As I grow older my memories about Ascension are starting to grow a little dimmer! They are becoming more "bits and pieces" rather than entire stories of the 8 years I spent there. I can still recall most of those youthful faces of fellow classmates; especially if I hear their names! I remember things like: CeCe Brosnan and Mary Ellen Bush hung out together, Martin Mc Graw was really smart, Janet Jack was ALWAYS the cutest girl in the class (and probably still is!), Paul Yodron was  the kindest boy. O.K. fellow Ascension classmates; help me out here.... 
Who do you remember? Who was the funniest? Who did you hang out with? Who was your favorite teacher? It's good to get it in writing before we are all senile...ha!ha! At least then, we can refer to these notes!
  Just click on the REPLY button and add your memories! Don't forget to hit the SAVE button on the bottom after you finish your post.

  The LAST time I visited Ascension was about 15 years ago. I got a phone call from my brother, Joe,(TTHS'76) who invited me to join him on a 'field trip' down to Harvey and Ascension. He had made arrangements with the priest, there, to walk through the school and Old Convent one more time. The Old Convent was scheduled for demolition later that year.
  At that time in life, my brother had just completed a total restoration of an 1878 house in Riverside and I was in the middle of doing the same with our 1902 home. Needless to say, we both loved all that was 'old and nostalgic'! We started with the first floor of the Old Convent and worked our way to the attic hoping to find a 'treasure'.
  We were NOT disappointed! The attic was stuffed to the proverbial rafters! As we picked a pathway through all the abandoned, old desks, globes and maps, holy statues, light fixtures,  and boxes of paperwork with only my brother's flashlight to guide us; we suddenly saw this shiny object about 10 feet to the left of us. Jutting out of all this stuff was a large piece of glass and frame which had reflected my brother's flashlight. We struggled to make our way to the object and carefully picked it up and tried to wipe the years of grime off. We had just found one of the old class pictures which used to hang outside the principal's office in the main hall.
  Our eyes began perusing the photo looking at all the faces, when much to our shock and surprise, we both recognized one! We were holding in our hands the class graduation picture of my father, who had recently passed away that year. We both looked at each other in amazement and disbelief !!! We took the photograph with us and asked the priest if we could keep it. When we left that day, my brother made a generous donation to Ascension, partly in thanks  for such an interesting experience .
  I have often wondered over the years, what ever happened to all that Ascension history stock-piled up in the attic of the Old Convent and if it was ever torn down? Does anyone know?

I remember Janet Jack and Paul Yadron. Sometimes it is a small world, Paul's daughter now works with me at Blackburn College. He is living in Homewood, and he actually remembered me.

I did get on Google Maps and do the street level view around Ascension and my old neighborhood. Wow, has that area changed - a lot! The convent was fairly new back then and now you are saying they are taring it down, how sad.

I remember when the 'new math' came out - algebra. Who in the world would do math with letters, no numbers?!?  The nun who taught it seemed to have a ruler up both sleeves of her habit and had no problem with whapping someone upside the head with one. One day I remember her throwing open those big, heavy wooden windows in the dead of winter because, I think, everyone was sitting there with the 'deer in the headlight' look on their faces.

I looked so forward to joining the choir but you had to be in 7th grade (I think) to be in choir. The year I would have joined, they disbanded choir. I was crushed. It seems the 'carrot' keeps getting moved out of my reach. I looked so forward to the senior citizen discount at age 55 at the local grocery store. Then right before I reached 55 they moved it to age 62! I certainly have learned patience in my lifetime.

I also remember our recess times and the playgrounds (empty gravel parking lots) were by grades. The furthest one was for the higher grades - seniority by distance.

I liked the days when they had hamburgers for lunch, they had a unique taste. Now I wonder what they put in that mystery meat. The bazzars we had in the basement of the school were a lot of fun.

As I remember more, I will post.

 Was the name of that nun Sister Karen Therese ?  I was really scared of her as a kid! She never seemed happy or glad to be around us wonderful students..... ha!, ha! One time she caught me passing a note in class and hit my hands with her ruler. If only I had a good lawyer back then :-)    

I believe that is one in the same. She was one of the seventh grade nuns. I wish I could remember the name of the eight grade nun who was really cool, everyone wanted to be in her class.

I remember JFK's funeral, TVs were put in every room so we could watch history in the making. At the time I thought it was over-kill but now I am very appreciative that we had that opportunity.

Grade school brings back memories of 8mm movies with the finicky projectors, mimmeograph papers with the intoxicating smell of the ink, and paying your milk money at the beginning of every month - or was it every week and hoping they ordered enough chocolate milk so they did not run out before you got yours.

You mentioned lawyers, could have used one for as many times I got a sour carton of milk, yuk!

Hi, Ladies:

I was at Ascension one year ago in May with my cousin Hal Weise & our wives Mary (Hal) and Kathy (Tom).  I will ry to post a photo but do not have it now.  The old convent (where we presented our first grade concert/music program for Christmas) is now gone.  The school is boarded up, with many windows broken out on the top floor as seen from 153rd St.  The area around the school looked pretty tough, and the new church we were all saving for (a photo of which used to hand in the foyer of the old shurch) was never built.

Cheers!

/s/Tom La Pointe

Fran and Kathleen and other alum,

Do you remember.................................

Sister Jimmie Joseph and how fun she was? Sister Marie Rita and how much fun she wasn't?! She was so mean she use to get migraine headaches form her meaness!

Here are some names that come to our minds from the days of Ascension:

William Kroening                                      Linda O'Hara

Kathleen and Eileen McDermott               Johnnie Tolson

Edgar Blair                                               Barbara Houston

Margaret McDonough                               Janet Jack

the Beauchamp twins                               Edward Drumm

Cecilia Brosnan                                         Paul Carvlin

Terry McGushin                                         Mark Jablonski          

Mary Shelby                                              Mary Ellen Bush

Judy Olds                                                  Jean Denny

Just to name a few. Remember Father's Shevlin, Pleiss, and Pullion (sp?)

Remember Ray the janitor?

So we've been down memory lane. Sharon and William Cruikshank

Lots more names to share

Ascension Class of '67

The nun's name is Sister Kieran Therese, and I had her for both second grade and fifth grade.  In second grade, she took my crayons away once because I started coloring as she was giving directions.  I was so devastated, I was sick the next day.  My brother and I had the opportunity to go to lunch with her about 4-5 years ago.  It was such fun, we were in the restaurant for hours!

Hello Ascension School Alumni!

I don't have too many fond memories of Ascension School. But I have to say that without the support of Sister Brendan and Sister Marie Pilar I would have never have had a career in music...for that I am truly thankful, they were very supportive.

Cheers,

Bill Payne