Sisters of Saint Joseph of Wheeling

Honoree:
Sisters of Saint Joseph of Wheeling

Submitted By:
Maria Yon

With this gift I honor a group of dedicated teachers who made a difference in my life in many ways.

The Sisters of Saint Joseph of Wheeling (currently called the Congregation of Saint Joseph) were missioned to the new St. Francis de Sales Elementary School in Beckley, West Virginia as it opened its doors in the fall of 1957.

Many sisters served across 20 years of service there. They arrived with all the zeal and passion to bring up its students to “love and serve God” as they themselves were doing.

We soon learned from the catechism that that was the reason God created us and that our reward was to gain heaven. To love and serve God was a joy and a burden for children. It carried with it high expectations for behavior both in and out of school, learning all subjects including religion, responsibility, organization, strong work ethic, and respect for ourselves and others. It also carried some fear, stress, worry about failure or getting into trouble, and many hours of homework. To love and serve God also meant being part of a community of worshippers and learners who were dear about the expected goals for learning, behavior, and faith. The sisters were dedicated to helping us reach those goals through both gentle leading and coercion. I have many memories of Catholic school and of the Sisters. It was an honor if Sister let you carry her books. I hoped I wouldn’t forget the answers to the religion questions I memorized the night before. The priest came to each classroom to distribute grade cards. He looked at two grades most closely—religion and conduct. We stood when an adult entered the room and greeted them. Homework was given every night and weekends. It was nose to the grindstone all day, every day. We prayed for the election of John F. Kennedy and for the end of the Cuban missile crisis.

Coming from a working class, immigrant family, I feel that the Sisters set me in a direction in life that pushed me forward ever to the next goal no matter how difficult It might be. Along with my parents, they gave me a strong work ethic, organization, dedication, responsibility, and faith that have served me well throughout my life.

While I honor all the Sisters of Saint Joseph who served at St. Francis, I especially honor Sister Clarita, Its first principal, Sister Herman, my math-crazy fifth grade teacher, pretty Sister Marie Amy in sixth grade, and Sister Cecelia, my eight grade teacher and the best teacher I have ever had.