Time to Say Goodbye

I was sad to hear that my high school in north county St. Louis is closing. I grew up in a middle class area called Spanish Lake. It was a great place to live and grow up--in the country. Today, that is not the case. It's not a very good area anymore. Very sad.

Sadder than that is the fact the my high school is closing. I guess it was just a matter of time. 

Rosary High School was considered a small school in the scheme of St. Louis schools. Still, when I graduated, there were 1400 students with 425 in our graduating class. The school was just 4 years old in 1970. We were the first class that had started as freshman and went all the way through. It was about a mile and a half from our house. 

Years ago, as enrollment declined in Catholic high schools in north county, 3 of them merged: Rosary, Mercy and Aquinas. "Our" school was the one they kept, but changed the name to Trinity. 

Enrollment has shrunk to just 75 graduating students this past year. I guess it was time. Still it's so sad to me--especially since I've just reconnected with many of my high school friends via Facebook. We were supposed to have our 50th reunion last fall that was cancelled, of course, due to Covid. Now I wonder if we'll have it at all.

Anyway, since the announcement of the closing last week, everybody has been posting all kinds of pictures and memories. I posted a couple myself. 

This was my "dance card" from the senior prom. The theme was Aquarius. I'm not sure why they gave these out since just about everybody went with their boyfriends. It's not like you danced with a bunch of guys and had to fill their names in on the little lines with that tiny pencil.

Then, I dug out my ring.

I probably haven't tried it on in--oh, I'd say--about 40 or 45 years! It still fits! I put it out to my siblings to find their rings. I'll have to ask them to send pictures so I can post them. I don't recall if the ring changed by the time they graduated.

I had a fabulous high school experience. It was so much fun. I had so many friends! Really the only downside of high school was the actual "school" part! Oh well, at least I have the memories! 

Here's a few:

1. The time I almost got expelled for talking during a fire drill...

2. The time I got my foot caught in a desk...

3. That time a few friends and I left our senior retreat to go to the mall---another expulsory offense--had we been caught!

4. The time I fell down the steps at school...

5. The time I wrote my own note for "senior skip day" and then sweated that I'd be caught...

6. The time I got too many gum fines and had to clean the biology lab over the Christmas holidays...

7. The other time I got too many gum fines and had to clean the bathrooms--you can bet that was the last time I got a gum fine!

8. All the times we smoked in the girls locker room before school--with the aid of our gym teacher--she was our lookout! Ironically, as freshman, there was actually a smoking area for juniors and seniors. That was gone by our sophomore year.

9. The time I was in charge of the sophomore dance and failed to order refreshments. I just thought they opened that little window and voila! all the stuff was there! Uh, no, doesn't work like that.

10 The time I was secretary of the junior class...

11. The time I ate a chocolate covered bee given to me by my biology teacher, Sister Charles Maureen. She thought it was hilarious. Same teacher who made me clean the biology lab.

12. The time I lead the march to get three boys who were expelled for smoking in the chapel, reinstated. My slogan, "Jesus forgives, why can't you?" I had 1000 signatures. Didn't help.

13. The time my boyfriend got kicked out of his school for shooting a moon on his bus and came to my school. We didn't last too long after that.

14. The time I lobbied for us to be allowed to wear knee socks with our plaid uniform skirts instead of white crew socks. I actually won this one!

15. The time I worked in the cafeteria for free food...

I could go on and on. So many fun memories. Goodbye good 'ol RHS. Gosh, I can even remember our school song! "Oh Rosary High, I pledge my heart to you. To the gold and white I will forever be true...!" It was a cheesy song.