TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO 3 (CLASS PHOTOS)

Sr Imelda's Commercial Class, about 1957

Grade 4, circa 1950

 Sister Immaculata's Grade 6 Class 1940s

Grade 2, 1967

Grade 7, 1979

Miss Hamlyn's Grade 4 Class, 1967

Pamela Marie's Grade 1 photo, Miss Walker's Class 1967

RAY'S AMAZING PICTURES

A year or so ago Ray Simms sent me a couple of photos which I thought were just amazing.  Well, me being me (not a computer expert!), I managed to lose the photos somewhere in cyberspace.  It took me until now, and with the encouragement of my dear friend, Betty, who happens to be Ray's niece,  to pluck up courage to admit my loss to Ray and ask him to resend the photos.  The ever understanding and obliging Ray responded immediately.  So I am delighted to post Ray's photos today but first I must fill you in with a little of the background. 

Sr M Imelda taught Commercial at St Patrick's for many, many years.  Then when Holy Heart of Mary opened, Sr Imelda was transferred to that new High School.  She served there until her retirement to Presentation Mother House, Cathedral Square. Such was Sr Imelda's reputation among St John's firms, that she received requests from them for her graduates to fill their vacancies. 

Although in its early days, St Patrick's had taught boys and girls, in later years it became an all girls' school. However, many young men wished to avail of Sr Imelda's expert tutelage so, until sometime in the 1950s, Sister's classes were open to young men wishing to learn office skills. One of those young men was Ray Simms.

Ray has given us the names of the boys in this great photo. 

Sr Imelda's Commercial Class (click on the photo to enlarge)

L-R: Harry Farrell, Bob Kieley, Tom Finn, Francis Evans, Aiden McCarthy, Ray Simms

Ray has also promised to try to identify the young ladies in this photo, so, watch this space! 

Sr Imelda's Commercial Class (minus the boys)

Thank you Ray for these wonderful photos and for your patience with this not so great techie! If you would like to tell us about your days at St Patrick's with Sr Imelda, I would be more than happy to hear your story. Again, thanks for everything, stay safe, and God bless you and yours.

This next photo isn't one of Ray's.  As I don't have a picture of Sr Imelda, I am posting one of her resting place at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

Sr Imelda's grave in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery

WINNIFRED SULLIVAN AND CLASSMATES

***** THIS WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON 12th OCTOBER 2015.  DOREEN HAS RECENTLY HELPED WITH A FEW MORE NAMES SO WE ARE RE-POSTING IN THE HOPE THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL HAVE HER MEMORY  JOGGED AND WE WILL RECEIVE EVEN MORE NAMES. HERE IS THE ORIGINAL POST: 

"I have received a very interesting photo from Pamela (Brown) Hartman.  Pamela graduated from St Patrick's in 1976.  Pamela's mother, WINNIFRED SULLIVAN, is in this picture, front row, fifth from right. 

Winnifred Sullivan Brown is in the very centre
of the front row, 5th right.

The photo, taken in the 1950s, is of Sr Imelda's Commercial Class.  After graduation, many girls went on to do a Business Course, known in those days as"Commercial Class".  Sr Imelda taught Commercial at St Patrick's for many, many years before eventually being transferred to the new High School, Holy Heart of Mary.  Sr Imelda's Commercial graduates were always well instructed and in great demand in offices in St John's.  So highly were they thought of that company bosses and directors would contact the school looking for graduates to fill vacancies in their offices.  Hence, most of the girls would have jobs waiting for them upon completion of their Commercial course.

I am posting a cropped version and the original version of the photo.  The cropped version is to give you a closer look at the girls so that, hopefully, you can identify some of them for us.  I do have someone working on that at the moment but if any of you can help, it would be much appreciated.  (If you click on the pictures they will enlarge!) You can send any information you might have to mcallistersmith@gmail.com and we will add it to the post.

Sr Imelda's "Commercial Class", 1950s.
The Deanery Avenue School is in the background.

I love the original version of this photo.  The old Deanery Avenue School is in the background.  This School, which opened in 1921, was built as a memorial to the men and boys of St Patrick's Parish who gave their lives in WWI.  Sadly, this School is no more and where it once stood there is now just a vacant lot.  There is nothing, neither plaque nor word nor picture, to remind the populace of the dedicated teachers, the generations of children nor of the brave young men for whom it was meant as a lasting tribute.

Pamela, thank you very much for sharing this beautiful photo with us.  I hope someone will be able to come up with a bit of information for you."

NOW FOR THE ADDITIONAL NAMES I HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

ROW 1: 

3rd L, Mary Ford; 

5th L, Winnifred Sullivan; 

9th L, Kay Barron;

ROW 2:  

8 L, ? Collins;

ROW 3:  

1 L, ? Horan;

IF YOU CAN IDENTIFY SOMEONE IN THIS PHOTO, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH AT mcallistersmith@gmail.com. 

WINNIFRED SULLIVAN AND CLASSMATES

I have received a very interesting photo from Pamela (Brown) Hartman.  Pamela graduated from St Patrick's in 1976.  Pamela's mother, WINNIFRED SULLIVAN, is in this picture, front row, fifth from right. 

Winnifred Sullivan Brown is in the very centre of
the front row, 5th right.

The photo, taken in the 1950s, is of Sr Imelda's Commercial Class.  After graduation, many girls went on to do a Business Course, known in those days as "Commercial Class".  Sr Imelda taught Commercial at St Patrick's for many, many years before eventually being transferred to the new High School, Holy Heart of Mary.  Sr Imelda's Commercial graduates were always well instructed and in great demand in offices in St John's.  So highly were they thought of that company bosses and directors would contact the school looking for graduates to fill vacancies in their offices.  Hence, most of the girls would have jobs waiting for them upon completion of their Commercial course.

I am posting a cropped version and the original version of the photo.  The cropped version is to give you a closer look at the girls so that, hopefully, you can identify some of them for us.  I do have someone working on that at the moment but if any of you can help, it would be much appreciated.  (If you click on the pictures they will enlarge!) You can send us any information at mcallistersmith@gmail.com and we will add it to the post.



Sr Imelda's "Commercial Class", 1950s. 
The Deanery Avenue School is in the beacground.

I love the original version of this photo.  The old Deanery Avenue School is in the background.  This School, which opened in 1921, was built as a memorial to the men and boys of St Patrick's Parish who gave their lives in WWI.  Sadly, this School is no more and where it once stood there is now just a vacant lot.  There is nothing, neither plaque nor word nor picture, to remind the populace of the dedicated teachers, the generations of children nor of the brave young men for whom it was meant as a lasting tribute.

Pamela, thank you very much for sharing this beautiful photo with us.  I hope someone will be able to come up with a bit of information for you.

COMMERCIAL CLASS

Here is another great picture from Enid O'Brien along with the e-mail that accompanied the photo.  The only thing I will add to Enid's information is that the Commercial Class was taught by Sister Mary Imelda.  She taught at St Patrick's for years and years and her students received excellent training.   Sr Imelda was transferred to Holy Heart of Mary when it opened and she served for many years as Secretary to successive Principals.  I think her heart belonged to St Patrick's though because even at H H M, she still kept an eye on all the St Patrick's girls there.  Sr Imelda died at the Mother House in Cathedral Square and she is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. 

 

 

"Hello Beth Anne

I am enclosing another picture for your St. Patrick’s School archives. This is the 1956/57 Commercial Class dressed in their uniforms all prepared to take on the business world. Not only did they get good training they were also found positions in offices when they completed the course. St. Patrick’s girls had a terrific program and local employers would sometimes leave their names with the Sisters to send their girls for interviews when their training was complete. Unfortunately I can not identify all on this picture. However, with the help of former students I have been able to identify most and would be grateful for your readers to help in the identification. If there are errors I would appreciate hearing as well so we can make corrections.

 

St Patrick's Commercial Class 1956/57

 

 

Front Row (Seated L-R) #1 Anna Cahill; #2 Joan Morgan; #3 ?; #4 Helen Brewer; #5 ?; #6 ?; #7 Helen Hearn; #8 Alice Kavanagh

2nd Row (L-R) #1 ?; #2 ?; #3 Mary Lou Ryan; #4 Kathleen Grant; #5 Betty Broderick; #6 ?'; #7 Marguerite Murphy; #8 Elizabeth “Betty” Mason; #9 Frances Cooke; #10 Rosalie Horan; #12 ?

3rd Row (L-R) #1 Mary O’Brien; #2 Joan Cooper; #3 ?; #4 Theresa McCarthy; #5 Rosemary Stanford.

Best wishes for 2013

Enid O’Brien"

 

Thanks once again, Enid, for this trip down memory lane.

SR MARY XAVERIA FARDY

Sr M Xaveria & an unamed pupil

This is another picture from the 1979 yearbook. 

The piano teacher is Sister Mary Xaveria.  Sister Xaveria  taught in various Presentation Schools across Newfoundland.  I am not certain of dates but I know it was the early 1950s when Sr Xaveria was a classroom teacher at St Patrick's old school. 

Some of you will remember "The Passage" connecting the Deanery Avenue School with the really old classrooms above the Auditorium.  Sr Xaveria taught Grade 10 in one of those classrooms.  Mother Berchmans taught Grade 9 up there and Sr Imelda taught the Commercial Class in one of those classrooms.  Graduates of Sr Imelda's Commercial Class were highly sought after by St John's firms.  This is all from my memory so if I err, please someone, set me straight.

Sr Xaveria's family name was Fardy.  She was an Aunt of that great St Bon's sportsman, Hugh Fardy.   In the 1970s Sister retired to St Patrick's.  I say "retired" but I don't think Nuns ever "retired".  They just kept on working until the Good Lord decided otherwise.  Anyway, Sr Xaveria then taught piano to a whole new generation of Westenders.

Unfortunately, I do not know the name of  that cute looking little piano student.  I hope someone out there will be able to help me with that.   Also, any other memories of Sr Xaveria, the old classrooms above the Auditorium, or any of the Sisters mentioned here would be appreciated.