Catholic High School For Girls - Silver Sands Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

Page 14 text:

'PHE 1951 S1I.vER SANDS RAIN 0N HER HEART ICK HAD left two months ago. Cathy remembered how it had rained that afternoon when he board- ed the train that was to take him away from her. She remembered, too, how the rain had tit the mood of her gloomy heart. How sad she had been to sec him go! How she had missed him in the last eight weeks! Cathy went over the wonderful times they had had together. She had met Dick at a church dance, and he had asked her to go out with him a few weeks later. She had accepted readily, for she had always thought he was nice and so handsome. They had gone to the movies that Saturday night. After the show they had laughed and joked between mouth- fuls of hamburger. They had so much fun that night, and a few months later they were going steady. Their lirst kiss! How thrilled she had been! She had never realized how gentle Dick could be. She smiled now at the times they had gone swim- ming with the crowd and how mad she had been when he wouldn't stop dunking her. That Christmas morn- ing when they had gone to the Nativ- ity Mass and received Holy Commun- ion together was a precious memory. She would never forget how they had looked at each other upon leaving the By Jean Gravelle, '51 church, suddenly realizing the forti- fication their love for each other had received. The next night-her lovely new gown, Dick's handsomeness in his rented tuxedo, his whispered words, You are the sweetest fiower of all as he pinned a beautiful corsage on her shoulder-all this spelled the won- der of her Senior Prom. How proud she had been to show all her friends at college the lovely compact he gave her for Christmas with From Dick to Cathy engraved on the back! He was always so thoughtful. At the january sleighing party, a stranger would have thought they were ten years old. That wonderful night in May when he told! her he had a surprise for her-could she ever forget? It was tl1e twenty-seventh of the month, and it was the most beauti- ful ring Cathy had ever seen. Dick had said, T hat is, if you want me . . . As if she could or would ever say no. They had made plans that night to be married the next spring. She recalled now the love in his eyes when she had shown him her diploma. And what fun they had had at the mad round of graduation parties! Then in June, on a far-off peninsula in the Pacific, war had erupted again. The communists were on the march in Korea. Dick, being in the Army

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THE 1951 SILVER SANDS SISTER ST. MICHAEL, S.S.J. For twenty-one years, Sister St. Michael was the inspired moderator of Silver Sands. Under her stimulating guidance, outpourings of the hearts of generations of Hallahanites were fashioned into words of beauty. Today's book is the product of her ever deepening interest. It never lessened. Even in her last illness she followed the shaping of the present edition. Pencil poised, she read eagerly most of the copy in these pages, and in the margins put the tangible seal of her approval in her generous appraisals of Different! and Well done! Her spirit is here, permeating these lines. It is in loving memory and gratitude, then, that we dedicate to Sister St. Michael this special 1951 issue of Silver Sands -our Lady Book.'5 9

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Reserves, ,was called back to active duty. Cathy, he had said, our own happiness will have to wait just for a little while, and then I'll come back to you. I'l1 be glad to iight so that our children can grow up in a happy world. His words had consoled Cathy. Before she realized what was happening, Dick ,was on his way to Korea. f Tm: 1951 SILVER SANDS And. now it was raining again. To- morrow Dick was coming home. They would be at Mass together as they had been so often in the past. She slowly took the telegram from the table be- side her. Though the words were a blur, she knew all too well what they were: We regret to inform you that Private Richard McNealis . . . The rain fell faster. 'k 'k 'A' ERE I SIT admiring your puzzled figure. You have caused me no end of trouble, but there you sit storing back at me with a blank expression. Furthermore, you make no effort whatsoever to explain yourself. Have you nothing to offer in defense of these accusing words! ' You're impossible! You have no feeling for me or any- one else. You merely accept the cutting words and retain 4 school. that plain-Jane look. Figures like yours have kept the paper factories in business and people like me in late after I stab you with my pencil and curse you with my eyes, but still I am not satisfied with your figure. Your lanky lines, crooked posture, and enormous capacity are beyond my comprehension. Everywhere I look I see ports of you staring back at me. I put up with your sarcastic grin and smirking shrewdness five days out of every week, and even then you haunt me over week-ends. You bore me, tire me, and make me with I had never met you. But why am I arguing with you! Well yes, I suppose I do get some satisfaction out of it. My chest does feel a little lighter and yet my heart feels heavy. I suppose I am being mean and inconsiderate. After all, it im't your fault that you have a figure like a twisted wire. But you irritate me so,' it makes me very angry to think that such a confusing little you could cause me so much anxiety. Oh well, I suppose I'll just never understand-you and your geo- metric figure! MARIE McDs1zMo'r'r, '53 11