Thursday, September 30, 2010

All Hail to Thee



I attended St Rose Academy, a small Catholic girls high school. Those of you who have preconceived notions of the piety and reverence that went on in schools like this may be shocked to learn that it was a raucous good time. Those of you who attended similar schools will not be shocked.

St. Rose was in the most beautiful building. It was built as a school but resembled more of a grand mansion. The cornerstone of that building said 1904, but the school was in existence for 42 before this building was completed.An earlier building had been destroyed by fire. The place survived the 1906 earthquake and fire. Sadly, though it did not survive the 1989 earthquake. The building was so badly damaged in that quake that the girls then in attendance could not return. The building had to be razed. Classes were handled off site and the school closed for good in June 1990. It was the end of 130 year run. 

Geez, that means the youngest St. Rose girl is pushing 40. I don't know how that can be when I'm only 29.

If your mother attended St. Rose and you followed you were a "rosebud." There were always several in each class.Maggie will not get that chance (disabilities notwithstanding). With her feisty nature, she would have made an excellent St. Rose girl. I was not a rosebud because my mother went to Presentation High, another girls Catholic school. Presentation is gone too. In fact, many are closed, and it didn't take an earthquake. When I attended high school there were 10 Catholic girls high schools and 3 Catholic boys highs schools. Today some of those schools have merged into coed schools, but many have closed. Today there are 3 small girls schools,  2 small boys schools and 2 larger coed schools. (My boys attended one of these). Times and styles change.

Tonight, however we will take a quick trip into the past. There is a mini reunion of St. Rose girls for the Classes 1973 to 1978. One or more of the women organizing this event has the great idea of having some of the St. Rose women "adopt" or mentor girls from Immaculate Conception Academy (ICA), one of the three remaining girls schools. It's a great idea because if St. Rose was still around we would probably be contributing to an alumnae fund, so why not spread the sentiment. Whether people decide to join this cause or not, tonight should be a good time. It will be a ton of laughs.

 I might just roll up my skirt for old times sake. And I might not.  

3 comments:

  1. Just got a visual of your knees. ;)

    Lovely story, Sally.

    My similar HS is still going, rather strong.

    This city had fewer high schools to start with but only 2 or 3 have closed in my lifetime, 2 have gone coed and 2 new ones have opened in the last decade.

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  2. I'm going to my first homecoming football game since I graduated in '93! Finally decided to go since I have a boy to share it with.

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  3. HA HA HA, I went to Star and I was just telling my husband how our skirts were soooo short!! I see girls now and they have much longer skirts.
    Times have changed...

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Hi Maggie loves your comments. It may take a while for the comment to post, but you will see it eventually.