1940-1950
1940-1950
1940: SPA Football Dominates
Under the leadership of captain Jep Knox '40, the SPA football team cruises to an undefeated season with memorable wins over Blake (7-0) and De La Salle (30-0).
Alice Marble Plays at Summit School
In May 1940, Alice Marble was scheduled to play exhibition tennis at the St. Paul Tennis Club. Alice Marble was an American tennis player who won 18 Grand Slam championships between 1936 and 1940. Heavy rains turned the tennis club’s clay courts to mud, and the exhibition was moved to Summit School's newly installed hard surface courts. All the Summit girls were able to watch Marble play. Jean West ’45 recalled how exciting it was to see what an athletic girl could do, given the opportunity.
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1940 - Summit School Modern Dance Club
The Modern Dance Club, led by Summit School Physical Education teacher Dorothy Otterson, is formed.
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1943 - Robert "Bob" Carley '43 graduates
Robert L. "Bob" Carley, Jr. '43 graduates. Born deaf, he became a valued player of hockey and football at St. Paul Academy and at the University of Minnesota. He was renowned for his ability to read lips at a distance and capture the opposing team's signals. He continued his entire life to coach, urge students to "have fun," and serve as an example of perseverance.
1946: SPA Football Defeats Shattuck
SPA football defeats Shattuck 7-6 in an exciting game chronicled in the Now and Then.
1947: Polio Strikes
In 1947 the polio pandemic struck, canceling all athletic programs across Minnesota.
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1948: Athletics Expands at Summit
1948 saw an expansion of athletics at Summit School. Field hockey, soccer, speedball, basketball, volleyball, and tennis were all offered. Tennis saw particular success with Jean Carlton '49 claiming the singles win and teaming up with Aleeta Engelbert '49 to claim the doubles win at the yearly intramural tournament.
1949: Al Smith Retires
Longtime coach Al Smith retires as the St. Paul Academy football coach, ending an impressive coaching career.
1949: Coach Roy "Chip" Rasmussen Hired
Roy M. "Chip" Rasmussen was hired in 1949. An enthusiastic backer of youth club sports in Edina and South Minneapolis, he began a new career at St. Paul Academy. He combined teaching with coaching football and basketball, and eventually became the St. Paul Academy Athletic Director. Rasmussen was the SPA Athletic Director from 1952-1972 and was an early supporter of establishing the Minnesota Independent School League (MISL).
1949: Summit Volleyball
Volleyball was a popular winter season sport at Summit School. The season was concluded with a yearly intramural tournament between grades. During the 1948-49 year, the freshman-sophomore team would defeat the junior-senior team to claim the tournament championship.
1949: Field Hockey at Summit
Field hockey, introduced for high school girls in the United States in 1901, became the most popular sport at Summit School. Each fall, students played intramural tournaments between grades as well as against peer schools such as Northrop Collegiate School and St. Mary’s Hall. In competition during the 1948-49 year, Summit freshman and sophomores handily defeated St. Mary's, while the juniors and seniors defeated Northrop.
