Jacqueline Ruffino
I was looking forward to high school, St. Cecilia High School, Englewood, N.J. Travel by two buses and a 45-minute walk to reach the campus. The tuition fee was quite expensive for my mom’s reach at those times, $10 every month. St. Joseph’s High School was closer to our home where the fee was $3 on the monthly payment and only two miles from home.
Decision was made, and my mom wanted me to be happy at St. Cecilia. I took both entrance exams to enter and passed both of them. I elected to ride two buses every day to St Cecilia.
My mom went with me to the principal’s office and spoke to the Mother Superior. She explained my father had deserted her and the three children, and was there any method to help us with the tuition for Jacqueline? Our uniforms we had to wear each and every day for the four years. Sister Agatha agreed for my mom to begin sewing my uniforms. A little different had been made very special.
The Mother Superior found a way to help us. She set up a plan to have me work in the convent to clear up and wash the dishes after the nuns’ lunch. This could defray the cost of the tuition. My chores were outlined to me, and I began immediately. I continued this for four years until my graduation. Sweep the floor, reset the dining table for their evening meals. I returned back to my class by 1 p.m. Forty-five minutes and made it each time. Oh, another chore I almost forgot. The sisters of the convent were not certain that our football players received enough nourishment to play and other sports. My added chore was to make a quick run to the coach with oranges, apples, and bananas. Our coach at the time was Vincent Lombardi. He thanked the sisters of the convent and thanked me for that extra step.
To this date, 65 years later, I am still in contact with some of my classmates. During some of those tough years growing up, I tried to remain calm, with a light fight in my belly. Sometimes I think I still do.