  Dtowncitylover Member Username: Dtowncitylover Post Number: 88 Registered: 02-2008 |
As a graduate of a Catholic school in the modern age, I was wondering if any of the older generation folks on this forum would be willing to give their memories of Catholic schooling in Detroit. I was never taught by nuns, but I always wished I was. I went to Shrine Catholic in RO in case anyone was wondering. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1596 Registered: 12-2005 |
 The lay teacher I had for third grade one day had enough of a classmate's noisy behavior. She had relegated him to the corner of the room and when he persisted in talking, she called him to the front of the room and declared, "I'm going to shake the cobwebs out of you!" She lifted him upside down and shook him by the ankles, causing the pennies and nickels in his pockets to go rolling down the aisles. He was pretty quiet (and embarrassed) for the rest of the day. I remember one nun who had a wooden hand. She didn't need to smack a ruler on the desk to get your attention! The nun I had for eighth grade was a huge Green Bay Packers fan. We used to bet candy bars with her on who would win the Lions-Packers games. On the whole, the lay and religious teachers I had during my twelve years at St. Clement grade and high school in Center Line were caring and capable instructors. (Message edited by Mikeg on May 01, 2008) | ||
Swiburn Member Username: Swiburn Post Number: 246 Registered: 07-2006 |
I started a thread called "East Side Detroit Catholic schools history " or something to that effect. It's in the archives, most likely. You might find some interesting information there. | ||
Dtowncitylover Member Username: Dtowncitylover Post Number: 89 Registered: 02-2008 |
I was hoping I can get stories from ALL the Metro areas catholic schools. There are fewer schools today then there were in 1960. But thanks for letting me know that. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 29 Registered: 10-2007 |
I can't find the other thread, so this one will do nicely. Dtown, define modern era for me. Pre 19__? | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 12591 Registered: 12-2003 |
Here is the text from a note one of my nun teachers sent to my home during seventh grade: quote: I've concluded that their attempts at conformity have challenged me to a life of incompletion, therefore the Catholic Church owes me support for trying to kill my creativity and guilting me into better behavior. It doesn't help that they made me a bastard when they annulled my parent's marriage. I'll take a few million in damages and arrears, with some to spare for my attorney. Cheers! Oh, and I owe everything I have today to the fine education I received at St. Al's through twelve years of intimidation and forced sheoplehood...they DID get through to me on the major Rs; reading...writing...arithmetic ...along with teaching me that looking like I'm supposed to be in a place yields nobody asking questions! Oh yeah, plus my lifelong allergy against wearing neckties! | ||
Larryinflorida Member Username: Larryinflorida Post Number: 1115 Registered: 02-2007 |
Gannon, the Penguins, indirectly, taught us to question authority. When things around you seem crazy and don't add up, even at that age, it stimulates independent thought. And that's good. | ||
Paulmcall Member Username: Paulmcall Post Number: 955 Registered: 05-2004 |
I went to Mother of Our Saviour for grade school and St. Mary of Redford and had IHM nuns. They would whip anybody into shape. If there were enough of them still alive, they could discipline some hard asses today. Course, back in the day, they had the parents support in kicking butt when need be. In grade school, we had 50 kids in a class. Teachers today cry when they have half that many. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 202 Registered: 03-2008 |
Gannon, that is hilarious... I had a similar one sent home about be, and Larryinflorida has it right on. On the flip side, if it wasn't for those three years I spent in a catholic school, I probably would have given in to all the racism around here. That school had such a mix of everything. Kids from all areas were sent there for the "better education" they provided. That was in the 90's though, not sure when you where there, it may have been different. I began to question authority when a few other things happened; 1. All the scandal's; One of my own pastors was convicted of this at St. Suzanne's in Detroit (Don't worry, I was never left alone with him, thank God!). 2. All that land that they own in Livonia that LadyWood H.S. sits on. Several square miles of monastery grounds with large parts of it undeveloped land they own on the once very prime real estate bound by the roads of Five Mile to the North, Levanto the East, Newburgh to the West, and Jeffries Freeway/Schoolcraft Road to the South. Then they tell us how much of our income we have to donate every week? Why not sell some of that land and use it to fight poverty in those poor areas a few miles aways they abandoned? 3. Then of course there was what the Pastor at St. Edith in Livonia said to me when I asked him how God could have let 911 happen (that very sullen Sunday after). He told me that God was punishing the world for all the homosexuality and evil. Yeah, those kids trapped in those planes, that was God punishing the homosexuals?! Give me a break! Edit: Oh, I went to Saint Dunstan in Garden City. (Message edited by Sean_Of_Detroit on May 01, 2008) | ||
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap Post Number: 1003 Registered: 01-2005 |
Ladywood is owned by the Felician Sisters - not exactly the "Catholic Church." You can't imagine the simple communal living they engaged in to buy their properties. Simple, plain homegrown food, sleeping in nightgowns made of flour sacks, sewing, making communion hosts, teaching for $50.00 per month. The Catholic church has not abandoned Detroit. Do you see the new developments on the east Side that are funded by the Catholic Church? Last time I looked, St. John Hospital was in Detroit. A new Catholic Prep HS is being created in SW Detroit. Four communities of nuns run a private girls middle school in SW Detroit (Our Lady of Guadalupe). The Cathedral recently was renovated for millions of dollars (raised from all the AD, The Mercy sisters have run a program for "Girls at Risk" for many years, they are still feeding the poor elderly at St. Pat's (from monies raised at Catholic Churches across the region), and Fr. Solanus' famous soup kitchen is still running gardens, soup kitchens and job training. Covenant House is still trying to save street kids, Sacred Heart Major Seminary is still educating seminarians - I am a Detroit resident and I see the work of the Church everywhere and I am proud of it. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1598 Registered: 12-2005 |
From the St. Clement Grade School photo "yearbook", the enrollment for the 1964-65 school year was as follows: 1st Grade: (5) classes of 40, 39, 33, 36 and 39 students for a total of 187 2nd Grade: (4) classes of 44, 45, 46 and 47 students for a total of 182 3rd Grade: (4) classes of 45, 47, 45 and 47 students for a total of 184 4th Grade: (4) classes of 42, 45, 44 and 43 students for a total of 174 5th Grade: (5) classes of 40, 44, 32, 42 and 38 students for a total of 196 6th Grade: (4) classes of 37, 44, 42 and 40 students for a total of 163 7th Grade: (4) classes of 45, 46, 46 and 50 students for a total of 187 8th Grade: (4) classes of 44, 40, 42 and 43 students for a total of 169 (plus 48 students whose photos were taken later due to illness) Total: 1,490 students in (34) classes for an average of 43.8 students per class | ||
Dtowncitylover Member Username: Dtowncitylover Post Number: 90 Registered: 02-2008 |
in think anything pre-1975 is good. I love old nun stories. But anything about catholic school is fun to hear. My dad's side of the family went to Catholic school. My mom and her 2 other siblings were raised for sometime by them. My uncle once and his friend were made by a nun teacher of theirs to spit in a bucket until it reached the top because they spat OUTSIDE! I think that's hilarious. My mom had to learn French at the kid's home where she lived for awhile. There is a pic of her when she was a toddler sitting on the lap of a nun. Wow! What a penguin! | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 210 Registered: 03-2008 |
I stand corrected. Thanks Southwestmap. I guess I was jumping to conclusions, and maybe talking about something I shouldn't have been. I have been in the monastery there for a rare tour during my final days at St. Dunstan, so I know how they live. The other thing that always bothered me was how beautiful (and expensive) some of their buildings are. All that gold and marble also seems like a waste to me. To be fair though, they have been changing their ways in that department recently. It's all only my opinion. There are good people in every religion. The problem is that those groups often attract the power hungry nut cases almost as often (if not more) as the truly noble followers. All that matters to me is that their heart is in the right place. The Sister's House is amazingly beautiful though. Some of the best archetecture in Michigan. It's a shame no one really gets to ever see it. (Message edited by Sean_Of_Detroit on May 02, 2008) | ||
Royaloakian Member Username: Royaloakian Post Number: 100 Registered: 05-2004 |
Let's look at the "Catholic Church" being the Archdiocese of Detroit specifically and not religious orders such as the Capuchins, the Jesuits, the Felicians, the Mercy sisters and others who are the driving force behind good works in the city and have a mission unique to their respective orders. I know this is way off the thread but that being said, Diocesan priests do not take a vow of poverty while religious order priests do. To me, that alone is a very telling point. Again my apology for the side bar. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 30 Registered: 10-2007 |
I've always had an aversion to rosaries since this story: Sisters where I went to school used to have a HUGE rosary tied around (as I recall) their waist. My 2nd grade nun used to love punishing the miscreants in our class (over 40+ students) with a rap on the knuckles with this rosary. Hurt like hell. At least it was better than the yardstick that the lay teacher carried. She had her yardstick broken in half by a recent Polish immigrant. My hero at the time. LOL | ||
Wkl Member Username: Wkl Post Number: 128 Registered: 11-2003 |
I sure some the more seasoned folks remember film strips. For you youngsters, that was a roll of film with the story on it, and an LP record for the narration. A bell tone on the record was your cue to move the file strip forward one frame. Think that was the last film strip we saw that year. I can't remember if it was 4th or 5th grade at St Matthews, but one day we we're going to see a film strip. The huge shades where pulled down, the nun put the the film in the projector and the record on the record player. If you'll recall there where several speed settings on the record players - LPs played on 33-1/3 RPM. One of the guys had reached over and change to setting to 78 RPM. I can still see the look of confusion on the nun's face as that record spun, it sounded like Alvin the Chipmonks using helium. She had no idea what was going on. I'm pretty sure that was the last film strip we saw that year. | ||
Swiburn Member Username: Swiburn Post Number: 247 Registered: 07-2006 |
Here's another Catholic school story for you: My son's friend was late to school due to a flat tire. The sister didn't believe him, so the kid went out to his pickup truck, hauled in the flat tire and put it on her desk. Needless to say, he got a detention. | ||
Flyingj Member Username: Flyingj Post Number: 172 Registered: 08-2006 |
I think the only comparison in the quality of my own Catholic school exp can only be measured in the(then?) crappiness of Warren Consolidated. A friend out here(HIS Catholic school was the inspiration for the one on the "Bernie Mac Show", but that's another tale...) who's up in the Bay Area bonded over Irish whiskey at a Pogues show with a 49'er tackle who it turns out also went to St. Dennis(anybody who's a Ram is o-kay with him & Bushmill & Powers & Jameson) , so that was kinda funny; www.thedailyaztec.com/media/st orage/paper741/news/2004/04/22 /Sports/Chasing.A.Dream-756445 .shtml Dtowncitylover I went to Shrine Catholic in RO in case anyone was wondering. yeah-you, Tom Hayden(who?) & Veronica Mars/Gossip Girl/Sarah Marshall/Elle Bishop; http://www.newsviewsblog.com/k risten-bell/ Did you ever go up in that crucifix-radio tower? How did they relate to Fr. Coughlin when you were there? | ||
Jcole Member Username: Jcole Post Number: 444 Registered: 04-2005 |
Townonenorth: "I've always had an aversion to rosaries since this story" At our school, there was a nun who always took off her belt and rosary before corporal punishment could occur. Apparently, there was one instance when all the boys on the blacktop would link arms and run through the girls, knocking them over. Sr. had enough, lined up the boys on the blacktop, took off the rosary and belt, walked down the line of boys and slapped each one in the face, then walked back up the line and gave the same treatment. | ||
Gazhekwe Member Username: Gazhekwe Post Number: 2004 Registered: 08-2007 |
My dog Ginger and I were in dog school the other evening. One of the other dog owners, an older lady, was kind of snickering about the clicker training, said it reminded her of the nuns in school. I don't think the nuns gave treats for paying attention to the clicker, though. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 31 Registered: 10-2007 |
Honestly there are so many stories from my Catholic school days that are just unbelievable. A male teacher I had lined our class up in a semi-circle, desks along the wall of the classroom. His desk was positioned at the open end of the circle, with a stack of erasers on the desk. If you got out of line, then POW... upside the head with the eraser, made many look as if they were wearing powdered wigs, I'll tell you. | ||
Dtowncitylover Member Username: Dtowncitylover Post Number: 91 Registered: 02-2008 |
Yes Kristen Bell graduated from Shrine. My sister kinda knew her (not boasting here), b/c they did the Wizard of Oz together. No i have been up there but another sis of mine has. We never talked about Fr. Coughlin. The last two years of high school we had a Jewish choir director and my last year, I had a Jewish math teacher. We always joked the Fr. C would get them for being Jewish, b/c he was anti-Semetic. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1600 Registered: 12-2005 |
The cover of the March 28, 1938 issue of "Social Justice", Fr. Coughlin's "national weekly":  | ||
Flyingj Member Username: Flyingj Post Number: 173 Registered: 08-2006 |
Mikeg, oh that's swell-I was looking @ all the Aimee Semple McPherson's 4Square detrius out here(one of her major tenets was Jesus was returning before the year 2000-Whooops!)& while she was not as big as Father Coughlin, they were both pre-eminent...it's funny to think she grew up an hour away from the Radio Priest in the boonies of Onterrible(Aimee was just east of London, he was out of Hamilton). Coughlin was like Rush Limbaugh times 100...he was responsible for getting FDR elected, which is why they took it badly when he turned against him. | ||
Karenk Member Username: Karenk Post Number: 67 Registered: 07-2006 |
I went to Ascension (8 & VanDyke) in 1954 for the 1st grade. Nuns = wooden rulers. I asked to many questions and got it a few times. Then we moved to the 'burbs where the Catholic school didn't start until 8th grade. I skated until then. Every year after that my parents threatened to send me there. That memory was enough to make me go Jewish when I was 16. Man, I just don't get the Catholic church. Speaking of Father Coughlin, he married my parents in 1932 in spite of the fact that my Mother always refered to him as that S.O.B. She really disliked that man. | ||
Dtowncitylover Member Username: Dtowncitylover Post Number: 92 Registered: 02-2008 |
My uncle has the memory of when he was a kid, Fr. C was making one of his fiery homilies. Suddenly, a lady stood up shouted at Fr. Coughlin and left. Oh Flyingj, Tom Hayden only was raised in the RO, never went to catholic school, i think he went to Dondero, he was the founder of SDS. | ||
Birwood Member Username: Birwood Post Number: 86 Registered: 10-2007 |
I attended St. Brigid School, 8901 Schoolcraft, Wyoming & Schoolcraft area from 1st thru 8th grades Sept 1956 - June 1964. We were taught by the Adrian Dominican nuns....and to this day I still claim that they were one of 2 religious orders that sided with Hitler during WW II. Catholic school education is bitter sweet for me. 1st Communion, May 4,1958, 2nd Grade nun, Sr Harriet Marie, took it upon herself to publically chastise, humiliate and punish a few of us boys, in front of the entire class because our parents could not afford to purchase the matching navy blue suits they wanted us to wear, my Dad was real sick that year and out of work, so I wore the hand me down from my older brother, a white/silver sport coat. Steven & Dennis Carroll got nailed with me for that also, I can't remember the names of the others....but a nice impression left on 2nd graders Huh! The same 2nd grade nun used to smack the hell out of my knuckles claiming I was holding my pencils wrong but by todays handwriting standards I'm still holding it wrong, go figure Also when you follow an older sister and brother who were straight A "Honor Roll" types and then you come along and have to fight to get a C, well it sure seemed like they went out of their way to make life rough. Then there were the Christian Brothers out of Limestone Maine who taught at Detroit Cathedral High School located behind Blessed Sacrament Cathedral at 60 Belmont. I believe this religious order were actually Gestapo and SS agents in training. But seriously, our 9th grade Guidance Counselor Brother A, always seemed to take the same students, several times a week "for counseling". After 40 some years I still wonder. But again struggling to get grades and I only met with the man once and that was because I got caught with the words to the song "Louie,Louie", and he proceeded to dam me into hell with a few smacks to the side of my head, for all eternity. I didn't return for 10th grade, I tell everyone, in 1965 I was paroled to the Detroit Public School System | ||
Larryinflorida Member Username: Larryinflorida Post Number: 1119 Registered: 02-2007 |
I went to St Bartholomew on Outer Drive from 1st to 6th grade, and after they double-promoted me from 4th to 6th it all went sour. Then I went to public school from 6th to 8th grade. Then back to Notre Dame HS for a year. Then Osborn HS til graduation. I think I got the best of both worlds in terms of social interaction. (Message edited by LarryinFlorida on May 02, 2008) | ||
Stinger4me Member Username: Stinger4me Post Number: 229 Registered: 08-2007 |
I thought the Christian Brothers taught at St. Joseph High School and De La Salle Collegiate. It must have been another order at Detroit Cathedral High School. | ||
Taj920 Member Username: Taj920 Post Number: 309 Registered: 01-2004 |
There are a couple of different Christian Brother orders. One founded Bishop Gallagher HIgh. |
