St. Halls of Wishes Catholic Elementary School E-Book

Margaret Rose ‘Peggy’ Dolan Ph. D.

• Herausgeber: Spines
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

In a woven tapestry of poetic storytelling, this narrative unveils the cherished school day memories of a girl named Peggy and her endearing companions as they traverse the hallowed halls of their beloved educational institution. Through vivid verse, readers are transported to a time where innocence and discovery collide within the classrooms and corridors of a Catholic school nestled in the heart of Spanish Lake, Missouri.

Peggy's anecdotal poems, brimming with nostalgia and a deep sense of place, paint a portrait of family, friendship, and the trials and triumphs of youth. Against the backdrop of the vibrant 1950s and 1960s, these tales evoke the universal joys and pangs of growing up, all while Peggy cultivates her dream to craft poetry for children.

With a heartwarmingly authentic voice, the author captures the ethos of an era while inviting readers to reflect on their own journeys through the lens of a bygone but fondly remembered epoch. Each page is a celebration of the stories that shape us, the moments that define us, and the desire to pass on the legacy of our experiences to the generations that follow.

Leseprobe

MARGARET ROSE “PEGGY” DOLAN, Ph.D.

ST. HALLS OF WISHES CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

All rights reserved

Copyright © 2024 by MARGARET ROSE “PEGGY” DOLAN, Ph.D.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Published by Spines

ISBN: 979-8-89383-360-7

St. Halls of Wishes Catholic Elementary School

A CHILDREN’S POVEL

MARGARET ROSE “PEGGY” DOLAN, PH.D.

Margaret Rose “Peggy” Dolan, Ph.D.

Who thought her mom said,

“You will be going to St. Halls of Wishes!”

Instead of St. Aloysius!

Contents

What Is A Povel?

Foreword by Rev. David Polek, C.SS.R.

In Loving Memory Of

Main Street USA

The School Tour

The Cast Of Characters

Still Touring St. Halls

Peggy’s Family Photos

The First Day Of School At St. Halls

The Hanging Gardens Of Babylon

The Big Sneeze

Meanwhile Back At The Stairs

At St. Hall’s Of Wishes Christmas Ruled

Peggy’s Family Photos

Christmas At Home

Happy New Year

The Second Unwritten Rule

The St. Halls Of Wishes Blizzard

Limbo And The Atom Bomb

Never-ending Irish First Communion

The Constitutional Crisis

Peggy’s Family Photos

A Catholic President Of The USA?

108 Verse Tribute To President John Fitzerald Kennedy

Words For Discussion

Prayers

A Povel By Peggy Dolan

November 22, 1963

November 23, 1963

November 24, 1963

November 25, 1963

About The author

School Days

What Is A Povel?

A children’s novel is written in prose. A children's povel is written in poetry or is referred to as a novel in verse. This Children’s Povel is a mid-twentieth-century memoir of Peggy Dolan, who started St. Halls of Wishes in 1957 in second grade. Peggy, her three brothers, Eddie, Timmy, and Dennis, her cousin, Christine Dowling, and her trustee friend, Kerry Patch O’Neill, marched through the doors of St. Aloysius, ready to carve out their school days in a small Catholic School in Spanish Lake, Missouri. Lots of things that happened in the 1950s and 1960s happened at St. Aloysius too.

Fond memories are recalled through the eyes of Peggy Dolan, who is a proud alumnus of that little school at the end of Larimore Road. She mistakenly thought her mother said “St. Halls of Wishes” instead of “St. Aloysius”. She affectionately refers to her school as St. Halls and relates the times of her life in poetic form, which she mastered with the help of her principal, Sr. Esther S.S.N.D. Lessons in books and lessons in life mixed to form the foundation of the lives of all who entered the hallowed halls of St. Aloysius School. With a career in education behind her, she encourages children to be storytellers, write their own stories and share them with others. Some new words and prayers are included in the index and provide an opportunity for children to discuss the words with parents and teachers.

This children’s Povel could be enjoyed much like other children’s stories that share the same storyline in depicting families in a certain location and time in history. Through the years, such stories are still enjoyed today.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott tells the tales of the March family and the four daughters who face challenges at the time their father is away fighting in the Civil War. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder depicts her family’s life as pioneers settling in the Midwest during the late 1800’s. In Mama’s Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes, a Norwegian family settles into American life in San Francisco, facing the challenges of the early 1900s. In each of these stories, the authors of the book wanted to grow up to become writers of their time.

In St. Halls of Wishes, author Peggy Dolan grows up wanting to write poetry for children. In her Suitcase Story Series, The Fall Suitcase Stories, and The Spring Suitcase Stories, she does just that. Her volumes contain holiday stories of the seasons, all stories are written in poetic form.

Read on to discover a new children’s Povel that just might motivate a Quiet Story-Still. The index helps students review and learn the unfamiliar terms and words that students will read in the story. Enjoy the school journey, and remember to keep a journal of your school stories and share them with others.

Foreword by Rev. David Polek, C.SS.R.

“Once upon a time…” How many times did we hear those words growing up? Perhaps by a loving parent. Perhaps by a grandmother. Perhaps by a third-grade teacher at the end of the week, the last thing was done on a Friday afternoon before letting the hoard out for the weekend and allowing a spent teacher time to relax and regroup.

What follows is more than a “Once upon a time.” It is a children’s povel. “Povel” is a new word made up by talented author Peggy Dolan. She calls it “a children’s novel written in poetic form.”It is an offering written by an Irish lass who grew up in suburban St. Louis, Missouri, in a rather small house with two bathrooms on a quiet street. The Dolans were an ordinary Irish family with a pair of devoted parents and joining were a trio of fun-loving brothers. The brothers were rather overwhelmed by their precocious sister, who always had something to say and who almost always said what she had to say.

Peggy Dolan is a whole lot of things and personalities: Daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, teacher, principal, friend and author. This work is a gentle reminder of calmer and more peaceful times, a time when she and her brothers were going to elementary school.

There are many sketches or chapters in this work. One favorite is “The First Days of School at St. Aloysius.” The first days of school are always a little bit scary, whether it be catholic grammar school or the first days of college. This sketch will bring back memories and make you chuckle. Another favorite is “Limbo and the Atomic Bomb”, which helps us remember an odd and worrisome word that has become part of our vocabulary. The “Bomb” sketch recalls our fear and trepidation over what might happen if world powers set off this fearsome weapon again. But my favorite is a poignant chapter on the passing of President John F. Kennedy. It is written from the viewpoint of a child and will help us remember where we were when we heard the news, and the visual impact of a three-year-old saluting the casket of his father when it passed by.

Without question, I recommend this Povel. In fact, I recommend reading again. Growing up my family moved a great deal, five states by the time I was 13. Reading was not just a hobby, but also helped pass the time until we got friends in school. I guarantee you will enjoy this book, and the adventures of the Dolan and Dowling family and the author’s best friend who was another Irish Lass. You will not be disappointed.

Fr. Polek is a former Educator, Retreat/Missionary Homilist, and Editor of The Liguorian Magazine, CSSR

In Loving Memory Of

Sister Margaret Mary “Magi” Judge S.S.N.D. and her brother

Fr. Anthony “Tony” Judge C.SS.R.

Who from an Irish Catholic family

Lived their vocations in life

As a catholic sister and priest

In fervent dedication and love to

The Mother Of Perpetual Help

Candles continue to light for ‘sistahs’ of August 22, 1968

POIGANT SKETCHES BY

ROBERT HANSON

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE

DEVON NORIEL

TECHNOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE

SHAYLA BUSH

NICOLE ROPH

MAVERICK MINOR

Main Street USA

My mom just made the turn

Onto the main street of Spanish Lake, Missouri.

August-1957

If we lived in Small Town America,

Our car would be traveling down Main Street.

Instead, it was Larimore Road with

Car windows down, hostages of the heat.

On this August 1957 day my mom was taking

My three brothers and me, the only girl,

To check on our new house and new school.

We were entering a whole new world.

The road was long and curvy.

We had to stop and wait for a train to go by.

Our house wasn’t finished yet.