Our Days At...
Our Lady Of Good Counsel Elementary School
Page 3
IN FIFTH GRADE, A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL APPROACH WAS TAKEN, CONSISTING OF A 5TH AND 6TH GRADE COMBINATION CLASS. IT WAS 5TH GRADE BOYS, ALONG WITH 6TH GRADE GIRLS. WE WERE ABLE TO LEARN WITH, AS WELL AS GET TO KNOW, SOME OF OUR UPPER CLASSMATES. OUR TEACHER, SISTER MARIAM ADELE ,WAS A NEWCOMER TO OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL SCHOOL THAT SCHOOL YEAR. ALL OF OUR CLASS SUBJECTS WERE THE SAME EXCEPT FOR A FEW VARIATIONS IN ENGLISH AND MATH. SISTER MARIAM ADELE WAS ONLY WITH US FOR ONE YEAR AND WAS TRANSFERRED THE FOLLOWING SUMMER. TRAGICALLY, IT WAS THE YEAR THAT PRESIDENT KENNEDY WAS ASSASSINATED IN DALLAS, TEXAS ON NOVEMBER 22, 1963. AS WE WERE SEATED IN OUR CLASSROOM AFTER LUNCH, FATHER FITZPATRICK ADDRESSED THE SCHOOL BY THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM. AFTER THE NEWS OF THE PRESIDENT'S DEATH BECAME OFFICIAL, FATHER FITZPATRICK CALLED FOR PRAYERS AND UNDERSTANDING WITH FORGIVENESS IN LIGHT OF A GRAVE TRAGEDY OCCURRING IN OUR COUNTRY. IT WAS A DAY WE WILL NEVER FORGET. EARLY DISMISSAL WAS GRANTED TO THE ENTIRE SCHOOL AND CLASSES WERE CANCELLED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THAT THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
WHILE JAN BRADLEY’S SONG “MAMA DIDN’T LIE” SIGNALED THE END OF THE SILENT GENERATION, BRIDGING WHAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BE REFERRED TO AS "THE GENERATION GAP“, OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL SCHOOL WAS BECOMING VERY HIGH-TECH FOR THE TIME. A CLOSED CIRCUIT BLACK AND WHITE TELEVISION STATION WAS SET UP ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IT WAS ABLE TO BE BROADCAST OVER CHANNEL 6 TO TELEVISION SETS THAT WERE PLACED IN ALL OF THE CLASSROOMS IN THE SCHOOL. THIS MEDIA TOOL SERVED A DUAL PURPOSE, THEFIRST O WHICH WAS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE ”NET”, OR NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION ON CHANNEL 13. WITH THIS TOOL, WE WERE ABLE TO VIEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES, AS WELL AS FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, WE WERE TREATED TO MONSIGNOR WEISBROD’S SMILING FACE ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN WHEN HE WISHED TO ADDRESS THE SCHOOLS ON MATTERS OF CONCERN INVOLVING THE PARISH. MY YOUNGER BROTHER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM IN A LIVE CHRISTMAS PLAY THAT WAS SHOWN TO THE SCHOOL ON THE SAME CHANNEL 6. ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT OF FIFTH GRADE AT OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL WAS BECOMING AN ALTAR BOY.
YOU HAD THE CHOICE OF EITHER BEING A CHOIR BOY OR SERVING MASS. HOWEVER, YOUR CHOICE WAS FINAL. THERE WAS NO CHANGING ONCE YOU DECIDED UPON ONE OR THE OTHER. SISTER ROSE IRMA WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CHOIR AND THE ALTAR BOYS WERE MODERATED BY THE LATE FATHER RICHARD M. GALDON. AS AN ALTAR BOY, YOU BECAME A MEMBER OF THE SAINT JOHN BIRCHMANS SOCIETY. I WAS AN ALTAR BOY AT OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL AT THE TIME VATICAN TWO WAS CHANGING THE VERNACULAR OF THE MASS. AFTER LEARNING ALL OF THE REQUIRED LATIN, IT WASN’T LONG AFTER THAT THE MASS WOULD NOW BE SAID IN ENGLISH. ALL OF THE STUDENTS OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WERE REQUIRED TO ATTEND THE NINE O’CLOCK MASS IN THE BASEMENT CHURCH ON SUNDAY. THE EXCEPTIONS WERE THE CHOIR BOYS, WHO WERE ASSIGNED TO THE TEN O’ CLOCK HIGH MASS IN THE UPPER CHURCH, AND THE ALTAR BOYS, WHO WOULD SERVE MASS ACCORDING TO THEIR SCHEDULED ASSIGNMENTS FOR SUNDAY MORNING. THE ALTAR BOYS WHO DID NOT SERVE MASS ON A PARTICULAR SUNDAY HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING ANY OF THE MASSES, PRIOR TO THE TEN O’CLOCK MASS. ON THURSDAY AFTERNOONS, ALL OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS HAD REHEARSAL FOR THE HYMNS THAT WERE TO BE SUNG AT THE NINE O’CLOCK SUNDAY MASS IN THE DOWNSTAIRS CHURCH. SISTER ROSE IRMA CONDUCTED THESE REHEARSALS. THERE WAS ONE OUTSTANDING HYMN THAT I KNOW WE ALL REMEMBER. IT’S OUR VERY OWN ”OH VIRGIN MOTHER LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL“. THIS HYMN WAS WRITTEN BY ELEANOR DONNELLY. REMEMBER THE WORDS “IN ALL DOUBTS I CRY TO THEE FOR GUIDANCE, MOTHER TELL ME WHAT AM I TO DO“? INCREDIBLE WORDS TO A TRULY UNFORGETTABLE AND INDIGENOUS SONG TO ALL WHO BELONGED TO OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL PARISH. DURING THE SAME YEAR, SOME OF US BECAME BOY SCOUTS, TROOP 18-35, ROBERT TREAT COUNCIL.
FATHER RICHARD ERINBERG WAS OUR MODERATOR. OUR MEETINGS WERE HELD ON THURSDAY EVENINGS IN THE BASEMENT ROOMS OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL HIGH SCHOOL. OUR SCOUT LEADER WAS MR. ROBERT MEYER. HE GAVE MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE BOY SCOUTS.
THE BEATLES' “I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND” USHERED IN THE BRITISH INVASION OF MUSIC IN EARLY 1964. SIXTH GRADE WAS A CONTINUATION OF THE 5TH AND 6TH GRADE COMBINATION CLASS. THIS TIME WE WERE THE 6TH GRADE BOYS, AND THE 5TH GRADE WAS COMPRISED OF A MIXTURE OF BOYS AND GIRLS. SISTER MARY MARTINA WAS ABOARD ALONG WITH A NEW PRINCIPAL, MOTHER ROSE ALOISE, WHO NOW REPLACED MOTHER RITA GABRIEL. THE PARISH ALSO SAW 3 NEW PRIESTS. FATHERS CONWAY, ERINBERG AND FITZPATRICK, WHO HAD BEEN AT GOOD COUNSEL SINCE MY ARRIVAL IN FIRST GRADE, WERE NOW REPLACED BY FATHERS DEMBOW, LITTLE AND LANGDON. LATER, THE ARRIVAL OF FATHER WALLACE AND THE MUSICALLY TALENTED FATHER ROTUNNO COMPLETED THE COMPLIMENT OF THE PARISH PRIESTS FOR MY REMAINING YEARS AT OUR GOOD COUNSEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE ONLY ORIGINAL PRIEST WHO STILL REMAINED FOR MY DURATION AS A STUDENT WAS FATHER GALDON. ON THE SUBJECT OF THE SCHOOL, MOTHER ROSE ALOISE, AS THE NEW MOTHER SUPERIOR, WAS NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 1250 STUDENTS BETWEEN THE ELEMENTARY AND THE HIGH SCHOOL. THIS WAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF ENROLLED STUDENTS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL!
MOTHER ROSE ALOISE WAS A TAKE CHARGE, SEASONED AND VERY CAPABLE PRINCIPAL. AS OUR NEW MOTHER SUPERIOR, SHE WAS NOT AFRAID TO SAY AND STAND UP FOR WHAT SHE BELIEVED IN. THIS WAS SHOWN IN THE FIRST SEASON OF HER TENURE, DURING THE WINTER OF 1964-65. WHEN SNOW AND INCLEMENT WEATHER WAS A FACTOR IN POSSIBLY CANCELING SCHOOL FOR THE DAY, IT WAS CUSTOMARY FOR PARENTS TO TELEPHONE THE CONVENT OF GOOD COUNSEL TO FIND OUT IF SCHOOL WAS CLOSED. THOSE WERE THE DAYS BEFORE VOICE MAIL, ANSWERING MACHINES AND LOCAL TELEVISION STAIONS LISTING THE CLOSINGS OF AREA SCHOOLS AS THEY DO TODAY. MOTHER ROSE ALOISE, HOWEVER, WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE THIS OLD TRADITION. MOTHER HAD APPEALED TO THE SCHOOL ON THE PUBIC ADDRESS SYSTEM FOR STUDENTS TO TELL THEIR PARENTS TO REFRAIN FROM CALLING THE CONVENT TO FIND OUT IF SCHOOL WAS CLOSED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER. MOTHER FELT THAT LISTENING THE RADIO WAS THE WAY FOR ALL OF US TO FIND OUT IF SCHOOL WAS GOING TO BE IN SESSION ON A PARTICULAR SNOW DAY. THE SISTERS AT THE CONVENT WOULD BE LEARNING OF THE SAME CLOSING AS ANYONE ELSE, BY LISTENING TO THEIR RADIOS. AFTER HER PLEAS WERE IGNORED AND THE CALLS WERE CONTINUING AT AN EARLIER AND AT A MORE INTENSE PACE, 5:30 A.M., MOTHER THREATENED THAT IF THIS CALLING THE CONVENT WERE TO PERSIST, SHE WOULD PUNISH THE ENTIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WELL IT DID HAPPEN AGAIN AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT MOTHER ROSE ALOISE KEPT HER WORD TO PUNISH THE ENTIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? SHE DID THIS BY KEEPING ALL OF THE STUDENTS IN AFTER SCHOOL. THE STUDENTS WOULD REMAIN UNTIL A PARENT OR GUARDIAN CAME DOWN TO THE SCHOOL AND PICKED UP THEIR CHILD IN CLASS. MOTHER GAVE ADVANCED WARNING TO THE PARENTS AS TO THE DAY SHE WOULD PUNISH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. ONE THING I LEARNED FROM MOTHER IS THAT WHEN SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT, YOU MUST TAKE A STAND, REGARDLESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES. MOTHER’S PUNISHMENT DID NOT COME WITHOUT FORMS OF PROTEST FROM THE STUDENTS' PARENTS. IT WAS CLEAR, HOWEVER, THAT WHEN IT CAME TO THE SCHOOL, THE SISTERS AND THE STUDENTS OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL, MOTHER ROSE ALOISE WAS NOT TO BE DEFIED WHEN SHE MADE A REQUEST, AND THIS WAS INDICATIVE OF HER ACTIONS IN THAT WINTER OF ’64-65. ONE HIGHLIGHT OF MY SIXTH GRADE YEAR WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE RADIO IN NEW YORK FOR GOOD COUNSEL SCHOOL. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO BE SELECTED AS A WMCA GOOD GUY SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT. IT WAS A BRIEF 30 SECOND SYNOPSIS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AT OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL SCHOOL AT THAT TIME! I WAS ONLY 11 YEARS OLD, I WROTE MY OWN SCRIPT AND I CAN’T QUITE REMEMBER ALL OF THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THAT NIGHT ON JUNE 7TH, 1965 WHEN IT AIRED OVER 570 WMCA RADIO IN NEW YORK. LISTEN AS WMCA'S GOOD GUY STEVENS INTRODUCES THE SEGMENT, MY FIRST REAL BREAK IN RADIO BROADCASTING.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO CLIP!
REMEMBER THOSE GOOD GUY SWEATSHIRTS? ONE OF THE FUNNIEST STORIES WAS MOTHER ROSE ALOISE’S REACTION WHEN SHE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE BROADCAST AND WAS NOT TOLD ABOUT IT IN ADVANCE. SHE ACTUALLY CALLED SISTER MARTINA AND MYSELF DOWN TO THE OFFICE TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS GOING ON JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE IT AIRED.
ON THE NATIONAL SCENE, THE VIET NAM WAR WAS HEATING UP. I REMEMBER SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS BEING DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY TO SERVE IN VIET NAM. SOME OF THEM WERE GRADUATES OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL HIGH SCHOOL. IT WAS MY FIRST REAL AWARENESS OF THE REALITY OF WAR. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT REACHED ANOTHER PINNACLE AS THE MARCH IN SELMA, ALABAMA TOOK PLACE IN THE SPRING OF ’65. WE RECEIVED OUR CONFIRMATION IN SIXTH GRADE. IT WAS EXCITING TO SEE AUXILIARY BISHOP COSTELLO, WHO FILLED IN FOR ARCHBISHOP BOLAND OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEWARK, COME TO OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL CHURCH TO CONFIRM US WITH THE SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IN JUNE OF 1965, ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE SCHOOLS HISTORY CAME TO PASS AS WE WATCHED THE LAST 16 BOYS GRADUATE FROM OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL HIGH SCHOOL. "THE SOUND OF MUSIC” BECAME THE BIGGEST MOVIE OF THE TIME AND OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL HAD NOW BECOME AN ALL GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL.
THE BOYS, WHO WERE NOW GRADUATING FROM OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, NOW HAD TO MAKE PLANS ON ATTENDING ESSEX CATHOLIC, ST. BENEDICTS AND/OR ST. JAMES IF THEY HAD INTENTIONS OF CONTINUING CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL. OUR SEVENTH GRADE TEACHER WAS SISTER GRACE MERCEDES. SISTER GRACE WAS THE MENTOR OF THE ALTAR BOYS. SHE HAD, ON OCCASION, HELD OUR WEEKLY MONDAY AFTERNOON ALTAR BOY MEETINGS WHEN FATHER GALDON WAS NOT AVAILABLE. SOME OF US SEVENTH GRADERS BECAME PATROL BOYS. YOU COULD SEE US CROSSING STUDENTS AT VARIOUS INTERSECTIONS NEAR THE SCHOOL. THE PATROL BOYS HAD MARCHED IN THE COLUMBUS DAY PARADE THAT YEAR IN DOWNTOWN NEWARK. SISTER BERTRAND MONITORED THE PATROL BOYS. IT WAS ALSO IN THE YEAR OF 1965 THAT POPE PAUL VI VISITED THE UNITED STATES AND SAID MASS AT YANKEE STADIUM.
