Roman Catholic Holds Commemoration Of United States' Entrance Into First World War
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- On the 100th anniversary of the United States' entry into World War I, students at Roman Catholic High School remembered graduates who served in the "war to end all wars."
An advanced placement history class of seniors gathered in the school library for the special observance.
Father Joseph Bongard, Roman's rector and president says it's appropriate to make the connection between today's students and those who went before them.
"This really humanizes it and makes it personal to them because these men that fought in the war walked in these corridors, sat in the same classrooms, played on sports teams that we have. So that personal connection we think is really important."
Chris Gibbons, a 1979 Roman graduate and vice president of the alumni association, is spearheading efforts to find Roman students who died in the war. He's had limited success.
"We still are searching. We found 12 thus far out of the 32."
Gibbons says he found evidence that some 1,500 Roman graduates fought in World War I.