Published: September 26, 2009 11:21 pm      

WOLCOTT: First-grade teachers are memorable, remember

“Nunsense,” which was performed at the Historic Palace Theatre last weekend, took me back to grammar school, where nuns were the rulers — and some used them.

Linda Covell, as Reverend Mother, and Kathy Dick, as Sister Hubert, were perfectly cast. However, my favorite was Bonnie Fox Garrity, who played Sister Leo.

I sought out the soccer mom, who has a doctorate in educational leadership, at the reception after the Palace show and addressed her as “Sister Mary Bernard.”

“Sister Leo,” she corrected.

I explained that Sister Leo reminded me of Sister Mary Bernard, my first-grade teacher at St. Monica’s. Sister Mary Bernard was a sweet as all first grade teachers should be — not intimidating but encouraging — and memorable.

She taught members of the first grade to square dance. “Honor your partner, and your corner. Eight hands and around you go. The other way back, you’re going wrong.”

We learned to do-si do for the Christmas show. I wore jeans and a plaid shirt. Mom said, “Billy, tuck your shirt in.” Sister said, “John, let your shirt out.”

What a quandary for a 6-year-old. Even today, my shirt is often half-in and half-out. What’s more, bills come in addressed to “John” and friendly folks call me “Bill.”

I recently learned Sister Mary Bernard was a career counselor at Trocaire College in Buffalo. More important, her name actually is Sister Marie Bernarde Procknal. I didn’t know she had a last name. Heck, I didn’t even know she had ears.

A product of the Buffalo’s First Ward, she became Irish by association. At 11, she came close to death with a bone disease and missed a year of school. She was unconscious for two weeks.

The doctor advised taking the girl out of the home, but her father protested. “If she’s going to die, let her die at home,” he said.

Procknal played third base for the championship Our Lady of Perpetual Help softball team and wound up coaching softball at parochial schools. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Niagara University and took the name of St. Bernadette.

When she was 21 or 22 she got her first teaching job at St. Monica’s, a school on top of a church that no longer exists. She had 24 students the first year and 52 students the second year. We had no idea of how young she was. We didn’t know master teachers tutored her on Saturdays.

“I remember the Wolcott family. I can picture you, John,” she said. “You had wonderful parents.”

We moved to Winchester and, after a few years, Sister Marie Bernarde was transferred to St. Williams School to replace Sister Mary Slap-your-face, a no-nunsense principal.

Seventh and eighth grades were combined, so the sister taught two classes in one and served as principal. She taught my younger siblings and asked about Margie and Richard. Along the way, she earned her master’s at Canisius College and got a fellowship to Boston University.

Trocaire was founded in 1958, and she helped the career-oriented Catholic college celebrate its 50th anniversary. At 82, she still teaches every day. On Sundays she visits the sick in Niagara Falls.

(Sister’s nephew is Jeff Hulshoff, the coach of the Lockport varsity soccer team.)

Contact reporter Bill Wolcott

at 439-9222, ext. 6246.