When George Deutsch walked the halls of Cathedral Prep in 1972, the school looked very different from the one students know today. It was an all-boys school filled with strict rules, strong discipline, and even a rifle team. More than 50 years later, Deutsch says the school helped shape the person he is today.

Deutsch graduated from Prep in 1972. He chose to attend because his older brother had graduated before him, first in his class, and his father expected him to follow the same path. Deutsch was happy to attend the school.

“Prep was the best school around,” Deutsch said. “So it was an easy choice.”

Prep has always had a reputation for strong academics. You could definitely say Deutsch did his part, ranking 12th in his class over the four year span. He enjoyed being an excellent student and competing with his classmates for the best grades.

“I had friends that I competed with for those class rankings,” he said.

Deutsch stayed busy outside the classroom as well. He joined the Rifle Team, Debate Club, Model United Nations, Chess Club, and played intramural basketball. His favorite activity was Model UN, a national organization where students took part in mock United Nations assemblies. Students were assigned countries and debated foreign policy issues.

“I got to travel a lot to places like Washington, D.C.,” Deutsch said. “So that made the whole thing very fun.”

Model UN also influenced his future. “Model UN is one of the things that helped me decide to go to Georgetown University,” he explained.

One of his most unforgettable memories came from the Rifle Team — something that would surprise many students today.

“We used to bring our guns into the school with us,” Deutsch said. “So I would just walk into school with my gun and put it into the rifle room. That’s just an example on how the world has dramatically changed.”

During one practice, a bullet deflected off the wall and hit a metal button on his chest. “The button took all the force and was shattered. It never broke my skin,” he said.

Life at Prep in the early 1970s was strict. About one-third of the teachers were nuns and priests. The headmaster at the time, Msgr. Robert McDonald, was known for his discipline.

“He had a reputation for being tough as iron,” Deutsch said. “If you screwed around for just about anything, he would give you a demerit.”

In the winter of 1972, a major snowstorm hit the region and most schools closed. Prep, however, remained open.

“Although he was tough, he ran, by far, one of the best schools in the region,” Deutsch said.

Deutsch said the all-boys environment also made Prep different from today.

“Lots of testosterone and a lack of social graces around girls,” he said. “We didn’t have to worry about being polite to each other.”

After graduation, Deutsch worked in banking for several years. Later, he followed his passion for history and earned a second degree from Mercyhurst. He eventually returned to Erie to work for the Erie County Historical Society and served as executive director for some time.

Looking back, Deutsch believes Prep gave him a strong groundwork for the life and career that followed.

“I’d say it was great school — strong academics, opportunities, extracurriculars, consistent discipline, emphasis on how to be a good man, morality,” he said. “Overall, it was a very strong preparation for my future.”