Chapter 9: My Life in the Seminary

I attended St. Anne elementary school on Queen Anne Hill. The Catholic schools didn’t have junior high or middle schools. Our school was from kindergarten to the eighth grade. I was an altar boy in my last two years of school. After graduation the eighth grade, I decided to go to the seminary. My second oldest brother, Bill, was already attending the seminary.

The school was on Lake Washington in Kenmore, Washington. The property was covered with evergreen, maple, cottonwood and other trees. There were several trails through the forest leading down to the lake. The school closed in 1976 and the land was sold to Washington State. It is now a state park.

Our daily life was rather routine. We’d get up around 6 or 6:30. We attended mass at 7 and then breakfast at 8. Classes were similar to any junior and senior high school. We played the normal sports other kids played, but we didn’t have any teams that played against other schools. I played a lot of handball and table tennis. I was actually pretty good at table tennis.

Our school life was rather secluded. Occasionally, our families could visit us for a day. I never got homesick, and I could visit my brother at St. Thomas Seminary, but it was always nice to see my family when they could visit. St Edward was a minor seminary and St Thomas was a major seminary on the same property about a half mile away.

The dining room had one long table where all the profs (professors) ate. The other tables had eight students at each table with at least one person from each grade. There were six years in the minor seminary. Friday dinners were silent dinners. During dinner there was no talking, and a sixth-year student would read from a raised podium. I don’t know why I remember, but I recall them reading the novel “Failsafe” which was a fictional story about bombers carrying nuclear weapons. Since there was no talking allowed, we had hand signal for passing the salt, pepper, bread etc. It also taught me to be aware of people around me. Even today, when I see someone near me make a hand gesture, I look to see if they need something.

I will never forget the Sunday morning masses. The chapel was on the second floor. The students lined up two by two from the chapel entrance, down the stairs to the end of the long hallway on the first floor. The hallway had very high arched ceilings. We would chant the Gregorian chant as we proceeded into the chapel. It was so beautiful. If you have never heard the Gregorian chants, you should check it out online.

I was in the seminary for only one year before finishing high school at Queen Anne High. Even though I attended school there for only one year, I have many lasting good memories.

The photo is of the seminary. It is now a hotel/lodge, but the building’s exterior looks the same.