The Catholic News & Herald 1
September 28, 2001
September 28, 2001 Volume 11 t Number 3
Inside Holy Trinity students write letters of hope
... Page 7
We are all commissioned, Mepkin Abbey abbot tells audience
... Page 8
Local News Parishioners demonstrate cultural diversity
... Page 4
Author writes book on Amistad saga from native’s view
... Page 9
Every Week Entertainment ...Pages 10-11
Editorials & Columns ...Pages 12-13
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” — Luke 10:27
S e r v i n g C a t h o l i c s in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
O’Donoghue School graduates gather for reunion By ALESHA M. PRICE Staff Writer CHARLOTTE — It was a day of gasps and shouts, tears and smiles and hugs and kisses surrounded by a warm, September day. Memories of bobbysocks, glass soda bottles, World War II rations and women religious in long, black habits spilled from the minds and fell from the mouths of those for whom Catholic education was a way of life. Graduates from the O’Donoghue School in Charlotte gathered for their first multi-class reunion on Sept. 22 at their old building, what is now St. Patrick School in Charlotte. Over 40 men and women, some of whom had not seen each other for over 50 years, met again to reminisce about old times and to catch up on what has happened since graduation. Helen Brown Herlocker from the class of 1948 said that she and several others had discussed the idea of a reunion for many years but had finally decided to bring the plans to fruition recently. The reunion consisted of a tour of Charlotte Catholic High School (CCHS), Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral, social time and dinner. “It has been exciting and nostalgic to work on the reunion with people calling me because I haven’t spoken to some of them for years,” said Herlocker, whose husband Joe, now deceased, also graduated from the school. “CCHS has had reunions, and we’ve been included. However, it hasn’t been the same. We wanted an O’Donoghue reunion.” The school, which stands adjacent to St. Patrick Cathedral, was opened in 1930 and served as an elementary school staffed by the Sisters of Mercy. It was named for the late Dr. Denis O’Donoghue, a longtime benefactor of the Catholic church in Charlotte, whose bequest provided a jump start for Catholic education during the early part of the century. In 1943, the school was expanded to include upper grades and was in operation until 1954 when the first CCHS building was constructed. The O’Donoghue School reverted to elementary grades and was named St. Patrick School in later years. Those who arrived early for the Saturday gathering were treated to a tour of the current CCHS building. Many of those who attended classes in the old brick building in the Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte were impressed at the sight of the school whose enrollment far surpasses the less than 60 students in the O’Donoghue high school classes in the late ’40s. “Students, we had to almost fight to get a little room for our library,” said Betty Minnick with a smile addressing those she taught while she looked at the large space set aside for the CCHS library. She also said that the school lunch menu was miles
Photo by Alesha M. Price
Benedictine Father Kieran Neilson, Martha Pfund and Patsy Hartle Bardford, O’Donoghue School graduates, laughed about their school days at their first multi-class reunion on Sept. 22 held at St. Patrick School in Charlotte. The school, in operation from the ’30s through the 50’s, served area students until Charlotte Catholic High School was built in the ’50s. ahead of anything served at her old place of employment. Minnick, who taught physical education and coached girls’ basketball from 1946-1955 at O’Donoghue and CCHS and later taught at St. Ann School, was one of the few lay teachers at O’Donoghue at one point during its history. She said that what she remembers most about those days is that there never seemed to be any of the serious problems that students face today. “The kids were mischievous, but our biggest problems were smoking or someone taking a sip of wine. There just wasn’t any trouble back then,” said Minnick, who acted as a go-between for the students and the women religious. “Being able to simply be there with the kids was so exciting. I learned so much from the kids and the nuns.” The words “nuns” and “family” were heard throughout the day as many of the graduates talked about their grade-school days and reflected on what made them special. Dinner was slightly delayed as latecomers came in and saw their friends and extended family from years ago. Mary Agnes Harris Moeslein, a 1948 graduate, had five boys and 12 to 14 girls in her class. “We were just starting Catholic High back then, so we had to forge our own way and do things together. We grew
up together and started in the first grade, and we gradually added a class each year,” she remembered. “I miss the closeness of the school. Charlotte was so small back then, and you knew everyone so well. I would visit with Helen (Herlocker) all of the time.” Benedictine Father Kieran Neilson, class of 1950 and campus minister at Belmont Abbey College, agreed, “I enjoyed the closeness of the school and remember the influence that the Sisters of Mercy had during my formative years.” Father Neilson, whom his classmates affectionately call “Patty” because of his baptismal name Patrick, concelebrated Mass at the cathedral that afternoon. “The Mercy Sisters were very progressive in their thinking and were wonderful women who really cared about us,” said Herlocker. “It was just like family, and I think all of us to this day remember happy times.” Contact Staff Writer Alesha M. Price by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail amprice@charlottediocese.org.