More 1960's Memories...

Cleaning the convent chapel and finding out the nuns real names, CYO dances, Best friend- Barbara (Jones) Meinzer, uniform by Malof, Religious Goods store and Holy Card collections, Sister Corenthia, Sister Regis!!!  8th grade at Bishop Lynch, lining up in the parking lot for the pledge and morning Mass, oh yeah and detention, The clock and folded hands, rulers, knickles-Donna Zygiel             I enjoyed all my friends I met from kindergarten all the way through Bishop Lynch, and the wonderful family atmosphere that was felt throughout the entire parish all the years we attended Church and school- David Roffino   Getting into trouble when a classmate and I left school grounds during recess to get a milkshake at Rexall Drugstore on Casa View Shopping Center. Sneaking into the convent to see what the nuns looked like without the full habit they wore in those days. Father Mora and detention hall. Mrs. Ferguson coaching the girl's softball team in 5th grade.  Mrs. Conneff changing my life forever when I moved to Texas in the 4th grade- - I became a child & family counselor because of her influence. Dickybird Roffino's pigeons flying over the rectory and school leaving pigeon droppings everywhere they went. Picking up rocks with all the other kids in the football field In 1967 our baseball team won the city Championship, Trading Holy Cards at recess, Sister Crescentia, Eulalia, Attracta and having a Baptist lay teacher in 5th grade. Undefeated 1968 football season, Gopher Bowl Champions 8th grade trip I'll never forget how to tie a square knot after wearing that little red tie for 8 years! Learning the Gregorian Chant from Sister Carthage. Being excused from class to attend funerals so the church would be full. Attending Mass every morning. Being in Mrs. Lorenz's 6th grade class during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962.  Religion Class with Sister Regis was ending and Mrs. Lorenz was returning to the classroom.  She was just outside the open window when she dropped a book that hit the concrete with a bang.  Sister yelled, "Castro's coming!" and we were al under our desks before we realized Sister was laughing.  Annually marching along with all Catholic schools in the diocese, dressed in our school uniforms, through Downtown Dallas praying the rosary for the Christ the King procession.  We'd end at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium and Bishop Gorman would celebrate Mass in the center of the round building.  Looking around the auditorium, you could see that St. Pius X was the largest school in attendance! Being in Mrs. Lynch's First Grade Class and making it halfway through the year before the other 74 students (in one classroom!) realized Mrs. Lynch was my mother. Seeing the principal, Sister Eulalia, (probably 4'8" tall) standing with her yard stick on the playground or disciplining 8th grade boys who were probably at least 6 feet tall!  We nicknamed her Mighty Mouse. Sister Josepha (a staunch Republican) during the 1960 election debating anyone she could corner on the evil's of the Democrats and the Kennedy's.  Being glad we were in Sister Josepha's 5th grade class because Sister's health required our classroom to be in the new Air Conditioned building that was supposed to be only for the 6th, 7th and 8th grades. Our CYO plays and musicals we used to perform up on the walkway to the convent!  Riding the bus in 8th grade to BL because there was no room for us at St. Pius. I often recall Father Monaldi leading us in song during packed Sunday Masses in the Parish Hall.  Wearing rosary beads on the buttons of our skirts to look like the nuns. Alicia Dobbs and Robert Cantu throwing paper into the light fixture in 5th grade and it catching on fire and being the best liars in the class.  Father Weinzapfel giving us our report cards and reading off random grades, particularly the ones which should have been kept private. Sam Shelby mistaking the bust of St. Pius as an intruder and dealing with it; St. Attracta's ruler on my hands; playing basketball at Fair Park on the temporary courts. Sister Sabina playing basketball. Field Day, football championship at the Gopher Bowl, Dominic Savio Club, Miss Dorothy, Mrs. Lynch, Sr. Benignus, Sister Celestine's Music Class, Pat Kwiloz, Mrs. Rudolph, Father Tom on Steve Klein's Ducati, Sister Eulalia's paddle, Mike McConnell, Mindy Klein, Celeste, O'Roarke breaking my wrist on the merry go round, the O'Hanlons, the choir loft, Sam Shelby Having nuns for teachers.  Having close relationships with girlfriends that have lasted a lifetime. Friends Andy Urbanus, David Pushkarich, Nancy Nevitt, Andy Rouse and so many other.  Field Day, Recess, sitting in the principals office for various reasons and, of course, the uniforms.  Winning the three legged race with Madelyn (sp?) I have many special memories.  A strange one relates to the constant growth of the school.  Ten years ago, they built a walkway above my office at Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi.  When the sound of the jackhammer started, I kept having flashbacks to my childhood.  Eventually, I realized that the jackhammer sound was so familiar to me because the entire time I attended St. Pius, they were building on to it.  I think it went from 6 or 7 classrooms when I was in 2nd grade to 32 when I was in 8th grade.  It was a true baby boomer school.  Although classrooms were sometimes crowded, we got an excellent education. When I hit a softball through a classroom window and the first person around the corner to catch my misdeed was Sister Regina...I thought I was a goner!!! Singing class with Sr. Celestine (Mona), Ice Cream Socials between the convent and the school with the Peters playing instruments for our sing songs; Singing as a choir in the choir loft and some of us fainting it was so hot!  Learning the Latin songs for when Bishop Gorman came to Confirm us.  Sr. Carthage preparing us for all the confirmation questions from the Baltimore Catechism; memorizing all the prayers from the Jesus and I catechism in first grade and First Communion practices with Sr. Marietta (Josephine Leonard - deceased) and Sr. Thomasina --they would touch our tongue with an ink pen for practicing it was the Host.  Being one of the Angels for the 2nd grade First Communion class.  Mrs. Babe Barrett coming by our 7th grade classroom during school time and visiting outside the door with Sr. Regis (Sarah Kenny --deceased) for a very long time once in awhile!  Sr. Helena (deceased) teaching religion class to Mrs. Ross' 4th grade class since we did not have a Nun that year and her dry humor.  She was a great lady.  I could write a book --great loving and nurturing memories of all 8 grades and all the great friends who seemed like on big family forever as well as their parents being all our parents.  Mrs. Hogan and Mrs. Dreyer coaching our softball team from 5th grade to 8th grade, and we were champs!!!!  Mrs. Teichman helped too.  She was great! Every school day at noon when the church chimes rang, all of the students on the playground would stop their play to pray the Angelus.  Another favorite memory was the "penny" fair.  This annual school wide event occurred during the school day.  Students shopped at various booths in which everything cost a penny. When they built the "new" building for the 7th and 8th grades and it was air conditioned (the rest of the school wasn't) - and finally getting to be "Junior High" in the new building. Skipping piano practice and Sr. Regis coming to my backyard fence (we lived behind the school) and yelling for me.  Boy did I get in trouble.  Also Sr. Mary Lawrence - she was tiny and sweet.  Buying holy cards and statues at the gift store from Sr. Christanthia.  Also loving Mrs. Lorenz and Mrs. Kelley. Sr. Helena never giving me an "A" in anything...then again, she never gave me an "F" either...LOL Music classes with Sister Teresita Mrs. Gregorie's class - learning was always fun! Selling school supplies during my lunch hour. Watching the construction of the new church building. Playing football games at the Gopher Bowl Football practice in the evening with the shade of the school building encroaching on the field.  I played wingback and R halfback on the 1962 varsity team. Too many to list, but I will say I had the absolute best time growing up in Dallas in the sixties...except of course for the ruler across my knuckles...ouch The 8th grade got to crown the Blessed Virgin. Getting to go to Mass everyday. Father Charles King Fr. Weinzapfel announcing the song "Crown Him with Many Crowns" as "Crown Him with Many Thorns" 4cent chocolate milk and 25cent hot lunches with recess twice a day Running on the dirt hill behind the "new building". Dominic Savio Club and the 8th grade bus trip to Houston. Laying the church cornerstone Playing football in the Gopher Bowl 5th and 6th Grade football coaches, Maurice Lautenslager and Mr. Sansone Msgr. Weinzapfel "dearly beloved" sermons The nuns - they were great - no wait. I remember my hands being hit with a long pole (Sister Malachy). Singing at church was fun - except when we had to sing solo in 6th grade and humiliate ourselves! In the spring going over near the farmer's property next to the school and catching "tickle bees" in the honeysuckle bushes. Tigers football, softball and drill teams. Planting the trees along Materhorn. Msgr. Weinzapfel on Steve Klein's Ducati 650 motorcycle. Kerry throwing the softball out of the football field and hitting a car on Gus Thomasson on field day. Hide and seek in the evergreens along the alley. Sam golfing on the football field. Looking at the map of the world and pointing out the communist countries. The day Kennedy died. Khaki uniforms with bowtie and crossing guard patrol Singing in the choir with Father King Sister Bernadine and Mr. Heinz Singing in the children's choir under the direction of Sister Mary Teresita in the choir loft and learning the parts of the mass in Latin. Playing an angel for the first communion. Football dressing room in the hallway of the cafeteria. Class in the new wing with curtain dividers and waiting for the opening. The nuns and cleaning the convent. Christmas Tree Forts with Christmas trees Msgr. gave us.  Playing soccer (kick ball) before we knew the word soccer. We played it on the paved lot, using the curbs as our bounds. Snowball fights at recess (a rarity), first Friday masses and the cafeteria smells afterward (fasted from midnight). The few minutes after mass & before class to eat a piece of toast and drink some juice.  The angelus at noon.  Grocery shopping for the nuns and bringing the groceries into the convent kitchen. The chunka chunka sound of the mimeograph machine in the school office. Winning the girls' parochial league basketball championship the first year St. Pius had a team.  We had about 7 or 8 coaches to help us and we had to wear those awful P.E. Uniforms.

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