With seniors’ time here nearing its end, a certain reflection seems necessary. Walking these halls, we remember all of the great friendships we made, staff members we connected with and classes we wish we could take over and over again. We walk these halls searching for the most impactful element of our high school career, and we discover, the element is missing: Late Principal Michael J. Doran.
The auditorium or a location of equal or greater magnitude and symbolism must be dedicated in honor of Dr. Doran.
For the underclassmen, you all never had the opportunity to meet Dr. Doran as your principal. Perhaps you met him before you came here, but you never got randomly surprised by him in the Commons during lunch. He never sat down to engage in whatever your group of friends were talking about and casually, as though an inherent right, steal a french-fry or two off your lunch tray.
It astonished us how Doran was able to be everywhere at once. A man with such an awesome amount of responsibility was a regular at athletic, arts and scholastic events. Doran was no silent observer.
The Scotsman was as spirited as he was competitive. Doran would be the rallying cry at every game. He would socialize with his fellow audience members and wait till the conclusion of the event to come congratulate you on your efforts. If he was unsure of your name, the first time you told him would be the last time he would need. Doran never forgot a face.
Dr. Doran was a friend, a mentor and most of all the glue that held this school together through the worst of times. An unfortunate truth for students is that we have lost, not on one occasion, but several.
Through them all, Dr. Doran bore the tremendous weight of these losses and remained positive in the face of so much hurt. He lost with us, mourned with us and got back up with us every step of the way.
I had the honor of speaking with Doran a week or two before his death. Our conversation was following the tragic car crash that claimed the lives of two students from the class of 2015.
I asked Doran how he planned to address the loss at the start of the coming school year. Dr. Doran told me that there would be a discussion of the crash earlier that summer but that it would take place once the incoming freshmen were properly settled into the school.
He said he did not want the freshmen to enter the school and have death and loss be the first thing on their minds. His first concern was always the welfare of his students.
Unfortunately, Dr. Doran never had the opportunity to set this plan in motion. His passing left a void. He was the foundation of this school.
Dr. Doran must be remembered for the great man he was. His legacy must live on. A scholarship in his honor is a heartwarming testament to his importance to the school, but he deserves so much more.
The committee responsible for determining whether or not the auditorium is dedicated to our late principal meets this week. It is imperative that they vote the dedication through. A man responsible for so much greatness in our school deserves to be remembered forever.