St Patrick Day

Oh-St Patrick`s day, what wonderful memories. When I was in school this day was one of my most favourite school  days. Well, let`s say rather no school days. The very first one I recall was in grade 3-we had the celebration every year right up to grade 12, or as it was called STD 10 ( there were 2 grades and 10 Standards). The main event coordinator for the entire school was always, Sr. St Anne, and Irish nun , with her horned rimmed glasses and Irish temper; of course not to forget that wonderful broad Irish accent of hers was just wonderful-on  those  days she was in her element. She was stern when we deserved it, and wonderfully sweet and kind other times. We all loved her.

She had much help-there were about an other six other Irish nuns in the convent-including the Rev Mother-who as I recall-in my eyes look at least a 100 plus, called Mother  Colomba-a wonderful, gentle soul-we just saw her infrequently at morning mass as she was getting poorly. In those days nuns had a very constricting “habit”-black from head to foot with a white, heavily starched, head band around part of their head and face. I often wondered however did they see side ways-though they did for they always were aware what us the kids were up to.-they had 360 degree vision I always thought.  As kids we always imagined the sisters as being very mystical, spiritual, very close to God and total not human at all, an enigma , a total mystery -kids are so strange in their thinking.

These nuns were very strict-I never found them abusive at all-but they would put the fear of God into us if things weren`t done right. Sure-a couple of wallops on the leg or hands with the ruler, but none of us felt abused, we knew we had deserved it. Many a times I had to stay after school and write on the black board 100 times-“.”I will not chatter in class”.  My nickname  that she gave me was :” Miss chatter box”. All and everyone in my class have become very upstanding people with wonderful careers and families-with many I still keep in touch. None of us ever have complained about the sisters-we just look back and reminisce with love. And bless them.

St Patrick`s day was just special-always. Being in a Catholic school, and with Irish nuns at the helm it was always a great celebration-especially getting on two red double decker bus. It was a very small school, the entire  school consisted of about 220 girls - only ; so two was enough. It was a whole day event-going into the city center of Johannesburg, to the City Hall, which had a beautiful concert hall. On these occasions there was always an enormous gathering of different schools, all Catholic of course and it was a major St Patrick event. We always had a blast-goofing off , with the boys from Maristst  Brothers, our brother school. Later when we got back to school –everything was green-even the cookies-and cakes and drinks. I guess the sisters really wanted to remember and feel at home. Those days were the happiest days of our lives.

That was really the time we got together with the boys-both of my two first boyfriends came from that; strange but true- I am still in touch with one of them, the other-who became a world renowned physicist-he still had so much to contribute to the world, but sadly died very young last year  of a very serious disease-he was just in his fifties. Life is strange and unfair. The other one is still going strong-living his dream of sailing the world on his own yacht.

Not was it great because we missed school, but the concerts was always just amazing-all kind of Irish legends being brought to life, Irish dancing and music. We always received a gilded medal with the date on it, hanging a on a green ribbon- I probably still have one hiding somewhere. Nice to remember things at times-and yet times make one sad-but life consists of  a mix of everything-and it is always a mystery as to what it hold for us. Yes-"those were the best days of our lives", as the song says.