About the La Riviere Society

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The Father La Riviere Society brings together students, friends, and colleagues to commemorate and share the indelible mark made by a single teacher on young men at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, California, from 1959 to 1969.


Father La Riviere served as a catalyst to help his students grow and mature. His unique and singular style of teaching English and Latin included memorizing inspirational poetry and literature, while learning a broader vocabulary and the importance of speaking "loudly, clearly, and distinctly"! In this way, AHS students, who began as boys, grew into young men armed with the ability to think critically and to express themselves with confident voices.


Father La Riviere, was a towering presence, who brought with him a piercing gaze and hearty laughter.  His individual attention became a force in students' lives. We look back on Fr. Earl with nostalgia and warmth. Many alumni have remembered him throughout their lives, because he influenced their values of Integrity, justice, and dignity.


Through the Society, we are sharing reflections, anecdotes, and memories about Fr. Earl and our time at Aquinas. We honor his contributions to our lives, which we'll hopefully pass on to the next generation of "gentlemen, scholars, and saints."