St Catherine Academy - Cathedeme Yearbook (Newport, RI)

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Senior Class Ufficers President Secretary PATRICIA CALVIN jAN1c:E BURKE Vice-President Treasurer DALPI RAYNOR KATHLEEN TEEHAN , A WWE - vw 'NOK xg ,aw Ag 1

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Memoirs of St. Catherine Academy BY CATHERINE T. GRADY ,58 I am the stately stone building on the corner of Bellevue and Narragansett Avenues. Surrounding me are well-kept, spacious lawns and beautiful shrubs and trees of different varieties. I was erected in 1886 by Mr. William Osgood and was named K'Osgood Villav. Under this name, I was occu- pied by Mr. Osgood until 1896 when he died, Mrs. N. Deveraux Clapp and Miss VVolfe f1900jg Mrs. Charles Daniels 11902-1904jg and Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Barney C1913-19172. Sold to Mr. Pell I was vacant for a few years until I was sold at auction to Mr. T. F. Sullivan. He, in turn, sold mc to Mr. Herbert C. Pell, Ir., in july 1925. I was a little run down when he bought me, so he renovated my insides and improved my landscaping. With these changes, I also received a new name, Oakview Terracef, Around this time, in 1925, there was talk of a central Catholic high school for both girls and boys, but my neigh- bor up the street was opened as a boys' high school and the girls continued to go to Saint joseph High School. Suggestion Adopted The Pells continued to occupy me during the summer seasons until Mr. Pell, who had been appointed United States Minister to Portugal, decided to go abroad. He informed his friend, Mr. Francis X. A. Flannery, of his intentions. Mr. Flannery suggested that I be donated to the Catholic Diocese of Providence for use as an academy for girls. Mr. Pell liked the idea very much, and he made the arrangements with Bishop Francis Keough. His only request was that I be named after his grand-mother. The deeds were filed at the city clerkis otlice on April 2, 1940 by Prev. Charles Mahoney, assistant chancellor of the Diocese of Providence. I, myself, was both elated and sad over becoming a school for girls. I was happy at the thought of being used as a school and glad to be of service, but I was sad because I would no longer be of service to the Pells, who had treated me very kindly. First Classes I was supposed to be over my operation in time for classes in September 1940, but so many things had to be changed that I was not ready. I was opened, however, in September of 1941 to two hundred girls. Even then, I didnlt have all my nuts and bolts because of the war shortage. Some of the teachers who conducted me were the Principal, Sister Saint Ignatius, and Sister Elizabeth Fran- ces, whom some of you will still remember. My new caretaker, or janitor, was Mr. Blake. One of my happiest memories was when the first class was graduated - there were thirty-six of them - they were so proud and happy to be the very Hrst graduating class. In 1947, Father Maguire became the iirst priest to enter my hallowed halls to teach religion. He stayed here for almost five or six years and was then transferred to my neighbor up the street, De La Salle. They, in turn, sent us Father Driscoll. New Rooms When the Freshman Class of 1954 entered, they almost split my sides - there were one hundred strong of them. That was the last year that the girls had an auditorium, for alas - it was made into two classrooms. In 1956, Father Driscoll was transferred and Father Gallagher became the only male faculty member. Besides having the regular First Friday devotions, he has initiated a dialogue Mass once a week. Paintings Returned Last spring f1957j, I received my beautiful paintings back, and they are now hanging on my interiors again. I am getting old now, but as long as I remain with the girls, I will stay young.

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THE CLASS OF I