You are currently browsing cardinalmooneyhighschoolblog's articles.
It’s snowing like crazy here in Colorado and the weather brings back fond memories of Rochester’s lake affect snow (is that affect or effect?). So I thought I’d slog down memory lane and list a few of the great things I remember about Cardinal Mooney. Please add to the list by posting a comment!
CARDINAL MOONEY MEMORIES:
- Sister Lisette’s art class where we got to listen to the radio while working on projects
- The year Mooney didn’t have a play a group of us performed in the Aquinas production of ”Fiddler on the Roof”; the year we did “Annie Get Your Gun” and ‘74 alum, Ann Short had the lead as Annie
- Hiking up our hemlines by rolling up our skirts under those dorky sweater vests
- The newspaper drive
- 100 Days
- The fence bordering Mooney property and the shopping mall where smokers would congregate
- The ladies who worked in the cafeteria - saints, all of them!
- How big the school seemed and how overwhelming it felt in those first Freshman weeks
- Latin class (puer/boy, puella/girl)
- Ski club trips to Swain Ski Resort
Swain ski resort in Upstate New York
Ahhh, the good old days!
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Please forward this post to anyone who graduated in 1973. I’d like to help the 1973 Class Reunion Committee get wider distribution. They’ve been hard at work on this for quite some time! (I love the “Cardinally yours” close!)
Laura
“…we need your email addresses and any other known classmate addresses. Contact us at cm73reunion@gmail.com with any suggestions and updates. Tracking 360+ people is quite a challenge, but with your help we can do it! Stay tuned for more info and fun photos. This reunion will be worth waiting 35 years for! –Cardinally yours, cm73reunion committee”
Talk about a small world!
This weekend my sister Lisa hosted a 50th BD party for other sister, Cindy Francis, formerly Cindy Schickler. (Can you believe we’re now in our 50’s?!?) Among the many friends and relatives who attended, was my second cousin, Jenny. Her parents still live in Rochester, but she’s lived all over the world, including volunteering in Alaska for the Iditerod race where she used her vet tech skills to take care of the dogs.
On her way out the door at the end of the party, she mentioned a friend had sent her an article about Abbott’s Custard. She said the article came from a high school blog.
She had no idea that the blog she referenced was this one! (The post she referenced was the one on Abbott’s Custard and Other Rochester NY Memories!)
What a surprise! I’m so glad to know that the posts on this blog are making their way around the US to CM alumni friends and family!
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Laura Benjamin (aka Laurie Schickler)
A faculty update from Suzanne (Langelotti) Fox:
I do not believe Mr. Nietopski has NOT passed yet…I found this fairly recent article…read below….
Also, anybody remember Mr. Cy Resch? He taught Social Studies and Gym. Well, to my surprise my older son had him as a Social Studies Teacher in 9th grade at Churchville Chili Junior High School in Churchville, NY. He lookes the same…as we all do right? He also teaches Drivers Education. (Small world)…
Also, my home parish is St. Lawrence. (I now attend St. Pius X, in Chili, NY ) I have known Fr. Haycock since I was in 1st grade. He knows my family well. My parents still attend St. Lawrence. He is a wonderful man…..
Here’s the article…
Monday, May 08, 2006
What do they do at Nietopski Sports? I’ve walked past the sign on the door a few times and always wondered what they do at Nietopski Sports, so I decided to stop by and find out.
If you’ve lived in the Greece area for any length of time, you’ve certainly heard of Ed Nietopski. He is the beloved (recently retired) baseball and basketball coach from Cardinal Mooney and Bishop Kearney. I assumed Mr. Nietopski ran the business but was pleasantly surprised to learn that his daughter Theresa is the founder and President of Nietopski Sports.
Theresa started the business thirteen years ago after graduating from St. John Fisher College. She began selling sporting goods and team wear but quickly grew to include business gifts, promotional premium items and advertising specialties. They essentially add logos to products such as hats, golf balls, pens, water bottles and just about anything else. A sample of the name brands they offer are Carhart, Nike, Adidas and Under-armour, just to name a few. They service sports teams, universities, schools, political campaigns and golf tournaments. The business grew so quickly that she brought her sister Margaret and family friend Joyce Daly on board to help keep up with demand.
If that weren’t enough, Theresa is an avid volunteer and sponsors many events in the Rochester area. She was recently named a board member for the New York Branch of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and is on the boards of Golisano Childrens’ Hospital, National Kidney Foundation and the Red Cross. She volunteers at Hope Hall and School of the Holy Childhood. Nietopski Sports also sponsored the Monroe County Girls Sports Festival.
While it’s wonderful to recognize all the good that big companies do for our communities, it’s also nice to highlight some of the things small businesses are doing.
If you’d like more information about Nietopski Sports you can access the website at http://www.nietopskisports.com or phone (585) 663-8180. They are located at 550 Latona Road, Building C, Suite 307, Rochester, NY 14626.
From Chuck Cooper (Class of ‘73)
A very dedicated group of the class of 73 are planing a 35yr reunion. We need updated info, so please send a message to cm73reunion@gmail.com with your contact information. When we have a firm date we can send out information and invitations.
Boy, it’s been a while since I’ve posted to THIS blog, so my apologies to folks for the delay. However, great news prompted me to bust a move and refocus my attention.
Our own John Larrere co-authored an article published in Business Week, entitled Advice for Obama’s First 100 Days.
The article is very good and no matter whom your preferred Presidential candidate, the points made in this article apply to anyone in a leadership role, formal or informal.
Anyone else out there have something they’d like the group to know about? Please email it over to me or post a comment!
All my best, Laura Benjamin (formerly Laurie Schickler)
Well folks, we’re back in Rochester for a family reunion and have rented a beautiful cottage on Honeoye Lake. The reunion went great, the weather has been unbelievably perfect (one full week of no rain and sunny skies) and my daughter and I are having ourselves a great time.
However, in some ways it’s been a little sad. We brought the memories of the way things were tucked neatly inside the zippered compartments of our carry on luggage. But they didn’t quite fit the reality once we unpacked the car.
People have changed and moved on with their lives, places we lived and played are overgrown or deteriorated. And everything seems so, well - unfamiliar! You spend a good deal of your life somewhere, then you move away and within a very short time you can’t remember how to get from A to B.
(Watch the drama unfold as I stumble down this philosophical path…)
I’m sure I’m not the only one who has ever been told, “Silly girl. Dontcha know? You can’t ever go home again!”
But it’s easy and so self-indulgent to glamorize a place when you’re living half a continent away!
Ever wonder if perhaps it would have better not to know?
Nawww! And here’s why!
Reasons Why It’s Great to Go Home Again
(Hummed to the tune of “You know you’re from Rochester when…”)
1. I look at things with fresh eyes and see the beauty I didn’t fully appreciate when I lived here. Like the rolling hills, sparkling lakes and amazing green-ness of Upstate NY. In Colorado, it gets pretty brown and dried out by the end of the summer and water is always in short supply!
2. We love the roadside fruit and veggie stands. We don’t have them where I live, so it’s a real delight to know the stuff you’re buying has come straight from the field.
3. Coming from a farming family, there’s nothing quite so satisfying as seeing rows upon rows of corn stalks waving in the breeze and rows upon rows of freshly plowed soil. (We have tons of rock and sagebrush in our end of Colorado, but they don’t easily bend to the will of a plow!)
4. We don’t have grape pies. I can highly recommend Cindy’s Pies in Naples on #5 Academy Street.
5. It’s gratifying to hear that a whole new younger generation (much younger!) are going to the same grammar school you attended. (St. Pius X School) Especially in an era where Catholic schools are closing right and left, I’m particularly happy to see my grade school alma mater is still alive and well.
6. Former co-workers at the Rochester Institute of Technology haven’t changed a bit! And they were gracious enough to say the same about me! (Thanks Sue and Paula! It was wonderful to see you both again!)
7. You realize how much you’ve learned since you last lived in a particular place. Dare I say, you realize how much you’ve matured? When does one know you’ve become a “grown-up” anyway? When you’ve got children of your own? Grandchildren? The name of a plastic surgeon in your rolodex?
8. You trot your young adults around to all the historical places your parents took you and they’re actually interested! Surprisingly, you learn a few things along the way too!
9. You see the improvements made within the community that didn’t exist when you lived here like roadways, college expansions, playgrounds, etc. You also realize that every community struggles with crime, gangs and drugs, so where you came from and where you now live aren’t really so different in that regard.
10. It’s comforting to know that family are still family. No matter how far we travel or how long we’ve been gone, it only takes one look into the faces of aunts, uncles, neices and cousins to see reflections of grandparents long gone. And then you realize how many lives and how much living has gone into making us who we are!
Please spread the word about this blog to anyone who attended or taught at Cardinal Mooney High School in Rochester NY. We welcome your stories, photos and updates!
Laura, writing from Honeoye Lake until Saturday when we head to Burlington VT!
Hi folks! Here are some of the most recent comments and updates:
- Mary Beth Campbell Judd is trying to reconnect with class of 1970 alumni. Please contact her at: judlul (at) comcast (dot) net.
- Class of 73 reunion (tenatively in 2009, don’t ask…) I’ve just gotten word from Bev Payne that the ‘reunion committee’ is meeting on Sept 23 at a location in Rochester area. If you want to be part of that committee - contact me at gshevrin at gmail dot com and I will put you in touch. I don’t want to post their email addresses without permission. Enjoy!! Gini Snyder Shevrin
- Attention Class of 1973: I heard from Beverly Payne. She and Tony DiMartino are trying to get a reunion together. If you are interested in sharing ideas or helping to organize, we will be at Johnnys Irish Pub, 1382 Culver Road Rochester, NY 14609 on September 23rd at 6pm. Hope to see you there.
Laurie Schickler Benjamin, Class of 1974, back in Rochester this week from Colorado visiting family. Enjoyed a Zweigle’s hot dog tonight. Sure have missed ‘em!
Here’s a “howdy” note from Ann Short, Class of 74:
Oh John Larrere! Just seeing your face brought back so many happy memories of high school. So happy to see you doing so well! I live in Ithaca, NY; my daughter is working in marketing in Manhattan, working for the firm that handles “Wicked”, and I am, in fact, visiting her there this weekend, 8/22-24/08. I quick thanks to Teresa Ringholz for forwarding me this website. Laurie Schickler! Great job! Can you believe it will be 35 years in ‘09? Holy —-! Hi to all alum I was honored to matriculate with! Ann Short
Hi folks! We’ve had two questions come in the past few days I thought I’d post here:
1. From Jane Danielson Rickard at jdr2431@yahoo.com
Jane wants to know if there are any Mooney grads in the Chicago area. Please respond to her directly.
2. From Chuck Cooper Chas177@aol.com asking if there’s any news on a 1973 reunion. Please let him know if you have that information!
I never really know how much the liberal yet powerfully catholic lessons I learned at Mooney meant until I had left the church and moved to Chicago. It was not the dogma which has kept me on a firm path with God but the rich ethical lessons that were often taught to us along with class material. I work daily with people of all faiths, languages and traditions many of my students come from families rich in love and poor in material goods. It is how to bring the best to all, is a lesson that was taught daily by by example the Brothers. When I ‘m asked what order taught me (believe it or not a common question in very Catholic Chicago) I tell them with pride Brothers of the Holy Cross.
I think it was Br. Lawrence who taught us no action, no faith, they both go together.”
In three weeks, I’m going “home” to Rochester NY for a big Schickler family reunion. So Gini Snyder Shevrin’s comment has gotten me all the more excited about my trip!
Gini said…
“I had a Mooney Moment today, somewhat related. I live in the Boston area, and have long lamented the lack of my two favorite Rochester things - Wegmans, and Abbott’s. I recently found out that Wegmans is opening a store 25 minutes from me in 2011, and there is now an Abbott’s about 20 minutes from me, if it’s not rush hour. So today, my 17 year old son and I made the pilgramage. Got to chatting with the owner of this relatively new Abbott’s franchise (in Needham, MA), and turns out, she’s Mary Pat Pop, class of ‘74!! (I was class of ‘73) We figured out that we knew a few people in common, but the store was so busy (no wonder!) that we finally ordered and swooned over the custard, and then left. So, thank you Cardinal Mooney, for producing Mary Pat Pop, now Mary Pat Dauria, who has brought Abbott’s to New Engand!! If you live around here, stop by and see her - the custard is perfect!”
So, while skipping down memory lane myself and preparing this blog post, I did some research on Wegman’s
…and then on Abbott’s Custard
And surprise, surprise! I found a Boston.com article written about Mary Pat Popp’s new Abbott’s Custard Shop! So, I’m delighted to help her promote it here. If you’re a Rochester transplant, living in New England and longing for the cold comfort of an Abbott’s frozen custard, visit Mary Pat’s shop at Abbott’s Frozen Custard, 934 Great Plain Ave., Needham, 781-444-9908. When you go, tell her the word is spreading!
Gini’s reference to “Mooney Moments” prompted me to add another category to this blog. Then I thought, why not add another category titled “Rochester NY Memories”? So I’ve done that and inserted a few other Rochester NY Memories below…
Here’s a vintage video of Midtown Mall in 1963…
And then, here’s how You Know You’re From Rochester NY
-
The only thing at the annual May Lilac Festival is snow.
-
The worst four-letter word you could say is ” Fuji “.
-
You can’t swim at the beach.
-
You thought that you had figured out that alternate-parking thing, but wind up with a ticket anyway.
-
Toronto is about 70 miles away, but it takes four hours to get there.
-
The name “Greater Rochester International Airport” is bigger than the airport itself.
-
There’s an 800 number to report a pothole in the road.
-
You know that a “Can of Worms” is not something that you take fishing.
-
Your baby’s first word is “Wegmans”.
-
You ask lifetime residents where the George Eastman House is, but they don’t know either.
-
In a city where it snows at least 90 inches a year, they build a new sports stadium with no roof on it.
-
It can be 70 degrees one day, below freezing the next, and you think nothing of it.
-
Your mother is buying outfits to wear to Wegmans.
-
Your low-fat diet is never low enough to exclude an Abbott’s Custard.
-
You order a white hot and a pop, and the counterman knows what you’re talking about.
-
You can travel from Egypt to Greece in about a half-hour by car.
-
D&C is a newspaper, not a medical procedure.
-
There are no hamburgers, only ground steak.
-
You can go to any mall on a Saturday and see at least 5 people you either work with, went to school with or dated.
-
A musical comes to town 10 years after its Broadway premier and the entire town goes nuts!!
-
You awaken from a deep sleep, look at the clock and see that it’s 6:00, but you have no idea whether it’s AM or PM.
-
When 18+ inches of snow falls overnight, but you never thought of NOT going to work.
-
You are perplexed when friends from other cities come to visit and want to “see the sights”.
-
In winter if the temperature hits 45 degrees and the sun comes out, people walk around downtown wearing shades and no jackets.
-
There are places at the poles that seem to get more sunlight during the winter months than we do.
-
Wegmans is somewhere to go on a Friday night, for entertainment.
-
You know who Vinnie and Angelo are.
-
You define summer as three months of bad sledding.
-
You think that people from Pennsylvania have an accent.
-
Halloween is snowed out with great regularity.
-
You have experienced frostbite and sunburn in the same week.
-
Half the change in your pocket is Canadian, eh.
-
Your idea of a seven-course meal is a six pack of Genny and a bucket of Buffalo wings.
-
You believe that “down south” means Maryland .
-
Your snowmobile, lawn mower and fishing boat all have big block Chevy engines.
-
You can compare Nick Tahoe’s garbage plate to at least 3 other knock-offs in competing restaurants.
-
You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Rochester, NY
So, does anyone else have some great Rochester NY memories or Mooney Moments you’d like to submit? Please post a comment and I’ll compile an republish as a post.
And, to friends from Mooney Class of ‘74 who want to get together while I’m in Rochester the first week of September, please send a note at laurabenjamin (at) comcast (dot) net or phone me at 719-651-8742 and we’ll set it up!
Writing from 6711 feet above sea level in Colorado Springs, Laura
The heat must be getting to me. It’s 97 degrees in Colorado Springs today and even footage of a snowstorm seems to help!
Remember this blizzard? All six of us young ‘uns were cooped up in the house with two extremely patient parents. That is, until my Mom couldn’t stand it any more and bundled us up in snowsuits like the kid in The Christmas Story. Woe to the child who had to go to the bathroom shortly after!
While this video isn’t directly related to Cardinal Mooney, I’ve searched You Tube and this was about the best I could come up with! If anyone has any old video from Mooney paper drives, sports events, 100 Days, etc. don’t be shy - please sent it over!
Thought you’d all get a kick out of this one. Enjoy!
“True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.”
–Kurt Vonnegut
John Larrere forwarded this video of Teresa Rinholz. Teresa graduated from Mooney in the early seventies - then went on to Eastman for Undergraduate and Graduate School. She lives in Rochester.
Barbara j. (babs) Indivino
bjci27@yahoo.com
Does anyone know the whereabouts of Virgil Cotton ‘75? last i saw him was back in 1984-87 in NYC where we both lived and worked. He had a post on classmates.com but you cant always connect that way.
Barbara
Thanks again to those who are spreading the word about this blog and sending in updates like the one that follows:
“I was one of the Brothers teaching music at Cardinal Mooney. It was very nice to hear from Joanne Hinz and hear of her lovely teaching career. I left the Holy Cross Order as a priest in 1985. I have been working with a global consulting firm for 23 years where I am General Manager. We have 99 offices in 47 countries. I have had the opportunity to work on 5 of the 7 continents (you can guess which one’s I did not go to). I have four children who work in finance, autism, aviation and acting. We live on Governor’s Island on Lake Winnepesaukee in NH although my office is in NY.
I met Teresa Ringholz in Amsterdam while she was singing in the Cologne Germany Opera house. She returned to Rochester and is doing great work still. Liz Winkler Laughlin is the principal of the school of the performing arts in San Diego. Theresa Winkler is a psychiatric social worker and a music therapist also in San Diego. Jim Winkler is a family practice physician in Montour Falls NY. Tom Winkler heads up manufacturing for Kodak. Their Mom Mary passed away this past year. I also was sad to hear that David Ameele who taught in the music department also died in LA where he was performing and teaching. I saw Father Haycock and Charles Kociolek at a priests reunion. Father Haycock is at St. Lawrence in Greece. Charlie works at Kings College in Wilkes Barre PA. I have had the opportunity to do consulting work with Sr. Joanne Lappetito when she was head ethicist for the Catholic Health Association. Blessings on all Mooney Community - living and deceased.”
John Larrere
Here’s a note that just came in from Michalene O’Meara-Labue:
The class of 1989 class reunion will be coming up next year. Please look for information, or email me at
LaBue@mail.com. Hope to hear from you.
I thought I’d post this in a more prominent spot than in the comment section just in case someone can help this guy out…
We’ve already had one amazing reunion - perhaps there are more in the future!
Laura
Does anyone know Sue DeRoller ? I knew her back in the mid sixties …She went to Cardinal Mooney in Greece …
If so please send me some contact information … I think she graduated in 1965 or 1966 …
Thank You
Kind Regards
Jake Gerber
S.F.CA.
I would be indebted to anyone that could shed some light on this woman …
415-346-6783
415-378-0711
gerbaby@comcast.net
Hi, I taught English at Mooney from February 1973 through June 1981.
Once a month a few members of the Class of ‘74 go to breakfast together and I am honored to be invited to join them. Now that they are well into their fifties, we seem to be (and are) the same generation.
Sad to say, Spanish teacher Jerry Hertweck passed away a short time ago. He’d had multiple strokes. His wife Rosie gave him the tenderest care possible. Some of our group went to the funeral and reported seeing Ed Nietopski there…so he can’t be dead!
Laura, I can remember you–a lovely blonde young lady, right?–but I don’t know if I taught you English or Theology.
Two years ago I retired from teaching English and Creative Writing at Canandaigua Academy (a public high school), and now I am living happily ever after.
Warm regards to all my former students, a wonderful group of people!
Joann Hinz
This question came through a few days ago, and it seems legit. So I’m posting it in full and hopefully someone can help this gentleman out. If so, please contact him directly.
Hi! I left a post on the Cardinal Mooney blog site, but I noticed your contact info too. I am actually in the middle of an adoption search and am reaching out to anyone who went to Cardinal Mooney back in 71-74. I was born in 1972 and given up for adoption by my birth mother and father, who both went to Cardinal Mooney. They would have graduated in 1973. My mother was the middle child with 8 other siblings, one of which who passed away in 1971 from Addison’s Disease. My birthfather was an only child supposedly and was into baseball and basketball. I know it’s a long shot, but did you remember anyone who was pregnant back then at Mooney? She would have missed the first half of 1971-72 school year, and then would have returned for the remainder of 72. She would have graduated in 1973. Just wondering. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you so much!
-Matthew Marquardt,
Please contact Matthew at: Matthew dot Marquardt at PAETEC dot com
Thank you so much Laura! Again, I great appreciate any and all help! It’s been a long journey, but I feel closer each and every day. I look forward to hearing from you soon! --Matthew
Copied verbatim from the archives, written by “The Wind” (circa 1972) and found in an old cardboard box somewhere in Laurie Schickler’s attic. If anyone knows who “The Wind” is, please let us know!
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About 100 Days (But Were Too Drunk to Ask)
“The day of March 17th was a day of celebration for the Senior class, and if anyone ever did justice to St. Patrick’s Day, it was the class of ‘72. All over St. Chuck’s parking lot people were seen drinking from Wink bottles, 7-Up bottles and orange juice bottles, which isn’t so unusual considering you can never judge a bottle by its cover.
The parade to the institution of lower learning was a real bust-up as approximately 111 to 112 cars flooded Maiden Lane and proceeded to tie up traffic. Waiting motorists let loose a barage of obscenities at the Seniors, while the Seniors, trying to conserve their voices, responded with sign language.
For the first time ever, many a Senior found himself following the Police instead of the other way around! They drove down the street with horns blowing and freaks (freaks?!?) hanging out of windows, sitting up on convertibles or just spaced out on the roof. However, the presence of the Greece Police did prevent them from having another pass-over celebration.
Upon arriving at Cardinal Mooney, they proceeded to play bumper-cars, which ended abruptly as a lone Aquinas man was spotted in the middle of the parking lot. Then the Seniors began to practice their figure eights all over his body. After finishing his 5th bottle of tranquilizers, Brother John came outside and calmly asked them to stop. The AQ man turned out to be a CM Frosh, so the Seniors apologized to him and then parked their cars. After chanting, “Hell No, We Won’t Go!”, they invaded the school, causing the faculty to wish they had “had a few” too.
Seniors spent the first few periods walking around saying, “Hey man, what’s happening?” AND tried to remember that Cardinal Mooney was a school, not a bar.
“The Wind”
We’re starting to pick up some speed here. Welcome to those who just found out about this blog! Please tell your friends and family that it exists and that I’m looking for guest writers, photo’s, stories and of course comments from anyone who attended or graduated from the Rochester NY or Greece NY Cardinal Mooney High School.
Also, I’ve started a Facebook group of Cardinal Mooney Alumni which can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/people/Laura_Benjamin/1259130890. Please join as a friend. It’ll be great to have you!
What are the Benefits of a Catholic School Education?
Does anyone feel the same way I do - that having a Catholic school education was a real gift? I could go into what’s happened to the quality of our public education system these days by comparison, but then I’d have to get a bit political and that’s not a pretty sight! (grin)
Certainly, at the ripe old age of 51 I’ve forgotten about many of the typical teenaged frustrations and insecurities, so perhaps my perspective is colored now. But I believe having had a Catholic school education gave me a tremendous boost in life. Here’s why…
The Value of a Catholic School Education
It helped me recognize the sacrifice my parents made to put my brothers and sisters and I through Mooney. I don’t know how much it cost back then, but I’m sure it would have been much easier for them to use that money some other way. Six children are a lot to feed and clothe, my Mom didn’t work outside the home (she worked her you-know-what off inside it, however!) and my Dad was (and still is) a realtor/appraiser which meant you didn’t get a regular paycheck. So I was aware even then that this investment in us kids meant something. They were happy to do it and they didn’t complain about the cost. I learned that a good education was important.
Catholic School Rules and Discipline
I also learned that while we did our best to bend the rules, there WERE rules and there were also consequences if you didn’t follow them. Here’s a few rules I remember:
- No rolling that plaid, pleated skirt to hike it up above your knees then hide it under a sweater vest. Sister Kathleen was really good at spotting anyone who’s hemline was more than an inch above the kneecap!
- No running down the halls, sliding down the stairway railings or chewing gum in class
- No swearing, sassing or disrespectful behavior towards teachers, staff or one another (at least within ear-shot)
- No smoking, unless of course you snuck across the fence to the parking lot on the other side
School Uniforms
The uniforms helped eliminate, or at least modify, one of the ways young people seek status and differentiation. You were less likely to harass someone or make snide comments about their clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. when everyone is dressed the same. Yes, I remember most of us tried our best to spice things up a bit by accessorizing “outside the lines”, but there were limits with that too. Uniforms put most of us on more of an even playing field. While I hated those plaid skirts back then, I see very good reasons for having them now!
Faith, Spirituality and School Spirit
I remember there were a few kids at Mooney who weren’t Catholic, but whose parents sent them there to get the parochial school education and environment. I remember celebrating and honoring the days of observation, the moments of prayer at athletic events, the sports teams bending at the knee in front of the statue of Mary before a home game, etc. I believe the benefit of attending a Catholic school was the momentum in school spirit when you combined it with religious commitment. It strikes me now, that it was like a “biggee sized” boost - and something that is missing from our public school system.
Whoops, I’m getting dangerously close to political commentary here - hold me back!
Character building qualities. This was probably one of the greatest benefits I believe we gained from a Catholic School Education. The combination of faith, structure, discipline, commitment and respect (towards oneself and others) provided the materials to build character and develop strong values to face life’s challenges. I believe we got an abundance of it!
And for that I personally am very, very thankful!
Until next time, Laura Benjamin (Schickler), writing from Colorado
Don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner! I decided it would be great fun to have one central blogging place for anyone who attended Rochester NY Cardinal Mooney High School located in Greece NY.
I’m open to suggestions on the best way to develop this meeting place where we can share stories, memories and perhaps even organize a few Mooney gatherings or two around the country!
Formerly Laurie Schickler, now Laura Benjamin (see what age, distance and marriage will do to ya?) I graduated in 1974. Perhaps you might remember or still know some of my siblings or my cousins.
But stay tuned as I add in some photo’s (please send me any you think people would enjoy) and post stories and updates on who’s doing what these days!
What fun! Thanks for stopping by!
Laura Benjamin in Colorado
To get the ball rolling, can anyone provide some updates on what’s happened to our dearly beloved faculty and administrative staff from Cardinal Mooney? Here’s a photo of someone most everyone should remember…
Recent Comments