Mount Saint Joseph Academy's 150th Anniversary

MSJA's Name up in LIGHTS!

2008-10-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

The Mount's Name in Lights!

In celebration of our 150th Anniversary, the Mount was featured on the "PECO Crown of Lights" display on the evening of Founders' Day, October 15th. Thanks to Jim Powers, father of Jess Powers '09, who made the arrangements for this to happen!

Many Mounties and their parents, as well as alums wrote in to tell us they were able to look skyward as they drove through Center City.

If you weren't able to see the lights in person, you can see it on video, thanks to Chris Brady, father of Caitlin Brady '10, who arranged for the CBS helicopter to film the lights as the message spelled out 'Mount St. Joseph Academy Celebrates 150 Years!'

Hoopla!! What a Day!! October 15, 2008

2008-10-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it is agreed. The Mount's Founders' Day Celebration of our 150th Anniversary was a complete success.

Here are some highlights for you to see; to view all photos, please visit the photo albu m to see all photos from the day.

The walk from the New Mount to the Old Mount was fun; the weather was beautiful and there were lots of smiles along the way.

The Liturgy was beautiful and inspiring.

The luncheon was delightful, and so many helped make it the special occasion that it was.

Afterwards, students enjoyed the all-girl dance party. Congratulations to homeroom 10-A, which won the Ace of Cakes Contest --the Mount's 150th Anniversary Cake contest!!
It was hard to tell who was happier, the girls or Mr. Rosinski!

For more photos from this exciting day, please visit the photo alb u m.

Murals at the Mount!

2008-09-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

This very dedicated group of sophomore artists is working after school (I told you they were dedicated!) on a large scale mural highlighting the 12 sports of the Mount Athletic Program.

This mural will be displayed in the gym and will be unveiled for Founders' Day on October 15th, along with the murals painted by Juniors and Seniors enrolled in our special 150th Anniversary Mural painting class.

For more photos, please visit the main website and click on the student life tab to view the school photo albums page.

Our Lady's Crowners

2008-08-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

This photo, published in the current issue of The Mount Magazine, was until recently unidentified. Thanks to the generous contributions of Dotty Hordubay '56 and Theresa Zambelli Esperdy '56, we can now report that this photo of "Our Lady's Crowners" was taken in 1956 and that the young women in the photo are: Marie Montone '56 (left), Mary Alice Doyle '56 (center), and Claire DeBaecke Halter '56. Thank you so much Dotty and Theresa!

Mount's History Includes Boys!

2008-07-24T05:33:00.000-07:00

In preparation for the 150th anniversary, we have been spending quite a bit of time in the archive room here at the Mount, gathering pictures and other accounts that make up our history. As part of that search, we have been looking through the records of some of the earliest attending students from the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. We were very surprised when we discovered the records of the many boys who attended the Mount in those early years, a fact some of us here at the Mount were not aware of!

Through those records we were able to compile a rough time line of when boys attended the Mount, which we thought may interest others who like us were unaware of this part of Mount's great history. The earliest reference in our archives to boys at the Mount comes from Mother Mary John's Diary in August 1874 and states:

"'The house was searched for Charlie Rose.' (Charlie Rose was the victim of Philadelphia's most famous kidnapping case.) The school must have been known as having boys or it would not have been searched. This is one of the earliest references to the fact that there was a boys' school at the Mount."

Following this there are various diary references and old records of student names that confirm that there were in fact boys at the Mount. Then, in a later entry, we found information about the length of time boys were at the Mount:

"Boys' School was closed at the end of 1907-08 scholastic year. Some of the boys went to Merion Academy of Mercy, some to Villanova. The closing did not last long. in 1910 for reasons that have not been discovered, MSJ was again open to boys. This time as Day Pupils only. This again did not last long. In about two years, boarders were again received. The number grew so rapidly that by 1919, a separate school was established at Norwood, Chestnut Hill."

This entry is followed by more names and accounts of the boys themselves. Thus, although our information is limited, we do have some records of the boys who attended the Mount and thus are a part of our great history.

We would love to hear from anyone who had a male relative or friend attend the Mount, and would like to invite you to comment here on the blog and include pictures if you have any!

Mount Alum Stars in Mamma Mia!

2008-07-21T05:14:00.000-07:00

The touring production of the Broadway hit Mamma Mia! is now in Philadelphia, at the Academy of Music. Mount Airy native, Rosemary Sezniak, who graduated from the Mount in 2001, stars in the production as the bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan who sings the best of ABBA and attempts to find her father. Sezniak, who performed in the musicals while she was at the Mount, has gotten her big break landing the leading role in the hit show. She graduated from Catholic University in Washington D.C. in 2005 with a degree in musical theatre, and has been auditioning and performing ever since. On behalf of the Mount community, we congratulate Rosemary and wish her well! The show will play at the Academy of Music through July 27th; for ticketing information call 215-893-1999.

Commemorative Book Helps Mount Celebrate 150 years!

2008-07-16T06:01:00.000-07:00

As part of our preparations for the 150th anniversary celebration, alumnae Charlene Keller Fullmer '89, Jennifer Dorazio '90, and Erin McClafferty '96 have been hard at work compiling Mount pictures and memories to be used in the creation of a commemorative book chronicling the history of the Mount. After hours of hard work searching through the archives, many great pictures have been scanned and are ready for use in the book, which is sure to be a great picture history of the Mount. There were so many great pictures to choose from, that we thought we would share a few of the favorites here!

A great aerial view of the Mount!

3 Sisters of Saint Joseph enjoying fishing on a retreat in the 1940s.

Mounties take swim lessons!

These pictures are a just a few of the many great ones that will be used in the anniversary book! Please feel free to comment here, adding your own pictures or memories if you would like!

The Golden Girls Visit the Mount--and Make the News!

2008-05-03T15:22:00.000-07:00

On Monday, April 28, 2008, five Mounties from the class of '50 visited MSJA to get a taste of what life is like in the classroom today at the Mount.

Thanks to Madge Mansell Keehn for organizing her classmates' visit: Joan Marie Hartmann Bamberger, Mary A. Harbison Dobson, Mary Elizabeth Logan, and Joan Calhoun Reynolds. Each visited a class and then enjoyed lunch in the cafeteria. Judging by the buzz the Golden Girls created, it's hard to say who had more fun--the alums, the faculty, or the students!

Fox29 News arrived to cover the event. Click on the image above to view the clip.

We are grateful to Sister Kathy Letts for helping with the scheduling, and to the faculty members and students in the classes that hosted these Golden Girls ... we won't reveal too much info because Madge, a former features writer for the Chestnut Hill Local, will be writing an article about the Golden Girls' day in the next issue of the Mount Magazine. Thank you to Gary Sobolow for his help in editing the film.

Service at the Mount...

2008-04-09T11:35:00.000-07:00

MSJA Sanctuary Society "A Group of the Sanctuary Society at Work" (undated photo)

Although the Sanctuary Society began around 1918, it was still going strong when Madge Mansell Keehn ’50 attended MSJA. She recalls a number of Mount Alums who were part of this very lovely, hard-working group of women whose beautiful needlework and countless hours of generous service left a lasting impression. To read more about the Sanctuary Society, check out the publications page and click on the Winter '08 Magazine.

Golden Memories from a Golden Girl:
Lasting Impressions...

by Madge Mansell Keehn '50

Shortly after the turn of the 20th Century, Mrs. Mary McNally, class of 1894, the mother of Rosemary ’17, Frances ’21 and Roberta ’24, founded the Sanctuary Society. This organization was comprised of Mounties who dedicated themselves to sewing vestments and altar linens and supplying sacred vessels for the parishes and priests who requested them. Every Tuesday, these women could be found in the sewing room located on the second floor of the old Mount, just behind the music corridor. A few were mothers of my classmates. I remember coming down the back stairs of the Mount and seeing them all diligently sewing, hemming, and embroidering the beautiful linens and vestments in the sewing room. Some Mount graduates even donated their beautiful wedding gowns to the cause. These beautifully and lovingly crafted items would be sent to priests locally as well as those in the foreign missions.

On Alumnae Day, the Sanctuary Society leadership explained the importance of their work and gratefully acknowledged the students’ monetary donations that had benefited priests and parishes both near and far.

Individual requests memorializing or honoring a loved one were often made to the Society. Rosemary McNally would always work with the donor to assure her that the sacred vessel had gone to a mutually agreed upon recipient.

Madge Mansell Keehn ’50 is a former features writer for the Chestnut Hill Local. Watch for her upcoming articles on Mount life!

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Do you remember anyone in the Sanctuary Society? Do you know what year the photo above was taken? Perhaps you might like to talk about current or past service projects at the Mount. Click on the 'Comments' link below to join the discussion!

Calling All Mount Memories!!

2008-04-08T15:31:00.001-07:00

Calling all members of the Mount community! Whether you're a current student, MSJA alumna, past/present parent, or current or former faculty/staff/administration member .... please share a message with the Mount on the occasion of her 150th birthday.

We're currently compiling your sentiments, memories and thoughts for a very special commemorative book and video to celebrate the fine tradition of educating young women that the Mount has carried on since her humble beginning in 1858.

Please post your thoughts here and help us celebrate 150 years!

Welcome to the Mount's 150th Anniversary Blog!

2008-03-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

The planning committee has been hard at work behind the scenes readying a year of wonderful events for the 150th celebration.

We thought this blog site would be a fun way to keep in touch as we approach the beginning of the 150th Celebration which begins officially on Founders Day, October 15th.

And, since our patron's feast day is March 19th, we thought it only fitting to launch the Anniversary website on his special day, a day special to the entire Mount Community because of the Sisters of Saint Joseph who have been the heart and soul of Mount Saint Joseph Academy since it opened on that day back in 1858...

We will be posting more shortly, so check back often! Feel free to leave a comment by clicking on the link below.