Future Journalists of...

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

One of the realizations that blogger came to when she began this archive endeavor was that The Gavel, being written at the 5^th Street location, recorded not just the adventures of the high school at that location, but also of the grade school.  The year of the newspaper’s birth was 1926 when the grade school was still securely ensconced in portions of the building, not to be eliminated for several years beyond Vol. I, #1.  Not only was the grade school on 5^th Street, but that of Mother of God parish a block away was also the recipient of the publication’s recognition.  This recognition went even further than the neighborhood because Notre Dame Academy was the provincial center for all the Sisters living in the Greater Cincinnati area and beyond.  So there appeared articles from St. Martin’s in Cheviot, St. John’s on “the Pike”, St. Mary’s in Alexandria, St. Charles in Carthage, Cincinnati, and more.   We’ll start with the closest, i.e. Notre Dame Academy Grade School.  You will notice, by the way, that the column title includes the word "Minims".  The origin of the word is late Middle English for "smallest" (Apple Macintosh computer dictionary app).  I guess we can go with that.

At the top you see a seventh grader’s article, one carefully edited by the teacher, one suspects.  You will notice, also, that the young journalist is a boy.  If any reader recognizes his name, please let us know.  This article by the way, is from Vol. I, #1 of The Gavel.

Blogger wishes  all a very blessed Easter Season.  Pray for the students, teachers, and staff at NDA, please.  The final days of a school year are usually, “ times that try (everybody’s) souls.  God bless!

Thoroughly Modern...Uh

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

Well, after all, it was 1948 and about as modern as any NDA student could hope to get unless she was taking aeroplane pilot classes.  (Okay, so maybe we didn’t spell airplane that way anymore by ’48, but it looks impressive, don’t you think?)  Regarding the commercial advance you will read about below, it is to be noted that NDA had a “School of Commerce” as early as 1904, as did other academies, so we had been “pushing the apron” for many years by the time 1949 rolled around.

The disk jockeys are a different story, however.  Grads growing up in the ’40 were tuned in daily back then to listen to the Hit Parade.  Yes, listen; that all we could do without going to a dance hall.  Ah, “Mares Eat Oats, and Does Eat Oats” still lingers in the memory, perhaps.  Whatever station we dialed to get our music, WKRC carried the NDA jockeys and those of us who were aware of such a marvel were probably listening.  How special that was!

  

A Week to Own!

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

Yes, we do Catholic Schools Week up in style.  The Faculty Bulletin for the week was titled “Catholic Schools Week: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service”, and so it was celebrated!  Clothing is always important to young ladies (little girls at heart) and so each day was given to a different clothing theme:  Monday—uniform (always a good place to start--more on this below); Tuesday—sisterhood sleepover, faculty and staff and students wear PJs (no, not all did); Wednesday—dress down and girls can dress as boys (they love to do this); Thursday—grade school uniform, or college sports wear for faculty; Friday—faculty dress as in the decade they were born, while students dress in assigned decades: frosh as in  ‘50s, sophs as in ‘60s, etc.  Yes, on Friday we saw expanded hairdos and poodle skirts and lots more.

Accompanying the grade-school attire on Thursday was the chance for recess in the gym in a 45 minute lunch period.  Ah, to be young again.

Entertainment comes on Friday as well.  The students come to the auditorium to enjoy the display of talents in fellow students in our annual Talent Show.  Even teachers have talent!  Great fun.

Food is big thing, too, of course.  On Monday a team of SNDs served the students free ice-cream sundaes and on Friday, the girls could buy Skyline Chili delights.  Thursday brought a favorite—macaroni and cheese.  The way to the soul is through the body (actually good theology).

Now, speaking of soul, we don’t neglect the Catholic part of our identity.  Every Catholic Schools Week here at NDA begins with Holy Mass with the Bishop as Presider if he is available (he was this year).  The Mass is, of course, for blessings on the school and all Catholic schools.  

In addition, here at NDA we celebrate our Sisters of Notre Dame whose seed planting in 1906 (in beginning a high school) are still blossoming in this place.  Several Sisters will stay to enjoy a special lunch for them and then go into the auditorium to serve the sundaes.

Well, you ask, is there any educating/learning going on in this span of time?  It’s a legitimate question, and the happy answer is, of course, YES!  If you walk down the halls past open doors you will hear classes going on as usual.  Some will have a slightly different flavor to them (we are human, after all), but most will be business as usual.  “Will this be on the test?”  “Yes.”

So that’s what Catholic Schools week is at NDA.  We do it all with class!  Lower class women are looking forward to next year’s celebration already!  Seniors?  Well, they’ll just have to carry the spirit in their hearts.

Remember that you can always enlarge the photos by clicking on them.

Retreat to Advance

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

Senior retreats have been part of NDA’s history dating back to the early years of the high school’s existence.  The spiritual advantages of a closed retreat, one in which just the seniors are participants, have always been seen as a major step in the spiritual maturing of seniors before they leave the hallowed halls of NDA.  To add to the specialness, attractiveness, and overall effect, these retreats were, if possible, off campus.  Our publications dating back to 1941 Patrins (yearbook) and the seasonal periodical The Gavel, have provided the names of the priests who were retreat directors.  Many of these were Jesuits.  In the two retreats featured in this posting, we see mention of Fr. Herbert Walker, SJ (senior retreat of 1941) and Fr. Eugene L. Tucker, SJ.  No picture of the former was provided in the yearbook (the first edition of the Patrins), but 1960 spring edition of The Gavel does have a picture of Fr. Tucker, who may have held the attention of the seniors by virtue of his good looks.  Can such an element help to advance one’s spirituality?  God uses all sorts of things to draw us!

The class of 1960 made their retreat at Mary Reparatrix in Cincinnati where they focused on the words of Fr. Tucker (judge for yourself).  One students quoted Father ‘s two questions that set her thinking: “Where were you a hundred years ago?  Where will you be a hundred years from now?”   Pretty timeless considerations for anyone.

The juniors of that year (‘59-’60) made their retreats at St. Joseph Heights, also off campus.  Two photos of juniors on their way to retreat demonstrate the “best foot forward” motto ingrained in all NDA students to this day.

Have a very blessed rest of January!

Capturing the Spirit on 5th Street

Memories, like birds, fleeting.  One must grasp with heart hands.

Of course, Christmas was celebrated on 5^th  Street, and celebrated in a big way.  But, alas, times have changed and the way of celebrating has changed dramatically, literally.  Blogger was there for only two Christmas assemblies, but recalls that they were really big, held in the old auditorium (3^rd floor, or 2^nd?)   Weren’t there little gifts or favors for everyone?  Was there a prayer service also?  Who remembers? The archives would be blessed to include some accounts of what is remembered from “the good old days,” and from Hilton Dr. celebrations (once much bigger than the current ones).  Today we are down to the nitty-gritty of the feast, focusing on THE FEAST with a prayer service at the end of semester exams.  Otherwise the observance is in making other people’s needs the focus through collections of necessities for the less privileged and candy for local jails.

So what is preserved in the archives?  Lots of photos, if one had the time to fish for Christmas photos.  But what was retrieved of the 5^th Street celebrations is shown below.  If anyone is recognized, let us know.

This last photo was taken in the Music House.

Have a very blessed Christmas and New Year.  May your memories of Christmases past at NDA be happy ones.