After a brief illness Brother Paul Anderton Hall, O.S.B., monk of Mount Michael and instructor in the high school, passed away early Monday morning, February 2nd. Brother Paul was born June 2, 1924 at Winchester, Tennessee. He served in the Army from 1`943-1945 and participated in the famous Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Brother Paul came to Mount Michael in the Fall of 1962 and pursued his college education and at the end of two years of college decided to become a monk at Mount Michael.

Brother professed his first vows as a Benedictine monk on July 25, 1965 and three years later made his final commitment to the monastic life. He completed his college education at St. Benedict’s College in Atchison, Kansas whereupon he received his Bachelor of Arts degree. Brother Paul undertook special studies at St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Besides his work as instructor of History, Brother was the community barber. His role of teacher touched many people, his students, and the following account was written by Mark Klaas, a junior at Mount Michael High School.

“I respected and admired Brother Paul after one and a half years as his history student. I respected him as a teacher a man with insight, a sense of humor and wit, and a human attitude toward his work. Brother Paul made History class interesting and fun. Brother told stories and jokes, which made the class, have a feeling for a particular era in History. Sometimes he wouldn’t stay on the subject but would talk about personal experiences, current events, or anything else that was worth knowing. He could relate History to happenings and ideas, which affect us today. He didn’t want sheer memorization of History, but rather understanding, reaction and thus remembering History. Brother responded to the class predictably. He could scold, laugh, listen and talk when necessary. He always kept the class orderly and on its toes. He knew how to handle “kids.” Brother Paul shared his knowledge of life as well as History by adding his own special personality. It was more than evident that he loved to teach. He sincerely wanted his students to benefit from his teaching examples. I know my junior class saddens at losing someone who offered so much as a person as well as a teacher.”

A vigil service was held on Wednesday evening in the Abbey chapel and a con-celebrated Mass of the Resurrection was offered for Brother on Thursday, February 5th. Brother Paul was laid to rest in the Mount Michael Abbey Cemetery. May he rest in peace!