Living as a Sacred Heart student in 1964
Convent of the Sacred Heart alumna Priscilla Press ’70 fondly reflects on the comradery, impeccable academics, and kindness that she experienced during her time as a student at Sacred Heart. Ms. Press cherishes her daily routine at the school in the late 1960s and values the formative experience.
Sacred Heart in Greenwich opened in 1945 as a boarding school, nearly a century after the society established Convent of the Sacred Heart in Manhattan. Ms. Press began boarding in Greenwich in 1964 as a seventh grader. At the time, students lived in three residential houses: two cottages named Barat and Stewart, and Duchesne, the main building students know today as Salisbury Hall. Younger students stayed in the cottages while only seniors boarded in Duchesne.
“There was a cohesive knit community throughout the boarding students in particular. Our arrangement allowed for us all to be very happy,” Ms. Press said.
Every day, Ms. Press and her fellow boarders followed a rigorous schedule. At 6:30 am, the students woke up and their dorm mother greeted them with holy water. At 7:10 am, the students finished blessing themselves, made their beds, and attended mass.
Popular songs of the era, by artists like Simon and Garfunkel, enriched daily mass. The nuns strummed their guitars and the students sang along.
“Mass with the nuns was incredibly spiritually reinforcing,” Ms. Press said.
Still, students followed many rules to maintain respect for their spirituality. Students were prohibited from talking as they entered and exited mass. Ms. Press remembers this task to be difficult for her at twelve and thirteen years old. Chatty girls stood in a “time out” in front of the portrait of Mater, a painting that still sits outside the school chapel today.
Soon after mass, students walked to class where teachers followed a curriculum similar to that of the contemporary Sacred Heart education. Topics included social studies, math, religion, and English. The only difference is that students chose whether to take science or Latin.
In addition to classes, sports practice, and arts activities, all students attended gym class. Afterward, the non-boarding girls, affectionately nicknamed “day-hops,” returned home. Boarding students then changed into their “night uniform” which was composed of green tweed jumpers with a cascade of pleats. Later on, students prepared for their evening activities.
“We ate dinner together which was lovely because of the light mood, laughter, and friendships we developed,” Ms. Press said. “Soon after, we completed assignments in study hall, where there was always a proctor.”
Ms. Press vividly remembers the profound impact that her teachers had on her. In particular, her experiences with her social studies teacher encouraged her to follow the path to her current career as a lawyer. Additionally, teachers in the school instructed her to write well and support her ideas with facts.
Now in 2016, many aspects of Sacred Heart in Greenwich have evolved with a new era. For example, the option for students to board is no longer available. Yet, the strong sense of community, the commitment to academic honor, and the tradition of critical thinking is still present within the student body.
“Sacred Heart prepared me well for the rest of my life. Thinking critically, speaking confidently, and a strong foundation of faith encouraged the continuation of values I live out today,” Ms. Press said.
Ms. Press continues to live in New York. She is a lawyer and enjoys attending Sacred Heart reunions where she reminisces on the nurturing and collaborative environment that fostered her growth as a proud and accomplished Sacred Heart alumna.
-Christina Weiler, Arts and Entertainment Editor
