Grandma’s Stories

Dec 16th Autograph Memories pg.6

Theresa Wieland, a classmate who was a very good friend, and years later after  she had been the Editor of the Alumni News, talked me into taking over  the job for her.

Shirley Nivois (02-05-49), one thing I remember  – you always  were proud to let the world know you were from Illinois, and said so in my book.

Stella Santoyo (06-26-49), a class mate and a very good friend  – you also wrote your birth date  June 6th, and I wish we would have given each other our addresses so we could have kept in touch? Your #90 and mine #91  –  some things one never forgets!

Rayetta Ludwig   (02-13-49)  – the 13th of February is also my brother, Tom’s birthday. I always admired you and all you were able to do at the Orphanage, and you made me so happy to sign as my friend. Your handwriting is beautiful and on the next page  your favorite Nun  Sister Gilbert, (02-02-49) wrote in  on my  Dad’s birthday and also ground hog day.

Sister Gilbert  (11-11-50)  was  my 7th and 8th grade teacher and  I wanted to get as many Nuns to sign in before leaving,  Sister wrote in  my second book  and  above  her signature,  Your Teacher!    Years later  – may have been a picnic date,  Sister wrote under her  previous signature  Sister Margaret Mary (06-13-75)  since she changed her name due to a reorganization at the ‘Mother House’ and some  of the other  Nuns  also changed their names.  I like the name  Sister Margaret Mary  –  much better!

 (06-13-75)  was a picnic for Alumni and I brought my family out  to visit and  did pick up a couple of the Nuns Names   – that I did not get a chance to get when I was living  there!

Dec 15th Autograph Memories pg. 5

Walter Anna – William – Joseph – Bozo – Billy Anna,  one would have to guess these are the legal and  ‘nick names’  – Billy Anna  wanted the whole world to know  –  belong to him.  He and two (2) of his sisters, Elsie and Marie Anna,  sat  at the table next to us.

Jack DiMaggio, signed in with a “Roses are Red” and etc.  poem, and I’m guessing this is also the  Jack Dillard  just clowning around?

Sister Florence,  (08-04-49)  was  our 3rd  and 4th grade Teacher  and a very good artist.  She helped  all the Orphans with creating a very nice greeting card for their parents for all the occasions throughout the year. When the ‘100th Anniversary” was to be celebrated with a Pageant of its founding on the  Kiel Auditorium – Opera House (06-05-1950)  –  Sister Florence gets the credit for teaching the dance steps to all of us kids! She was up on her toes  –  showing us how to dance and move with professional ease.

Sister Seraphine,  was  one of the best all time “Nuns!”  Sister was in charge of  he Girls Clothing room and the whole dormitory floor, the cleaning of everything beds, mattresses, and two flights of steps. I know because I worn out my knees  scrubbing  and putting down the paste type wax! We thought we were having fun dragging the mattresses out on to the outside balconies to be freshened up for another year’s use?

Every Friday after school, on my knees scrubbing two flights of stairs,  if  Sister Seraphine was not such a good  Nun to work for   –  I would have been the first to complain!

Dec 13th Autograph Memories pg. 4

Pat Fox  (02-14-49) another good friend and a grade or two ahead of me!

Arthur T. Haag  (02-04-49)  nice,  when one of the older boys wishes you ,  “Good Luck”  and he has such a  ‘terrifically ‘  good handwriting!

Gail Porter (01-09-50)  wrote on this date in the second book and also in my first book. We keep in touch over these many years, and as  Sister  M. Michael  put it we will be talking  – 40 years after we are dead and buried!

Sister Marie (02-20-49)  was the  Nun in charge, when we, girls came from our job assignments to the girls-side  play-room to put on our school uniforms , and hurry  to our class-rooms! One had to be sure not to offend her in any way  and- or ‘talk-back’  –  as she would detain you  –  so as to make you late  for school.   So, that made   for   “Double  –   Trouble!”   She was  one of the  Nuns,  who came to the   Funeral Parlor  –  when my husband died.

Sister Rondegunis  was the  Nun in charge ,  of the laundry and the girls  spent at least a couple of days a week working there. Now ,  that I read  again  what  “Sister”  wrote in my book   –   I do believe we were very unkind to “Sister.”   There was a lot of work   to be done in   an  Orphanage Laundry  , and she wore  herself  out, and received very little help.   I bet this was the one and only request  she received to write in someone’s autograph book.    I wish,  I  had  –  had  a more    ‘ understanding heart’   when I  was a  very young girl?

Dec 11th Autograph Memories pg.3

Genevieve Corcoran,  wrote  “Listen dear and you shall hear, the midnight ride of a bottle of beer!”  She was  “one” good friend, that always kept you in stitches. I  especially  like when someone can find away to keep  everybody in  “Good Health”  –  seeing to it  you get at least  “16” good laughs a day!

Jerry  “Dill anger” Dillard,  with brother and sisters sat at the table next to us in the “Dining Room” – each family of “Orphans”, always sat at the same table and chair. His brother and little sister signed their names, John Jack Dillard  and  Jessie Rae Dillard and their older sister , Carol Dillard not  available for   her to sign in my book.   (missed a good one)

Denny (Dennis Joseph Michael) McClarren,  just as he signed –  a surprise to me with the extra names?  Tommy McClarren, brothers. In the last year or two , when I was in the Orphanage, we were moved from the “girls dining room” to the “boys dining room”  – seems the gender of the oldest child determines which “dining room” that family has their meals!

Rosemary Brady, was a real good friend   –    only that the  “friendship ” could get one into  “trouble!”  Now that I think about the stuff we did and some of the “trouble”  –  just may have to do a full page  on  “Rosie!” Reminds me of the time  or two when I was told   “Birds of a Feather –  Flock together!” Our continued association meant   “Trouble!” 

Dec 10th Autograph Memories pg.2

My suggestion is to encourage all school age students to carry an  Autograph Book and collect  memories,  you’ll  enjoy and have something  to reminisce  about forever!

Next  is a classmate, Melba Michaud,  01-24-49.  She has an older sister,  Betty Michaud  01-31-49  –  that played  our  Church organ, and later after graduation decided to become  a Nun in the Sisters of Christian Charity.  Also,  Melba has a younger sister  Joan and brother Larry.

Another classmate  Elma Rutherford, we were also in the same dormitory, and our beds were also, next to each other. As you get older, you move up the line , until you finally sleep in the  “Big Girls Dorm.”     Elma  had an  older  sister         Eugenia, and they both decided to become Nuns.    Elma   also studied to be a Teacher.

Betty Jean Mus grove, a classmate and   will have to find a picture of us together to add later! Her sister  Mary  Mus grove  (04-13-49)  and I , both worked together at Long Distance, when  President John F. Kennedy was shot and died!  The switchboard lite up like a  Christmas Tree! Nobody forgets  where they were   or what they were doing  at the time and date  –  a National Catastrophe! And, their older sister  Joan Mus grove,  I remember her writing a song  –    “I’m Looking Over a Four – Leaf Clover”  and won the contest!  The youngest was  Dorothy Mus grove, and I have a picture of her dancing with my brother, Tom McClarren at one of the Orphan Home Picnics!

If there was a contest going on at the time    they would have been  “Winners!”

Dec 8th Autograph Memories pg.1

Going over my  Autograph Books, will start  with the first entry,  Name and Date, (if that person put date on their entry)  and if  “You” know  of, or are  the writer want to reply  –  love to hear from You!

First page, Patsy Perkins, 01-24-49. She   was a grade or two ahead of me. I believe she had an older sister, whose name escapes me, but I do remember another sister, Delores Perkins and two brothers, Daniel Perkins who was in my class,  and a Robert Perkins. And another brother I can not think of his name?

Next, Jeanne Saettele, a classmate and also cousin. Her younger brother, Jimmie Saettele, was a grade or two under us. She also had two sisters , Rita and  Rosemary Saettele. Rosemary signed  02-14-49. It must have been a Visiting Sunday,  because  Jeanne’s  father signed, Gus Saettele,  he owned a Jewelry Store in downtown Saint Louis.

On  03-20-49,  Eleanora Faucher,  a class mate signed in, and she was a very good friend. Years later,  after I was married and moved to Florida she flew down for  her vacation visit.  Years even later , on a trip back to St.Louis , Eleanora, my sons and I took a trip up to the top of the  St.Louis Arch! She has a brother  Richard and also Eddie, and two sisters,  Rosemary and Josephine.   It seems that  Josephine, needed to see the  Eye Doctor, at a  downtown St.Louis location, and I was asked to take her. I did like to get out of the Orphanage, so I could stop by and visit my Mother, on the way back. It does pay to know how to transfer from bus to bus, making your bus connections in a straight line,  to your ending destination.

Luckily, we did have enough money to buy, ice cream cones, at Velvet Freeze store on our way back to the Orphanage,  the last of our enjoyment  –  ice cream cone in hand  –  walking slowly  – the last couple of   blocks!