Unusual Strake Jesuit

My parents were teachers. Accordingly, it was decided before birth that I would receive the best education possible. My older brother, Wister M. Lee, Jr., graduated from Strake Jesuit in 1969, the fourth African American to do so. In the fall of 1971, I arrived on campus as a freshman.

A few markers determined that I would be an unusual student at Strake Jesuit. First, I was not Catholic, but students were required to study Religion. I also studied Latin for three years. Ironically, I excelled in both. Second, I was one of very few people of color on campus then. Any anxious feelings I had then about race at Strake Jesuit were dealt with early on and summarily by my father at our dinner table. He said to me, firmly but nicely, “You are so lucky. Get over it and get it done.” Oh well, that’s dad for you—no issue after that.

Additionally, I traveled 13 miles every day to be at Strake Jesuit. At first, a small group of us from Houston’s Third Ward met up at a city bus stop at the corner of Main and Holcombe. We would ride the bus to the end of Bellaire Boulevard to be at our desks in time for the first-period bell. After school, we carpooled back home, and some of the upperclassmen had cars. Looking back, these markers taught me that I was not the only one and that many of us were more alike than different. I honor those who came from another place hoping to thrive at Strake Jesuit.

Strangely enough, overall, I adjusted well on campus. I enjoyed the challenging academics, found good friends, and participated in extracurriculars. I became comfortable at Strake Jesuit because the school itself was unusual. On the surface, we were a small, Catholic, all-male high school. We wore green blazers, we had a TV studio, we had a full-time Disciplinary Officer, and freshmen wore beanies (sometimes). Nonetheless, what set Strake Jesuit apart for me was the skilled instruction I received in the classroom. Academic standards were high, and we were able to become directly acquainted with faculty and staff. This effect helped to create an intellectually stimulating environment and a wide-open growing space. I have nothing to compare it to, but I could not have received that level of intimacy in learning anywhere else.

I ran cross country and track for a while and discovered that I was limited there compared to the many mega-talents that existed in Strake Jesuit’s athletic community. I never lettered in a sport, but in that experience, I learned so much about character, focus, team building, and goal accomplishment. In addition, comparing athletics on campus from 1975 to 2025, one cannot help but be proud of what has become an impressive Strake Jesuit tradition.

I had fun at Strake Jesuit. My senior class had our own lounge with a pool table, which was a shack. The pool table was not leveled, but we played on it anyway. When you broke with the first shot, the balls would gather on one end of the table. If you forcefully shot the cue ball into the cluster of balls, something was bound to fall in. So, if we, as seniors, were so smart, how could we not figure out how to level the table?

Fast forward to 2025: Most people believe their high school graduating class is special, and I am no exception. Recently, I became involved in planning my 50th reunion of the Strake Jesuit Class of 1975. When I tuned into a Zoom meeting for the initial planning stages, I was surprised to see 40+ class members on my laptop monitor. Wow! There they were, 50 years later, a storm of energy, a cohesive unit, and a great group of lifelong friends. As we coordinated our efforts for the event, we easily picked things up where we had left them off, including inside jokes. As we reconvene on this golden anniversary of our departure from Strake Jesuit, I honor that group, of which I am proud to be a member.

The blessing is as follows: 50 years ago, I was an unusual student (though not the only one) who landed in an unusual place. There, I found a great community to create a great springboard into everything that happened after that. Although we are long gone from Gessner and Bellaire, we will forever haunt that long-covered walkway… between class periods.