Patricia Karras Grevas, Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, 1998
Item
Patricia Karras Grevas, 1951. (WLA, Mundelein College 1951 Class Photograph)
Interview Audio
Interview Transcript
Title
Patricia Karras Grevas, Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, 1998
Summary
Grevas discusses with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM her life trajectory. She was born to Greek immigrants in Chicago in 1930. She explains that although her parents raised her in the Greek Orthodox Church, she learned more about Christianity through Catholic schools, including Mundelein College. At Mundelein College, she did well in her studies, graduating in 1951. Following graduation, she taught for a few years before getting married. Grevas concludes by talking about her community service work in her hometown of Rock Island, Illinois.
Date Created
1998
Biography
Patricia Grevas was born in 1930. Grevas was the daughter of Greek Orthodox immigrants and grew up in South Side Chicago neighborhoods. She was a graduate of the class of 1951 at Mundelein College where she was involved on campus. She served as a teacher for several years before getting married.
Time Log
Patricia Karras Grevas
Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM November 10, 1998
Rock Island, Illinois
Time Log
Side A
0-5 minutes
Class of 1951. Bachelor’s Degree in English. Mother and father from Greece. Father came in 1907 and mother came in 1922. They married and settled in Chicago. Two older brothers; she was born in 1930. Parents cautious of her. Sent to a Catholic school for girls, Mercy High School. Went to Morgan Park Junior High School. Attended Mundelein because friends attended. Enjoyed Mundelein, less so high school. Father had his own grocery store on 43rd street under the El in an all-black neighborhood.
5-10 minutes
Liked to read, enjoyed poetry and literature. Went back and forth to school on the El; took an hour and a half. She wanted to learn to swim, but was not able to. Most enriching class was a world history class with Sister Mary Ambrose; one of the best teachers she ever had in all her schooling. Wasn’t involved in activities. Did have friends. Never went to the Loyola Union.
10-15 minutes
Graduated June 5, 1951. Applied for work at Chicago Board of Education, but didn’t have enough education courses. Wanted to teach. Substitute teacher at a school on the South Side for two and a half years. Went to the Illinois Teachers College; received certificate for teaching. Married in 1954; teaching career didn’t last long. Taught mostly first grade at a school at 65th and Central. Learned a lot of prayers at Mundelein. First two black students at college when she was there. She wasn’t allowed to work at her father’s store. Did much better in college than high school. The Skyscraper mentioned top students.
15-20 minutes
Ran for office senior year, but didn’t make it. Students wore caps and gowns with ribbons to assembly. Jewish student was asked to kiss Cardinal Stritch’s ring at graduation. Patricia raised in Greek Orthodoxy. Learned more about religion by going to Catholic high school than she learned in Sunday School. She is part of organization called Thelopopous, Friend of the Poor, help raise money for charitable work, as well as tutoring. She is liberal, her husband is Republican.
20-25 minutes
So many of the girls her age who had Greek parents rarely went to college. She is proud that she went to college. Father born in 1890. Immigrants before 1930 concerned with making a living. Brothers graduated from school.
Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM November 10, 1998
Rock Island, Illinois
Time Log
Side A
0-5 minutes
Class of 1951. Bachelor’s Degree in English. Mother and father from Greece. Father came in 1907 and mother came in 1922. They married and settled in Chicago. Two older brothers; she was born in 1930. Parents cautious of her. Sent to a Catholic school for girls, Mercy High School. Went to Morgan Park Junior High School. Attended Mundelein because friends attended. Enjoyed Mundelein, less so high school. Father had his own grocery store on 43rd street under the El in an all-black neighborhood.
5-10 minutes
Liked to read, enjoyed poetry and literature. Went back and forth to school on the El; took an hour and a half. She wanted to learn to swim, but was not able to. Most enriching class was a world history class with Sister Mary Ambrose; one of the best teachers she ever had in all her schooling. Wasn’t involved in activities. Did have friends. Never went to the Loyola Union.
10-15 minutes
Graduated June 5, 1951. Applied for work at Chicago Board of Education, but didn’t have enough education courses. Wanted to teach. Substitute teacher at a school on the South Side for two and a half years. Went to the Illinois Teachers College; received certificate for teaching. Married in 1954; teaching career didn’t last long. Taught mostly first grade at a school at 65th and Central. Learned a lot of prayers at Mundelein. First two black students at college when she was there. She wasn’t allowed to work at her father’s store. Did much better in college than high school. The Skyscraper mentioned top students.
15-20 minutes
Ran for office senior year, but didn’t make it. Students wore caps and gowns with ribbons to assembly. Jewish student was asked to kiss Cardinal Stritch’s ring at graduation. Patricia raised in Greek Orthodoxy. Learned more about religion by going to Catholic high school than she learned in Sunday School. She is part of organization called Thelopopous, Friend of the Poor, help raise money for charitable work, as well as tutoring. She is liberal, her husband is Republican.
20-25 minutes
So many of the girls her age who had Greek parents rarely went to college. She is proud that she went to college. Father born in 1890. Immigrants before 1930 concerned with making a living. Brothers graduated from school.
Index
INDEX
Ambrose, Mary, PKG 1998 Side A 5-10
Chicago, Illinois, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
Chicago Board of Education, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
Class of 1951, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5
“El” (elevated railroad), PKG 1998 Side A 0-5, PKG 1998 Side A 5-10
English, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5
Greece, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5
Greek Orthodox Church, PKG 1998 Side A 15-20
Illinois Teachers College, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
Loyola University Chicago, PKG 1998 Side A 5-10
Mercy High School, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5
Morgan Park Junior High School, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5
Mundelein College, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
The Skyscraper, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
South Side, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
Stritch, Samuel, PKG 1998 Side A 15-20
Thelopopous, Friend of the Poor, PKG 1998 Side A 15-20
Ambrose, Mary, PKG 1998 Side A 5-10
Chicago, Illinois, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
Chicago Board of Education, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
Class of 1951, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5
“El” (elevated railroad), PKG 1998 Side A 0-5, PKG 1998 Side A 5-10
English, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5
Greece, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5
Greek Orthodox Church, PKG 1998 Side A 15-20
Illinois Teachers College, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
Loyola University Chicago, PKG 1998 Side A 5-10
Mercy High School, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5
Morgan Park Junior High School, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5
Mundelein College, PKG 1998 Side A 0-5, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
The Skyscraper, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
South Side, PKG 1998 Side A 10-15
Stritch, Samuel, PKG 1998 Side A 15-20
Thelopopous, Friend of the Poor, PKG 1998 Side A 15-20
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