'40s in NDA History

For now, let’s take a parting look at the Annals entries for the 1940’s

Mar. 19, 1940: Every year the girls present their fathers with a gift on the Feast of St. Joseph. They also prepare a spiritual bouquet, and offer Holy Mass for their father in our chapel. This year they gave their fathers Miraculous Medals on untarnishable chains.

November 13-16: This annual event spanning four days recalls at once the German fall festival of Kermess and the American celebration of Thanksgiving. Covered in the prayers of the Sisters, over a thousand turkey suppers are served, and thousands of chances are sold, all for the benefit of St. Joseph Heights and its various ventures.

Feb. 11, 1943: The Victory Corps is inaugurated as the NDA support of the war effort. The girls will be trained as air-raid wardens, nurse’s aids, bandage wrappers, and other tasks that will aid the country in this time of need.

Mar. 26, 1944: Perhaps the first of such programs, the women’s retreat draws over 150 women, probably mostly alums. It is held at the Heights. Father John I. Malone gives the conferences.

Jan. 24-25, 1945: The diocese of Covington and NDA welcome our new bishop, William T. Mulloy. The parade welcoming Bishop Mulloy to Covington meet him at the Kentucky end of the Suspension Bridge and escorts him to the cathedral at 11^th. (sic) and Madison. There are four bands in the welcoming parade. The sidewalks were the viewing stands for thousands of school children and local citizens with business suspending operations for the afternoon.

Fall of 1946: NDA gets its second principal in the retirement of Sr. Mary Agnetis who has served the school in that capacity since 1906. The new principal is Sr. Mary Jean Boeh who has been on the faculty as assistant principal, religion, Latin and French teacher and moderator of the student government.

Feb. 15, 1947: An intercom system is installed for the first time.

April 14ff: A six-weeks Courtship and Marriage course is offered by Fr. Paul E. Ryan.

Nov. 23: The Annals give the annual Baby Day its first mention in that record. Alums bring their babies to share/compare cuteness and stories of their tots.

May 11, 1948: NDA looks forward (somewhat optimistically) to the construction of a new gym, never to be realized on 5^th St., with the formation of the Guild to build the necessary finances.

Mar. 4, 1949: The near-brush with vandals who had been troubling the area schools is thwarted by Sr. Mary Oliva when they attempt a night invasion of NDA. This story appeared in an earlier Heritage blog: quite an exciting saga.

Summer: The academy gets a walk-in cooler in the conversion of the old ice cellar. Hmm--big deal? It was then.

Thus closes for now the most notable ventures and adventures of that memorable decade, the 1940s.