Mercy High School - Mercian Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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SISTER MARY MARINA There is only one person to whom this Twenty-fifth Anniversary number of the MERCIAN should be dedicated, only one to whom it owes all that it stands for-comradeship, school spirit, beauty, and inspiration. All that she has given us from her heart, mind, and artistic hands has come to us touched by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the companion of her daily contemplation. Mercian Staffs across the years will join lovingly with us today in dedicating this number to our dearly loved mod- erator for twenty-five years, Sister Mary Marina. Fire

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UEUIE TIU ' ', fs! ,WW Q3 iw ., X L um. Four

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llcroicully Il'l1S Ihr' zrorlr begun. lllrul Qllolfwr .llary Sophia. K.S..W.. .wir as ll Vision is non' a sun' record of IZUIIIS fzfcssilig. l l,llIIlS llllldl' by .flrcliitecl foscpfi .llcffurllzy lwcznnc ilu' nuzssire slruc- l lurc llzuf has been fllfllllgl .LJ years. Il lmrlmr of failli. lzopc. and progress. Looking upon their beautiful school stretching restfully across its terraced campus. Mercy students of 1950 sec what was once but a vision in foreseeing minds. This vision rose from what was then a block of wild prairie land. liven while it was still in construction. the New Mercy High School became the interest ol' all south side Chicago. Seven hundred students planned to enter what was to be the cen- tral high school for girls ol' the south side. In September. 192-l-. the building completed. these seven hundred registered and became the pioneer juniors. sophomores. and freshmen of the new school. Returning. these girls measure the gap between then and now. Physically the change that time has made is slight. True. the pioneers can tell stories of surroundings ol' mud and debris that slowly developed into the garden terrace that it is. They can tell of a daily trek down the middle of Prairie from street car or bus. There were no sidewalks. They can talk about a farm across the street on Eighty-second. But the building is the same. looking quite new as it did then. Classrooms and the well- equipped laboratories were almost exactly as they are now. In books and curriculum there have been just enough changes to meet the needs of progress and a larger enrollment. Alumnae coming back for a visit. look with affection into the familiar classrooms. They recall a periodic antipathy for the hardwood seats, and even for the beautiful volumes of English. science. history. etc. Loved though are the memories of achieve- ments that were the reward of endurance.-the successful recita- tions. passing grades after exams. promotion. honors for scholastic rank.f-all leading finally to happy careers and vocations. A peek into the spacious gymnasium tugs at heartstrings as it reminds those who have been here. of lively games. exciting competition. especially in basketball and volleyball. They re- member years when Mercy had a monopoly on championships. E5 YE H5