Lay Out the Black Carpet

Remember the old tennis court at the east end of the school on Hilton Dr.?  Or maybe you remember back further, as blogger does, when there was a hill almost immediately beyond the driveway at that end.  At any rate, the tennis court was abandon with glee after the new court was laid to the west of the building  in 2008.  Since that time the old court has been left to the ravages of the weather while serving as a parking lot for faculty and baseball fans, and a practice area for the marching band of NDA/CCH.   But now, at last, it is being resurfaced as this missive is being typed. 

In above photo you see the truck pulling away from the spreader after it has delivered a load of asphalt, as well as the smaller of two rollers (truck in foreground, ???)  A nice feature of this photo is the view of the softball field as it is seen from a third mezzanine window.  You will note, no doubt, that this photo was taken through the window screen.  (Professional photo—no.  Blogger could have gone to the roof for these photos, but didn’t think of it until now.  There are no screens up there.) 

Here we see the larger roller too.  The men on foot are getting ready to cord- measure the width of the next row (blogger’s conjecture from what she saw shortly after this pic was taken.  Of course, blogger could be dead wrong, but that’s what it looked like.)

After the men have rolled all the newly laid asphalt, everybody just sits and waits for the next load.  Here’s a job with lots of break time if you don’t mind working with a very hot material and going through the same maneuver over and over again.  One suspects that it’s minimum wage for many on such a crew.  Considering the blessing a new parking surface they are providing, one wishes more for them.

So, in closing, if you have never watched a blacktop surface being laid, you now have a little glimpse of it.  There’s so much to learn in life.  God bless.

O Mary, We Crown Thee...

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May crowing has always been a cherished practice at NDA.  This year, as other years, the privilege of doing the honors—crowning the statue of Mary and carrying the crown—have gone to the two students whose essays were chosen by the judges.  Since excerpts have been lifted from both essays, this blog is rather long.  However, reading it may lift your spirit to the Queen of the May.  Shannon Wilson crowned Mary’s statue, and Brittany White was her attendant. 

Shannon wrote:

“As I sat on my bed, reading the letter I wrote to myself at Sophomore Retreat, I realized what a big impact Mary has had on my own life.  In my letter, I wrote about how Mary had been the focus of our day. We reflected on how she has played such a pivotal role in the shaping of our school community as well as in our own lives. I expressed in my letter, a newfound love for the Mother of God… I found that praying to Mary could provide me with new possibilities to grow in my faith that I hadn’t yet explored in my relationship with the Father.

“So I began learning abut Mary, trying to understand how such a young girl could say yes to the most important question in existence. In this newfound relationship, I began trying to place myself in the shoes of 13-year-old Mary. I began reflecting on what my answer would be if God asked me to be mother to the savior. I quickly realized that I would not have had the same courage that Mary had. There is no way I would have been able to face the judgment from society. I would feel as though God was asking too much of me.  This reluctance challenged me. As I began reflecting on the life of Mary, I challenged myself to live a better life of faith. Mary quickly became my role model and I knew that if I could even trust God a fraction as much as Mary did, my life would completely change.

“…In preschool at Julie Learning Center, I vividly remember our May Crowning Ceremony. I didn’t really understand much about it, but I knew it was a big deal. I had the privilege of putting the crown on the strange statue’s head. Whatever I was doing was important because we all stood there in silence a little bit. I remember feeling this great deal of pride for being a part of such a special ceremony.

“Being able to crown Mary is such an honor for me in my last month as a senior. She has grown to be one of my biggest faith role models and I love that I am able to show her a bit of thanks for all she has done for me. I am honored to represent the Class of 2015 in the crowning of Mary, the foundation of our school.  My May Crowning experience is now coming full circle and ends my time with the Sisters of Notre Dame in the same beautiful way started: with the recognition of the majesty in the Blessed Mother.”

These are Brittany’s thoughts:

            “At fourteen years old, Mary, the Mother of God, was able to make a life altering decision which saved the world.  How amazing!  I can tell you with confidence that may girls who attend Notre Dame , including myself, desire to change the world in some way, whether it be through politics, research, or religion.  Personally I desire to change the world with my religion…  (Mary) didn’t know why God was calling on her for this task, but she did it and had so much faith in His plan.  ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word’  I can remember very few of the serious decisions that I had to make as a fourteen year old, yet nothing could’ve ever compared to the gravity of Mary’s yes to God.  Such a young girl with a great deal of faith!  She knew that God had a plan for her and she entrusted her well being to Him without a second thought.  That is what I desire, that trust, love, (and) commitment to God.  I want to be so faith filled and trusting in God that when I know He’s calling to me I’ll go and do for Him whatever He wants.  This school dedicated to Mary has made me realize the importance of Mary’s yes, and I can only hope to be so willing like she was.  Why is it that we are so afraid of how God wants to use us tin this World?  Do we fear that the road we’ll take is one we won’t like? 

            “…Mary helps me to see the role I play as a woman of faith, someone who isn’t afraid to trust in God or afraid to allow God into (her) daily life.”

1915 Dreams and Decisions

“Now Henrietta, sit still while we go through these choices.  I know you’re excited and so am I, but we must get down to business here.  Let’s see, the Course of Studies list they sent from Notre Dame Academy presents so many considerations.  First we must decide which program you’ll get into: the Scientific,  or General, or Commercial Program.  Your father thinks you should go into the Commercial, but I like the idea of the Scientific.  It’s college preparatory, you know, and wouldn’t it be wonderful if you would go to college.  You always talk about being a teacher, although your father would like for you to work your way into his business.  Your brother disappointed him by choosing the military.  But you, Henrietta, would be the first girl in the family on either side to go to college.  Let’s just examine what the four year requirements are for the Scientific Program and talk your father into it bye and bye.

“First year: Religion, English, Mathematics, Latin (good for nursing), Physical Training, and an elective of History, Science or Music.  You’re good in arithmetic, so the Mathematics shouldn’t give you any problem.

Second year: the same four required: English, etc. and the electives have language choices along with History, Biology (that would be good for nursing, too), and Music.  Too bad you can take only one elective.

Third year: The required now include Chemistry instead of Mathematics, and you can choose three electives!  The languages are Latin moved from the required, Spanish, French, German, Mathematics, History, and Music.  They certainly feel strongly about those last three.  I guess they hope all the girls will get Music at some point.

Fourth year: Oh my, Physics, dear.  They require Physics along with American History, Civics, and Physical Training.  They seem to be determined to keep you in shape.  Let’s see: the electives include Advanced Chemistry along with the languages and Music.  You may take three electives, but imagine taking two sciences at the same time.  Yes, I suppose you will want the Chemistry.   But, dear, Advanced along with Physics?  Well I’m sure you can, Henrietta, but you’ll have to work hard.

“Now to convince your father that this will be the best way for you to go.  He was so impressed when your cousin Lydia took the Commercial Program and then got a good job at the Big Four Rail Road office over on Central Ave. and Pearl St.  But we will work on him with all the good arguments we can come up with, and Henrietta, we’ll pray to Mother Mary who will certainly pull us through.  How wonderful to have a nurse in the family!”

Now Henrietta is fictional, but if you really want to know what the graduates of the Scientific Program (and the rest of the high school) really looked like, here they are.  No problem in seating their families at the ceremony.

Little Treasures Found

Memories, like fleeting birds, take wing.  The task: to retrieve and hold in heart-hands.

We have in the archives any number of treasures.  One that surfaced recently was the Mary Martha Adick collection that a thoughtful relative gave us.  In the container are photos and other memorabilia, but what really catches the imagination is a poem.  While the author is unknown, it may have been a very clever member of the class of 1928 (or was it by their very talented principal, Sr. M. Agnetis?). 

And here it is:

Dear Old Notre Dame

I want to wake up in the morning,

         God down old Fifth St. in the morning,

And hear my classmates say good-morning,

         At dear old Notre Dame.

I want to make some paper roses,

         To watch Miss Whitney strike new poses,

And see Anne Campbell touch her toes-es,

         At dear old Notre Dame.

Got to thinking of history,

         And of Chemistry too,

They were always a mystery,

         So was Cicero and O(h),

I want to ramble down thru the hallways,

         To meet my teachers in the hallways,

Their smiling faces greet me always,

         In dear old Notre Dame.

I want to meet the N.D. scholars

         To see our Hedges grab the dollars, 

And Babe and Jane forget their collars,

         And Roselyn play the Jazz.

And Margaret show her golden tresses,

         And Catherine strut her pretty dresses,

And Lou and Angela caresses

         The fiddle and saxophone.

Got to see Martha Adick,

         Dot and Anna Mae Hayes,

Irene Cahill and Thelma   

         With their taking ways and say,

I want to learn when Alma rises

         And Bunny carries off the prizes

And Mary Deye the class surprises

         At dear old Notre Dame

In comparing the names of the graduates of the Scientific (ahem; i.e. high school) class for 1928 with the names in the poem, one finds the names of all of the members of the class.

The photo is also of the members.  It is interesting to recall what these young women were about to face in the country in the not-too-distant future.  But for this pictured moment, life held sparkling promises and fond memories of “dear old Notre Dame”. 

Mary on the Move

Memories, like fleeting birds, take wing.  The task: to retrieve and hold in heart-hands.

The walls of Notre Dame Academy as well as the campus are graced with many statues of Mary.

One in particular is especially dear to this blogger although it stands almost in obscurity.  How like Mary in her lifetime!   You’re wondering where this statue is, perhaps.  If you have occasion to come into the door at the far eastern end of the building, you will see it almost tucked in the left corner next to the staircase.  Its colors seem a little faded, although her facial coloring is strong.   Even the photograph reveals the age of the statue—over 110 years.  Typical of the period in which the statue was created, Mary looks like a northern European with her fair hair (actually, maybe a bit British) instead of a young Jewish woman.  Come to think of it, blogger doesn’t recall ever seeing a statue of a Jewish Mary.

Next you might wonder why blogger seems to think this statue special in any way.  Early photos of the 1901 chapel on the former 5^th Street campus show this statue of Mary to the right of the main altar with a statue of the Sacred Heart to the left where one would expect to see Mary.  Perhaps it was during the renovations of the chapel in 1939 that the Sacred Heart statue got its own pedestal at the left end of the sanctuary and a different statue of Mary in the usual spot to the left of the main altar.  (Confusing, no?)

We think that the original chapel statue was then placed on the second floor in the hallway at the west end of the school building near the bookstore.  (You know, it’s hard to think back 60+ years.)  When the academy moved to Hilton Drive the statue made its way to the far eastern end of the building, which takes us back to almost the beginning of this account.   Mary with us all the way!