Monday, April 28, 2008

Alumni Sharing - Good Memories

This blog is for comments about your favorite memories of St. Mary Cathedral. Whether it was being on the honor roll or prom night. Getting the winning touchdown or graduation night. Take a minute to comment on the happiest times at St. Mary High!

It's easy to comment - just sign in with your email address - make up a password (which you can use all the time) and type in your comment and publish it!

7 comments:

mesc said...

In our Senior year we decided to make a float in addition to the Homecoming court float. The class of 70 had such fun together. Everyone came over to my house and we worked all afternoon making the float. My Mom made chili for all of us - it was a cool fall morning - and we all laughed and told stories and worked together. I loved being with my friends.

Jim Shea said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jim Shea said...

One of my really good memories was Tony's on Weadock after a basketball game at Central Junior (we played our home games there.)

You had to order "a steak on the center with sauce" for 65 cents. Also french fries made in the back by Birdie.

If things got too noisey you might get "kicked out" for a week or so. Except for Jim Kanary and Pat O'Donnell who got kicked out for life - plus three weeks!

Jim Shea
Jim Shea

mesc said...

Oh my goodness - Life plus 3 weeks - just what did those boys do?

When we were broke - which was almost always - Tony's let us order bread and sauce for .15!

One time Mr. and Mrs. Slaggert walked in and there were four of us sitting in a booth and one cigarette was burning in the ashtray. It burned to the very end with none of us touching it again! ME

mesc said...

My name is Tom Storey. I'm a 1954 graduated from St. Mary's when they were nicknamed the "Maroons". There are several memories of the Parish School on Hoyt Street. There is one person who probably will not be able to attend the reception. He is Father Michael Mahar. He probably had more to do with St. Mary's winning the State Basketball Championship in 1953 than anyone. Father Mike's family lived on Court Street. His father owned a shoe store on Hamilton Street. Father Mike now resides in Kalamazoo. St. Mary's was father Mike's first assignment under the then pastor, Msgr. Felix Vogt. The other assistant was Father Edmund Strymunski.

I have memories of the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters that staff the high school and grade school. There is a picture of Sr. Yvonne, the first grade teacher. There were others, Sr. Alexine, -- music and piano, Sr, Margareat, 5th grade, Sr. Electa, Sixth grade and later taught at Holy Family, Sr. Kenneth, seventh and eighth grade, Sr. Rose Catherine, ninth grade, Sr. Edwardine, 10th grade, Sr. Maurice, 11th grade and a graduate of St. Andrew's Saginaw Hi-School, Sr. Agnes Claire, 12th grade, and above all, the beloved Sr. Martin the Principal.

There were several priests I recall, Msgrs, Felix Vogt (from Grand Rapids), Harold Bolton (also from Grand Rapids and former head of the GR minor Seminary), Eugene Forbes who at the time was at St. Mathews in Carrolton. Father Tom Horton was an assistant at St. Mary's went to St. Joseph's and was responsible for the redecoration of the Holy Family Church interior. Oh yes, Sister Yvonne took care of the sacricties of the Church and Sr. Kenneth was Altar Server Proctor. And the late Cardinal James Hickey, as a newly ordained priest, was Secretary to the Bishop -- Woznicki, was in charge of the Bishop's Serving Team for Pontifical Masses.

There were many in the class of 1954 who started in the first grade and graduated from St. Mary's. Those I remember were Tony Kolleth, Jack Schrems, John McLoughlin, Mary Green, Richard Green, Mike McGovern, Mary Claire Stewart, Mary Lou Bray, Margaret Phelen, Larry Hendrick, Jim Ecarius, Rosemary Warnemunde, Kay Eckerman, Dick Weadock, Sheila Christiansen, Lloyd Bishop, Marilyn Weadock, Jeanette Sonafeld, Mary Barrett, and Nanette DeRosia. The writer arrived in the Fifth grade. Larry Hendrick had five brothers and sisters, and they all attended St. Mary's. Larry's oldest sister was married from St. Mary's.

Memories of the Maroon's and St. Mary's are legion for the author! Selling of candy in the home rooms, the First Friday hot chocolate breakfasts, the ruler taps on the kuckles, the new car for Msgr Vogt, who had a fit when he was presented the gift! The Maroon and White School Bus. Our Janitor, Mr. Emory Denue, who lived across from the St. Mary's complex on Hoyt Street. He kept the Church. School, Rectory, and Sister's Home running. We were a tightly knit parish and school. Of course when we started high school, the Korean War was still on. The first graders started in 1941 when the World War II was starting. Many of the other St. Mary's students I recall, Tom Hiser, Mick Schrems, the Doland kids, Denny Troester, Dave Woodcock, Larry Moriarity, Wayne and DeWayne DeCorte, Judy Ryan, whose brother was a Diocesan Priest, John Raths, Bob McDonald, Alice Wolohan, Jim McGovern, Jerry Burnes, Ron Ruppert, the Nickodemus' -- Pat, John, Ann and Tom,(next door neighbors to the Storey's), Tom Schultz, and Terry McInerney, Jeanine Woodcock, Mike Green, and on and on.

The one thing now after 54 years from graduation at the Saginaw Auditorium was the superb education and training we received, and the affiliation and closeness of the students at all the Catholic Schools in Saginaw. It all made a difference in all our lives. I can remember seeing many of the above persons and other Saginaw Catholic School kids, when I would return to Saginaw in the 80's and 90's and attend Mass at St. Stephan's Church. We all would gather in the parking lot after 8:00 AM Mass and disrupt the parking for the 10:00 AM Mass to the consternation of the Pastor -- Memories!!! Incidentally, all four Storey Boys went to St. Mary's and graduated.

Fondly Submitted by Tom Storey

mesc said...

Here are a few fond remembrances from years ago...

Hitting the tennis ball against the school wall with Msgr. Forbes.
The boys football team getting locked out of school after returning by bus from an away game. Their chant "Who's got the key?" often pops into my mind.
The corn roast in the St. Mary's parking lot on a brisk October night.

I expect I'll shed a few tears when I see that vacant spot in the landscape of my childhood memories.


Susan Siers Stratton-Radwan, Class of 1970

fbcoach22 said...

During football season-the MANY times we had bus trouble! All of us having to get off the bus and push, breaking down out in Ubly only to have our other bus break down 1/2 way between school and Ubly! Ubly bringing us home on THEIR bus!
Throwing the game winning TD pass with 28 seconds left to beat MPHS my senior year and going 5-4!

Dennis Andrews: Class of '83