Jen [Leonard] Nichols SRL69 from IP address 205.188.116.140
Back in 1991 Sr. Rita Damien, Sr Regina Rose and Sr. Lucille Francis, were the Class of 1969's guests at our reunion along with some of the priests of SRL.
I know I have not stayed in contact with them and was wondering if they all were still enjoying good health and if the nuns were still in Belleville. Would anyone know this and/or have the address in Belleville - I'd like to drop a note. Thanks!
Jen, I saw Sr. Regina Rose last November in jersey City. As far as I know she is still alive & well, 95 years young. I visited her at Caritas House but I just heard recently, she will be moving to Convent Station. As for Sr. Rita Damiem, I was trying to contact her about 3-4 years ago. I was to late. I happen to read in the Ledger, (around the same time I was trying to find her) that she passed away. I found out in her obituary, that she too was living out her last days at Convent Station. I know nothing about the Sr. Lucille. I hope this helps you. Take care & God Bless.....
Jen,
If you scroll down and click on page or section 15 at the bottom of the Diner Message Board, then go to the thread entitled "RIP Sr. Rita Damien", you can read some comments from other classmates about Sr. Rita. I had the pleasure of being in her company a few times since we all got back together in 2002. She was a wonderful person and a great educator.
Jen, As far as I know, Margaret is correct, Sr. Regina Rose is still in Jersey City. Sr. Lucille Francis is there also. Regina Rose is in her mid-90's. Lucille Francis suffered a stroke a few years back and is in poor health. As for Sr. Rita, she died a little over 2 yrs. ago. I went to her funeral. One of the saddest days of my life. The next time I see you we'll talk about that day. Bob
I can't believe she is still alive. I remember at the end of eighth grade class,she went away. And the class was blamed , because she was not feeling well. Anyone remember that.
lol. CARLITA'S HOUSE...lol..No wonder nothing came up...I realized I'd better use my BETTER reading glasses...too funny. I found Caritas House. Thanks. Hey Bobby how about sharing w/all of us my interest is really peaked here....as I'm sure everyone's is ;)
Well, sorry it must be me. i couldn't stand Sr. Rita Damian & the truth is vice versa. she made my life in 8th grade a living hell. she busted me constantly about my teased hair & even brought me to the water fountain outside the girls room & with her hand poured water over my hair trying to get it flat. she was so hard headed & stupid. she wouldn't believe my hair was natural curly. the more water she put on the curlier it got. i also will never forget she slapped me the night of the graduation dance. i don't rem what for but she slammed me across the face; full force. i don't miss her. other nuns were terrific. i always wanted sis. rose. she was cool.
After spending most of my adult life in public and private education, it is hard to believe what non-lay teachers got away with back in the 50's and 60's. I attended Good Counsel for 7 years and had the Sisters of St. Joseph before attending SRL for one year. In 6th grade I was hit on 2 seperate occasions by Sister Grace Mercedes. Once for laughing at a classmate's joke and another time for not being in a straight line at lunch time. She just went down the line belting BOYS across the mouth. Corporal punishmnet that warranted firing, but no one told their parents and the parents would have taken the nun's side. AT SRL, a nun told an 8th grade girl student, "You're no girl, your all shape.honey."? What the heck did that mean.
At Essex Catholic the brothers doled out punishment by belting the students across the face or hitting them on the hands with a strap. No wonder the 400 student freshman class was down to 267 by graduation. These people were crazy. The "teaching" was horrendous. Never had an instructor observed by a superior in four years.
I will never forget Sister Everista for telling the first grade class that there was no Santa Claus. "Pagans invented him to replace Jesus." In 12 years of education I never heard the word holocaust once, but was told repeatedly that only Catholic enter heaven. They made us watch bishop Fulton J. Sheen, but elvis was evil.
When it was time I sent my sons to public school, but CCd classes and they made all their sacraments. When it cam time for high school it was Seton Hall Prep. Msgr Kelly did not allow the shenannigans that we had to endure in the 50's and 60's.
Dominican Sister Elanor, currently principal at Resurection School in Jersey City. Devoted to her faith, her students and her community. Made such an impression on an 8th grade student Dana Owens at St. Anne's School in Newark many years ago, that the grown up Dana (Queen Latifa) Just doanted 50 grand to Resurrection, even though she did not go there. Out of respect for Sr.Eleanor. Sister Elenaor's sister is at Mt. St. Domincks. I envy her students. Sr. Eleanor Yuhl.
Brother Ward, Jensen, ConCannon, Collins, and Paul.
Mister Flood and Mr. Taglierie, as well. I have a friend who is a professor at Felician after finishing a distinguished career at Governor Livingston HS. He taught two years at Essex Catholic 67-69 ish. Told me that he was never observed in two years. Got no supervision or guidance from administration. The very few staff meetings were about not flunking students because the school needed the tuition. I had two labs in four years, both biology. 99% of the lessons were lecture. I did not do a term paper until the second semester of junior year. I had 75 students in my gym class.
I remember my 8th grade teacher bringing out in the hallway and asking me if there was any way my parents could afford the $500 a year tuition for Seton Hall, as opposed to free Essex Catholic. I said "no". Two people in my class went to St. Benedicts, none to Seton Hall.
My sons' experience at SHP was very positive. How lucky they were to have been influenced by men like Msgr.. Kelly, Tony Verducci, Mike Shepherd jr, John Allen, and Bill Perschicetty. The difference between Seton Hall and West Orange High School was night and day. When one of my sons was having a problem in biology Mr. P sent her to our home to give him private tutoring. Msgr Kelly still writes my kids when he hears about something they did. I taught a young man from the worst ghetto in Newark about 12 years ago. He wanted to go to the Prep very badly. They found a way to have benefactors of the school pay his tuition. He struggled with the academics, but stayed with it. When he was 14, I could not even understand him on the phone. He ended up getting a full scholarship to Sain Joseph's College, When he graduated he was doing public speaking. Today he has a masters degree, is married with a daughter and is in education. He would not have done that at West Side High School. No dis- Jimbo.
Frank, we've discussed this topic many times before and as usual you're right on the money. If there's anything more overrated than catholic education I'd like to know what it is.
They were cruel, sadistic and their actions were criminal. They specialized in humiliation and intimidation. It took me years to get over the negative messages pounded into us each day. I was a low maintaince kid who didn't look for trouble. So..they picked on me unmercifully for get this, not standing up straight. (Anyone else see the irony here?) I lived in terror of them. My only consolation is that once I was out from under the thumb of the "catholic" influence, very little intimidates me.
Linda, you hit the nail right on the head. The term "sisters of charity" has to be the world's biggest oxymoron, there was nothing charitable about those miserable, rotten, frustrated women. I've felt for a long time that all organized religions are based on three things, fear, guilt and money, except maybe not in that order.
Renee, you're right about Sr. Rita Damian but so wrong about Sr. Regina Rose. I found her to be extremely cruel , insensitive, and just plain stupid, just like most of the nuns, priests and brothers associated with "catholic education". It did have one good lasting effect on me though, it convinced me to never set foot in a catholic church again unless their was a funeral of a close relative or friend that I had to attend.
We "ruled" 7th grade 1971 we must have gone thru 2 nuns and 2 teachers before good ole Mr.Zaparanick stuck it out with us, we had this Malayasian teacher for a month or so and she was gone. Once in a while Sister Lucille would come in and remind us that "we were once in her 6th grade class" and we calmed down. I noticed that once the rules or laws changed with the nuns being able to wear "civilian clothes" they became more friendly.
And the best way to serve John C. is sunny side up hahahahahaha ;^)
Though some of the nuns were not such nice people, the education provided at OLGC abd SRL was superior to that of the local public schools. Despite some organizational problems, so was ECHS, though it was inferior to SBP and SHP. I often wish in our current world of critical thinking, Bloom's Taxonomy and the world of test scores, we could revisit sentence diagramming, old math and memorization and recitation.
Things turned in the 1980's when new students we got in Bloomfield from catholic schools were usually behind. Old timers told me in the 50's and 60's the catholic school transfers were always ahead. .
Looking back it is apparent that some people just should never have been teachers.
I have to agree that some of the nuns were angels but some of them were unfit to be around children, or the public in general. Sr. Regina Patricia, infamous for her tongue-up-her-nose trick, was especially mean and sadistic. By Sixth Grade I had become fully disabused of the notion of nuns' spiritual rectitude. Like I said, some were great, but others . . . not so much.
I, too, sent my kids to public school. I went to East Orange Catholic and the favoritism that some of the nuns showed to certain students was unbelievable--especially Sister Elizabeth Willian and her little favorites in Latin class. Somehow, these idiots thought that we needed Latin instead of home economics (only the stupid girls were in home economics)--I have spent almost my entire adult life involved in "home economics." However, I did think that Sister Agnes Lucy was a good teacher--everyone always asks me about both grammar and spelling, everything I learned in her 7th grade class.
I will remember all of you in my prayers this Sunday.
"You only get out of education what you put into it".
Hey it's a pleasure going to class when you actually
like the teacher. I, for one, got a few beatings. I deserved
most of the them. Those that I didn't, well?? I took those
anyway for some of the things I got away with.
Aside from becoming a math wizz, they help developed tremendous
reflex skills that carried to Golden Gloves boxing, and more
importantly, Ice hockey. A reporter once asked me about an injury,
and if the pain was going to keep me out of the line up? I said:
"I doubt it, I went to Catholic School". He understood.
I think some school systems today could use the old nuns. It would be
more effective than the "boot camp" programs. Nun of us (oops, none)
turned out bad.
Jim, thanks for setting all the rest of us who don't agree with you straight. I feel so much better now knowing that it was all my fault. I guess all those lovely nuns who constantly berated and put you down and the wonderful pedophile brother Haney who made life miserable for me at Essex Catholic were right and I was wrong. Yea your absolutely right Jim, good old catholic education, there's nothing like it in the world!
I had Mrs. Hesse and she was just plain crazy. She marked everyone really low for three quarters and then would give out A's and B's last quarter so people would pass. Otherwise 90% of the people would have flunked! She made it a point every day to send one of the girls to the bathroom to tame her teased hair. The girl would use the opportunity to reapply her white lipstick and re-tease her hair. Upon return to class she would always say, "How's that Mrs. Hesse?" "Much better" she would be told!
I too went to East Orange Catholic. I am looking for anyone who went there from the class of 1965. I only went there for two years, because I wanted to go to public school, for the games...boys, and most of my friends went there. I have been looking for a dear friend of mine. Linda Kowalchik. She too went to EOCHS. Does anyone know how I can get in touch with here, or does anyone remember me? Joanne (Harris) Doerflein. Thank you for all the memories at this site.
Was that malaysian teacher named Mrs. Elliot? I cant remember what grade it was 5th or 7th when the class must have gone through at least 4 teachers, as the one we started with, if i remeber correctly sister macela had been found unfit to teach.
Tony, i can only go by what my "gang" said about her. most of them were in her class & said she was "cool" so what did i know. i hated Rita D so anything was better. in the long run, i agree with jimmy. we didn't turn out bad & catholic school had it's advantages. when i went to HS i attended Our Lady of Good Counsel. i had fun, learned wayyyyyyy more then i ever did at SRL but unfortunately the riots broke that running streak in mid yr so when we moved down here in nov. 67, i went to my 1st public school. they were overcrowded, more concerned with after school activities & many "clicks". i was an outsider. never made friends here. later yrs found out from someone i ran into that they were afraid of me cause i was a Newarker! Ha! i weighed 97 lbs. what a joke. the teachers really didn't put any effort into it. i had a 75-80 average in geometry (i stink at math so this was great) & a 85-90 in spanish at OLGC. came here, failed............hated it & couldn't wait to graduate. in the case of the high school experience Jimmy, i agree. those nuns cared really cared. if you had questions, they answered them & were willing to help you even after class. complete opposite from SR or public hs.
I attended OLGC Grammar school from 1952 to 1959. Except for the two incidents with Sister Everista and Sister Grace Mercedes, it was a pretty pleasant experience, a far cry from what is described at SRL. The Sisters of St. Joseph were very nice on the whole. Sister Anne Vincencia was my favorite. Sister Alma Delores was a huge orioles fan. Once a year, we were visited by a supervisor from Chesnut Hill to observe class. Going to a grammar school that also had a parish high school made us a little more mature. We always saw "the cool" teenagers hanging out at Bernies. Preppies,not hoods. A lot of the students came from "up the hill" and had parents who were doctors, lawyers, and funeral home directors. We were happy to move, as we finally had our own house. The kids I would meet on the Sussex Avenue Playground ended up being my friends for life.
As for one's experience with SRL nuns, obviously a lot depended on who you got and what your situation was. I had Sr. Rita Damien for 8th Grade and I was just fine with her. I was sometimes a pain in the ass but I was also at the top of the class (after Patti Kluss and Bill Tortoriello), so I got some slack from her. Had she ever dragged me to the fountain and doused my head, though, my recollection would not be so kind.
Having said that, I would agree that the religious orders were inhabited by misfits in a higher proportion than in the general populace. I liken them to cops in that there seem to be two kinds: those who want to serve and those who want to punish.
Johnny, this seems to be my day to get set straight, until I read your most recent contribution I was under the mistaken impression that all of the misfits belonged to religous orders. Anybody else out there care to straighten me out.
I have to agree with Tony. The nuns were horrible. I only attended SRL in 5th and 6th grade. I was an average student and far from a trouble maker but that didn't stop them from slapping me around anytime they felt like it. I attended other Catholic schools and they were all the same. I think if you were poor with only 1 parent they looked down on you and made your life hell. It is for that reason I am no longer Catholic or even religious now. I hope they all rot in hell.
I also don't think be beaten and humiliated by nuns made us what we are today. I think it was our parents and upbringing that shaped us. There was nothing good about the treatment we received by the nuns. Renee's story just brought back bad memories. Imagine the harm in doing something like that to a young impressionable girl.
I would not know where to start! my memories are very bad and I am not sure it is approate to say it all on the forum since it would include other studant names. All that abuse has brought out my Spiritual being and do not embrace RELIGON.I could never and never did allow my kids to accept such Demonic and Manic abuse.
FREE SPIRIT
Joan Marie
Bob, my many excruciating years of catholic education has given me enough ammunition to keep you from getting bored for much longer than you can possibly imagine.
This is wonderful stuff! You folks can let it all out right here, now. It saves the medical insurance industry from making payments to the over-priced medical professionals who would say: " Now, tell me about your experiences as a child in school. Did you get along with your teachers?"
This is the best therapy I've seen in print in a long time! Keep it up!
I don't know either Linda Miller or Tony Parisi, but I agree with them 100%!
Sr. Regina Rose was vicious. I was lucky to be on Damien's good side, or she would have made me equally as miserable. What I saw them do on a daily basis, to some of the unfortunate kids in my class, was truly criminal. I dreaded each and every day!
Jimmy, I had responded to the Colleen posting and you missed it. That is why I asked about Joanne. I just cut and pasted my original posting below..........Sorry for the confusion.
Hey Jimmy,
You are right about the picture. I am one of the unknowns. Lost AND forgotten. I think Patty Mullen went to EOCH with us.
I sent in two pictures to John C. that I found in my mom's house. They were taken at the World's Fair. One picture has Maureen and DeeDee and a third girl who does not look familiar to me. The other picture has two nuns and three more unknowns......If John decides to post them, maybe you can identify the gals.
Which class was Joanne Gatti in? We attended each other's weddings but I lost contact with her soon after that. I don't see why, since it was only 31 years ago!
I promise to keep you posted on Nick Vena. He was in the Star Ledger this weekend.
Barbara, Joanne was my friend too & I think about her every now & then. She was in my class (Sr. Regina Rose) & I remember spending Saturdays at her house on Park Avenue. Her mom & dad were very sweet. I remember when he passed away. The last contact I had was that her & her mom were moving to West Orange. She went off to East Orange Catholic & I went off to Immaculate. I would love to hear from her.
I last saw Patti Mullen at Ramapo College in 76 or 77.
Patti and Tommy were comuting to Ramapo. Saw Petey Mullen
make a post here and there. HEY PETEY !!!!!!!!!!!!! if you
see this send our regards and tell Patti were all looking
for her.
I forgot that Joanne was with Regina Rose. We remained friends in HS. I remember when her father died. He had been cutting the lawn and had a heart attack. I visited Joanne and her mom many times in West Orange. We were good friends and as I said, attended each other's weddings. I think she and her husband moved to North Jersey while we moved south. That was years ago!
I agree with tony, I had sister regina rose, 8th grade was not good
she clearly had favorites, and i was not one of them. I loved growing
up in newark and SRL,it was the best, alot of great memories.
Enough already people! Am I the only one who went to SRL and never got whacked upside the head, or ever had my knuckles hit with the ruler, or anything like that? I actually loved being there, except for the time I decided to play hookie, and living across from the school was an easy way for the nuns, specifically, Sr. Gertrude James, and another one who I can't remember to come and check up on me. But when they came to the door, and my dad answered it, and let them in, I was safely in bed, covers pulled up to my neck, and Sr. Gertrude sat on the bed, felt my head, and said,"You will be in school tomorrow, right? I said"Yes,sister" and my dad said that I needed to rest and escorted them out the door. Even though she knew I wasn't sick, and also that my dad had back me up, I NEVER was singled out or anything like that after I came back to school. I appreciated SRL up until we moved to Verona after the first semester of 7th gr.,and since Our Lady of the Lake couldn't or wouldn't take me in mid semester, I had to go to Whitehorn Jr. High.I HATED every min.I was there! The students had no discipline, no respect whatsoever for the teachers, students wanting to physically fight with teachers, and teachers threatening to take them up on it, it was surreal from going from a very disciplined school,to a school where students were just running amuck. Maybe having 2 parents who were both in the Marines,I was somewhat use to doing as I was told,but as soon as I could, I took the test for Catholic HS, and then went to Immaculate Conception, where, I met up with Sr. Grace de Paul while going to Mass one morning. I spotted her combat boots, and after Mass asked her if she was Grace de Paul, and she said yes, that she taught at the grammar school! I thought she was 100 yrs. old when she was at SRL!I guess she was still useful so they stuck her there.
After all these years, I still think SRL turned out a whole lot of good,intelligent,generous people, regardless of/ or in spite of, how they felt about the nuns.
I sent my 4 daughters to both Catholic schools and public school,depending on which state we were living at the time, and I've asked them if they had a choice back then, would they still want to go to Catholic school, and unequivocally it was yes.
So after all this, I still appreciate the nuns, and SRL. They were human, and probably made mistakes with some students. But at the end of the day, everyone survived, and if some were not as lucky as others, keep on posting how bad you had it there, because we're all here to give you a place to vent.
OK, this is a touchy subject but we're all entitled to our opinions in keeping with our own experiences. Even if your time at SRL was heaven on earth, for others it was painful, and that's just reality, not only at SRL but other parochial schools. That we got out of it with a good education is a tremendous benefit, but that in no way excuses some of the methods the nuns employed. And again, some of the nuns were dedicated and kind, and they deserve a place at the right hand of God. Others can set up housekeeping in the Lake of Fire.
I too never got hit by a nun or anyother teacher. I went to SRL up until 4th grade. Then went to Holy Name in East Orange till 8th grade. I was yeled at. I think I was more afraid of my parents than the nuns. Was afraid of the beating I would get from my mother..so I really behaved in school..lol..lol. At HOLY NAME OF JESUS IN EAST ORANGE, I made really good friends with the Sr. Rose Kathleen..we used to go shopping all the time together. Maybe in the future I will tell you all the story behind that..lol. This is a GREAT SITE. I am hoping to meet up with some old friends from grammar school and hight school.
Jen, you really got everyone going, good. Anyway, I have to agree with my dear old friend Tony Parisi. It is sad, but I only attend church when ever a funeral or wedding is involved. I also feel that some of the nuns did not know how to teach. When I visited Sr. Regina Rose last year, she admitted to me that she did not know how to teach the eight grade math. Although I was not tortured,I did have some bad experiences with some of the nuns, Sr. Regina Patricia, Sr. Mary Edna & even Sr. Regina Rose. I do not have children of my own, but if I did they would not follow a path to Catholic education....
Margaret, you're still way ahead of me in attendence in catholic church. I skip the church service and go straight to the reception. As I said before I only attend the funerals that I have to and I never feel comfortable in church.
You came 45 minutes late when you were an usher for Aleda's wedding. But the minister waited.
you must have been pissed. Last time I saw you in church at a wedding.
...this question would have garnered such a long thread. I transferred to SRL beginning 6th grade. In all honesty the nuns were a walk in the park compared to my own mother. I remember in 7th grade (I was 13?)being permitted to wear a tad of mascara on the weekends - and never allowed at school. Well one fateful Monday morning I suppose I had not been as diligent as I should have been in totally washing off the mascara. All I know is I got yanked by the hair out of lunch line and marched to Sr. Gertrude Jame's office. I had no idea what I had done. I could only hear the phone conversation from Gertie to my mother. "Come to this school now and get your whore daughter out of here, she is a disgrace and disregards the rules for wearing makeup. GOOD girls don't wear makeup!" So my mother arrived shortly (she had to leave work) and the entire walk home from school she beat me up. [Not so much for the residual raccoon eyes but for having to leave work]. Nothing scares me now.
I've just been reading historical accounts of the Spanish Inquisition. The stories posted here are better and more reliable because they are primary documentation.
I recall we were both big fans of "Life is Worth Living". I also miss THE LEGION OF DECENCY and their good work fighting indecent movies. They went as far to list an Abbot and Costello movie as "indecent in part" because the movie made light of divorce. "It started in Naples" received the same rating due to a "suggestive title". At that age, I had no idea what "it" was. Was Ed Grant involved in that? I met him last summer at Mr. Persicetti's wake.
Frank, a more appropriate title for that show would have been[LIFE IS WORTH LIVING IF YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF TEENAGE BOYS TO FOOL AROUND WITH]. As for the LEGION OF DECENCY, the word it could have a million different meanings, what filthy minds those legion people must have had.
Well, I'm on the DL due to knee surgery and needed some extra reading material while confined. So, as a matter of allegiance, I'll have to stick with posts on the Bodholt's site, instead. You've got to admit, one couldn't make up these recollections of bizarre treatment in an educational setting - even if they tried.
Bob, that's still no excuse for reading that type of material although I agree with your linking of the nuns with the inquisition. In reality Bob I believe the nuns could have taught those Spanish inquisitors a few things, at least about brutality. It's also quite a stretch to compare St. Rose to an educational setting!
But John, look at all the agression we were able to release on this website. Most of us have the same anger and bad memories that we were able to share with other combatants of SRL. Thanks again John for this wonderful website.
Tony, Bob & Kathy,
now that i have stopped rolling on the floor with laughter, i can respond. Tony, a resounding YES i hope Gertie is in hell she was a BITCH 1st class. Kathy, yes, it does leave it's mark. the only saving grace is my hs nuns at OLGC were wonderful except 1 who I believe all my heart, my home rm nun, grace patrice, was reincarnated from the Spanish Inquistion.
Bob, did you see her name there? you instigator!!!!!
One thing i see from all of us, we have a very very sense of humor so maybe a good thing did come out of the abuse.
you're all nuts!!!! LOVE IT
Renee, a great time has been had by all, except for Johnny who I'm afraid is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. On a serious note though Johnny has to deal with all of our wacky personalities on a daily basis and I don't believe that anyone of us could handle it so well. Thanks Johnny for the great job you do everyday although I'm still not sure I'm done with this topic yet.
Tony, just think of all the money you've saved in therapy by doing all your venting here on this site. Just keep in mind that things were ALOT different 40-45 years ago when we were all in grade school. If you weren't beat by the nuns, you were beat by your parents. Take your pick.
Hopefully, we can now put this subject to rest. Thanks Jen, for a spirited topic.
Barbara, the sad part of this entire subject is that we had to vent at all. Those early formative years are so important and those nuns took all the fun out of learning. That's the important point here, both my sons attend public school and it has been a positive experience from day one for both of them. That's the way life and education is supposed to be!
Hey Jim, are they the voices that you keep telling me they give you lottery numbers?
Barbara, hi long time no see if you remember me. don't stop this conversation, i think it's the best laugh i had all week.
I do remember you now that you mentioned your uncontrollable hair! Do you remember Damien making all the girls with bangs wear headbands? So many issues, so little time.
Hi Barbara, i am glad you remember me! nice to connect up with you all again. brings back great (& some not so great) memories of Newark/growing up. Love John for putting this site out there! 1 Atta boy John.
Yes, i do remember her making us wear headbands. I never really hated a nun until i came across her, gertie & Patrice in OLGC, Otherwise, esp in OLGC i had great nuns, lots of creative ideas, made all our classes fun. didn't appreciate them until i went to public school after the riots down here.
what are you up to now? weren't you & the Worry's very close?
I have to say what fascinated me was the passions about this topic are still very near the surface after 30-40 years. I know we all had good experiences. I still remember Mrs. Lannon my first grade teacher with fondness. But it's so sad that the overwhelming impression we were left with is how horrible it was. I am grateful we were able to vent a bit among people who understand. Thanks everyone for listening and sharing.
Despite my lighthearted comment about dem Mets I really wanted to say something in all seriousness. My time at SRL 67-68-69 was a time period in which our country and community faced extreme challenges. The war in Viet Nam was raging, the streets of Newark were burning and drugs seemed to flow like wine. If the diagnosis of ADD existed back then ~ the slaps I got caused me to focus real quick. My Catholic school "training" imbibed me with such a sense of guilt through those tough years I neither became knocked up or locked up. I raised my children never laying a hand on them in anger. I've had a good life and earned an honest living. And most important of all I managed to keep in touch with some of the same people I've known for 40+ years!
So John, I apologize if the initial question started a brush fire, but it's all good. As always thanks for giving us the opportunity to share.
Jen, don't apologize for anything, does anyone realize that this topic generated more hits than anything since the "stop paying through the nose for gas" topic, and that dates back to july of 2008. I guess it shows how important this was to a lot of us. Most of our comments were very negative which dosen't say much for our wonderful catholic educations.
Linda, I totally agree with you about Mrs. Lannon. What a wonderful woman she was! I remember her teaching us to sing in French,Fraera Jaqua,(or however you spell that) I took spanish in HS so French wasn't my thing. ANYWAY, other teachers I absolutely loved was Sr.Matthew Joseph, big as she was and scary too, along with Miss Gilhooley,she was absolutely beautiful, Sr. Maureen Francis, Sr. Margaret Ann. I also liked Sr. Regina Rose, but I know others have different opinions of her. I met her years later when she was Dr. Marchigano's receptionist up in Cedar Grove, where I was taking my children for dr. appts. She seemed at peace. Maybe from what others have written about her, she would have been better out of the education/religious sector, and put into a layman's position. But I always found her to be very cordial, and when I'd bring up teaching at SRL, she seemed pleased that someone remembered that she was still a nun, and I still gave the the respect then, as I did way back in my school days. I guess I was the exception to have had a positive experience in Catholic school, whether it was grammar school or High School. I wouldn't have changed it at all.
Many boys' favorite teacher/coach at Essex Catholic was brother "Nick". He left the order
many years ago, married, had a daughter. He recently retired from a successful career as a guidance counselor at Morris Hills High School. He continues to coach the field events at Rutgers University. A true gentleman in every sense of the word. Unfortunately as Essex grads may already know, his daugher, now a student at Rutgers is very ill. As the Essex Catholic Foundation has been trying to raise funds to help defray medical expenses and has brought the situation public, I can write this on a public forum. He is an example of a great religious teacher. I wish his family well..
There's a tendency, conspicuous on this thread, to generalize about certain groups of people, to pigeonhole them into neat little categories, conveniently filed for future reference. We do it with occupations, with ages, with races, with age groups, ad nauseum. It's temptingly easy to sort things out this way, but the complexities of human nature don't allow for such simplicitly. Every walk of life has its share of misfits and screwballs; I challenge anybody to show me one that doesn't. So before you pick up that broad brush and dip it in either the white paint or the black, consider that most of us dwell in that vast gray area, between the two extremes. We cry out for justice, but in the end, what we really hope for is leniency.
Marty, I don't think these were generalizations but rather facts. While every walk of life may have it's share of misfits and screwballs, the religious community as stated by the overwhelming majority of hits on this topic does appear to be top heavy with them and I feel there is no justification for defending their abhorent behavior. You can make excuses for them if you want, I choose not to!
It might interest you to know that Sr. Maureen became a nurse. She took a tour of duty at teaching in the Virgin Islands back in the 70's. Then when given the opportunity went to nursing school. My mom and her were good friends. She found happiness in nursing. She should be a candidate for sainthood. I recall we had somewhere in the neighborhood of 64 kids in our fourth grade class! Miss Gilhooley seems like one of those teachers you read about in books. She was so sweet and kind. I don't ever remember her raising her voice. I love the fact that this site gives me the chance to talk to people who remember the same people I do and share experiences. Even living so far away (Columbus Ohio)I still feel like I'm visiting the "old neighborhood"
Channel surfing the other night, I came across a lecture by a doctor, on one of the PBS stations. She was discussing the impact of happiness on one's health. At one point in her dissertation she cited a study done on a group of nuns in Baltimore. The Sisters' diaries were submitted and scrutinized. It was found, and I quote, "The grumpier nuns died at an earlier age".
See you Friday.
I might be a little late for my two cents worth on this story about our wonderful nuns, but the years at SRL were not all that great and talk about beatings...HELL YEH...I'm not sure who beat me more the nuns or my mother,(sorry to say) anyhow i will never forget the day when (Licky Snots)Regina Rose dragged me out by the elevator along with the both 6th grade classes and was pulling my hair pouring holy water all over me and shouting that "this girl has the devil in her" and was just pounding the crap out of me, so i fianlly lost it myself (now remember i'm only in 6th grade, how old are we??)and went to start to protect myself and ended up pulling her habit off..everything came to a complete stop and i ran like hell out of the school and home i went..Now my mother was home and when i ran into the house she just froze and said "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HOME AT THIS TIME?????, now for those who don't remember my mom, she was a 6ft.women and somewhat on the heavy side. I explained to her what had happened which was that Regina Rose asked each student that morning what t.v. program they watched the night before...simple you say, at least i thought so until i said Combat!..And OH Dear God you would of thought i said "West Side Story"!!!my sister was in love with Vic Morrow, we watched it all the time..so because i didn't say Mr. Novack(sp) i got the hell kicked out of me..My mother asked me, was watching Mr. Novack a homework assistment, which i said no,and off we go to the rectory, and talked to the Msgr.and Father O'Leary and then over to the school we went. To make a longer story short after the Msgr.the preist, the nun and my Mother got done "talking" Regina Rose apolized to ME!!.and she never hit me again for the rest of the year.. :)
Kathy, we may as well all face facts, good old St. Rose was more like a lunatic asylum than like a school! I enjoy getting together with the old crew because the neighborhood was a funny place to grow up in and I honestly believe it would be tough to find a nicer bunch of people. I feel no such loyalty or any kind of affection to the old church or school.
Yes Tony i certainly agree with you.. i don't get down to Newark enough but i still have close friends that i still talk with, the old "GANG" members for one..but i do believe you and i are close neighbors?? ur in flanders aren't you?? if so i'm in budd lake...
I was only at SRL for kindergarten and 1st grade. We moved to south Jersey in June of '61 and I went public school. I sat bolt upright with my hands folded on my desk for a long time until I figured out that public school kids did not get beaten. I have two memories of SRL. The kindergarten room and the Nun teaching us to say a please and thank you in French. Then there was first grade. I found myself being locked in the broom closet for what seemed like days because I got blamed for flooding the boy’s room. Wasn't me. When my mother found out after school she bolted from Bodholt's to the rectory in her waitress uniform with me in tow. All 5 foot nothing 90 pounds of her. Let me tell you, you did not want to piss off that lady. She raised holy hell and I don't think I ever had another problem. Afterwards Pop at Bodholt's fed me a big cheese burger and a mongo slice of the world’s best chocolate cream pie. God I miss that diner, the burgers and pie (rice pudding too), Pop and most of all, my mom, bless her soul.
I think that there must be a silent majority that haven't responded to this topic. Sure there are some bad ones in any bunch, but overall I think that the nuns, brothers, and priests did a very good job. I'm proud that I had a good Catholic education at SRL and Essex Catholic. May God Bless them! Just look at what they turned out.
It is funny how you said you sat with your hands
crossed, i find myself NOW doing the same thing.
say, i'm sitting at a table listening to what is going
on, there i sit like the "good little catholic girl,"
sitting with her hands folded....lol..another fond
memory of SRL...at least you got out in time, most of us
got the punishment till 8th grade..
:)
It does no good to keep repeating a viewpoint that has been made several times. If a topic is so inflammatory one cannot help oneself, I suggest continuing the tirade by private e-mail or starting one's own message board, which any idiot can do, as I have proven. In the seven years I have run this board I have locked a thread only once, but I won't hesitate to do it again if pointless repetition continues.
Tony, every time someone voices their opinion you have to come on and repeat your broadside against the nuns, priests and brothers. I'm not saying I don't agree with you; I'm saying you've made your opinion known over and over, and at some point enough is enough. We have reached that point. I moderate this board and I make those decisions. If you feel you cannot respect this arrangement, contact me privately and we will come to some sort of agreement.
Lupo -"the one thing I hate is monsters posing as good Catholics"
His partner "You mean the mob?"
Lupo " No, the nuns. I went to parochial school as a kid".
Despite some rare situations some of us experienced as children, they were far and few between. The dialoge was really CATHOLIC BASHING, which goes on more and more in the media. The fault lies in the archdoiceases of the land who allowed it to go on and then covered it up.
It is too late to have done your job properly in the 60's and 70's with the basd apples posing as nuns, preists and brothers it is too late to undo the poor handling and the closing of EO Catholic, Essex Catholic, and Boystown. Do we one favor: LET MSGR GRANATO STAY!!!
this morning, trying to beat the clock with getting all the lectures written for an upper division undergrad class (soc 331, marriage and family) starting next week (someone please smack me in the head next time, I decide to re-do an entire course)... came to the site to get a little less myopic with powerpoint slides, found that Jen's thread was re-opened and stated to read...
as much as I hated SRL with a passion, went out of my way to be a pain in the ass at the Valley, have noticed that my catholic school students are much better prepared to do university level work still, so do run my classes on that level...
I have a departmental colleague who is a nun and still after all these years flinch when we work together or just talk... she thinks my catholic school PTSD is funny, but fully understands... :)
ironic that I gravitated to a catholic university for work in the end due to the principles we were taught in a sometimes vicious way, the stories of SRL still seem to seep into my lectures at times and my students are appalled, but their parents have similar stories too...
one thing we all learned well was that we stick together when together... thanks to everyone who ever helped me out of a jam or stuck up for me when the !@#$ was about to hit the fan over something insane...
I've heard a lot of stories about mean nuns, but I have a few memories of my own. I remember my mom telling me that the principal of St Rose's gave up Hershey bars that she dearly loved so that one of the fathers in the parish would stop drinking.( I secretly hoped it was my father, and eventually he did.) I remember that same prinicpal letting me come to Kindergarten younger than usual, because my mom had to go to work and needed someone to watch me while my older brothers and sisters were in school. I also remember a sweet young nun lending me a First Holy Communion dress to wear because it was getting close to the occasion and I didn't have one yet.
people who are talking about stopping the thread sound just as controlling and authoritarian as the nuns the other folks are venting about. so much for the notion that these nuns did not have any negative influences on their students!
If you're referring to me, Ed, if I'd wanted to stop this thread I'd have yanked it months ago. My point was that the topic has been pretty much exhausted. Obviously, some nuns were misfits who traumatized some of us one way or another, and other nuns were wonderful teachers whose "influences" are still with us. Like this website.
thanks for the response John, I really like this site and think you have done a terrific job with it. pardon my rude comments earlier, I grew up too close to New York Ed
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