Kathryn Quinn Knowles, Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, 1997
Item
Kathryn Quinn Knowles, 1948. (WLA, Mundelein College Skyscraper Collection, November 15, 1948)
Interview Audio
Interview Transcript
Title
Kathryn Quinn Knowles, Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, 1997
Summary
Member of the class of 1951, Kathryn Quinn Knowles recounts her memories as a student at Mundelein, particularly her work as a staff member for literary magazines, Quest and The Review. Quinn Knowles recounts her experiences with several Mundelein faculty members such as Sister Richard, Sister Clara in the library, and Sister John Michael Dee. Quinn Knowles recounts several visitors to Mundelein Assemblies including author, Graham Green and ex-communist Catholic convert, Elizabeth Bentley.
Date Created
1997
Biography
Kathryn Quinn Knowles grew up in Chicago and was the daughter of Irish immigrants. Knowles was a member of the Mundelein class of 1951. Ms. Knowles majored in English and co-edited the Mundelein poetry journal, The Review and the literary publication, Quest. After graduating, Knowles taught for many years in the Chicago Public School system.
Time Log
Kathryn Quinn Knowles
Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, November 13, 1997
Skokie, IL
Time Log
Side A
0-5 minutes
Kathryn Quinn Knowles was a member of the class of 1951. The interview date is December 8, 1998
Interviewer: Mary Alma Sullivan (BVM), class of 1951.
Introduction: Knowles’s major was English and she received a BA. Had been at Clarke College in Iowa for her first year and was very homesick so she transferred to Mundelein because of the BVMs. Working on the magazine was the most exciting aspect of her experiences at Mundelein. Sister Irma Corcoran made it a very welcoming place.
5-10 minutes
Coedited the Review and Quest, the twice a year poetry publication.
Certain classes, such as science, were very challenging and the big exams were very hard. Sister Richard was wonderful, she was brilliant and gave so much. Knowles did printing in the library and loved it. Her experiences at Mundelein were joyful. There were some frustrations. Remembers Clara in the library who was extremely kind.
10-15 minutes
Knowles attended psychology class with Sister Mary John Michael Dee who went on to become president of the college. She was a difficult teacher.
Knowles had dear dear friends at Mundelein. Many of the students went to Immaculata High School in Chicago and then went on to Mundelein. After college Knowles taught school in the public school system.
15-20 minutes
Many criticize the lack of competition in Catholic women’s colleges. Did Knowles experience this? No, she was driven to succeed and experienced healthy competition.
20-25 minutes
Knowles asserts that social responsibility and Catholic tradition were both addressed at Mundelein. The courses reflected this, the teacher’s behavior exemplified this as well. It was just there. Memories from Sister Immaculata High School.
25-30 minutes
Graham Greene was a speaker at the Mundelein Assembly once.
Mr. Peanut was a guest at the Immaculata assembly. Another speaker at Mundelein was Elizabeth Bentley a social science teacher at Mundelein, who converted from Communism to Catholicism. She was ostracized. While at school, Knowles had an outside job at Hardings at 21 S. Wabash or/ and at Stouffer’s
30-35 minutes
Was there a difference between Clarke and Mundelein? The student body at Mundelein was more homogeneous. At Clarke there were girls from the country and the city. Clark had boarders and daytime students all mixed together. Additionally, Mundelein was much more sophisticated.
Interview with Sister Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, November 13, 1997
Skokie, IL
Time Log
Side A
0-5 minutes
Kathryn Quinn Knowles was a member of the class of 1951. The interview date is December 8, 1998
Interviewer: Mary Alma Sullivan (BVM), class of 1951.
Introduction: Knowles’s major was English and she received a BA. Had been at Clarke College in Iowa for her first year and was very homesick so she transferred to Mundelein because of the BVMs. Working on the magazine was the most exciting aspect of her experiences at Mundelein. Sister Irma Corcoran made it a very welcoming place.
5-10 minutes
Coedited the Review and Quest, the twice a year poetry publication.
Certain classes, such as science, were very challenging and the big exams were very hard. Sister Richard was wonderful, she was brilliant and gave so much. Knowles did printing in the library and loved it. Her experiences at Mundelein were joyful. There were some frustrations. Remembers Clara in the library who was extremely kind.
10-15 minutes
Knowles attended psychology class with Sister Mary John Michael Dee who went on to become president of the college. She was a difficult teacher.
Knowles had dear dear friends at Mundelein. Many of the students went to Immaculata High School in Chicago and then went on to Mundelein. After college Knowles taught school in the public school system.
15-20 minutes
Many criticize the lack of competition in Catholic women’s colleges. Did Knowles experience this? No, she was driven to succeed and experienced healthy competition.
20-25 minutes
Knowles asserts that social responsibility and Catholic tradition were both addressed at Mundelein. The courses reflected this, the teacher’s behavior exemplified this as well. It was just there. Memories from Sister Immaculata High School.
25-30 minutes
Graham Greene was a speaker at the Mundelein Assembly once.
Mr. Peanut was a guest at the Immaculata assembly. Another speaker at Mundelein was Elizabeth Bentley a social science teacher at Mundelein, who converted from Communism to Catholicism. She was ostracized. While at school, Knowles had an outside job at Hardings at 21 S. Wabash or/ and at Stouffer’s
30-35 minutes
Was there a difference between Clarke and Mundelein? The student body at Mundelein was more homogeneous. At Clarke there were girls from the country and the city. Clark had boarders and daytime students all mixed together. Additionally, Mundelein was much more sophisticated.
Index
Kathryn Quinn Knowles 1997 Index
KEY
KQK 1997= Kathryn Quinn Knowles 1997 Interview
INDEX
Catholic tradition, KQK 1997 A 20-25
Catholic women’s colleges, KQK 1997 A 15-20
Chicago Public School System, KQK 1997 A 10-15
Clarke College, KQK 1997 A 0-5, KQK 1997 A 30-35
Elizabeth Bentley, KQK 1997 A 25-30
Graham Greene, KQK 1997 A 25-30
Immaculata High School, KQK 1997 A 10-15, KQK 1997 A 20-25
Mundelein Assemblies, KQK 1997 A 25-30
Mundelein library, KQK 1997 A 5-10
Mundelein literary magazine, Quest, KQK 1997 A 5-10
Mundelein literary magazine, The Review, KQK 1997 A 5-10
Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM, KQK 1997 A 0-5
Sister Mary John Michael Dee, BVM, KQK 1997 A 10-15
Stouffers Restaurant, KQK 1997 A 25-30
KEY
KQK 1997= Kathryn Quinn Knowles 1997 Interview
INDEX
Catholic tradition, KQK 1997 A 20-25
Catholic women’s colleges, KQK 1997 A 15-20
Chicago Public School System, KQK 1997 A 10-15
Clarke College, KQK 1997 A 0-5, KQK 1997 A 30-35
Elizabeth Bentley, KQK 1997 A 25-30
Graham Greene, KQK 1997 A 25-30
Immaculata High School, KQK 1997 A 10-15, KQK 1997 A 20-25
Mundelein Assemblies, KQK 1997 A 25-30
Mundelein library, KQK 1997 A 5-10
Mundelein literary magazine, Quest, KQK 1997 A 5-10
Mundelein literary magazine, The Review, KQK 1997 A 5-10
Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM, KQK 1997 A 0-5
Sister Mary John Michael Dee, BVM, KQK 1997 A 10-15
Stouffers Restaurant, KQK 1997 A 25-30
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