Meet the Brothers

By Suzanne Guerin
Collegian Editor
February 21, 2007

Between the basketball court in Tom Gola Arena and office in Olney Hall, the Collegian caught up with Bro. Ed Sheehy for an interview.

Bro. Ed Sheehy is the moderator of La Salle's football and men's basketball teams. - Mike Dao

C: Where are you from and where were you born?

ES: I’m from everywhere. I was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., but I went cross-country five times before I was two. I had six different grade schools and two high schools. Kindergarten was in California, and first grade was in Massachusetts. I have been to every state. Since my dad was a naval officer, we moved around a lot.

C: Where did you go to college? What was your major?

ES: I graduated with my Bachelor of Art degree in history from La Salle in 1968. Later I earned a master’s of Liberal Arts with a focus on history from Hopkins. I also picked up an MA in philosophy from George Washington. My doctorate is in American history from George Washington as well.

C: What did you do before you came to La Salle?

ES: I worked at several other Christian Brothers’ schools. After I graduated from La Salle, I taught and was the Dean of Discipline at Calvert Hall High School in Baltimore. While I was at George Washington, I taught there on a fellowship and when I finished, I was a history teacher and Director of Admissions at St. John’s in D.C. I was assistant principal at Hudson Catholic [Jersey City, N.J.], and I was principal of Central Catholic High in Pittsburgh for six years before I came here in 1988.

C: What do you do on campus?

ES: I teach four different history classes, and I act as team moderator for football and men’s basketball. I like to help out the Admission Department, too. For the last 18 years I’ve been speaking at the spring Discover the Difference programs.

C: How did you get into naval history?

ES: My dad was a naval officer; he married my mother the day he graduated. He’s 62 years out of Annapolis, and it was his first career. I lived near naval bases for my formative years. I’d say my family and my early life as a navy brat really encouraged my studies of naval history. I’ve had the Navy banner that is now on my wall with me for over 40 years.

C: What languages do you speak?

ES: What countries have you traveled to?

C: I can get by in German, and I was at Central Catholic High for a while, so I can speak Pittsburghese.

ES: Some of the most exciting were Turkey, the Czech Republic, Malta, Australia and New Zealand. I like islands.

C: What is one of your favorite memories from a foreign country?

ES: One of the best memories I have is of being in Iceland for July 4 and hearing a band play “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

C: What do you do for fun?

ES: I’m very much into sports, mostly watching now, although I used to play. I like old movies, reading and being present at campus activities.

C: What book are you reading now?

ES: Well, a couple of times a year I do book reviews for the Philadelphia Inquirer. I just finished writing a review of Six Frigates by Ian Toll.

C: Tell us something interesting about yourself.

ES: Well, I’m the oldest of 10 children, and I have 28 nieces and nephews ranging in age from 3-29, with one set of twins. I collect magnets, matchbooks and thimbles.

guerins1@lasalle.edu