Sr. Mary Immaculata, First Grade Teacher

Artifact courtesy: Elaine McIntyre Beaudoin

Sr. Mary Immaculata, our first grade teacher, was a favorite of many students at St. Thomas Aquinas.  She taught first grade for more than 50 years.  This photo was on an invitation sent out to STA parishioners.

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish

cordially invites you to participate

in the

SISTER IMMACULATA MEMORIAL DINNER

Friday, October 22nd, 1976

at the Diplomat West

681 West North Avenue (at Route 83)

Elmhurst, Illinois

Cocktails at 6:30 P. M.

Dinner at 7:30 P. M.

Entertainment and dancing after dinner

$15.00 per person - Cash Bar

SISTER MARY IMMACULATA AT ST. THOMAS AQUINAS PARISH

"The doors of St. Thomas Aquinas School opened in September of 1909. Among the first Sisters of Mercy to teach in the new school was Sister Mary Immaculata, RSM.

"Surely one of the most solidifying factors in the growth of St. Thomas School through the years was her loving presence and constant concern for the little ones who for over 60 years were placed in her care.
Sister worked for many pastors and many principals, all of whom recognized her unusual dedication and determination to remain at St. Thomas Aquinas School. Sister shared her own personal happiness and love with all of us who were fortunate enough to have known her.

"Each school year, Sister Immaculata was again back in Room 4. We expected her to be there, we hoped she would be there, and we were never disappointed, Can anyone doubt that she is still there?

"Certainly it would be safe to say that not one of her 3,000 students, if asked today, "Who was your first grade teacher?" would hesitate one second in saying, "Sister Mary Immaculata." She was not a person one easily forgets.

"At present, the Sisters of Mercy are no longer at St. Thomas School. The school is staffed by lay teachers under the direction of Miss Ann Mulkerin, Principal, who not surprisingly, was a pupil of Sister Immaculata.
A very competent staff now carries on the work of Sister Immaculata.

"First Grade, Mrs. Helen Cook; Second Grade, Miss Paulette Jackson; Third Grade, Miss Mary Kate Gallagher; Fourth Grade, Mrs. Kathleen Staudemeyer; Fifth and Sixth Grades, Miss Carmina Buonomo, Miss Maureen Daly and Mrs. Rose Koch; Seventh and Eighth Grades, Mrs. Deidre Popolis and Mr. Michael Parham.

"Also, we have initiated a program for the little ones by opening a Pre-school, taught by Mrs. Robetta Gipson and two rooms of Kindergarten children, taught by Mrs. Linda Stallworth and Mrs. Elizabeth Hall.
St. Thomas Rectory has, at present, a Team Pastorate; Father John J. McCarville and Father John W. Murray. Our former member of the Team Pastorate, Father Charles R. Tobin, will being work at St. Mark's after the first of the year.

"So, thank you, Sister Immaculata, for giving us a past; we hope and pray that we can continue with your zeal and enthusiasm to make St. Thomas Aquinas the kind of place you always knew it could be."

Taken from the program of the dinner memorializing the life of Sister Mary Immaculata, RSM, in the fall of 1976.  Source: Sisters of Mercy Archives/St. Thomas Aquinas School - Class of 1955 

The Webmaster of the 1955 STA Reunion Class graciously encourage placement of the program text on our site.  She hoped some of us would know of  "missing" 1955 STA graduates and direct them to their site.

Sycamore Park, Illinois, 6th Grade Picnic Photos, 1958

In the spring of 1958, the Sixth Grade Class was treated to a school picnic in Sycamore Park, Illinois.  Unlike today where students regularly take field trips, this was our first outing!

 Shown in the photo to the left is Walter McNeela heading for the baseball diamond.

In the photo to the right, Bernadette Birkett and Peggy Dernbach both looking sheik in the latest head fashion -- sailor hats!

Who is that at bat?

 

Here we see Thomas O'Connor with his big smile.  To his right it looks like Patrick Arloff and Ray Redding.

Some more of those sailor hats!  Diane Hallinan and Marion Reister, cameras in hand looking for the perfect photo.






Having enjoyed lunch, Donna Falco, Denise Wallwin and Antoinette Malizia take a stroll through Sycamore Park.

Fr. MacDonald (?) gives the girls some pointers to assist them with their baseball strategies.  AND, more sailor hats!

A good time was had by all!


All Photos Courtesy: Elaine McIntyre Beaudoin

Keeping Cool in the Summer of 1959

The Summer of 1959 was a good time to be alive. We were about to begin our last year at St. Thomas Aquinas and we were entering our teenage years.  

Enjoying a summer day in the backyard on the westside are Kathleen Hughes and Joan Laughlin in back with Carol Broderick and Bernadette Birkett in front.

Photo Courtesy:  Elaine McIntyre Beaudoin





The bathing beauties, cooling off from one of Chicago's hot summer days.  From left to right: Katheleen Hughes, Carol Broderick, Mary McGuff and Diane Hallinan.

Photo Courtesy: Diane Hallinan

Bernadette Birkett and Carole Keough enjoying ice cream cones on a sultry summer day.

Photo courtesy: Elaine McIntyre Beaudoin

John Santoro Honored, 1960

John Santoro won the Monsignor William Long Memorial Trophy award for his proficiency in athletics and also for being outstanding in scholarship and leadership.

Unknown newspaper clipping dated July 7, 1960.  To read the article, double click on it and it will open up in a larger window.

Newspaper Clipping Courtesy: Elizabeth Giangrego

In Memoriam - John McGuinnis

John P. McGuinnis, 1946-2004

John P. McGuinnis, beloved husband of Nancy, nee Crossman; loving father Sarah Snyder, Katherine and John McGuinnis; proud son of the late Edward and Ethel, nee Caldwell; dear brother of Michael (Ruth Ann) and the late Edward (Isabel) McGuinnis; fond son-in-law of Fred and Joan Crossman; brother-in-law of Fred Crossman, Sara (Michael) Stratton, Jim (Karen) Crossman; uncle to many nieces and nephews. Partner with NAI Hiffman & Assoc. and former U.S. Army Officer serving in Vietnam. Visitation will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. until time of service at 3 p.m. at 4th Presbyterian Church (Michigan & Delaware). Interment Private. To cherish the life of John please visit www.mem.com Blake-Lamb Funeral Directors. Funeral info 312-944- 5594.     Chicago Tribune, April 5, 2004, page 6.

STA Trivia

How well do your remember our days at St. Thomas Aquinas?

Scroll down for the answers

1. Who was the priest who gave our eighth grade retreat?

2. How tall did you have to be for the eighth grade fashion show?

3. Who were our two eighth grade teachers?

4. Who was the favorite first grade teacher?

5. When was the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas when we were in school? (Note the feast days have been changed.)

6. Who crowned the Virgin Mary at the 1960 May crowning?

7. How much was a carton of milk in 1956?

8. Who wrote the eighth grad class prophesy?

9. Where was our sixth grade picnic?

10. Who was the priest who always knew who was not at 9:00 a.m. Mass?

11. What were the two eighth grad room numbers?

12. Who was our principal in 1960?

13. How many boys were in our graduating class?

14. How many girls were in our graduating class?

15. What was the address of our school?

16. What time did school start each day?

17. What time did school end each day?

18. What was the annual tuition?

19. What was done for April Fool's Day in 1960?

20. Which altar boy lit more than candles on STA's altar?
 

ANSWERS:
1. Father Belenger;   2. Five feet, six inches;   3. Sister Stella and Sister Damian;   4. Sister Immaculata;   5. March 7th;   6. Antoinette Malizia;   7. 2 cents;   8. Elizabeth Giangrego;   9. Sycamore Park, Illinois;   10. Msgr. Long;   11. Rooms 15 and 16;   12. Sr. Mary Honore;   13. 41 boys;   14. 51 girls;   15. 116 N. LeClaire;    16. 8:45 a.m.;   17. 2:45 p.m.;   18. $20.00;   19. The boys and girls switched rooms and the teachers' desks were turned around (weren't we a naughty bunch!);   20. Thomas McGrath.

These trivia questions were developed for the 25th Reunion in 1985.

Graduation Day Photos, 1960

Graduation Day, St. Thomas Aquinas Church

The graduating class marched down the aisle of St. Thomas Aquinas Church by height.

In the first photo the girls in view include Marion Reister, Joan Laughlin, Kathy Dobias (head turned), Carol Broderick, and Kathleen Hughes.  In the background Dennis Czechanski and Richard LaRose can be seen.

In the second photo in front is Lucy Amore, followed by Patricia Reithal, Elaine McIntyre and Virginia Salemi (biting her lip!).  In the  line on the left, Kathleen Houlihan can be seen.  Photos Courtesy: Carole Keough

 

In this photo from graduation day are pictured: Kathleen Hughes, Georgiann Stewart, Diane Hallinan and Maureen (Rigney) Sexton.  The boys in the background are Richard LaRose, James Tracey and William Stocker(?)

Photo courtesy: Diane Hallinan

Are there other photos from graduation day out there?  If so, let us know.