Strike "The Gavel"

Memories like birds, fleeting--one must grasp and hold in heart's hand.

“The Gavel”—news keeper, memory jogger, keep sake, attic stuffer; name it what you will, it may be all of the above for alums.  It’s been around since the 1920s, so it’s close to its 100^th birthday.  That’s pretty impressive for a student publication.  “The Gavel” even replaced the yearbook for 20 years, 1954-1974. In the years leading to this development, the publication was the work of a club.  Clubs come and clubs go, so this one went when the interest in the required work waned.

“The Gavel” has undergone mutations, sometimes being a newspaper and sometimes a magazine, and masthead styles, as the photos demonstrate.

Times change and call for changes in style as well as content.  The articles in the early issues were very informative with less “fluff” than what was found in later years as student tastes changed.  Publication today is done in class with class, bringing back some gravitas along with lighter hearted news. Mr. Rory Glynn is in his second year of managing the publication, bringing his expertise from years in newspaper work. 

As with so many forms of media, our school publications are found online.  You can access the issues of “The Gavel” by going to the school web site ndapandas.org and typing the word publications in the find box.  By checking on The Gavel you will get access to issues from the past five years.  Enjoy!

Some Old Names Neither Fade Nor Move Away

 Memories, like birds, fleeting--one must grasp and hold in heart's hands.

 Recently blogger was looking up some information requested by a few relatives of deceased alumnae and was struck again, as in many times past, at how many last names from more than a century ago are still so recognizable today.  How’s this for samples: Von Handorf, Kirn, Bechtold, Hardebeck, Bankemper; or these: Grote, Steltenkamp, Muething, Kuhlman, Lewin?

If they all sound familiar, it’s either  because you have been around for a while or because you know someone from one of these families, or both.  Of course, the list could go on to include Isphording, Witte, Wolking , Darpel, Gleason, Andress, Bunning.  Not surely that we are finished with such lists, but because the list could continue for quite a few more lines.  This certainly is a reminder that the area was settled mostly by German immigrants, and so the list includes many names beginning with Sch…

Lots of interesting first names show also: Fritz, Wilhelm and Wilhelmina, Lonetta, Leona, Clemens, August, Cyrill, Apolonia, and on and on.  While most of these names are somewhat familiar (maybe Grandma was Wilhelmina), very many names that are familiar but seldom used now are in abundance.  Many have made a comeback, such as Emma.

Well, we all have names that are inscribed in zillions of places nowadays--it's the nature of our times. Here in these hallowed halls, we cherish the names that linger in the air we breathe and in the annals we hold in the archives.  What is in a name?  Lots!

Alumnae Anniversary

Memories, like birds—fleeting.  One must capture and hold in heart hands.

February, 1911

The following is from the Sisters of Notre Dame’s Annals.  These were written at the Fifth Street Convent and Academy (recall, all occupied the same building).

The month of February brought us another celebration. The proverb found its application, ‘What is lasting long, is good.’  For years, the Alumnae of the Academy had been trying to organize themselves as had been done in other institutions.  Finally it was done.  The idea of organization had been proposed to students of the first years, many of whom were now mothers and housewives.  They all showed much interest and a meeting was held during which a committee was elected and a president, vice-president, secretary, etc. were appointed.  Several meetings followed during which much love and promise of service prevailed.  The day of founding the organization was set for February 27, 1911….  It had been no easy task to track down former Alumnae members since many had moved far away.  Eighty former members came for the occasion.*  To enhance the festivities, the boarders had prepared many humorous and edifying recitations.  After the celebration, which took place in the auditorium, all went to the decorated dining room.  Several classrooms were draped in white and blue, the colors of the Academy, and old photographs and small banners with ND signs were displayed….  It was a wonderful get-together after so many years away from school and all felt at home again with the Sisters.  Many had to tell about the first teaches …Our Most Rev. Bishop delighted in eating with the young ladies and had perhaps an occasion to practice zeal for souls.  In is talk he mentioned that in a Christian family the mother can exert the greatest influence on the child and she is indeed the priest’s helper…  The ten or fifteen priests had a good time among themselves …

            As soon as the Bishop left, Father H. Tappert and Father Ahmann came to honor the Alumnae members…  Father Tappert said that he felt it an honor and joy to have for thirty-five years been in close contact with the Sisters of Notre Dame.  ‘You call yourselves Alumnae, and I will call myself Alumnus…’   The celebration ended with the song ’I love Thee, O Mary,’ and then ‘Holy God, We Praise Thy Name.’  The ladies decided to come together oftener during the year to entertain each other and also to help the Sisters in a material way.

*The writer was evidently including more than just the girls who had graduated after 1906, the formal beginning of the high school.  There had been from very early days, evidently, a commercial school.  Even considering that fact, the number seems high.  It may have included all of the grade school girl graduates also.

So, CONGRATULATIONS, ALUMNAE.  HAPPY 105^TH ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      The photo showing a typical celebratory event in the school cafeteria, is from a later date (no 1911 photos available--it would have shown gas lights, no doubt).

Maybe Curling Could Be Next…

Curling?  Well, why not?  The girls would develop focus, muscle, cooperation, sportswomanship, as well as good old American competitive spirit, and it is an Olympic sport.  Hmmm, maybe, but most people won’t warm to it, blogger is pretty sure.

However, whoever, 50 years ago, would have thought we’d have archery in the 21^st century.  But we do.  It is listed among the winter sports along with basketball, bowling, and swimming/diving.  Archery was born here in the winter of 2014, and is popular enough to attract about 40 students—it’s a “no-cut” sport.  This is great for individual competition, but because teams must have both boys and girls, our group can’t qualify for team competitions.  There’s light at the end of the tunnel—yes, the one that runs from NDA to CCH (figuratively speaking)—since CCH is in the process of forming a team.  While all problems aren’t solved thereby, it is possible that something can be worked out.

How do we handle shooting arrows indoors?  Actually, pretty simply.  The gym allows for enough space to hold competitions since the distance between the archer and the target is about half the width of the basketball court.  A tournament was held here during the holidays drawing many teams and individuals.  In the latter division, our archers came in third.  (Side note: if you want to do it up big this summer in your back yard, you’ll pay about $150 for a good straw target.  If you want to go for less, you can use multiple layers of corrugated paper—our practice material.)

 The other sport that, perhaps, may be even more surprising to our readers, is the spring sport of bass fishing.  But, lest you get to longing for warm breezes off the river along with comfy spot under a shading tree, etc., too soon, we’ll save that for another month.

In the meantime, blogger wonders what the next century will bring.  Maybe polo will make it, if it’s still around.  Then again, we must think 22^nd century: maybe it will be training for something in space or in deep ocean, although drawing a cheering crowd will be somewhat of a challenge with either, one would think.  For now, girls, grab your quivers and bows.  We’re off to another competition.

What Child Is This...?

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“What Child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?” And so we sing reverently during Christmastide to the rather haunting melody of Greensleeves.

While the melody dates back to the 16^th century, and words, to the late 19^th century, we still cherish the song in the 21^st.  That’s a pretty good record.  The Christmas crèche dates back, we are told, to the time of St. Francis of Assisi in the 12^th century.  So lots of the old to relish here.  At the academy we have many very old things (for us Americans, 19^th century is very old) that we carried from 5^th St., Covington, in 1963.  Among them and relating to Christmas is an image of the Infant Jesus.  This one, probably dating to the early 20^th century, was the favorite of Sr. Mary Agnetis, the first principal of NDA as a high school (1906-1946).  Anyone knowing Sister and looking at the Infant can imagine Sister’s reaction to it—it so embodies the side of her shown frequently in her gracious responses to others.  Today the image seems saccharine sweet, but in its day it signified popular and sincere devotion.

As said above, many old things were carried from the “old” academy.  At least two sets of crèche figures are in storage during the year.  Currently, one is in the large display case in the entrance foyer, waiting for the Infant to be placed in the crib. 

And so we wait, as Advent bids, for the coming of Christ at Christmas, his birthday.  While we know that for us that should mean a readiness to meet Christ as he comes to us daily, perhaps in the guise of an infant, but in all kinds of guises, some not very appealing.  Advent then stretches our faith, just as the crèche images may.  Advent—a call to faith, a call to accept Christ in the many ways he comes to us.

When Did LIFE Begin on Planet NDA?

It all began in…

LIFE Club—Life Is For Everyone.  That certainly has the ring of truth to it.  So whose splendid idea was it to form a LIFE club here at Notre Dame?  If you were a student here in the early 1980s may recall the beginnings and your own membership in the club which was a chapter member of the Right to Life organization.  It was a speaker that Student Council (Sr. Mary Kevan moderator) sponsored, who spoke to the students about life and the dignity that should inspire all of us to labor for its preservation, especially for the unborn.   This talk inspired Sr. Many Sebastien to begin a LIFE Club.  The exact year: 1982.  (Just a little note about SMS: she is in her late 80s and still very clear in her recollections of her years here at NDA.  Sr. M. Sebatien is a resident of St. Joseph Heights Infirmary.) The yearbook for 1982-83 says this: “L.I.F.E.  members were involved in many activities (that first) year: a Walk-a-thon, a national convention, and picketing at an abortion clinic.  L.I.F.E. also took up collections for Birthright and for Kentucky flood victims. and passed out lifesavers and tiny feet to all N.D.A. students.”

LIFE Club was, and still is, a vibrant part at Notre Dame Academy.  One of the major activities now, as in the early years, is, of course, the annual trip to the nation’s capital to rally for life along with students and adults from all over the country in Life Week in January.  The club in this 21^st century takes on other challenges appropriate to our times (there will always be such causes).  Mrs. Theresa Van Auken, the moderator of the club writes: “We sponsor the Fall and Spring Blood Drive, each month we do a collection for the Wounded Warrior Project (we rotate every month between the grade levels), St. Elizabeth Hospice Doves, Care Net baby bottle campaign, and once a year we do an "out of uniform day" [blogger’s note: the students pay to come out of uniform] and we donate the money between 3 organizations...Madonna House, Rose Garden Mission, and Care Net (these are the ones we did last year and I believe we are doing again this year).”

She also notes that the dues are $2 and everyone is considered an active member because all contribute to at least one effort in the course of the year.

So yes, we have lots of life and a healthy LIFE—good for life all around.

Lost on the First Floor

Memory is as fleeting as gold, it seems.  Some time ago blogger sat down with a few 5^th Street NDA folks and tried to recall the floor plan of each of the old building’s floor—yes, all five of them, not counting the basement.  Where, exactly, was the doorway into that classroom?  Was the stairway here or back here?  That room wasn’t that big, was it?  Wasn’t there a restroom off this hall?  And so the questions and certain answers (I do remember this regardless of evidence to the contrary) flew.

So we offer you a sort of synthesis on the layout of the first floor.  The heavy lines indicate the doors to the outside, while no effort was made to indicate where the windows were.  You can see those features in the second photo.  Also, no classroom or other room doors are indicated.  That memory rests in fuzzy land.

To help you locate yourself on the sidewalk, you are standing at the bottom of the picture.  If you are a student, you will enter the door closest to Senior A.  Don't forget to bow to the statue of Mary (circle with M in it).  If you would like to make a visit before homeroom, go down the hallway to the right of the Mary statue.  The door is slightly ajar.  Gym class (Mrs. Hessler presiding, in the '50s at least) will go outside today, taking the door leading to the courtyard.  (Never mind how your gym suit looks; the guys over at CCH--Mother of God School, can't see you from there.)

Now for the aerial photo of the school which you have no doubt seen before.

So there it is.  Blogger sincerely hopes that Senior Alums will inform her if their memories are sharper than hers.  Maybe you do recall if there was a small restroom under the middle stairs to the second floor.  And what was in the room with a ? in it?  Many things probably need rethinking here, so don't be shy.  Thanks in advance.