Imagine my pleasant surprise upon learning today via Sean Dailey at Blue Boar that a new high school — Chesterton Academy [!] — is scheduled to open this fall in the Twin Cities, my old stomping grounds, and where my parents and most of extended family and many friends still live.
And, if that wasn't good enough, imagine my even greater surprise upon learning that the headmaster of said school is none other than John DeJak, an old college friend of mine.
Interestingly enough — and I'm not even sure if he knows this — John was the one who first introduced me to Chesterton. Heretics, at his suggestion, was the first book of Chesterton's I read.
I do hope that John — a Cleveland native — realizes that now that he lives in Minnesota, his issue will have to learn how to play
Duck Duck Gray Duck — and not the insufferable apology Duck Duck Goose — which is played everywhere save the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
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3 comments:
Your Minnesota connection is very cool, John, as is the fact taht you know John, who I have not yet met.
You would not believe how constantly homesick I am for Minnesota. Besides going to college at St. John's in the 80s, my family lived in Duluth for four years in the 70s and I lived in St. Paul for three years between college and enlisting in the Marines. Each Chesterton conference in St. Paul is for me tinged with sadness because going to them reminds me how much I miss living there.
Sean,
I hear ya. A great place, St. Paul — my mom grew up in Frogtown and Como Park, and some extended family still live in a few St. Paul suburbs.
Interestisngly enough — and given your interest in brewing, you'll definitely appreciate this — one of my great-great-great-great (too many greats? not enough?) grandfathers (on my dad's side) was Christopher Stahlman, who opened the Stahlman Cave Brewery on Fort Rd. (West 7th) and Oneida in 1855.
There's more about the brewery here (you'll have to scroll down about 2/3 of the way down (or, better yet, just do a search and find for "stahlman"); I can't figure out how to link directly to the Q & A about the Stahlman Brewery.
John!
Thanks for the plug! I saw it here and over at The Blue Boar. I had no idea that this poor slob introduced you to Chesterton! I am rather humbled. I also decided to start my own blog to put down my ruminations on war, drink and the Church. Check it out and let's stay in touch! Love to Joycelyn and the kids! We think of you often.
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