It was one of the places we thought about when we couldn't go to sleep at night.
We liked the beach alright during the summer but the trip we looked forward to most was when both our parents came with a picnic and ride tickets.(A grocery store awarded us ride tickets for our report card grades).
One of my favorite rides was the 'Magic Carpet'. It was a fun house with mirrors that distorted your body shape and a bench that shot air up when you sat down on it. Of course the best part was at the end when you got to go down the magic carpet.
I've often thought how wonderful it would be if I could duplicate these attractions in my own house. I may need to ask my handy brothers to assist me in this endeavor.
These are some memories I have of my time at St Teresa’s.
[Disclaimer: I could have dreamed them or made them up (not sure). You be the judge.]
Kindergarten: Mrs Helpman (AM Class)
The first day Eugene C. came in crying and was kicking the door trying to leave. No repeat outbursts occurred throughout grammar school as far as I am aware.
I had liked a boy named Paul Lux (Mineral Springs?). We were hokie pokie partners one time. He left after kindergarten. I still carry a torch.
I had a friend named Kathy Griffin (Roanoke?) who also moved after that year.
One day I was sent to the nurse’s office because I was sick. The nurse said they called my sister and she would come and get me. They must have forgotten about me and finally a girl (Margie Swartzkoff -sp)from my street came and walked me home.
That was the first and last time I remember seeing the nurse.
Shelly M. reminded me that when we had to leave for fire drills we would climb up on a bookshelf and go out the window. This limbered us up for playing dodge ball in the higher grades.
First Grade: Mrs. Laravee
She made a prediction that we would not be driving cars when we grew up. We would be flying small planes or helicopters around.
Richard Dixon would block me from crossing Pomona St until my aunt (Mabel) intervened, After that he tried to walk me to school. I don’t know which was worse, but I believe it was the latter.
I was invited to go to Michael Hoskins birthday party. Susan Drum and I were the only girls there. I vowed never to go to another boy party again.
Second Grade: Sr. Janice
I was chosen to be in the ‘Milk for Health’play. I was a dog and got in trouble for hitting Micheal Meltretter with the large bone I was issued.
John Lydon wore a pure white suit to our First Communion. With his dark complexion it seemed as though St Teresa’s had finally been integrated.
Richard Ilecki handed me an envelope which I though was an invitation to his birthday party. I brought it home and my mother read it. It was an invitation from Michael Hoskins to his party. Outsmarted!
Third Grade: Mrs. Clark
Larry Hale attempted to spell a word. He stuttered and said too many letters. Paul Kostusiak said in a low voice," How many ‘t’s was that?”
Mrs Clark asked Susan Quinlivan if she wanted to go to the cloakroom to get a bucket for all the tears she would cry at report card time. (Susan was always worried even though she had the best grades in the class) .
Michael Hoskins would kick my chair. I would threaten to tell on him. I’d raise my hand and ask if I could sharpen my pencil. I think that scared him out of his wits!
Fourth Grade: Mrs Bruckman
Shelly Mack and Karen Sacco were the teacher pets!
John Barrante used to eat lunch at Murphy’s (at the corner of Hayden) and he would always bring candy back to school after lunch. Patty O’Neil and I would tell him to give us some or we would tell on him. He gave us lemonheads.
I received an invitation from Michael Hoskins to his party and left it on my desk. His mother called and asked my mother why I didn’t come. Busted!
Fifth Grade: Sr. Bonigna (a mean, nasty, old witch)
She used to seat us according to our grades and change our seat when report cards came out.
Joseph S.(sp) used to play drums with his pencils on the desk when she left the room.
One day I came into class to find all my books in the garbage can and my desk cleaned out. She called me to her desk and told me my desk was a disgrace and said she found cough drops in my desk!!! She said she would show them to my parents at the nest PTA meeting. (I was thankful my busy parents seldom, if ever, attended).
Ralf Zangara held up a sign in class that read,’ Ralf for prezadent!’ Sr. B said, “Ralf , you will have to learn to spell president first.”
.
Sixth Grade: Mrs Serrafini
She was nice and kind of a modern teacher. I don’t think the nuns thought she was strict enough. The principal would say they were leaving the loud speaker open so they could hear into our classroom. I’m not sure if it was a ruse or not.
Seventh Grade: Sr. Kathleen My favorite!!
She played guitar and taught us ‘Boom de adda’ and ‘Take care to wonder at the world through which you wander.’ She would get mad at Curly Herlihy because he would mix the words up ‘on purpose' [wonder and wander]
Take care to wonder at the world through which you wander
Never hurry by an open door
For we live in a universe
Full of miracles galore
Look for God in small things
A drop of rain or a newborn babe
Praise Him whenever you find Him in anything small
I love the mountains
I love the rolling hills
I love the flowers
I love the daffodils
I love the fireside
When all the lights are low
Boom de adda, boom de adda, Boom de adda, boom de adda... She had a bad temper and got mad at Ellen McCarthy and Kathy Burke for laughing during a safety film.
We made some wooden plaques in the class. (nicest thing I ever made during my stay at St.Teresa’s)
I did a play with Richard 'Tricky Dickey' Doyle and Michael Hoskin. Michael made up a joke. He asked Richard Doyle, “Why do they call you cookie? Because your face is so crummy?”
It was a big hit!
We had a science fair and sang a song we made up on the loudspeaker. It was to the tune of, ‘I never promised you a rose garden.’ I think Kathy Burke was responsible for any creativity involved.
Come to the science fair
There’s gonna be one almost everywhere
On the week of March 8-12
Do it on Astronomy or Mental Health
The Science Fair is on the way
Not a chance like this comes everyday. We had a science fair and sang a song we made up on the loudspeaker. It was to the tune of, ‘I never promised you a rose garden.’ I think Kathy Burke was responsible for any creativity involved.
Come to the science fair
There’s gonna be one almost everywhere
On the week of March 8-12
Do it on Astronomy or Mental Health. The Science Fair is on the way. Not a chance like this comes everyday.
Karen B. reminded that our girls team won no basketball games. Sue Crawford (a year ahead) was the best player (award). Shelly or 'Howdy' was known for dunking the ball *(I guess this was during practice)
Eighth Grade: Sr Jeanne Marie
She gave us candy breaks. She was also ‘not much to write home about’. I don’t think teaching was her calling. She seemed to prefer us ...gone.
Also remember:
Tim Russert: substitute for Sr. Redempta
Did anyone ever own up to carving something in one of the desks in Sr. Redempta’s class?
Sr Redempta used to bang the table with her fist and bang her foot on the floor at the same time. She would say, 'Some slippery, slimy, yellow as the yolk of an egg ____.” She was frightening!
She would ask you, to ask her, if she was a Democrat or a Republican and then she’d say she was a 'Republicrat or a Demican' and then ask you, to ask her how she voted and reponded 'it was none of your business because it was her right not to tell the way she votes'. She seemed very passionate about this!
If you smiled in her class she would ask you if it was your birthday!
She would get mad if you read too slow, too fast or in a ‘sing song’ voice* (she accused Patty S. of that)
_______________________________________________
Contests: *(another disclaimer) I really didn't pay much attention or know much about anything or anyone past Hayden
Most original girlname in our class: Willamena
Most original boy name in our class: Fahd
Street with the most *(I think) students from our class: ( can I get a drum roll ....Sage Avenue-9 (Genivieve Greaves, John Pollina, Curly Herlihy, Louie Pasquale, me, Paul Kostusiak, Christina Lenahan, Billy Blake, and Bruce Schaffer
Student in class who had shortest walk to school: Linda Tout
FurthestDebbie Kelly (Lemington)
Funniest Student: (girl) Ann Low
(boy) Edward Buttons
Remember:
Tom and Ann: (the Janitors)
Walking through the boiler room to go the new parish center . I always felt like we were invading their home.
Dodge ball, dodge ball, and more dodge ball: (corner, square, two ball, etc.)
The crossing guards in her uniform: Mrs. Campbell ( she was very stern looking but had a painted smile on her face).
Bluebirds: When I was in the 4th grade (..a bit old for that I must admit)! (our song);
Bluebirds Bluebirds
Do you know the Bluebirds?
Blue skirts, red hats and a midi (?)white
All spic and span
And each shining bright
We'll all be Camp Fire Girls(!!) some day
Oh Bluebirds how happy we'll be!!
*Again Maureen excelled in this exclusive club sitting in front with the leaders daughter and sending disapproving looks toward my (outcast) table as we disrupted the serious business at hand. I think I was asked to leave after taking one too many sugar cubes at a coffeeshop when we went on an educational venture to downtown Buffalo.
The chalk boards that opened up into a cloakroom. I thought that was so cool.
The smell of that pink powder they put on the area when a kid threw up. (I presently have some of this substance in my cabinet at work. I never use it but keep it for the great memories).
The supply room: I don’t remember buying supplies here (..but I wanted to)!
The announcements: Mostly to warn us against engaging in bad behaviors and /or warning us of the certain dire consequences of our actions.
---If your name was mentioned it was most certainly bad news.---
*Once Maureen lost one shoe on the way to school and my mother told her to report it (If it was me, I would have conveniently forgotten, but as I may have mentioned before, Moey was a bit of a goody goody) so the announcement was made and it was quite embarrassing to the entire Farrell Family!!
Lining up by class in the school yard I always imagined that the nuns were peeking out the window and telling the others if we stepped out of line. They always seemed to have knowledge of our missteps. I also imagined their lunch time conversation (i.e.' that Maureen Farrell is the sweetest girl but her sister Colleen is a devil').
Penny candy at Wright's and Sirata's and waiting an eternity to be waited on. I liked to take my time spending the 2 cents I received from my pop bottle return. "How many peach pits for a penny?" I inquired on a regular basis. 'Three, "(the same as yesterday) was the agitated response of Mrs. Wright. It irked me that my sister Peggy (Miss personality plus) regularly reminded me that she got 4 or more for her penny!
Neil on the other hand liked to get in and out as fast as possible, "Two penny pretzels please." He's still not much for idle conversation.
Summers: going to Caz pool; the locker room with the basket for holding valuables, the cold showers, the short walk to and the long walk home, the 3 diving boards and the cold pool water especially in the morning when lessons were offered.
Winters: going to Caz ice rink. That great feeling when you took off your skates and put your shoes back on. The annoying kids who pulled our stocking caps off. Wearing stocking caps.
Hilary playground: and the hoodlums we'd encounter there (mostly those who lived in the area and thought they owned the park). The contests that Mr. Head would preside over in the park. I once won a volleyball! Peggy won a number of contests. She was always the fastest, smartest, and prettiest!
When the new horses were installed at Hilary and we had to take turns. I think they put someone's from the area's older brother in charge and he gave preferential treatment to the locals. We couldn't win. *(just wait 'til they come down to 'our creek' and we'll show them whose boss!)
The boys who were sent to ‘clap erasers’ and always seemed to find something else to do (and got in trouble for it) .
Fr. Toomey saying the rosary in rec- ord time. Fr. Toomey giving us a day off for ..who knows/cared what!
Fr Toomey giving us boxed hard Christmas candy and rings and then we were expected to kiss him. Odd!
Fr. Ormsby’s rants and raves. Frightening!
I shared a room with my sister Moey. She had quite a collection of statues and it annoyed me because she delayed the process of turning out the bedroom light by performing her nightly ritual of kissing each and every one of the statues.
"What a goody goody," I thought," She never gets in trouble. It's always me!"
I would watch her closely from the comfort of our double bed and plan my revenge. What would it be tonight; would I sing an extra long song (Oh Johnny) in our singing contest? ..would I ask her to sing a religious song she had learned at school pretending to enjoy it but secretly memorizing each word so I could contort the wording in an effort to offend her and her precious religious heroes ('Put on your pretty shirt my soul. Your underwear, your underwear')?, or would I just wait for the perfect moment to toss her pillow as far as I could ,just as she reached the bed?
I knew I would probably go to hell for all the bad things I did (and planned to do) but it was too much fun to resist. And anyway she always fell for the same old tricks so it was partly her fault too, right?
Fooled me once shame on you. Fooled me twice shame on me.
Get it, got it, good!
My brother visited the barber Tony as needed but on one visit Tony's wife motioned to him that she was ready to cut his hair.
My brother, dissatisfied with the results, immediately prepared himself for his next visit.
Upon his return when Tony's wife motioned to him he told her that his mother only wanted Tony to cut his hair.
Later that week my mother was grocery shopping when she ran into Tony's wife. Tony's wife did not seem overly friendly and seemed intent on informing my mother that when she attended beauty school she got all A's in her classes. "I want you to know I got A,A,A,A!" she announced. My mother smiled and commented," Oh, that's wonderful," but thought the conversation a bit odd.
When my mother returned home she relayed the conversation to the family and my brother revealed the white lie he had told.
I think he still sees the same barber today but is always on the ready with a story if the barber's wife motions him towards her chair.
I remember it as if it were yesterday playing football with my teammates in the Protestant Church at the corner of Juniata. We called ourselves the Sage Street Savages and we were a force to be reckoned with. I was the captain of the team and Mary Ann was the co captain. Tina played tight end.
It was mostly an all girl team but we allowed my brother Neil to play as he supplied us with grape gum and Kool aid.
As the quarterback I was almost always was able to connect with my receiver which resulted in (too many to count) touch downs. I remember Genevieve running full throttle down the center of the playing field with all of us cheering her on. It was one of many memorable plays.
Boy what I'd give to get the gang back together for one more game!
*Footnote: This fictitious story is in retaliation for my brother (Neil's) disparaging remarks about my blog's accuracy.
Neil apparently really did belong to a team called the Sage Avenue Savages (or so he tells his children) and to hear Neil tell they were quite a team (of what) I can not say.
I was away on vacation and called home to check in. My brother answered and immediately informed me that Molly, our beloved pet cat, had died.
"Oh Joey, how could you give me such terrible news, and in such a manner!"I chided him.
"Now how would you have me give you such news?" asked a forlorn Joey.
"Well upon my first call home you might say, "I have some dreadful news. Molly is up on the roof and we can't get her to come down!"
When I call a day or two later you might say that unfortunately Molly fell from the roof but that she is getting the best care possible.
A day or two later you may inform me that the news is not good. You could say, it seems that old Molly took a turn for the worse and, sad to say, she didn't make it after all.
"Oh, I understand completely now. I have taken notes and I won't again make such a horrific mistake," Joey reassured me.
"Now, that we have that matter settled," I continued, "how is Grandma doing?"
There was what seemed to be long pause and Joey finally spoke in what seemed to be a somewhat stilted and rehearsed manner," I have some dreadful news. Grandmother is up on the roof and we can't get her to come down."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A cop pulls up two Irish drunks, and says to the first, "What's your name and address?"
"I'm Paddy O'Day. I have no permanent address."
The cop turns to the second drunk, and asks the same question.
"I'm Seamus O'Toole, and I live in the flat above Paddy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spanish singer Julio Iglesias was on television with British TV host Anne Diamond when he used the word 'manana'. Diamond asked him to explain what it meant. He said that the term means "Maybe the job will be done to-morrow, maybe the next day, maybe the day after that. Perhaps next week, next month, next year. Who cares?"
The host turned to Irishman Shay Brennan who was also on the show and asked him if there was an equivalent term in Irish. "No. in Ireland we don't have a word to describe that degree of urgency," replied Brennan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A man was on a walking holiday in Ireland. He became thirsty so decided to ask at a home for something to drink.
The lady of the house invited him in and served him a bowl of soup by the fire. There was a wee pig running around the kitchen, running up to the visitor and giving him a great deal of attention. The visitor commented that he had never seen a pig this friendly.
The housewife replied: "Ah, he's not that friendly. That's his bowl you're using."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Father Murphy walks into a pub in Donegal, and says to the first man he meets, "Do you want to go to heaven?"
The man said, "I do Father."
The priest said, "Then stand over there against the wall."
Then the priest asked the second man, "Do you want to go to heaven?"
"Certainly, Father," was the man's reply.
"Then stand over there against the wall," said the priest.
Then Father Murphy walked up to O'Toole and said, "Do you want to go to heaven?"
O'Toole said, "No, I don't Father."
The priest said,
"I don't believe this. You mean to tell me that when
you die you don't want to go to heaven?"
O'Toole said, "Oh, when I die, yes. I thought you were getting a group together to go right now."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a court in Killarney, deep in Munster, Ireland, this conversation is reported to have taken place:
Lawyer: "At the scene of the accident, Mr O'Flahertie, did you tell the Policeman that you had never felt better in your life?"
O'Flahertie the farmer: "That's right, sir."
Lawyer: "Well then, Mr O'Flahertie, how is it that you are now claiming you were seriously injured when my client's car hit your cart?"
O'Flahertie the farmer: "When the Policeman arrived, he went over to my horse, who had a broken leg, and shot him. Then he went over to Darcy, my dog, who was badly hurt, and shot him.
When he asked me how I felt, I just thought under the circumstances, it was a wise choice of words to say I've never felt better in my life."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Timothy O’Sullivan and Michael O’Connor were out golfing at the fairways one beautiful Spring day. Just as Timothy was about to chip onto the 9th green, he spied a long funeral procession parading down the road adjacent to the golf course. Timothy halted his swing, removed his cap, and bowed his head reverently in prayer.
Upon seeing his friend responding so fervently to the funeral procession Michael said, “Timmy, I am amazed at ye. That is one of the most remarkably touching things I have ever seen ye do. Ye are truly kind and a man of God, ye are.”
To which Timothy replied, “Well, ye know, it’s the least I can do. We were married 35 years, we were.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. What's the difference between an Irish wedding and a Irish wake?
A. One less drinker!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Neil was watching the Bills game when his sweetheart Jo called from the kitchen," Do you ever get a sharp pain in your head that feels like someone is stabbing a voodoo doll of you viciously in the back of the head?"
As soon as she had finished convent school, a bright young girl named Lena shook the dust of Ireland off her shoes and made her way to New York where before long, she became a successful performer in show business.
Eventually she returned to her home town for a visit and on a Saturday night went to confession in the church where she had always attended as a child.
In the confessional Father Sullivan recognized her and began asking her about her work. She explained that she was an acrobatic dancer, and he wanted to know what that meant. She said she would be happy to show him the kind of thing she did on stage. She stepped out of the confessional and within sight of Father Sullivan, she went into a series of cartwheels, leaping splits, handsprings and back flips.
Kneeling near the confessional, waiting their turn, were two middle-aged ladies. They witnessed Lena's acrobatics with wide eyes, and one said to the other, "Will you just look at the penance Father Sullivan is givin' out this night, and me without me bloomers on!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Walking into the pub, Neil said to the bartender,"Pour me a stiff one, Sean. I just had another tiff with the little woman."
"Oh yeah," said Sean. "And how did this one end?"
"Well I'll tell ya now when it was over," Neil replied, "herself came to me on her hands and knees, she did."
"You don't say? Now that`s a switch! What did she say?"
She said, "Come out from under that bed, you gutless weasel!
We looked forward to it all year long. When I had a hard time going to sleep my older sisters' would remind me to think about it. I don't know if this helped because all I could think about was that I hoped it would come soon.
Before the reunion was hardest. Was rain in the forecast? Perhaps it would be canceled. "..it will be no fun sitting out in the rain, " my dad chided.
I didn't care if it snowed as long as we made it there. It was a long drive but well worth it.
"The water is cold (in the pool) !,"we were warned. It didn't matter. The whole experience was something that couldn't be matched elsewhere.
We looked forward to seeing our cousins, aunts, and uncles. We drank in the sights, sounds, and conversation and recreated them over and over in our minds until the reunion rolled around again the following year adding to our memories of this wonderful experience.
