[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 85 (Friday, June 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         A TRIBUTE TO AL BURCH

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                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 18, 2004

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Al Burch, who has 
served northern Virginia as an educator for 42 years. Mr. Burch spent 
32 years as the principal of Bishop O'Connell High School in Arlington, 
Virginia. After over four decades of dedicated service to our youths, 
Mr. Burch announced his retirement earlier this month.
  I am proud to call attention to the achievements and dedication of 
Mr. Burch as he ends his career as an educator and principal. I would 
also like to share a recent article from The Arlington Catholic Herald 
which honors Mr. Burch and describes his many accomplishments.

           [From the Arlington Catholic Herald, May 20, 2004]

        Forty-Two-Year Run Comes to an End for O'Connell's Burch

                       (By Mary Frances McCarthy)

       In 2001, at the beginning of his 40th year at Bishop 
     O'Connell High School in Arlington, Principal Al Burch told 
     the Herald, ``In about two or three years I'll be ready to 
     retire.''
       Three years later, the O'Connell family is saying goodbye 
     to Burch, a much-loved and respected coach and administrator 
     who has worked at the school for all but four years of its 
     existence. A farewell Mass and party will be held at the 
     school on June 5 at 5 p.m.
       When his career began, Burch never imagined he would spend 
     32 years as an administrator.
       After graduating from the University of Corpus Christi in 
     Texas with a bachelor's degree in education, Burch thought 
     that ``Everyone would hire me because I was so good at 
     sports.'' Burch attended the university on a football 
     scholarship.
       When coaching jobs didn't fall at his feet as he thought 
     they would, he took a job at Surrattsville Junior High in 
     Clinton, Md., teaching history, science and English.
       In 1961, Burch learned of an opening in physical education 
     at O'Connell through Bob Rusevlyan, athletic director. Burch 
     took the job, teaching health and physical education and 
     coaching football, baseball and basketball. Under his 
     leadership, the O'Connell 1963-65 baseball teams were 
     Catholic League champions and gained nationwide recognition 
     in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, for winning 
     42 consecutive games.
       Coinciding with the beginning of co-education at Bishop 
     O'Connell, Burch was named assistant principal under Msgr. 
     McMurtrie in 1972.
       ``I owe a lot to Msgr. McMurtrie,'' Burch said. ``He saw it 
     was my dream to keep coaching, but he saw something in me 
     that maybe I didn't see.''
       While Burch was assistant principal, coaching three sports 
     and raising three kids, he went back to school to get a 
     master's degree in education at American University. ``And I 
     still haven't slept well since then,'' Burch said.
       His coaching career ended in 1977, when he was named 
     principal of O'Connell by former Arlington Bishop Thomas J. 
     Welsh.
       In the first 10 years Burch was at O'Connell, the school 
     grew from 1,000 students to 1,600 students, with a wait list 
     200 students long. In 1982, Bishop Welsh opened Paul VI 
     Catholic High School to ease the strain on O'Connell.
       Now, in a diocese with three diocesan high schools and 
     three private Catholic high schools, Burch said, ``The 
     chemistry of O'Connell is what makes it different.'' With 
     more than 110 teachers, 12 are Sisters of the Immaculate 
     Heart of Mary, 18 are retired military personnel and 28 are 
     O'Connell graduates. Burch said he has prided himself by 
     being able to ``put talent where they belong.''
       ``Surrounding myself with great people has been the key to 
     my success,'' he said. ``Sitting back and watching them work 
     has been a joy.''
       To Burch, O'Connell's teachers are all first draft 
     teachers. He has organized his school much like he would a 
     baseball or football team. Only the best are good enough for 
     him.
       ``That chemistry, and people who want to be here, I'm proud 
     of that,'' Burch said. ``We've been able to maintain that we 
     are a Catholic school.'' Burch said O'Connell has had more 
     than 65 alumni who have pursued religious vocations.
       Dr. Timothy McNiff, diocesan superintendent of schools, 
     said that Burch's leadership ``epitomizes the uniqueness 
     required of those individuals who have been given the task of 
     ensuring our Catholic schools are institutions of both 
     academic success and Christian values.''
       O'Connell was recognized by the U.S. Department of 
     Education in 1993 as a Blue Ribbon School and Burch was 
     honored by The Washington Post in 1997 when he was named a 
     ``Principal of Excellence.''
       In his retirement, Burch said, he will miss the students 
     above all else. ``I enjoy seeing them,'' he said. ``I think 
     O'Connell comes closer to that term, family. People return to 
     O'Connell. They're very happy here.''
       Burch looks forward to continuing his relationship with 
     Bishop O'Connell High School and working with the alumni. In 
     ongoing renovations at O'Connell, he still hopes to see an 
     Alumni of Distinction hall. ``There are people out there 
     doing great things.'' O'Connell has over 15,000 graduates. 
     ``They're really making a positive impact on society. I hear 
     good stuff.''
       All three of Burch's children--Kenny, Karen and Kristy--are 
     among those graduates. Burch hopes that one day, his five 
     grandchildren, ``if they study and work hard,'' will go to 
     O'Connell too, and become members of the O'Connell family.
       ``I consider myself blessed and fortunate,'' Burch said. 
     ``It's been a great job. I didn't have to work to make 
     O'Connell classy. It's always been a class act.''

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