Standing Strong 1974!

Note: The following was submitted to the Sisters of Providence from the Immaculata Preparatory School Class of 1974.

Once upon a time, a new decade dawned in 1970. The world was spinning rapidly with lots of chaos, calamity and confusion. Not unlike today.

It was a time of internal national strife: We were at war in Vietnam and invading Cambodia. Soldiers were dying. The draft was being resisted. The voting age became 18. Demonstrations went violent at Kent State. Pentagon Papers were released. Pope Paul VI was riding the changes in the Church. And Nixon was President.

It was also a period of great advancement in space exploration, technology and a new prioritization of social justice and civil rights.

A journey of a lifetime

Meanwhile, a group of teenage girls walked into the “Little Theatre” at Immaculata Preparatory School (IPS) in Washington, D.C. It was the beginning of a journey of a lifetime, which outlasted the turmoil of the times, many Presidents, the floppy disk and even a couple Popes.

In our brand-new uniforms, girls from all over the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area came together to begin our “omnibus pro omnibus.”

The Sisters of Providence, led by the late Sister Mary Clare (Fritsch), seemed prepared for us, and I believe even smiled once or twice. They were not then aware of the many tales they would tell as the next four years evolved!

Celebrating 50 years!

This year, the class of 1974 celebrated 50 years since graduation from Immaculata. We still speak terrible Latin, speak with too much volume, speak of stories true and not, and speak fondly of our days and antics making our way through high school and those teenage years.

I’d like to say we laughed all the way, but there were times as the outside world peeked in — as boys broke our hearts, as test grades were too low, as detention was boring — that all interrupted our giggles.

However, the Variety Shows, gym classes, student lounge radio battles, “study” halls, ceremonies and festivities in and out of class made us appreciate each other as a team and our goal of becoming experts at having good times.

While all of us didn’t see all of us outside school all of the time, we came together as soon as we got to school and developed a close bond as the years went by.

Everybody knew everybody and by senior year, we knew we wanted to not drift too far apart. The times changed and life moved ahead quickly.

There were degrees, careers, weddings, babies and adventures as the decades passed. But still we stopped to check in with each other.

Guiding us

And for all of our shenanigans, Sister Mary Clare and the sisters guided us through. Their emphasis on reading, writing and ‘rithmatic served us well, along with modeling a deep commitment to civil rights, faith and the need for kindness towards each other.

Many ask how our class has stayed so connected over these gazillion years and how do we have such great parties? I have no answer. Does it take effort, time and commitment? Yes, absolutely. Are we able to find everybody all the time? No. Are we just a lucky group that genuinely like each other, genuinely enjoy sharing old times and celebrating our current lives, genuinely support each other good times and bad? Maybe … or maybe what we are is called “blessed.”

Whatever magic it is that keeps our spirit strong, we know each of us treasures this prize of lifetime friendships and do not take it for granted. We make the time to meet.

We have lost too many of our classmates to sad demise, but we keep them in our memories and know they are getting heaven ready for us all to raise a little hell together!

Stay connected!

We encourage all classes to connect and try using the new Alumni tool here to find each other. We try to have an “All Class Brouhaha” every year. So try it where you are and start planning with your chums.

Laugh together, it lasts a lifetime.

After all, we still think we are funny. We are lucky people.

Hats Off to Thee!

“The Voices of the Class of 1974”