Clueless to the Spirit (1970)

Clueless to the Spirit

1970

On the last day of eighth grade Lauren Myers received a sweat shirt of the school she would be attending in the fall. She said good bye to her acquaintances she had made at her last school. When she got home from school she and her parents pilled into their car and hit the road. They followed the moving van to their new home.

It was chili when they arrived and Lauren had to put on the only thing not in a box on and that was the sweat shirt her parents had given her. It didn’t take long for their new neighbors to show up and start welcoming them.

“We have been here for like a second.” Lauren said to her parents when she noticed them running over.

“They are just trying to be nice.” Her dad said.

“I like it.” Her mom said.

It wasn’t long before they realized not all the people running over were technically neighbors. Some did not actually live in the neighborhood at all. All of them brought something. Most were food related. Others were not. One woman brought the worst kind, her daughter.

“I am so happy to see this neighborhood filling up.” Mrs. Hollings said. “Is that your daughter?”

“Yes, this is Lauren.” Mrs. Myers said.

“What grade will she be in?” Mrs. Hollings asked.

“She will be a freshman in high school.” Mrs. Myers said.

“Get out of town, my daughter too!” Mrs. Hollings said. “Mary come here.”

Mary ran over to where the two ladies had been talking.

“Lauren I want you to meet someone.” Her mom said.

Lauren reluctantly walked over.

“This is Lauren” Mrs. Myers said.

“Mary- Sacred Heart! I am going there too!” Mary said.

“Really” Lauren said.

“Yes! I can’t wait for school to start. It is going to be the best four years of our lives.” Mary said.

“Well we will let you guys get settled but we will have to get these girls together over the summer. After all they are both going to be Valkyries soon.” Mrs. Hollings said and the two headed home.

“Thank God that is over with.” Lauren said.


“Hey, she seemed nice.” Her mother said.

Things had died down for a week or two. Lauren’s family had become a regular fixture in the neighborhood. One cool night after dinner Lauren’s dad took her out for ice cream.

“Look its Sacred Heart!” Mary yelled and ran over to them.

“Oh good” Lauren said under her breathe. “And she brought friends.”

“This is my new neighbor.” Mary said to her friends. “She is a member of the class of ’74. I am so sorry, what’s your name again?”

“Lauren” Lauren said.

“This is Elizabeth and Theresa. I am Mary in case you forgot too.” Mary said point to them and her.

“Hello” Elizabeth and Theresa said.

“Hi” Lauren said.

“You girls getting ice cream too?” Mr. Myers asked.

“Yeah, every Wednesday” Mary said.

“Why don’t you girls join us?” Mr. Myers asked.

“Sure” Mary said.

“Where did you move here from?” Elizabeth asked.

“Indianapolis” Lauren said.

“Why did you guys move here?” Theresa asked.

“Dad got a better job.” Lauren said.

“Congrats” Theresa said looking at Mr. Myers.

“Thanks” Mr. Myers said.

“What are your plans for the summer?” Mary asked.

“Summer camp and visiting grand parents” Lauren said.

“Sounds like fun.” Mary said.

“Yeah” Lauren said.

The four girls ate their ice cream and talked about meaningless things. When they were done Lauren and her dad got into their car to go home.

“So glad that is over.” Lauren said.

“They seem so nice. Wouldn’t it be nice to already know people on the first day of school?” Lauren’s dad asked.

“No” Lauren said.

Two days later Lauren left for summer camp. When she returned a couple of weeks later she was grocery shopping with her mom when they ran into Mary and her mother.

“Settling in?” Mrs. Hollings asked.


“Yes, thank you.” Mrs. Myers said.

“Can you believe the summer is half over?” Mrs. Hollings asked.

“Oh I know. We went uniform shopping today.” Mrs. Myers said.

“We are going next week. I can’t believe they are already getting their navy skirts.” Mrs. Hollings said.

“Do you know what classes or teachers you have yet?” Mary asked.

“I got the envelop while I was at camp but haven’t really looked at it yet.” Lauren said.

“Wouldn’t it be so cool if we had some classes together?” Mary asked.

“Yeah” Lauren said.

The Myers and the Hollings chit-chatted for a few more minutes and went their separate ways.

“Its like she is stalking me.” Lauren said.

“Would it kill you to try to be nice and have fun here?” Lauren’s mom asked.

“Yes” Lauren said.

Lauren spent the rest of the summer with her grandparents and cousins.

The first day of school came. Lauren was walking through the third floor freshmen hall. She was realizing that most of these girls went to grade school together and already had a group of friends. Lauren found her locker and started putting her books in.

“Lauren Myers!” Mary shouted. “Please tell me your team room is 210 also.”

“Yeah” Lauren said.

“Awesome. We are so sitting together.” Mary said.

“Ok” Lauren said.

“Do you already have lunch plans?” Mary asked as they walked into the classroom.

“Nope” Lauren said.

“You have to sit with me, Elizabeth, and Theresa.” Mary said and they sat down.

“Ok” Lauren said.

Yes Lauren had a real group of friends to sit with every day at lunch.

Sacred Heart Academy: Meeting The Shadows (Present Day)

"That is how it happened?" Erin asked.

"Yeah" Anna said.

Their is a time honored tradition for eigth grade girls in Loisville, Kentucky called Shadowing. This is when they get to spend the day at one of all girl high schools to see if they would like to go there. They 'shadow' a current student there to get the feel of what its like to go to school there.

Today is a big shadow day at Sacred Heart Academy. The shadows and their host are currently in the second floor foyer sitting in the big velvet chairs. They are telling stories and asking questions.

"I do not believe you." Erin said.

"Then go around thinking what ever you want about how Sacred Heart got its name." Anna said. "Every one is going to think you are crazy though because they all know the truth."

"St. Angela Merici said Assumption was stupid?" Erin asked.

"Yeah I thought you guys were suppossed to be un-bias and supportive of the other schools?" Claire asked

"Just the name." Anna said.

"Same thing" Erin said.

"Shove it" Anna said.

"You have to be nice to me." Erin said. "I might go some where else."

"Oh please your older sister goes here and all of our cousins go here, we got you." Anna said. "These days are really for non-legacies and big fish. For instance the big fish right now is Sandy, she has sisters at both."

"I am not a legacy." Katie said.

"I think many of us are not" Liz said.

"May be we could get a hands on how many of you do not have ties to the school at all." Anna said.

"So you can focus on them?" Erin asked.

"Were you not listening?" Anna asked.

"You are not getting off on the right foot." Katie said.

"Ok Anna thank you for telling us that amusing story to help us kill time." Megan said.

"Your welcome" Anna said.

"For those of you that do not have 'ties' to the school do you have any questions?" Megan asked.

"Can you fit in if you are not a legacy?" Rachel asked.

"I got this one Anna." Megan said. "Yes of course. Here at SHA we are anti-clicky and anti-judging. We are all friends here."

"Do we have time for another story, I really liked it." Sarah asked.

"A-A-A, I got this one Megan." Anna said. "Of course."

Sacred Heart Academy: On Holy Ground (1876)

In 1858 a group of nuns from Germany from the Ursula sisters journeyed to Louisville, Kentucky to start a boarding for young ladies. In 1876 the nuns had purchased land and was going to build their school that was to open the following year. Before they bagan construction the nuns gathered in the middle of the grounds to bless the land. The head nun, Sister Angela Merici and an aide named Sister Margret stood in the middle of a semi- circle to perform this ritual.

"On this holy ground-" Sister Angela Merici said.

"If I may correct you sister?" Sister Margret said.

"What is it Sister Margret?" Sister Angela Merici asked.

"This ground is technically not Holy yet un till you splash the Holy Water on it." Sister Margret said.

"Thank you for that correction. On-" Sister Angela Merici said.

"Your Welcome" Sister Margret said.

"On this ground which I am about to make Holy I will build a school to do your work as as the founder of my order, Saint Ursula. Please watch over the building and the girls who attend St. Ursula Academy." Sister Angela Merici said.

"That is going to be the name of your school?" Sister Margret asked.

"I thought so. Is it not a good way to pay homage to her?" Sister Angela Merici asked.

"It is, but 'lets go SUA lets go' does not sound the best." Sister Margret said.

"You do not think so?" Sister Angela Merici asked.

"No" Sister Margret said.

"What about Angela Merici Academy?" Sister Angela Merici asked.

"AMA does have a better sound but do you want to go down in history as the nun who named a school after herself?" Sister Margret asked.

"No that would be no good at all." Sister Angela Merici said.

"What about Mercy Academy?" Sister Katrina asked.

"The sister of Mercy already use that name." Sister Margret said.

"What about Assumption?" Sister Grendel asked.

"No, that is no good." Sister Angela Merici said.

"I agree, Assumption Academy shortens to AA. No cheers with AA is going to rally a crowd." Sister Margret said.

"That could also be almost anything." Sister Katrina said.

"Yes like Apatow Apple" Sister Angela Merici said.

"Perhaps the name should reflect our core values of Reverence, Service, Community, and Leadership." Sister Rebekka said.

"So RSCL Academy?" Sister Angela Merici asked.

"Maybe SUA does not sound so bad." Sister Margret said.

"Wait, the Holy Spirit has sent me the name of the school, Sacred Heart. The symbol Ursula has chosen as our symbol." Sister Angela Merici said.

"Oy" Sister Rebekka said.

"Yes the Holy Spirit is very strong here." Sister Margret said.

"I know, this is the perfect name for the school." Sister Angela Merici said.

"And SHA rolls off the tongue so nicely." Sister Margret said.

"Really?" Sister Angela Merici asked.

"Oh yes" all the nuns said.

"On this ground which I am about to make Holy with the water you made Holy, I will build a school to do your work as well as the founder of my order, Saint Ursula. Please watch over the building and the girls who attend Sacred Heart Academy." Sister Angela Merici said.