The Panda Brief

 In the fall of 1975 the school community was looking for a mascot for their teams and for general spirit.  Sr. M. Virginia Ann, principal, called for a contest.  One sophomore, Bev Rosing, went all out in her search for a suitable candidate.  When she looked at all her stuffed animals on her bed she ended up writing an entry with the name of each animal.  Among them was her panda and when she wrote the name she underlined the last three letters—nda.  History was in the making at that moment.  A few days later in the hall Bev was congratulated by one of the Sisters, but she didn’t know if that meant her suggestion had been accepted.  When the student body was assembled for the announcement, she was pretty sure her “panda” entry was going to win and her hunch was correct.  The whole NDA community was enthusiastic from the start with this clever choice.

30 years passed and many things changed.  When the bookstore gave way to a sports-wear shop, the two women who operated it, Cathy Stevens and her helper Mary Jo Wickelhaus, thought a new name was called for.  Several possible names surfaced between them, so they put them to the students to choose.  The students’ choice is now part of Panda History—Bambootique.  How  appropriate!

The Trees of Our Lives

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Pictured here is one of the recent additions to the Hilton Dr. campus. It’s a tree nursery.  

Strange? Not at all.  With bad winter weather and various tree-killing bugs in the last several years, the total campus (Heights and NDA) has lost nearly 50 trees.  The sign on the enclosure makes the joint effort clear.  Several people from both communities are engaged in the endeavor as well as a number of outsiders interested in reforestation.  This fall may see more transplanting of young trees, but these babies won’t be in the running.  They will need a few more years in the nursery before “going to school” or convent.

Here’s what Mr. Joseph Gray of NDA faculty has to say in the Panda Press Newsletter:

“We are developing a long-range plan to reforest the Heights and Notre Dame Academy properties and to develop an educational program to create an “arboretum” styled somewhat after the arboretum in Boone County on Camp Ernst road.”

This is part of the pursuit of quality in the environment that is inherent in SND and NDA heritage.  Our physical environment determines so much in our lives and demands our attention and respect.   That’s all it takes to be valued by us here at 1699 Hilton Dr. 

Fifty Years and Holding

Well, our big day, October 29^th, came and went into our 50+ year history last week.  It was quite a program celebrating 50 Years on Hilton Drive, not long, but full of nostalgia on the part of graduates attending and interest on the part of all attending including students. The general feeling of contentment and cheer was palpable.  The service consisted of greetings from our president Sr. M. Lynette Shelton, and principal Dr. Laura Koehl, and a brief prayer of thanksgiving and request for continued blessings from two student representatives.  Graduates were invited to tell of their coming to Hilton Drive on that fateful day of October 29^th, 1963.  Several grads responded and the students listened with wrapped attention.  This, one got the impression, was part of the students’ in-tuneness with the significance of the event.  We have tried to instill in them a sense of the school’s history and what that means to them—educational roots, sense of pride in their someday alma mater, and a feeling of belonging to this place and these people.  One of the last pieces of the day’s assembly was the invitation to the faculty and staff alums to stand together and sing the school song which we gladly and proudly did—about 15 of us.   One more milestone in what we hope will be a long history with all that it will mean to us and to future generations of young women.  As we say at our athletic events, “Go, Pandas!”

   AMDG AMDG AMDG AMDG AMDG AMDG AMDG

                                                                                      Remember?                                                             

In the top photo above, the person on the right is Dr. Laura Koehl, our first lay principal.  The fifth person from the left in the black suit is Sr. M. Lynette Shelton, our president.  Of course you don't need to be introduced to the attire in the bottom picture unless you are a fairly new comer to our fair school's history.

Did You Help? Help Blogger!

Well, we’re at it again, but this time we’d like to hear from you.  If you attended NDA between the years 1962 to 1965, stir the memory and let us in on it.  Blogger would like to share your recollections of the last days on Fifth Street, the move to Hilton Drive, and what those first days and months were like.  Keep your memories down to about 200 words (yes, you could probably go on and on) and email them to giblind@ndapandas.org with the heading “Memories”.

To get you started, here are a few from Sr. Mary Bernadette (now Lea) whose recollections are from the other side of the experience. 

When the Sisters were planning what they needed and wanted in the new school, they visited a number of schools to get ideas.  In one they saw a floor vacuum system and it went on the need list.  Remember the floor vac?  If you cleaned erasers you probably do.

Very little rain fell all summer the first year here, but when it came it did so with a vengeance.  Water rushed down the west-side basement door (below the steps leading to the auditorium—remember?), carrying straw which clogged the drain outside the door so that the water broke the glass in the door and flooded the basement.  The maintenance men had to raise the pianos in the choral room and practice rooms while the Sisters and others swept water out of the art department.

Speaking of art department, the windows were installed upside-down so that they couldn’t be locked, while lights fell in the kitchen.  Hmm.

Sister told of much more, but this may give your memory a good jogging.  Do let’s hear from you!

Here are a few photos from the summer of 1963.

 

Dream Reality, No Finality (Ever)

50 years ago?  Too young to remember?  Well, these photos may help fill in the gaps created by the accounts you may have heard.  First, the extent of the ’63 construction is best shown from above.  Notice the absence of a gym and a theater with its parking lot, as well as a soccer field, ball field, and tennis courts.  All these things were hardly at the dream stage as yet (unless you’re talking about the dreams of Sr. Mary Agnetis).

The second photo, a side-long view of the back of the building, shows garages at the east end.  Replacing them eventually will be the windows of the advancement office that won’t appear until the summer of 2007.  This photo was taken not long after the construction of the building when the Art Dept. porch did not have its metal awning yet (below the kitchen windows).

The third photo gives you a glimpse of what the folks across the express way saw from their back yard in that momentous year as well as for several years thereafter until renovation fever and fervor hit.

Ah, yes.  The Hilton Drive queen has aged some, but has taken on many adornments that have kept her modish and a leader in her class.  May she ever be so.

All Aboard for Hilton Drive

Our train was getting ready to leave the station by mid ’59 when Sister M. Agnetis wrote the following and last entry in her journal of the new building journey that she kept from February, 1955 (the time of appraisal of the property on Fifth Street) to June 1, 1959.  By that date, much had developed in approvals gained and support voiced for building a new home for Notre Dame Academy.

June 1, 1959

“That’s as far as it is now.  But we feel it is good news.  We also have evidence that publicity about our school here on Fifth Street has been projected more and more in the spotlight of our civic community.  The “climate” for our public is growing richer by the day.  Last Spring, one of our Faculty members, Sister Mary Maxine, was assigned to build up improved public relations for our school by more publicity in the local newspapers.  Sister has been most successful, and we know that this preliminary publicity is already setting our big project in motion.”

The sense that Sister had for best advancement practices places her ahead of her times.  It will be many years before the school has an office and personnel dedicated to such an endeavor.  Sister Mary Agnetis was a teacher of historic proportions indeed.

Included here is a photo of a photocopy of part of that last entry by Sister.  It’s a good ad for retaining cursive writing which can look this artistic under a steady hand and strong purpose, more impressive given Sister. M. Agnetis’s 80 years.  Notice the distinctive flourishes and the floating letters.  Style!

The Beginnings of Farewell

Probably a fire drill--exiting from west entrance.

As you may have read here before, the Sisters of Notre Dame have kept annals of their institutions and activities for over a century.  The early ones are sketchy, but by the time we reach the 1940s, they become much more detailed and helpful for our purposes.  Below are two entries that shed light on the final months at the 5^th Street location.

JANUARY 1, 1963.  OUR LAST YEAR AT THE OLD NOTRE DAME ACADEMY

“If it is true that great events cast their shadows before, then the marshaling of events and progress of our new academy foreshadow that the year 1963 will see our removal into our long-dreamed-of New structure on the Provincial House acreage, in Park Hills, Covington.  Here at our old Academy, memories hold us back, while the inexorable touch of wear-and-tear urges us to look forward to new, modern school and cloister.  We are now labeling many activities ”our last”: Our last Christmas (just past), our last Forty Hours’ Devotion, our last feastday observances, and so on.  Sometimes we live in the archives of memory; sometimes, in the dawn of a bright future; but most regularly we are pulled into the very important present tense with its joys, problem, and promises.  We thank our Dear Lord for this year 1963 open before us.  What will its pages record?  He knows.”

It isn’t known anymore who wrote that entry—there were several good writers among the Sisters on the faculty, but it is certainly poetic.  It’s striking also that the year 1963 had a few other and broader history-changing events—the election of Pope Paul VI and the assassination of John Kennedy.  They are a reminder that what significantly affects any institution very often lies far beyond its portals.

In the Music House.

An April entry gives us a peek at one of the many fund-raising events taking place during this period:

APRIL 19.  ALUMNAE CARD PARTY.  SUMMARY OF ALUMNAE ACTIVITIES

“The Card Party is one of the annual fund-raising activities of the Alumnae Association.  It is held at St. Joseph Heights.  Despite a heavy downpour, a great crowd poured in—a rewarding sight for the hard-worked committee members.  The activity netted $1453.99 toward the Chapel Fund, which is the alumnae’s building project. 

“Other social activities which are intended to bring the alumnae members together are various class reunions, a summer dance, and the formal Blue Grass Ball.  The Board also reaches more than 2300 members through the Alumnae Newsletter.”

Sounds like women on a mission here.  And indeed they were; with a mailing list this large, the Alumnae Assoc. created many donors for the new academy over the years just prior to 1963 as well as thereafter.  

Final photo: Gavel production.