Old-fashioned Daisy Farm Picnic

This headline from the May 12, 1937 says:

St. Scholastican Clubs Specialize In Outdoor Picnics at Maryglade


Although Maryglade is a term more remembered than used today, CSS's love for picnics and other outdoor meals has remained strong throughout our history.  People in Duluth in general, and Saints in particular, do not take good picnic weather for granted -- in fact we are known to picnic even under conditions which our neighbors from milder climates would frown upon.


As part of our Centennial Reunion events, an Old-fashioned Daisy Farm Picnic Lunch will take place from 11:30-1:00 on Friday, June 22 behind Tower Hall in front of what is now known as the Magnificat Garden.  Come and indulge in a picnic which we hope will be relaxing and casual, yet put together with the flair and style for which Scholasticans are known.


Enjoy these photos of other picnics and outdoor meals -- some you may have attended!

Students after a 1945 picnic near the creek...








...a picnic in the 1950's about where this year's will be behind Tower Hall...

..outdoor lunch behind Tower Hall in 1954...










...ten years later -- a similar scene, with up-to-date chafing dishes...

...by the 1970's things were decidedly more casual...












...in the 1990's outside the Reif-- picnic on!

Centennial Reunion Walking Tour

Some of the memories that resonate most strongly with our alumni are of times spent outdoors on the beautiful campus grounds.  On Friday, June 22, from 10:30-12:00 those attending the reunion will have a chance to revisit special places on the campus during Historic Outdoor Walking Tours designed as part of our Centennial celebration.

Here are some photos that might bring back memories:

From the 1948 Towers:

A SUNNY Saturday afternoon in mid-autumn finds Patricia Plog and Ritamae Sense sitting on the highest cliff at Maryglade painting the "valley of silence"…

From the 1942 Towers:

Up at Maryglade we find Jacqueline Hogan, Irene Pagedas, Colleen Trudel,

and Esther Maloney sitting on benches in the midst of autumn leaves just about ready to take that first bite.

From the May 25, 1955 issue of the Scriptorium: 


The statue of the Sacred Heart majestically overlooks Pat Eslinger and Madonna Letzring as they study for finals.










From the December 20, 1985 Cable:
Chris Polta, a sophomore pre-med major and Marri Wolff, sophomore physical therapy major demonstrate some nifty maneuvers on the cross-country trails in the Valley of Silence. (Photo by Duane Gajewski)

All Saints Reunion

The 2012 Reunion is rapidly approaching!  In the early days of the College, reunion was held the weekend of commencement and including not only CSS grads, but women who graduated from "the Villa" and Sacred Heart Institute.  Reunion then was more commonly called "homecoming" -- when the all the former students came home to celebrate the new graduates.


Here's the big headline from the 10th edition ever of the Scriptorium:

A front-page article goes on to say that invitations were sent to each of 300 alumnae -- roughly 1/3 of this years 2012 graduates.  The program included:

• participation in Commencement 
• Academic procession at 3 o'clock 
• Baccalaureate services and Benediction sung by the faculty choir
• A supper including a "short business meeting"
• Informal gatherings of classes

Very different from our modern concept of homecoming!

Graduation 2012 -- and before

Graduation is always emotionally charged and bittersweet.  It was an exhilarating experience for me to be present at this year's graduation.  The day was perfect, the new blue gowns and gold hoods and tassels were beautiful, the music was stirring, and the words were inspiring.  I found some messages from years past that show the timelessness and continuity of the tradition of our values.

In 1932, Mother Agnes Somers wrote about respect and hospitality (and hard work!):

In 1952, Mother Athanasius Braegelman wrote about the love of learning, community, and respect:

Finals!

The Eternal Problem of Finals

or the more things change the more they stay the same

condensed from an article in The Cable from 1983, by Chris MacKinnon (now Quirk) '84

As a senior, I'm a sort of “veteran” of final exams. I don’t know who the patron saint of finals is, but I have no doubt that they're very busy…I know atheists who have spent hours chapel, praying for divine intervention.

By the time you hit your senior year, you have your own style of studying. My method is quite simple: study until you fall asleep, nap for two hours, get up, hit the caffeine, study until you fall asleep...you get the idea. In short, my method is to cram.  Cramming is an art. Were it an event in the Olympics, I could go for a million dollars and forget college.

The essentials of cramming are simple - books, notes and caffeine…

Cramming comes in phases.

Phase One is determinism. Or, more loosely, “I’m going to learn this stuff if it kills me.”

Phase Two: despair. Operationally defined: “I’ll never learn this because I’m stupid and I’m flunking the class anyway and I can't believe I didn't keep up with the readings...”

Phase Three is the giggles. This occurs after fourteen cans of Tab or after 3:30 am, whichever comes first. This phase is characterized by the realization that what you are studying is absolutely ridiculous…

The final phase of cramming is giving up. This is where you either admit it’s no use or make excuses, such as, “I don’t want to over-study.” (Hard to do when you bought the book the night before the test.) My excuse has always been, “If I don't know it now, I never will.” This sound philosophy didn't keep me from staring at my notes until the moment the test was passed out, and then putting them in the backpack resting against my leg, I don't know if I thought I was going to pass my test by osmosis or what…

Mayfest 

Then ...

  The weaving of the standards was part of the culminating celebration of the year, taking place the day before graduation.  Sr. Grace Marie Braun '48, described it as "graceful" and "elegant", with the junior partners in formals and the graduating seniors in academic gowns.  Sr. Mary Catherine Shambour '51 recalled that the music was always "The Skaters Waltz", because it was so easy to dance to it. Students loved and looked forward to the event.

 ...and Now

Students still look forward to May celebrations, but they sure are different!  The dance on Friday, Oozeball on Saturday, and the Mayball softball tournament on Sunday.  The students may not be as elegant, but they still throw themselves into it, as you can see!

Rebecca Skloot at DECC

Charming!  Funny!  Exuberant abut her research and widely acclaimed book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot, on April 18, responding to questions by MPR’s Kerri Miller, captivated an overflow audience at Duluth’s Symphony Hall with her non-fiction account of  HeLa cells and her relationship with the Lacks family.  Skloot, who first heard of HeLa in a high school biology class, devoted ten years of her life to tracing their source to Henrietta Lacks, who died of cervical cancer in 1951 at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore…

Skloot won the trust of Henrietta’s daughter Deborah.  With Deborah, and the help of scientists, Skloot explained to the Lacks family what Henrietta’s cells were and their inestimable value to medicine and countless human beings.

Today not only Skloot but also members of the Lacks family, are in high demand on the lecture circuit.  From the proceeds of book sales, Skloot has established The Henrietta Lacks Foundation.  Once unable to receive necessary medical care because they lacked health insurance, Henrietta’s descendants now number several college graduates, including budding scientists.  All are proud of Henrietta and what she has done for science.


Sister Sarah Smedman '53


look for the full version of Sister Sarah's article in the upcoming May Centennial e-newsletter