In 1961, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as President, the Berlin Wall was built, the Peace Corps was established, and Sister Georganne Pearson came to St. Thomas Aquinas High. Sister watched numerous students pass through her classroom doorway, grow as young men and women, and then graduate to leave a mark on the world. It was an era of great change, from a moon landing to a shuttle disaster, from the birth of the Beatles to the death of Michael Jackson, from a school staffed by many School Sisters of Notre Dame to a time when she would be the sole remaining member of her order.
And so, an era has come to an end. After 50 years as a classroom teacher and librarian, beloved St. Thomas Aquinas High School faculty member Sister Georganne Pearson has announced that will retire at the end of the 2010-11 school year.
To the delight of many, Sister Georganne will stay in the Dover after her retirement – in a community she loves and a place where she has an abundance of friends. In spite of retirement, however, she says she is not finished at the school quite yet. While Sister is ready to close this chapter of her life, she plans on keeping her reserved parking space, indicating she is looking forward to volunteering at the school after her official retirement.
Sister Georganne grew up in Rhode Island. She became a Postulant with the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Baltimore, MD and during this time earned a college degree in Education from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.
Her first teaching job was at St. John the Evangelist School in Leonia, New Jersey where she taught elementary and middle school students for 13 years. Her journey changed in 1961, when she was sent to the newly opened St. Thomas Aquinas High School by the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND).
Much has changed since Sister Georganne joined the St. Thomas Aquinas community in 1961. Tuition was $100 a year; the school was staffed by seven SSNDs, two priests, and one coach, welcomed nearly 300 freshmen students and by the time the first graduating class received their diplomas, the school was filled to capacity with nearly 900 students.
Sister Georganne taught five classes a day and most of those classes had 40 students in them. She taught Biology, Chemistry, Theology, US History and whatever was asked of her…and if she wasn’t trained in a particular subject, she went to summer school to learn. She attended Fordham University in New York and Randolph-Macon Women’s College in Virginia to further her education and eventually received her Master’s from Union College in New York.
“We did whatever was needed,” said Sister Georganne. “We made it work. Every day was different – I enjoyed what I did.”
The nuns lived on the fourth floor of the main building (now occupied by Science, Music and Social Studies) until the Notre Dame Convent was built a year later. For a number of years, this building would house the religious faculty. Eventually, however, the school was bursting at the seams, and the convent would be needed for additional classroom space. With the help of several friends and alumni, Sister Georganne and colleague Sister Catherine Goodell relocated to an apartment in Dover, close to campus.
Impacting thousands of students in the classroom, Sister Georganne also made a difference outside the classroom by leading the Student Council and National Honor Society groups. She also ran the Community Service program, a program that is still alive and well today where every student is required to perform 40 hours of community service before they graduate.
Above all, Sister Georganne is most proud of the activities where she and her students had the opportunity to serve others; organizing one of the first blood drives at school, helping build homes with Habitat for Humanity, fundraising for the school, and creating Christmas baskets for needy families in the area.
In 2009, Sister Georganne and Sister Catherine, a fellow STA faculty member of thirty years who retired in 2009, were named the recipients of the school’s Lux in Tenebris Award. The Award, which means “light in darkness” was established in 2006 to honor members of the St. Thomas Aquinas High School community who have made significant and enduring contributions to humanity. Few have given back to the world all that the sisters have given by devoting their lives to the service of others.
In 2010, St. Thomas celebrated 50 years. Sister Georganne served as 50th Jubilee Committee Honorary Chair. As a member of the committee, she provided insight, shared stories, and helped to plan the festivities. To open the 2010-11 school year, the entire school community, along with some alums from the first graduating class of 1964 joined Sister Georganne on the front steps, re-enacting the first day of school in 1960, including a special ribbon-cutting, opening the school for its 50th Jubilee year.
Looking back, Sister Georganne is reflective and notes how many parents and alumni helped make the journey special. “It’s gone by so fast,” said Georganne. “It’s been wonderful though. The community of St. Thomas Aquinas High School is like no other. There is a cohesiveness that bonds us together like a family. Everyone cares about you.”
Being at St. Thomas Aquinas High School was more than a job, it was a calling, and her devotion to the students and to the mission has always been evident. One of the greatest joys is when alumni contact her. Alumni and friends interested in reaching out to Sister Georganne can send correspondence to the school (St. Thomas Aquinas High School, 197 Dover Point Road, Dover, NH 03820) and it will be forwarded to her.
In honor of her years of dedication, and because she began her career at St. Thomas Aquinas as a chemistry teacher, the school will name its to-be-renovated Chemistry Lab in honor of Sister Georganne. As the school continues to move into the 21st century, it also looks back to its beginnings, and the role that Sister played in contributing to the school’s academic success.
The community of St. Thomas Aquinas High School is grateful for the many years of service to our school and students. The School wishes Sister Georganne a happy retirement filled with relaxation and joy.
Located in Dover, NH, St. Thomas Aquinas High School is a coeducational, Catholic high school community where young people are called to be challenged academically, to stretch their hearts spiritually and to embark on a journey to make a difference. For more information, visit STA at www.stalux.org or call (603) 742-3206.
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