1980s: A Decade of Big Hair and a Growing Athletic Program

The Decade of Big Hair and a Growing Athletic Program

Meredith Lepper ’89

The 1980s: big hair, leg warmers, everything neon, Michael Jackson, and Bon Jovi. Thank goodness for the Ursuline uniform – it helped keep some of those questionable fashion trends at bay!

Like the rest of the decade, life on Lowder Street was far from quiet. Ursuline had three different principals during the ’80s – Sr. Dorothy Doyle, Sr. Rita Bourassa, and the lively Sr. Mercedes Videira – yet the adherence to Ursuline values and mission remained constant.

World Events

The ’80s were marked by significant world events: Pope John Paul II’s visits to the U.S.; the release of the Iran hostages in January 1981, commemorated by a Mass of Thanksgiving at Ursuline two days later; the Challenger space shuttle explosion that occurred shortly after launch (groups of students watched the launch and subsequent aftermath in school, some with science teacher Mrs. Crowley, who had applied to be the schoolteacher on the ill-fated mission); and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Senior class balloon send-off on Mission Day

Athletics

Athletics were on the rise during the ’80s. Soccer became a varsity sport in the fall of 1984, joining swimming, volleyball, basketball, softball, and tennis. Ursuline’s first junior high team (basketball) was added in winter 1988. The swim team was always a popular choice, and had significant success during this decade,

TRAVEL: Class trips to Montréal and Québec began in the ’80s, connecting Dedham to its historical roots in Canada. UNIFORM: Skirt changes from the wool kilt to the polyester with a green sweater or blazer.

1979

October: Pope John Paul II visits the U.S.

1980

December 2: Four U.S. nuns and churchwomen, Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, Jean Donovan, and Dorothy Kazel (a young Ursuline sister), are murdered by a death squad in El Salvador.

winning the 200m medley relay at the South Sectional Swimming and Diving Championships in November 1980, with two members of that relay team being named to the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Swimming Team. Members of the swim team were named to the Boston Globe and Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Swimming Teams each year from 1984 through 1987, and again in 1989. Ursuline swimmers were not the only athletes being recognized for their skills in the ’80s. Members of the volleyball team were selected for the Boston Globe All-Scholastic Team in 1982 and to the Patriot Ledger AllScholastic Team in 1988. In 1989, four athletes were named to the Boston Globe All-Scholastic Girls’ Soccer Team. Ursuline’s Bear mascot was introduced in the fall of 1988, replacing the myriad of nicknames that the athletic teams had created for themselves.

Academics and Activities

Of course, success was not confined to athletics. Ursuline junior high students competed in the Patriot Ledger Spelling Bee, winning or reaching the finals in 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1989. That’s not surprising, as the summer reading list for junior high usually consisted of six books bound to increase one’s vocabulary. Common titles were Little Women, Lord of the Flies, Jane Eyre, and Animal Farm, which are still taught at Ursuline today. Academically speaking, Ursuline students were consistently challenged to earn their diplomas. Mrs. Pat Leitsinger taught senior English, introducing Macbeth, The Canterbury Tales, and Beowulf. Computer programming was offered as an elective, taught to seniors using “dumb terminals” to access the mainframe that was built in the former kindergarten building. Students who chose not to take programming took a touch typing course. The school year was also filled with several fun events for students and families. Mission Day, held in the fall, was a way for students to have fun while raising money for a worthy cause. One of the most popular rooms was the bake sale held in one of the 7th grade classrooms. Masses were held monthly, and Father Michael Steele was the most frequent celebrant.

TECH: Personal computers enter homes and businesses on a larger scale in the early ’80s.

1981

The Iran hostages are released in January, an event commemorated by a Mass of Thanksgiving two days later on the 22nd. Ursuline is one of several private schools featured in a Globe article in October. BOOKS: Summer reading for junior high usually consisted of six books. Common titles: Little Women, Lord of the Flies, Jane Eyre, and Animal Farm.

1983

Sr. Rita Bourassa OSU becomes Principal.

1984

Ursuline junior high students compete in the Patriot Ledger Spelling Bee. They win or place, reaching the finals in ’84, ’85, ’87, and ’89.

GLEE “FLYING FREE”

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY EGGATHA?

Mrs. Carol Tomase headed up the Glee Club and took it to new levels. The Glee Club membership grew so large that students couldn’t fit into her classroom for rehearsals! Mrs. Tomase created Ursuline’s traveling “Evergreens,” who brought their music to area nursing homes and businesses throughout the year. She introduced “Flying Free” into Ursuline’s musical repertoire during this time.

Mrs. Mary Ann Dillon, religion teacher, was responsible for the parenting unit, during which students decorated a store-bought chicken egg, named their egg-child, and brought him/her with them to classes. Rumors about the fate of Eggatha Christie Morrissey, who disappeared before her mother could take a photo of her, persist to this day. Reconciliation services occurred twice a year in the Convent, and every class went on retreat. The Junior and Senior retreats were held off-campus on weekends. Sr. Mercedes and her team were responsible for cooking dinners on retreat weekends, and those dinners were delicious! Around Christmas time, a holiday bazaar was held in the gym and Tea Room. One year, internationally-themed teddy bears, dressed in various types of green plaid (made by one of the Ursuline Sisters), were sold at the bazaar. The bazaar was complemented by the annual Spaghetti Supper, put on by the Ursuline parents. The parents would take over the Tea Room kitchen and decorate it, serving the most delicious homemade Italian food. That was a fun time for families to get to know each other and for the parents to meet other parents. As is still the custom today, juniors ordered class rings and were presented with them in late winter. Junior/ senior skits were held in the spring, when members of the junior class would (lovingly) roast their soonto-be-graduating friends. The white graduation dresses were selected through a vote of the members of the senior class after an in-person viewing of the possible options. Graduation was always preceded by a Baccalaureate Mass the evening before the big day, and graduation was held outside on the lawn near the Tea Room, weather-permitting.

1985

Soccer is added to Ursuline’s sports offerings. FAMINE RELIEF: “We are the World,” written and performed in 1985 to raise money for African famine relief, raises nearly $50 million in donations.

1986

Ursuline celebrates the 450th anniversary of the Ursuline Order. January 28: Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster.

1987

Sr. Mercedes Videira OSU becomes Principal.

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1. Sr. Jean Marie conducts a 7th grade class. 2. Varsity Volleyball Team 3. Sr. Mercedes shares a laugh with alumnae from the class of 1977. 4. Principal Sr. Dorothy Doyle at her desk. 5. Who you gonna call... 6. Commencement exercises in the late ’80s

SONG: “Flying Free” becomes UA’s unofficial theme song towards the end of the ’80s.

1988

The Bear mascot is introduced in fall; it replaces some of the individual team nicknames. The first Jr. High athletic team (Basketball) is added in winter.

1989

The Exxon-Valdez oil spill in March is the focus of debates and talk. Overseas, the Berlin Wall falls and the Tiananmen Square Massacre takes place. The Humanities Club celebrates its 20th anniversary. The “Evergreens,” a traveling group for the Glee Club, makes its debut.