By Margaret E. Hart
I am ever grateful for the education, example, and friendship of so many School Sisters of Notre Dame.
Sister Florentine (Madeline Mary) Linehan was principal when our class hosted a graduation party for the 1952 eighth grade. She led the conga line and the bunny hop!
Following kindergarten through the eighth grade at Madonna, I continued my education with SSND for four years at Academy of the Holy Angels – which would probably add at least 15 more names to the notes shared below.
Kindergarten, S. Ewalda Daimer: She played the violin.
Grade 1, S. Joelita McNamara: Remember penmanship classes.
Grade 2, S. Berlindas (Delores) Baumgarter: Spring show we sang “Alice Blue Gown.”
Grade 3, S. Remberta (Mary Rose) Macrell: She could not participate in recess games because she “had a bone in her knee.” She read us a Disney book re: Donald, Daisy and others travelling the U.S. Particularly remember picture of them visiting the Sequoia Forest.
Grade 4, S. Claude Burns: Each country had a color to represent its explorers. After lunch she would come out and throw a handful of hard candy (she played baseball with her brothers!).
Grade 5, S. Norita Reardon: She gave me a prayer card with poem, “Be The Best of Whatever You Are.” Went to the 70th anniversary of her profession.
Grade 6, S. Timothy (Mary Ann) Wood: Went to school at Brulators factory in West Fort Lee. Classrooms divided by theater curtains. She later went to Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Grade 7, S. Leo Marie (Helen Mary) Donovan: She sent four boys to the bank to obtain a brand new $100 bill for our mission donations. She pinned it on the cork board over the blackboard. Every Tuesday at lunch she came out early so we could share the adventures of Lucille Ball from the previous evening. She also went to Ponce.
Grade 8, S. Claudona Connors: She taught at OLF for our year only. She wept at our graduation. I can still see the puddles of teardrops on her bib.
PHOTO INFORMATION
Madonna Catholic School, Our Lady of Fatima (photo taken in the late 1940s)
First row: Sisters Bertran Conroy, Rose de Lima Curtin, Mary Brien, Mary Rose Macrell, Berlindis Baumgartner and Cordine Howard.
Second row: Sisters Norita Reardon, Edmond Danmeyer, Marilene Hudson, Martin Kelly, Joelita McNamara, Therese Alaimo and Ellene Sheehan.
