School Events Recap
Jack Foley
“ I have said it many times: Jack Foley is the memory and the conscience of the faculty,” says the Prep’ s Assistant Principal for Professional Development & Supervision and classmate Dennis Ahern’ 63.
After graduating from the University in 1967 as a classics major, Jack found himself that September sitting in the faculty lounge. Looking back, he recalls how the experience left him awestruck and often tongue-tied, but also how welcomed everyone made him feel as a rookie teacher.
Since that September over 50 years ago,“ Captain Jack” Foley has been a beloved member of the faculty, teaching Latin and Greek. He also served as assistant headmaster from 1982 to 1985, held the office of the dean of students from 1975 to 1978, coached baseball and football, moderated a spectrum of clubs and served as faculty representative on the Board of Trustees. Today, with a double Bene Merenti medal, a Maroon Key and the University’ s President’ s Award, Jack Foley is widely credited with maintaining the credibility and prestige of the Prep’ s Classical Languages Department in the 21st century.
Mr Foley was my mentor Freshman year, also my Latin 1 teacher. I ' d never studied a language other than English before, and Mr Foley kept it from becoming an intimidating experience; I ' ve been an( informal) student of languages ever since.
— Chris Blake’ 84
Classic Foley was seeing him in disguise( he looked like Inspector Gadget, trench coat and all) trying to catch students coming to the Prep not in full dress( i. e., shirt, tie, dress pants & jacket) getting off a bus or train on Fordham Rd!
— John McBride’ 80
Mr. Foley was my sophomore year Latin teacher back in the fall of 1967. It was his first year teaching. He was always upbeat, easy-going and positive. He managed to take a difficult language that many students found intimidating and make it humane. Anytime you asked Mr. Foley for something- academic help, supervising an activity- he always said yes. When I became a teacher, I tried to remember how Mr. Foley treated his students. I saw him a few months ago, and almost 50 years later, he still remembered my name and knew what I was doing. Thank you, Mr. Foley, for your kindness, dedication and service!
— Vinny Castellano’ 70
I was a classmate of Jack Foley. I remember studying AP Latin with Jack from Charles DaParma, a great teacher, and, I came to realize years later, perhaps someone who motivated Jack to become a teacher of the classics, just as I became motivated to teach as well at the university level. Jack was not only a terrific student but a wonderful colleague, a friend in and outside the classroom, the sort of person whom to ask if in doubt and to trust always with certainty.
— Jorge Domínguez’ 63
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