Wednesday, February 22, 2012
 

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History of the School

Church of the Madalene had a school which was in operation for twenty-two years. It opened in 1948 and the school's first principal was Sister Elizabeth, followed by Sister Modesta who became principal six years later. The school gradually expanded and at one point contained about 400 students. At this time there were eight grades with six teaching sisters and two lay teachers. The two lay teachers were Mrs. Masel and Mrs. Morehead. The church also built two new classrooms for primary grades.

Madalene School, as well as Madalene Church, was very much a product of parish involvement. A bookkeeping system was set up by Mrs. Dottie Mica and Robert Skeshan, an accountant.

Sports activities were important to the school. The team often excelled in their division attested to by the many awards still on display in the trophy case. These sports activities were made possible by many men of the parish under the leadership and coaching of Mr. Robert Shaw, Hal O'Halloran, and Glen Dobbs, to name just a few.

Academically the school aslo excelled and the students received many awards. Due to large enrollment and limited classrooms there were a few years when first grade students attended school for only half a day. At one point there were ninety-eight children who enrolled in the first grade. Since Holy Family School had very few students in the early grades, Madalene first-graders were bused to Holy Family School in downtown Tulsa. However, continued swelling of enrollment forced several grades to be combined in one classroom. Since this proved to be an unsatisfactory arrangement, the first grade was closed in 1960.

During the 1960's, financial pressures became a major concern. Although the nuns and lay teachers worked for very low salaries and many parents volunteered their services in numerous ways from assisting in the cafeteria, working on the playground as supervisors, running the library, etc., the cost of meeting requirements to maintain state accreditation became unfeasible. Madalene School was then closed in 1970.

Mentioned before were two of the principals of the school. The rest of the principals were: Sister Pancretia (1957-59), Sister Antonette (1959-62), Sister Imelda (1962-66), Mrs. Mary Cherry (1966-67), Mr. Robert Shaw (1967-70), and Sister Better in 1970. The Benedictian order of sisters had staffed Madalene School since it opened.

Madalene - September, 1952

Front Row - Patricia I. Grady, Margaret K. Heald, Douglas Rosewitz, Victoria A. Hunter, Richard Jacewitz, Terry J. Turner, James Kernan, George Rose, Jim Ed. Hastings, Marcia E. Allen, Robert C. Coerver, Terry A. Miller, Charlotte Haas, Sandra S. Harbison, Mary Ellen Roche

Second Row - Marion L. Alfanso, John L. Henberry, Maureen Gail Shea, Helen Ann Regan, Mary E. Medinger, Kathleen Kane, James H. Fox, Ronald R. Comer, Donna Whitney, Regina Sleeler, Pamela L. Cleveland, Bob Whitaker, Diana Powers, Martha Rzasa, Darlia DeFreitas, Catherine Causey, Robert M. Mercer, Kenneth S. Lawlor, Rosalie Blaisdell

Third Row - Thomas Michel, Scott G. Emmick, Barbara Welp, Maureen McPartland, Margaret Toomy, Earl Anderson, Richard Geary, Margaret Haskill, Elsa Margaret A. Theile, Joseph P. Lennart, Larry Morrison, James Gaelup, Stephen Pattison, John W. Barry, Richard Kirby, James F. Kelly, Jr., Vivian Fashing

Fourth Row - Mary Cockrell, Ann Rummerfield, Constance Wrona, Louis Yarzab, Sharon Ceplina, Michael Hellman, Margaret Miller, Beverly Burke, Paul Brockwell, Gary Konkol, Patick Blackaby, Morgan Fairlamb, Billy Walker, Sandra Walker, Edward Speck, Michael Decoursey, John Massina, Eugene B. Cox

Teacher - Sr. M. Callista

Absent - Judith Wilson, John R. Elzkorn, Beth Cooper, Claudis Bardas, Cynthia May
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