Senior Party Invitations

~Napkin from the Spagetti Dinner

Thanksgiving Baskets

Clipping from The Vicksburg Post, Thursday, November 27, 1958.

~THANKSGIVING FOR THE NEEDY - These three St. Francis Xavier Academy girls are shown busily packaging canned goods and foodstuffs for distribution to the needy on Thanksgiving Day. The whole student body of St. Francis responded when called upon and every student brought something for the holiday baskets. Shown from left to right are: Vera Marshall, Marie Braun and Kay Hess, all seniors at St. Francis.

Invitations

~My Senior Prom. Walter attended St. Aloysius High School.

~My Junior Prom - Bobby attended Redwood High School.

Dancing The Night Away

~ Left to right - Sue McNamara, Florence Murphy with their dance partners and in the background Walter and I. Ina Lott is to the right with her dance partner.

~Here I am dancing with Ellis Nassour. Bonnie Smith is to the right with her partner. I do not recognized the other classmates.

My Date~Walter Little

Walter and I dancing and having a wonderful time at our Senior Prom!

~Walter Little and I~

Decorations/Napkin

I saved some of the decorations and a napkin from our Junior Senior Prom on April 24, 1959.

My Dance Card

After almost 50 years my dance card has faded some. My date to the Junior Senior Prom was Walter Little. I had 9 dances. No. 1. Walter Little; No. 2. Ellis Nassour; No. 3. Bill Adams; No. 4. Frank Scholosser; No. 5. Walter Little; No. 6. Walter Little; No. 7. Ellis Nassour; No. 8. Frank Scholosser and No. 9. Walter Little

~ My Junior Senior Prom Dance Card~

1956 HOMECOMING QUEEN

~Miss Judy Hale~

SFXA 1956 PROM

~SENIOR STUDENTS OF St. Francis Xavier Academy and their escorts take time out for punch at the Senior-Junior Prom held in O'Beirne Gymnasium on Friday Evening, May 5, 1956.

Fashion Show

~FASHION SHOW PLANNED - Big plans are afoot as the St. Aloysius Mothers' Club outlines arrangements for a spring fashion show at the school auditorium. It is scheduled on Saturday night, April 28, 1956, in the school auditorium at 8 o'clock. Some of the models are pictured above. In the bottom picture are Theresa Martin, Jackie Melsheimer, Kay Hess, Eddie Hebert and George Evans, rear. Top picture shows left to right Mary Campbell, Shirley Habeeb, and Delia Durst in front row and Teddy Marshall and Ray Terry, rear.

Sister Mary Pius

~I vaguely remember taking this picture of Sister Mary Pius coming home from St. Louis, Missouri. About 30 of us girls from different schools in Mississippi took the bus trip to the Sisters of Mercy Novitiate in St. Louis, to see if our calling was to be a nun. I may have been a sophomore at the time. Check out the 50's automobiles!

Athletic Honors

~Lynn Stegall (deceased), left, of St. Francis Xavier Academy, Vicksburg, won the school's highest basketball honor, the Sportsmanship Trophy, at the athletic banquet held on April 4. Miss Gladys Angelo, head coach, made the presentation.

Our Freshman Class

First row - Jackie Melsheimer, Kay Hess and Ina Lott
Second row - Myrtle Loviza, Marie Braun, Marian Ann Love (Me) and Ethel Marie Lane
Third row - Vera Marshall, Theresa Ann Martin, Marlene Wilson, Katherine Meyer, Rosalee Wilkerson and Emily Duncan (Deceased)
Fourth row - Patsy McNamara (Deceased), Margaret McCormack (Deceased), Sue McNamara, Patsy Glass, Muralyn Toddy and Florence Murphy.
Absent was Billie Marie Price. Ethel Lane, Emily Duncan, Patsy Glass and Muralyn Toddy left either in the 10th or the 11 grade. (Our home room teacher - Sister Mary Rita)

Queen and Court

~QUEEN AND COURT ~ Homecoming plans are near completion as time approaches for the St. Aloysius Flashes to celebrate this annual event. Selection of a Queen and her royal court from St. Francis Xavier Academy has been made. The are, left to right, first row, Myrtle Loviza, Susan Taylor, Barbara Mongomery and Jackie Melsheimer. Second row, Agnes Banchetti, Marlene Wilson, Queen and Theresa Martin. Third row, Ann Hardin, Charlene Guiney, Rita Martin, Katherine Meyer and Beverely Haas. St. Al opposes Anguilla here Friday night for Homecoming. (Photo by Pepe Finlayson)

SFXA Cheerleaders

~WILL CHEER TONIGHT ~ These eight cheerleaders are raring to start the pep action tonight when the St. Aloysius Flashes take on Lexington here at 8 p.m. This game officially starts football action in Vicksburg for the 1958 season. Left to right, first row, they are Sue McNamara, Susan Taylor, Kathy Barnes and Agnes Banchetti. Standing, Myrtle Loviza, Theresa Martin, Marlene Wilson and Rita Martin. (Photo by Pete Finlayson)

SFXA Cagers

~SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER CAGERS ~ Squad members of the 1955-1956 basketball team include (left to right) kneeling: Muralyn Toddy, Betty McIntyre, Jackie Melsheimer, Marlene Wilson, Myrtle Loviza, Katherine Meyer, Carolyn Strickland, and Patsy Glass. Standing: Janice Jabour, Betty Mullins, Shirley Farish, Mary Pat Booth, Kay Stewart, Theresa Martin, Mary Campbell, Delia Durst, Betty Rose Setaro, Mary Joe Canizaro, Shirley Habeeb, and Miss Joyce Jamison, coach. (Photo by Finlayson)

Basketball Champions 1956

HIGH FLYING 'FRESHES' COP SFXA TITLE

~The Vicksburg Herald, Vicksburg, MS, Thursday, March 8, 1956~

~BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS AT SFXA ~ The Freshman team at St. Francis Xavier Academy became champions of the first intra-mural basketball tournament yesterday. Members of the winning squad are: First row: (left to right) Jackie Melsheimer, Myrtle Loviza, Katherine Meyer, Patsy Glass, Marlene Wilson, Theresa Martin, and Lottie Hess, mascot. Second Row: Coach Emily Duncan (Deceased), Rosalee Wilkerson, Muralyn Totty, Vera Marshall, Pat McNamara (Deceased), Sue McNamara and Ina Lott.

Blue Streaks

~Photo by Billy Ray

~STILL IN TITLE RUNNING ~ Going the furthest in state basketball play since 1929, St. Francis Xavier Academy's Blue Streaks will enter the South Mississippi girls B-BB tournament at Magee tomorrow night. A win over their first opponent, Center Hill, would send the Streaks rolling into the North-South playoffs next week. Players making up the starting unit are pictured above, left to right, Jackie Melsheimer, Rita Martin, Katherine Meyers, Coach Gladys Angelo, Lynn Stegall (deceased), Myrtle Loviza and Marlene Wilson.

Swimming Party & BBQ

~I love this picture of four of my classmates goofing off at a senior swimming party and BBQ at Redwood, MS. Left to right is: Margaret McCormack (deceased), Kay Hess, Very Marshall and Jackie Melsheimer.

The Irish Girls

~ Margaret Mary wrote on the back of her senior card to me - Dear Marian - You are truly a wonderful girl and my best friend. Remember the fun we have had together. I will never forget you. I hope we will be able to get together next year and have lots of fun like we have had during our Senior year. You will always be my friend. God Bless You. Always remember the Class (Love Margaret Mary of 1959)

~Antoinette wrote on the back of her senior card to me - Dear Marian - Never forget our good times together during 1959 especially during the play. Keep your friendly manner and sweet smile. Come to see me at the Mercy while training. Remember me always as I will never forget you. I wish you the best of luck in everything you do. God Bless You. I remain your dearest friend. Antoinette

~Antoinette Sheehan wrote on the back of this picture - To Marian - A good friend very quiet always your friend, Love Antoinette

~ Margaret Mary wrote on the back of this picture - Dear Marian. I have enjoyed knowing you for the past two years and especially you have been a good friend. Always remember me. Love, Margaret.

~TWO LOVELY COLLEENS ~ Misses Margaret Mary and Antoinette Marie Sheehan of Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland have come to Vicksburg to make their home. They are nieces of Julius Fohs, 814 Belmont Street and Mrs. John Allen, 712 Belmont Street. They will attend Saint Francis Xavier Academy. The two travelled by plane from Shannon Airport to Boston, Mass., where they were met by their two aunts, Mrs. Margaret Twomey and Miss Mary Sheehan. They then visited another aunt, Mrs. Eileen McGlinchey in New Orleans. Their parents are Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Sheehan, Killarney, Ireland.

My Movie Senior Party

~ An invitation to my movie party!

~It was featured in The Vicksburg Post!

~ I had a part-time job working at the Strand Theatre when I was in high school. Actually, I was the first one in my class to get a job. I would leave early during History class (good thing I made good grades in history) and go to my part-time job about three blocks away. That part-time job ended up being full time for two years. By the time I left there to go to work in Medical Records at the Street Clinic and Mercy Hospital, I was doing everything but running the projector. I worked everyday except the day I went to my Grandfather's funeral. I was worked to death but got to eat popcorn and see all the movies for free! Yay!

Publicity/Ticket

~ Ads that were in The Vicksburg Post about our Senior Play "Song Of My Heart" and admission ticket!

Our Senior Class Play

Party Scene ~ Cast in one of the party scenes of the senior class play of St. Francis Xavier Academy and St. Aloysius High School is shown above. Left to right, they are (seated) Margaret Sheehan, Sue McNamara, Ina Lott, Bonnie Smith, Marian Ann Love, and Marie Braun. Standing, George Evans, Billie Price, Phillip Doiron, Antoinette Sheehan, Larry Miller, Bill Adams, Kay Hess and Gordon Sutton. (Photo Pete Finlayson).

Song of My Heart ~ Title of the St. Francis Xavier Academy and St. Aloysius High School's senior class play in "Song of My Heart." The play will be given Monday night at 8:o'clock in the St. Francis Xavier auditorium. Left to right, the cast and characters they portray are (seated) Theresa Martin - Sylvia; Myrtle Loviza - Charlotta; Katherine Meyer - Shirley. Standing, Eddie Habert - Harley Foreman; Margaret McCormack - Desiree; John Hennessey - Michael; Jackie Melsheimer - Faith; and Walter Little - Steven. (Photo Pete Finlayson).

~Program from our Senior Class Play~

12 Grade Class

~Not all of our classmates attended class the day our 12 grade pictures were taken. Above, first row, Sue McNamara, Marlene Wilson and Annette Sheehan. Second row, Kay Hess, Jackie Melshimer, Ina Carol Lott and Florence Murphy. Third row, Vera Brown, Margaret Mary Sheehan, Lynn Stegall (Deceased), Myrtle Loviza and Katherine Meyer. Fourth row, Theresa Martin, Marian Ann Love (Me), Billie Marie Price and Patsy McNamara (Deceased). Absent was Marie Braun, Margaret McCormack (Deceased), Bonnie Smith and Rosalie Wilkerson.

Our School

St. Francis Xavier Academy

~The convent is where the Sisters of Mercy lived and to the far left was the auditorium and upstairs the high school. Our school is now called the Southern Cultural Heritage Center. The Sisters of Mercy operated the convent from 1860 till 1991. The City of Vicksburg purchased the block of buildings in 1994 with the mission of developing a multipurpose cultural center. Funding was gradually withdrawn until the center became a stand-along, foundation-led operation in 2000. Its buildings and programs operate on corporate and private sponsorships, memberships and local, state and federal grants. The center is bounded by Cherry, Clay, Crawford and Adams Streets. (Note: A scene from the movie "Old Brother Where Art Thou," was filmed in our Auditorium)