Donald C. Wetzel'46 Alumnus of the Year Vita Homecoming Mass Address Sunday, October 19, 2003 Chapel of the North American Martyrs Rev. President, Family, Fellow Alumni, Students and Friends: What a great day this is! I am honored to be here with you; and in Rome, today, Mother Theresa is being beatified by Pope John Paul II. Wow! There have been two compelling and very rewarding forces in my life, and today for the very first time I have the opportunity to tell you about both of them this morning. When I enrolled at Jesuit, as a freshman in 1942, I never dreamed that the Jesuits and Jesuit High School would charter the course of my life forever thereafter. Many people at Jesuit played a role in charting that course. There was Fr. Entz, who taught me Latin when I really wasn’t that interested in knowing that Gaul was divided into three parts. "Gaulia tres partes divisa est." And Gernon Brown and Eddie Torbio, two of the greatest coaches and motivators I have ever known. Also, Frs. Nolan and Cutcliff (scholastics at the time), who explained that the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. (Try using that when balancing your checking accounting.) They also insisted that a dangling participle is a no-no! I believed them! Since then, I’m proud to say, I haven’t left one participle hanging. There was Willie Brown, who taught physics and who advised us frequently to "get the Kreml off the wall." And I could never forget John Harry, our bus driver and equipment manager, who always reminded me that when things were bad, they will surely be better tomorrow. And I met some classmates who, to this day 57 years later are still my friends, like Stan McDermott, Steve Herbert, Hugh Oser, Augie LaNasa and the list goes on. Those people, and many others, formed and guided my academic life while strengthening my Catholic faith. They molded my morals, taught me to compete vigorously, but fairly, while stressing always that we win thankfully and we lose graciously. They inspired me to believe that a well-rounded education is a pre-requisite for future success and happiness and that discipline is a necessity for a healthy and complete life over the years. I can still remember the day that Fr. Stallworth gave us that sermon on discipline. It was a Saturday morning at 8 am as we sat in Penance Hall. I learned at Jesuit that the end never justifies the means and why that is so. I was encouraged to think before acting, to evaluate before concluding and then to proceed with conviction and determination to accomplish the desired result. And, most importantly, I was taught to love God and my neighbor no matter what. Yes, the older I get the more I appreciate the profound effect my Jesuit High School years had on every aspect of my life. And for that I am forever grateful! The second compelling force is here with me this morning. My family. Without their support, encouragement and love, days like today would never have been a part of my life. I would like to introduce some of that family to you now. Please know that I love all of you. And for this wonderful honor that I receive today… this Blue Jay shall always say "THANK YOU!!" Morning Assembly Visit Monday, October 20, 2003 Traditions Courtyard 7:45 a.m. Before returning to Dallas, Texas, where he resides, Wetzel spoke at assembly Monday morning in the Traditions Courtyard. Wetzel, who is active in numerous Church, civic, and educational endeavors, spoke very little about his invention of the Automatic Teller Machine. Instead, he reflected on the profound effect Jesuit High School had on his life. He recalled receiving his "Dear Blue Jay" letter of acceptance: "My parents could not afford the tuition, so my mother approached the president of the school to ask about reducing the cost of my tuition. He did, and I was able to come here." Wetzel's story is a testament to the continuity of Jesuit High School in so many ways. "In 1946 I wore the same uniform you wear today," he told the Jays. Wetzel attributed much his professional success and personal happiness to the values he learned as a Blue Jay on Banks Street more than fifty years ago. He concluded his address by suggesting to his fellow Blue Jays what they can do to ensure their own future success and happiness. The bold simplicity of Wetzel's comment made it most memorable: "Go to class. Go to Mass. If you do these two things, you will achieve, and you will be happy." Wetzel's speech at morning assembly concluded two weeks of Homecoming activities. Robert Leonhard'04, an aspiring entrepreneur, greeted Mr. Wetzel after assembly. One of Wetzel's sons, Scott (left), and two of their forty-one grandchildren (right) joined Don and his wife, Eleanor, at morning assembly. Scott is a graduate of Jesuit Prep in Dallas, and his sons are students there.