Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

IHM Sisters at Epiphany School

Photo taken in either Sept. or Oct. 1963, start of63-64 school year:Standing from L to R are Sr. Agnes Louise (5th grade),Sr. Giovanni (2nd), Sr. Lurana (7th), Sr. Carola(1st), Sr. Theresa Ann (2nd), Sr. Joanna (1st), Sr.Joseph Andre (4th).Seated from L to R are Sr. Gracetta (8th, Sr. RosePerpetua (5th), Sr. Mary Matthew (6th), MotherChristopher (principal), Sr. Helen Theresa (6th), Sr.Digna (8th).
(Names provided by Richard Bak '68)

Graduates of the Class of '66 have wonderful memories of their school years.
Roz Rice Slavik remembers one of the sisters getting her veil caught in something and, "we saw her hair. We always thought nuns were bald."

"The best teacher I had was Sister Lurana (Sankovic)," Frank Podsadlo recalls, "even though I had trouble with her."

Other favorite teachers who are fondly remembered by their former students are Sisters Dorothy McDaniel (Harold Marie), Carolyn Campbell (William Mary) and Joan Charnley (Joseph Andre).

Dorothy Zynda-Snyder, who organized the July 29 class reunion, knows that her education helped her succeed. She "developed a sense of service to others, lifelong friendships and a deep respect for the IHM Community and their spirit."

Source: http://www.ihmsisters.org/www/Alumni_and_Reunions/previousschooljuly.asp

IHM's School of the Month - July 2006

Featuring Epiphany School Class of 1966

Epiphany opened in Detroit in 1926, an IHM mission school with 225 students in grades one through eight. Names and faces changed through the 48 years it remained open, but the ministry of providing quality education never wavered.

Epiphany was a microcosm of its times. When an outbreak of "infantile paralysis" - polio - occurred in 1931, the school responded by opening several weeks late. When the Great Depression rocked the Motor City, Epiphany closed a month early. (The unnamed Epiphany Convent chronicler reported that, "By order of the Right Reverend Ordinary, following the action of the City School Board, we too, folded our tents."

Enrollment increased steadily, and by 1934, there were so many first graders, those students had half-day sessions. Although the school building was expanded, in 1948 both first and second graders had half-day sessions.

By 1957, enrollment stood at 818, and in 1966, our featured class year, 90 eighth grade students graduated.

The school year 1965-66 was a big one for Epiphany. The school's cheerleaders tied for first place in competition, and both the football and basketball teams were runners-up. TV outlets were installed in all classrooms, the "fruit of the candy-selling labors of the Mothers Guild." Not to be outdone, the Dad's Club presented the school with a stereo 3-D microscope "in recognition of outstanding accomplishments in the field of science."

Source: http://www.ihmsisters.org/www/Alumni_and_Reunions/previousschooljuly.asp

Our old neighborhood via Google

Check out a satellite view of the church, school, and neighborhood. The school at 9881 Mendota is now know as the Detroit Advantage Academy. Detroit Advantage Academy services an approximate student population of 702 in kindergarten through sixth grade.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=9881+Mendota&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=31.646818,81.738281&ie=UTF8&om=1&ll=42.369848,-83.164401&spn=0.007197,0.019956&t=h&z=16

Thomas Kuras, 1950- 1997

Born December 21, 1950, in Detroit (Michigan, USA) and of Polish ancestry, Thomas Martin Kuras was the youngest child of four. He had a difficult childhood, suffering from the absence of his father. Overwhelmed by various demands his mother had little time for her son. He was a timid youth in fragile health, left much to his own devices. Later, his sister Rosemary helped him significantly, becoming his musical benefactor. Thomas’ extraordinary memory helped him with his music studies largely in self-taught fashion. He began by learning to play piano, and then he took lessons from the organist at Epiphany, a Catholic church in Detroit, located next to the elementary school he attended. As a result, at the age of 12 in 1962, he was named organist at Saint Alphonsus in Dearborn, Michigan a position he kept for eight years, helping him pay for his studies at the University of Detroit High School. That is where he learned ancient Greek and Latin; he graduated in 1968.

More about our classmate who played the organ for our choir each Sunday:

http://www.musimem.com/kuras_eng.htm

Ceil, Judy, and Mary....after all these years

Why an Epiphany blog? Well, as a retired teacher and a professional genealogist- I know we forget to document our own lives. So, as a birthday present to Judica, and a Salute to Mary who we reunited with after many, many years....here's to our Wonder Years!