Joan Holland, Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, 1999
Item
Joan Holland, 1951. Pictured left to right: Patricia Hanlon, Cleo McMahon, and Joan Holland. (WLA, Mundelein College Skyscraper Collection)
Interview Audio
Interview Transcript Part I
Interview Transcript Part II
Title
Joan Holland, Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, 1999
Summary
Joan Holland was a 1951 graduate of Mundelein College. Holland discusses her childhood in Evanston, Illinois and her high school experiences at Loretto Academy in Hamilton, Ontario. Holland was a child actress and she briefly outlines her “Hollywood” experiences on the set of several movies including the award winning, The Great Ziegfeld. Holland discusses her experiences at Mundelein, in particular her recollections of English professor, Sister Irma Corcoran, her best friend among the Mundelein faculty. Holland discusses her social activism after her graduation, including a 1989 peace march which took her to several cities including Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.
Date Created
1999
Biography
Joan Therese Holland was born in Chicago in 1930. Holland attended high school in Ontario, Canada and graduated from Mundelein College in 1951 where she majored in English and co edited the poetry magazine, The Review. Ms. Holland was a child actress in the 1930s and acted in the academy award winning film, The Great Ziegfeld. Holland founded and managed her own advertising agency in Moline, Illinois for twenty five years. Holland was active for social justice causes and in the peace movement. Joan Therese Holland passed away in Moline, Illinois on February 14, 2014.
Time Log
Joan Holland
Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM
Time Log
Side A
0-5 minutes
Holland narrates notes at the behest of Sister Mary Alma Sullivan. Full name is Joan Therese Holland, her maiden name. Graduated in 1951 from Mundelein with a major in English, and a minor in psychology and philosophy. Grew up in Evanston. She worked all of her life.
During World War II, Holland was sent to boarding school at the age of 12 in Canada, and attended Loretto Academy in Hamilton, Ontario. Stayed there until senior year and afterwards, attended Mundelein College.
Had been a Sears Catalog model. Holland won a part in the movie, The Great Ziegfeld which won an academy award. Was in eight movies, her brother was in 7 films.
5-10 minutes
Went into radio. Brother went into writing and acting in TV. Came to attend Mundelein almost as a foregone conclusion. She loved working on the Mundelein Review and in creative writing classes with Sister Irma Corcoran. History classes and Greek were the most challenging as were biology classes. The Shakespeare, creative writing and poetry classes were the best. Socializing was difficult for her.
10-15 minutes
Other girls seemed socially “smart.” Relationships with faculty members were easy. She liked 90% of her teachers. Many taught her about how to get a grip on personal “good stuff.” Irma was her best friend among the faculty and still is. Sister Mary Polycarp and Sister Mary Donald was also great. Learned how people’s interiors worked. Psychology and philosophy were very important to her. Holland worked in advertising after graduation. Got married and had seven babies in nine years. Haven’t recovered from that. Glad she had them. Learned a respect for religion.
15-20 minutes
After Vatican II, Holland gained a sense of social responsibility from Mundelein. She was led into the Peace Movement and clung to that along with her Jungian studies. Marched in the Quad Cities and the at the Rock Island Arsenal area for years. Learned compassion, to think, and responsibility for neighbors at Mundelein.
The Peace March in 1989 was a direct result from her experience at Mundelein. During the walk, Holland visited several offices across the US. Holland like she was in a dream during that time..
20-25 minutes
Mundelein gave Holland maturity. Mundelein helped her to prepare for what she would encounter in her life. She had a great deal of stress and poverty that finally went away. Ran a “City line” for the quad cities which dispensed information for callers. She got “earth needs” and information gathered for homeless people. These were great opportunities and filled a need in the community. Holland is now an artist at 68 years of age. Was sorry to see Mundelein end.
Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM
Time Log
Side A
0-5 minutes
Holland narrates notes at the behest of Sister Mary Alma Sullivan. Full name is Joan Therese Holland, her maiden name. Graduated in 1951 from Mundelein with a major in English, and a minor in psychology and philosophy. Grew up in Evanston. She worked all of her life.
During World War II, Holland was sent to boarding school at the age of 12 in Canada, and attended Loretto Academy in Hamilton, Ontario. Stayed there until senior year and afterwards, attended Mundelein College.
Had been a Sears Catalog model. Holland won a part in the movie, The Great Ziegfeld which won an academy award. Was in eight movies, her brother was in 7 films.
5-10 minutes
Went into radio. Brother went into writing and acting in TV. Came to attend Mundelein almost as a foregone conclusion. She loved working on the Mundelein Review and in creative writing classes with Sister Irma Corcoran. History classes and Greek were the most challenging as were biology classes. The Shakespeare, creative writing and poetry classes were the best. Socializing was difficult for her.
10-15 minutes
Other girls seemed socially “smart.” Relationships with faculty members were easy. She liked 90% of her teachers. Many taught her about how to get a grip on personal “good stuff.” Irma was her best friend among the faculty and still is. Sister Mary Polycarp and Sister Mary Donald was also great. Learned how people’s interiors worked. Psychology and philosophy were very important to her. Holland worked in advertising after graduation. Got married and had seven babies in nine years. Haven’t recovered from that. Glad she had them. Learned a respect for religion.
15-20 minutes
After Vatican II, Holland gained a sense of social responsibility from Mundelein. She was led into the Peace Movement and clung to that along with her Jungian studies. Marched in the Quad Cities and the at the Rock Island Arsenal area for years. Learned compassion, to think, and responsibility for neighbors at Mundelein.
The Peace March in 1989 was a direct result from her experience at Mundelein. During the walk, Holland visited several offices across the US. Holland like she was in a dream during that time..
20-25 minutes
Mundelein gave Holland maturity. Mundelein helped her to prepare for what she would encounter in her life. She had a great deal of stress and poverty that finally went away. Ran a “City line” for the quad cities which dispensed information for callers. She got “earth needs” and information gathered for homeless people. These were great opportunities and filled a need in the community. Holland is now an artist at 68 years of age. Was sorry to see Mundelein end.
Index
Joan Holland 1999 Index
KEY
JH1999= Joan Holland 1999 Interview
INDEX
Evanston, JH1999 A 0-5
Hamilton, Ontario, JH1999 A 0-5
Jungian Studies, JH1999 A 15-20
Loretto Academy, JH1999 A 0-5
Mundelein, Review, JH1999 A 5-10
Mundelein closure, JH1999 A 20-25
Peace march of 1989, JH1999 A 15-20
Peace movement, JH1999 A 15-20
Quad City City Line, JH1999 A 20-25
Rock Island Arsenal, JH1999 A 15-20
Sears catalogue, JH1999 A 0-5
Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM, JH1999 A 5-10
Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, JH1999 A 0-5
Sister Mary Donald, JH1999 A 10-15
Sister Mary Polycarp, JH1999 A 10-15
The Great Ziegfield, JH1999 A 0-5
Vatican II, JH1999 A 15-20
KEY
JH1999= Joan Holland 1999 Interview
INDEX
Evanston, JH1999 A 0-5
Hamilton, Ontario, JH1999 A 0-5
Jungian Studies, JH1999 A 15-20
Loretto Academy, JH1999 A 0-5
Mundelein, Review, JH1999 A 5-10
Mundelein closure, JH1999 A 20-25
Peace march of 1989, JH1999 A 15-20
Peace movement, JH1999 A 15-20
Quad City City Line, JH1999 A 20-25
Rock Island Arsenal, JH1999 A 15-20
Sears catalogue, JH1999 A 0-5
Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM, JH1999 A 5-10
Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, JH1999 A 0-5
Sister Mary Donald, JH1999 A 10-15
Sister Mary Polycarp, JH1999 A 10-15
The Great Ziegfield, JH1999 A 0-5
Vatican II, JH1999 A 15-20
Copyright
The materials contained on this portal are freely available for scholarship, or non-commercial research under the “fair use” provisions of US copyright law. Prior written permission is required for any use that exceeds “fair use” including publication, broadcast, for placing on another web site, or for any paid or commercial use.