judge for 16 years and also at St. Mary’s after taking her final vows in 1937, died Sept. 25 at St. Catherine’s convent after a brief illness. She was 63.

The Judgeonian staff included sports editor Jared Neumeier and art editor Ross Gagnon.

A Nov. 18, 1978 story in The Salt Lake Tribune story headlined “Parochial Schools Keep Current – Ask Students at Judge,” talked about the modular scheduling and new teaching techniques to go along with uniforms and strict discipline, academically and behaviorally. The increase in lay faculty was a result of declining vocations, said Fr. Whalen. “But he added that the mood of the school is not significantly changed with the influx of lay teachers. In hiring any teacher, he seeks out those with values and beliefs compatible with the school’s philosophy,” The Tribune reported. Parent Paul Brennan applauded the school’s approach to discipline. “In some ways the school is strict,” he said. “But I think that the stronger the discipline, the happier the kids really are.” Photographs accompanying the story showed Reed Quinn, Tony Mele, Raul Franco, Mitch Galli, Tom Eckroth and Tom Burt.

Judge students attended a special performance at Kingsbury Hall by Ballet West of Bruce Marks’s piece, “Sanctus,” and “Promenades” by Derryl Yeager.

Bishop Federal dedicated the new, 9,000-volume library, built at a cost of $100,000, on Feb. 12. The library featured an expanded periodicals room, an archive and meeting rooms for faculty and students. Sr. Jeannette Klassen was the first librarian. Artist-in-residence John Wood painted water colors and silk screens on the walls. The bishop put a crucifix on the east wall, where a convent chapel originally was planned when more nuns were foreseen teaching there.

Students in Sr. Patricia Anne Roland’s social justice class went on a 72-hour food fast, gathering pledges of financial support from their schoolmates, to raise money for organizations fighting hunger. Karen Wright collected the most pledges. She was pictured in a Salt Lake Tribune article about the effort, along with Dave Fontana, Shannon Graham, Gina Gourde, Ren Brown and Fr. David Whalen, who took part in the final 24 hours of the fast. Representing the senior class, Ann Chambers gave a check for $520 to Sister Madeleine Therese, coordinator of foreign missions for the Sisters of the Holy Cross.

Sports

The football team came within a missed extra point of reaching the state finals. Coach Frank L’Etoile’s Bulldogs were region co-champions with a 5-1 record and upset Timpview 7-0 in the Class 3-A quarterfinals. But the playoff run ended in the semis with a 14-13 loss to Davis, a game described as a “classic” by The Salt Lake Tribune. Trailing 14-0 before a crowd of 6,000 at the University of Utah, the Bulldogs rallied midway through the second quarter, scoring on an 18-year run by Tom Eckroth. Reed Quinn added the point after, and the 14-7 score stood until late in the fourth quarter. Then, after a Tony Mele-to-Dan-Johnson touchdown pass was nullified and Davis later stopped Judge at the one, Eckroth recovered a fumble in the end zone to make it Davis 13, Judge 13 with 2:53 left. But the usually reliable Quinn’s PAT bounced off the right upright, leaving the Bulldogs with a one-point deficit. And when Davis got the ball back and picked up a first down, the contest was over. L’Etoile employed a two-quarterback system for much of the season, alternating Mele and Doug Vierra. Key players on offense were Paul Colosimo, Gary Mason, Tiger Ellefsen, Dan Johnson, Reed Quinn and Andy Mates, while the defense was driven by Tom Eckroth, John Condas, Raul Franco, Len Feraco, Scott Coupe, Victor Forsman and Doug Vierra. L’Etoile’s assistant coaches were Dave Disorbio, Mark Soltis, Tim Carr, Tony Crandall, Virgil Sullivan and John Colosimo. Greg Gardner was the physical therapist.

Coached by Patricia Bettin, the volleyball team was led by Mary Hadley, Patricia Harte, Luann Holdener, Roxanne Larrabee, Kelly Madsen, Kathy Shelton and Sherianne Stephens. Other players were Katie Fagen, Monica French, Lynn Ivers, Tricia Leary, Mary Barbara Lytle, Patrice Purcell and Susie Wilson.

Lettering in cross country were Dan Andrus, Scott Barney, Steve Bills, Ann Chambers, Chris Griggs, Earl Kane and Betsy McHugh. Steve Cotterell was the coach.

Coached by Tom Bettin, the boys tennis team included Paul Brennan, Paul Giovacchini, Bill Gray, Richard Henkels, Jim Kunzweiler, Tim Leary, Kyle Madsen, Tom Reeves, Don Sheeran and Mark Williams.

Scott Barney and Rick Stark were the only seniors on Coach Jim Yerkovich’s basketball team, which extended its playoff streak to nine years. Other key players were Terry Murnin, Andy Mates, Steve Bills, Doug Vierra, and lettermen Tom Stewart, Randy Zickert, Mike Miller, Paul Maxwell, Jim Lytle, Tony Kitterer, Charlie Colosimo, Brian Bentrude, Scott Barney and Eddie Allam. The Bulldogs lost a heartbreaker to Pleasant Grove in the opener of the 3A state tournament, 49-47, but won a consolation game over Spanish Fork, 56-48, led by Steve Bills with 20 points and Andy Mates with 15. Four players missed the game, including two starters, with the flu. Woods Cross then knocked the Bulldogs out of the tournament, 66-41.

Salt Lake Tribune’s Scott Malan wrote a feature about Sonny Tangaro entering his 17th tourney as a player and coach. In his 13th year as Yerkovich’s sidekick, Tangaro said “I don’t know if Jim sees it this way, but the way I interpret the situation, Jim is the brains. He’s the analytical mathematician. I have a masters in psychology and I handle the emotional aspect of the team, getting the team fired up and that sort of thing. Between the two of us, we’ve been able to enhance one another.”

Earning letters for the girls basketball team, coached by Patricia Bettin and Tom Bettin, were Mary Hadley, Patricia Harte, Mary Hadley, Mary Barbara Lytle, Kelly Madsen, Jackie Moore, Kathy Shelton and Tricia Schubach. Other players were Lisa Rohland, Patrice Purcell, Lou Lynn Neale, Cathy Meyer, Val Harris and Dianne Cookson.

Junior Billy McKenna was the league’s leading scorer (41 goals and 53 assists) for a Judge hockey team that reached the finals against Viewmont before losing. Judge beat Highland 7-3 in the semifinals with Andy Deiss scoring a third-period hat trick and Billy McKenna, Dennis McKenna and Lance Beeney also scoring goals. Dennis McKenna and goalie Bob Green were the only seniors for Coach Mike McCormick. Also earning letters were Rodney Baxter, Lance Beeney, Paul Brennan, Matt Bolam, John Dillon, Mike Ehresman, Joe Erbin, Paul Gogan, Russ Hadley, Bill Keating, Tomas Perez, Kevin Minear, Dennis Reeves, Dan Rodman, Steve Smith, Jeff Tabish, Tom Uzelac, Andy Wallace and Tom Wilson.

The girls swimming team finished sixth at state. Coach Fr. Richard Blenner’s squad was led by senior letter winners Dianna Kimball and Tanya Montoya, juniors Twila Bridgewater, Betsy McHugh, Julie Priske and Kathy Wurster, and sophomores Valerie Harris, Jeanne Kennedy, Marina Demiris, Kate Ehresman, Arnell Spearman and Margo Sutton and Esther Karpf.

Fr. Richard Blenner’s boys swimming team was led by Jeff Chapman, James Reeves, Tom Reeves and Said Sadri-Naini.

Senior Dianna Kimball won a gymnastics title to lead a Judge team coached by Mike Kimball, Patricia Bettin and Cathy Brimley. Joining Diana Kimball on the squad were senior Marcelle Davis, junior Kathy Wurster, sophomores Angela Atwood, Rosemary Brennan, Peggy Coupe, Marie Jahne and Patty McCabe and freshmen Stephanie Atwood, Patti Kuronya and Mary Jo Quinn.

The girls track team finished second at the Class 3A state meet, led by strong relay teams and juniors Monica French in the 220-yard run and Kelly Madsen in the high jump. Carol Braak, Ann Chambers, Loretta Gourde, Betsy McHugh, Krista Miller and JoAnn Slama also received letters from Coach Patricia Bettin, whose squad included Monica Bettin, Pam Burt, Mary Boyd, Beatrice Godina, Lynn Ivers, Marie Jahne, Eileen Kelly, Elizabeth McConnell, Dianna Quinn and Lou Lynn Neale.

The baseball team finished 4-12 under Coach Pat Clark. The Bulldogs were led by pitchers Kyle Yelderman, Steve Bills, Charlie Colosimo and Lance Johannessen, catcher Mike Miller, infielders Tony Mele, Raul Franco, Bill Keating and Tracy Conti, and outfielders Doug Vierra, Mike Reynolds and Mark Pazell. Reserves were Randy Zickert, Larry Holdener, Bob Burkett, Brian Murphy, Mike Mulligan, Paul Conway, Terry Overby and Bob Grube.

The boys soccer team finished 8-7-1, falling in the opening round of the 3A tournament to West. The team was led by goalie Andy Deiss, defenders Wynn Roberts, Steve Mason, Bob Boyd, Scott Coupe, Tim McGuire and Bruce Larrabee and forwards Jim Carty, Matt Larrabee, Geoff Gustavsen and John Piercey. Also earning letters were Bill Condas, Andy Gustavsen, Paul Maxwell, Said Sadri-Naini, Tom Stewart, Kent Strong and Kevin Minear.

Coach Tom Bettin’s girls tennis team was led by seniors Judy Schovaers and Lisa Erbin, juniors Roxanne Gray, Kelly Madsen, Cathy Meyer, Jackie Moore and Joanne Williams, sophomore Ann Watson and freshman Barbara Schovaers.

The boys track team was led by sprinters Dan Johnson, Tony Barnes, Gary Mason, Bill Hurley, Will Simpson and Charles Jones, middle-distance runners Andy Mates, Dave Barney and Chris Griggs, hurdlers Chris Fithen and Reed Quinn and long-distance runners Dave Barney, Dave Rice, Mike Marushack and Perry Vietti. The field events featured Tom Eckroth, Chris Griggs, Dave Corisis, Andy Cier and Jim Lytle. Members of the medley relay team were Tiger Ellefsen, Tom Eckroth, Jim Lytle and Dave Barney while Dan Johnson, Bill Hurley, Gary Mason and Dave Barney made up the 440-relay team. Coach Steve Cotterell also gave letters to Brian Bentrude, John Condas, Ben Frank, Earl Kane, Chris Klekas, Robert Pelley, Reed Quinn and A.B. Walls.

Coach John McGean’s golf team featured Patti Price, Scott Barney, Matt Bolam, Jerry Coates, Chris Jock, Bill Keating, Richard Kedigh, Kevin Minera and Dennis Reeves.

Graduation

140 graduates on May 21 at Dane Hansen Memorial Stadium at Westminster College.

Valedictorian: JoAnn Slama

Salutatorian: Michael Marushack

Highest cumulative GPA over four years: JoAnn Slama

Highest GPA during senior year: JoAnn Slama

101 members of the class went on to four-year colleges, with students receiving scholarships exceeding $25,000. Gold honor cords representing cumulative GPAs of 3.29 or better were worn by 38 graduates.

Grail Seal bearers: Dan Andrus, Paul Briney, Ann Chambers, Peggy Colosimo, Peggy Corrigan, Lisa Erbin, Patricia Harte, William Keating, Paul Lemieux, Michael Marushack, Christian Moore, Catherine Nero, Joseph Pemberton, Tricia Prokopis, Dennis Reeves, Sara Rich, Judy Schovaers, Patricia Schubach, JoAnn Slama, Maureen Toomey, Perry Vietti, Margaret Wilson and Anthony Zvonek.

Academic Awards – Mathematics: JoAnn Slama; Physics: JoAnn Slama; Advanced Chemistry: Paul Lemieux; Advanced Biology: Darlene Kite; Geology: Monte Cruz; English: Dan Andrus; Social Studies (World Problems): Dan Andrus; (Economics): JoAnn Slama; (Emerging Nations): Stephanie Dickinson; (Psychology): Ginger Adams; (Debate): Michael Marushack.

Spanish: Tanya Montoya; French: Peggy Colosimo; German: Stephanie Dickinson; Latin: Dan Andrus; Advanced Typing: Joseph Pemberton; Advanced Shorthand: Ann Chambers and Patricia Schubach; Bookkeeping: Judy Schovaers; Music: Steve Maloney.

Student body president Perry Vietti went on to become vice president of Chicago’s Interfaith Housing Corp., which used public and private funding to provide homes for low-income people. Before that, he spent five years as an Oblate priest and worked for the federal Housing and Urban Development Administration. He also was a distance runner, coming home for the Salt Lake City Marathon in 2004.

Diana Kimball died in 1995 at age 34 in Denver. She left a husband, Joe Evanoff, and two children.

In a unique event, the senior class weighed in at 11,420 pounds.

Alumni

Philip Purcell, 34, Class of 1961, became the youngest vice president in the history of Sears when he was appointed to oversee corporate planning. He graduated from Notre Dame after Judge.


Written by Mike Gorrell

Year by Year at Judge - Our Living History, was researched and written by Mike Gorrell, 1972 Judge Memorial alum and award-winning journalist who spent more than 44 years in the newspaper business, including the last 35 at The Salt Lake Tribune. A former teacher, John "Sonny" Tangaro, recruited Gorrell to help the Alumni Committee plan the school's Centennial Celebration. This project is his contribution, recapping what Judge Memorial's 12,000-plus graduates accomplished in their time as Bulldogs. 

Learn about the extensive process Gorrell used to produce the class summaries. If you look through a summary and know of details that are missing or have questions, please reach out to Gorrell. 

Learn about the process and contact Mike Gorrell »

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