listing/roster of Charleroi, Pennsylvania High School Graduates/Alumni


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    THE 50's
      Geraldine Marr, '56
      Kaye Eisenhower, '52
      Joseph Kormuth, '57
      Neil Lucas, '51
      Joseph Miller, '56
      David W. Jones, Sr., '57
      John (Jack) Stech, '51
      Bill & Joann Hagerty, '51
      Jack Fegela, '58
      Art Strelick, '59
      Roger Hough, '56
      Jack Young, '52

Sister Geri teaching the 'angel' way... By Dorothy Yagodich, TRIBUNE-REVIEW, June 22, 2003
Sister Geraldine Marr watched another eighth-grade graduation at St. Philip School in Crafton. The Sister of Charity nun, formerly from Charleroi, is the Catholic school principal with 450 students and a teaching staff of 17 full-time and three part-time teachers.

Better known as Sister Geri, the principal explained her goals are to "keep academic excellence and to help the young to live virtuous, happy, holy lives." She explained, "We teach the ANGEL way. It stands for Achieving Natural Goodness in Everyday Life."

The principal stresses virtues that run in a three-year cycle. Virtues taught in the first year include self-discipline, generosity/compassion, friendship and responsibility. As one example of responsibility, Sister Geri said students must prove to the rest of the school they are picking up litter to help keep Earth healthy. At Christmas time, they may show generosity by giving to the poor or sharing gifts.

The second-year cycle includes courage, hospitality, commitment/perseverance and honesty/justice/trust. The latter virtues are the "hardest thing," said the nun.

In the third-year cycle, faithful/loyalty, belief in God, work ethic and respect round out the virtues being taught. By the closing of the school year, students have gone through four virtues in each years's cycle, said the principal. Teachers keep files and pictures to illustrate and record all that has been done.

Young people today have a lot more, but a lot more is expected of them, she said. There are "no shoot'em up games". One eighth-grade girl in our computer class went to help a high school student learn how to do a Power Point presentation."

The youngster is one example of how St. Philip's technology program excels. Recently, the school entered into a consortium with Canevin Catholic High School(in the Oakwood section of Pittsburgh) and Duquesne University. Duquesne's School of Education students are using St. Philip as a site for observations and practicums. The Vera Heinz Foundation has provided a grant to the consortium to study and improve technology education from kindergarten through college. Now, Sister Geri is hard at work to "remodel the tech department."

Through Sister Geri's guidance, St. Philip's excellence in the innovative application of technology has garnered the 2003 Catholic Schools for Tomorrow Award given by Today's Catholic Teacher Magazine. The Crafton site was one of 12 recipients across the country chosen for the award.

From Meadow Avenue in Charleroi, where Geraldine lived with her parents, William and Carrie Marr(now deceased), and a sister, Jean, to becoming principal at St. Philip, has been a happy, fulfilling experience for the nun.

While in eighth grade, Geraldine heard a missionary say "God needs help. I took that personally." Mentioning those feelings to her parents, "My mother would hear none of this." The young girl was persistent and sent for information about the religious community. When it arrived, "Mother tore it up and threw it away." But the young girl was still drawn to the life she saw in the religious. "I was enamored with their joy, peace and happiness."

But Geraldine continued her education at Charleroi High School and graduated with the Class of 1956. Her mother treated her to a day in Pittsburgh as a graduation gift. "I loved my high school years, I wouldn't trade them for anything."

She was member of the school band and a majorette. The teen enjoyed roller-skating at the Piggy Wiggy. She dated and made friendships that continue to this day. The Cougar Canteen was her favortie "hangout" since "dancing was my dream." Today, Sister Geri still dances but it is a "liturgical dance," a special kind of "prayer movement."

Prayer accompanied her through then Seton Hill College in Greensburg with degrees in education, psychology and counseling. She professed final religious vows in 1966 as an Elizabeth Ann Seton Sister of Charity. Sister Geri earned master's degrees in school administration and an equivalent in theology from Duquesne and Notre Dame universities.

Along with teaching, she has been in retreat work and spiritual formation. For the past 45 years, Sister Geri has worked in the dioceses in Greensburg and Pittsburgh and in the Archdiocese Washington, D.C. About 25 of those years have been spent in administration. She describes her four years in Bethesda, Md., as "quite wonderful."

"I've loved everywhere I've been," she said, "Life is what you make it. I've found peace in the Lord here. This work is right for me."

But it was in Charleroi at St. Jerome School that the nun began teaching. Things were different then. Sister Geri once had "62 kids in my third grade." Her mother had not yet reconciled to the fact that her daughter was associated with the religious community. "It took between 12 to 13 years for her to come around. That was very difficult." Eventurally, seeing Sister Geri's happiness, her mother told her, "You are my best friend." The nun called that, "a bit of salvation, thank God."

Today as principal at St. Philip, Sister Geri administers the educational process with about 22 students in each classroom. Her students not only excel in technology but also in ways of the heart.

When terrorists struck on Sept. 11, 2001, St. Philip children felt powerless and were looking for some way to express their sorrow and pain. They found and offered solace when four queen-size sheets were sewn together and then marked with 428 handprints, one from each child, along with handprints of faculty and their priest, to form a giant American flag.

Sister Geri described the flag's creation as a prayerful experience, as youngsters formed a line, waiting to add their handprint along with their prayers. The flag made its way through Catholic schools in New York City and surrounding areas, comforting children who had suffered so much. It was a demonstration of faith in action.

In February the flag was taken aboard the USS Essex and carried to Japan. At the Department of Defense Dependents School, where 620 students of American military personnel study, the flag was especially poignant and meaningful. Sister Geri received a thank you note from the school's assistant principal, Kathleen Stander. She explained the cherished memories and esteem the flag brought to the staff and students there.

But sometimes the nun is called upon to help in other areas that offer challenge. "Children are growing up too fast. And there are many blended families. Kids suffer terribly(in some divorce cases). They can't study and sometimes kids think it's their fault." But sister Geri offered a bright note, "Children learn to cope."

The nun coninues to work "to keep on the edge of education and to do what is best for our young people."

That makes her joy and happiness complete.

According to her natural born sister, Jean Galloni, of Fallowfield Township, the two were seated outdoors one day in Pittsburgh, having ice cream. A carload of youngsters with their parents, drove by. "Sister Geri, Sister Geri," they all shouted. "They were so excited to see her," Galloni said.

"They love her at St. Philip and at the convent. And she is extremely happy. This is a girl who had it all, was popular, with lots of friends, in the high school band and a majorette. She enjoyed dancing and skating." Galloni added, "She became a nun because she wanted to be a nun."

Dorothy Zippay Yagodich is a 1952 alumnus of CHS and an enthusiastic supporter of CharleroiPaHsAlumni.org.