w e N ^ Volume 4, No. 2
Extending the Mission of Mount Saint Joseph Academy and College into the 21st Century
Fall 2008
Sister Jane Irvin filled role of mother, even matchmaker By Dan Heckel, Mount Saint Joseph Staff
dance holds a special memory for Kim (Clemons) Haire A’79. “Sister Jane Irvin always wanted every girl to attend the junior/senior prom. My senior year at the Mount, I was one of three girls who decided we would not go to the prom because we did not have dates. Sister Jan e Irvin Ha Sister Jane Irvin A ncock, cademy do rm mother let us know that if we wanted to go to our prom then we should go, with or without a date. This was a big event in our lives and she thought we should definitely attend. Eventually, we gave in and decided we would go ‘stag,’” Haire said. “Just a couple of days before the big evening, Sister Jane Irvin told us that she had a surprise for us…she had found us dates! None of us were too excited about the idea of having blind dates for our senior prom, and we almost backed out of going. The evening of the prom, the young men came out to the Mount and she introduced each of us to our date (turns out, she had matched us up by height). I’ll never forget her beaming face as she watched us girls being escorted to the gym that night … I don’t think any parent could have been Sister more proud or happy for us! “The prom went along as well as could be expected, Jane Irvin but as the evening wore on, I realized I was enjoying ck co Han the conversation and the sense of humor of my friend’s r te and Sis date. We continued to talk throughout that evening and Jamesetta the conversation hasn’t stopped yet. Phil and I celebrated th Knott help our 25 wedding anniversary in May. Thanks, Sister , in Archives Jane Irvin – I guess you knew what you were doing all along!” n 2008
Diane (Blair) Hodskins recalls that during her years as a boarding student at Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Sister Jane Irvin Hancock C’47 always had the room on the top floor of the dorm with a window to the fire escape. “None of us could be trusted with it,” Hodskins said with a smile. That’s just one memory she had about Sister Jane Irvin, who was dean of boarding students from 1975-1983. She was considered a second mother to many girls who were away from home for the first time. “We had all these ghost stories about how the place was haunted,” said Hodskins, a 1982 graduate. “She taught us a prayer to ward off evil spirits.” Sister Jane Irvin said her favorite thing about being dorm mother was getting the girls to do as she directed. “I wanted them to make something out of themselves,” she said. “They’d come in and talk to me about their boyfriends, or a teacher they thought was too hard on them,” said Sister Jane Irvin, who is retired to the Motherhouse and works part-time in the Archives office. “I’d tell them, ‘She’s not being too hard on you, she wants what’s best for you.’” Dances took place monthly at the Academy, and the girls held car washes to raise money. Part of Sister Jane Irvin’s job was getting the girls away from the boys and back to work, she said. “They were very good girls, they did what I asked,” she said. “They knew if they didn’t I wouldn’t let them go to the dances.” One
Alumnae Memorial Mass will be Saturday, Nov. 8 The third annual Alumnae Memorial Mass is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mount Saint Joseph Motherhouse Chapel. This Mass remembers deceased classmates, faculty, family and friends of Mount Saint Joseph Academy and College. Mass will be followed by lunch with the Ursuline Sisters. Prayer intentions can be mailed to the Alumnae Office or e-mailed to alumnae@ maplemount.org. Also, please let the office know if you are aware of alumnae who passed away in the previous year. For more information and to RVSP, call 270-229-2006. RSVP by Oct. 15, 2008.