Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM, Interview with Sister Jeanie Moran, BVM, 1997
Item
Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM, N.D. (WLA, Mundelein College Photograph Collection)
Interview Audio Tape 1 Side A
Interview Audio Tape 1 Side B
Interview Audio Tape 2 Side A
Interview Audio Tape 2 Side B
Interview Transcript
Title
Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM, Interview with Sister Jeanie Moran, BVM, 1997
Summary
Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM recollects her experiences in graduate school at Columbia University as the only sister on the entire campus. Sister Irma reflects on all of the presidents at Mundelein during her 61 years there, from the skyscraper’s dedication until Loyola took possession of the building in 1961. Asserts that Sister Mary Justicia was not just a builder but was a school woman as well. Discusses Mundelein’s mission as a “city college” for “work a day” city women. Sister Irma describes several of her colleagues on the Mundelein faculty and recalls several anecdotes which draw a rich portrait of the daily life of Mundelein in the 1930s and 1940s.
Date Created
1997
Biography
Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM was born in 1905 in Anamosa, Iowa. Sister Irma received a master of arts degree from Columbia University, specializing in English Renaissance, and earned a doctorate in English from Catholic University. Sister Irma was a professor of English at Mundelein College from 1930 to 1972 and served as advisor for the colleges literary journals: The Review, The Oval, and Quest. Sister Irma was also a distinguished author, lecturer, and social activist. Corcoran was an active member of Mundelein from its opening in 1931 until its affiliation in 1991. Sister Irma passed away in 2000.
Time Log
Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM
Interview with Sister Jeanie Moran, October 15, 1997
Chicago, IL
Time Log
Tape 1 Side A
0-5 minutes
Discussion of the entry of the Holy Spirit into her life during her work on her dissertation on the history of ideas in Brooklyn, New York from 1939-1945. Wrote on Milton’s concept of creation of man.
5-10 minutes
Discussion of Mundelein’s influence on her life. Remembers her time at Columbia where she received a master’s degree in English in one year. Memories of education with George Gallup at Clark College. Reporting in high school for county newspapers.
10-15 minutes
Recollects Sister Mary Justicia’s search for novitiates with higher degrees. Sent them to various places for master’s degrees. Was sent to Columbia University and was the only sister on the entire campus. Became ill and flunked her comprehensive exams.
15-20 minutes
Was so ill that she was advised by her congregation to stop school. Mother Ida Gray of New York City. Went back to university anyways.
20-25 minutes
Recalls her visit to Harvard after her studies at Columbia.
25-30 minutes
Discusses the completion of her Master’s Degree dissertation on the Sacred Heart.
Discusses her first experiences at the Little Green House, a three-story green stucco house on Mundelein’s campus.
Description of the skyscraper building and just missing the “topping off ceremony.”
30-35 minutes
First meeting Sister Mary Justicia.
Tape 1 Side B
0-5 minutes
Discusses her duties at Mundelein such as answering the doorbells of the house.
5-10 minutes
Recollects how food and supplies were donated to the Green House by well wishers. Discusses expenses and funny responsibilities
10-15 minutes
Describes her Green House duties when she served as messenger between contractors working on the skyscraper and Sister Mary Justicia.
Relays her experiences at Columbia in New York and the multiple suicides after the stock market crash of 1929.
15-20 minutes
Describes her secretarial experience in Anamosa, Iowa working for lawyer, Mr. Chamberlain, including his handling of land sales and land deals. States that this was helpful in working with families of some of her students at Mundelein.
20-25 minutes
Relays her experiences providing assistance for Sister Mary Angelita and Mundelein publicity.
Describes Sister Angelita’s illnesses and an increase in her own responsibilities.
25-30 minutes
Tells how she was assigned to take over the Creative Writing courses and the creative writing publications of the college. Describes her steady work on the Skyscraper and her teaching of Freshman English and all upper division English.
30-35 minutes
Relays memories of the final show for the year in which the students built a stuffed mannequin.
Tape 2 Side A
0-5 minutes
Friday October 24, 1997
Introductions.
Relays her understanding of the mission of Mundelein College and its obligation to teach subjects in each class with the consciousness of the presence of God in mind. Mundelein taught thousands of Chicago school teachers and wanted them to know the subjects that they were teaching.
5-10 minutes
Recollection of Mundelein College leaders. Was a member of the college community for the entirety of Mundelein’s existence, 61 years. Corcoran came as a student when Skyscraper was dedicated and left after Loyola took possession of the skyscraper. Memories of Sister Mary Justicia as a builder and a school women.
10-15 minutes
Memories of the first academic dean of Mundelein, Sister Mary Evangela She was beautiful and was finishing her dissertation in 1930. Went once a week for reading. She became the president of St. Andrews in Davenport Iowa. Was succeeded as dean by Sister Mary Bernarda. As a city college, Mundelein had a mission to inspire the love of learning in middle class “work a day” city people.
15-20 minutes
Memories of notable faculty member: Sister Mary Donnell, the head of and actually the entire faculty (of one) for the Classics department. She had a brilliant mind and religious understanding, joy, and enthusiasm. In her hands, Virgil became a vibrant human being as well as a poet. Mundelein gave the sisters an opportunity to use their minds.
Corcoran claims that she was a small town, country girl from a part of the United States that did not matter who was given a great opportunity.
20-25 minutes
Discusses the notion of “One World” education.
Relays memories of physics teacher Sister Mary Sylvester. The faculty of Mundelein were carefully chosen scholars. They needed to be to fulfill what they hoped to accomplish.
25-30 minutes
Relays memories of Sister Mary Consuela Martin who was a scholar “spoiled.” She was vain and boastful of her potential for a doctoral degree which she was not able to obtain. She went into terrible rages over nothing at all because of her lack of opportunities. The sisters were a little afraid of her.
Relays a story of the investigation regarding the “white headed pin” that reveals the Mundelein Community feeling.
30-35 minutes
Recollects Mundelein scholar, Sister Mary Josephine Malone
Tape 2 Side B
0-5 minutes
Memories of Sister Irma Corcoran’s high school experiences in Iowa. Asserts that Sister Mary Josephine was really not an intelligent woman, nor was she well thought of by the students.
5-10 minutes
There were hurts and resentments among some of the sisters. It was far from the ideal. Memories of Sister John Michael, who was a very bright, very arrogant scholar who wanted to be conspicuously first. She suffered from a bad knee and went to her room after supper. Was sent to the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor for her masters degree which she did not receive because she refused to write her dissertation.
10-15 minutes
Memories of Sister Columba, who was a good business person. “She had no heart at all, she had a lump of iron.” But she was good to people.
15-20 minutes
Memories of Sister Laguori. Corcoran states that, “By that time I had published more than anything, but nothing important at all. It was all Milton and no one had interested. All publishers were interested in was money and cars.” Laguori was a sociology major and she was very political. She went to Purdue for her doctorate.
20-25 minutes
Sister Mary Leola Oliver, the drama professor, was one of the most gifted teachers in the whole history of Mundelein. One time Corcoran took the Irish Players on a tour around the Mundelein campus. One of the players met Sister Mary Leola and he said, “What is she doing here at Mundelein? She could be an actress on any stage.” She was very very good.
Interview with Sister Jeanie Moran, October 15, 1997
Chicago, IL
Time Log
Tape 1 Side A
0-5 minutes
Discussion of the entry of the Holy Spirit into her life during her work on her dissertation on the history of ideas in Brooklyn, New York from 1939-1945. Wrote on Milton’s concept of creation of man.
5-10 minutes
Discussion of Mundelein’s influence on her life. Remembers her time at Columbia where she received a master’s degree in English in one year. Memories of education with George Gallup at Clark College. Reporting in high school for county newspapers.
10-15 minutes
Recollects Sister Mary Justicia’s search for novitiates with higher degrees. Sent them to various places for master’s degrees. Was sent to Columbia University and was the only sister on the entire campus. Became ill and flunked her comprehensive exams.
15-20 minutes
Was so ill that she was advised by her congregation to stop school. Mother Ida Gray of New York City. Went back to university anyways.
20-25 minutes
Recalls her visit to Harvard after her studies at Columbia.
25-30 minutes
Discusses the completion of her Master’s Degree dissertation on the Sacred Heart.
Discusses her first experiences at the Little Green House, a three-story green stucco house on Mundelein’s campus.
Description of the skyscraper building and just missing the “topping off ceremony.”
30-35 minutes
First meeting Sister Mary Justicia.
Tape 1 Side B
0-5 minutes
Discusses her duties at Mundelein such as answering the doorbells of the house.
5-10 minutes
Recollects how food and supplies were donated to the Green House by well wishers. Discusses expenses and funny responsibilities
10-15 minutes
Describes her Green House duties when she served as messenger between contractors working on the skyscraper and Sister Mary Justicia.
Relays her experiences at Columbia in New York and the multiple suicides after the stock market crash of 1929.
15-20 minutes
Describes her secretarial experience in Anamosa, Iowa working for lawyer, Mr. Chamberlain, including his handling of land sales and land deals. States that this was helpful in working with families of some of her students at Mundelein.
20-25 minutes
Relays her experiences providing assistance for Sister Mary Angelita and Mundelein publicity.
Describes Sister Angelita’s illnesses and an increase in her own responsibilities.
25-30 minutes
Tells how she was assigned to take over the Creative Writing courses and the creative writing publications of the college. Describes her steady work on the Skyscraper and her teaching of Freshman English and all upper division English.
30-35 minutes
Relays memories of the final show for the year in which the students built a stuffed mannequin.
Tape 2 Side A
0-5 minutes
Friday October 24, 1997
Introductions.
Relays her understanding of the mission of Mundelein College and its obligation to teach subjects in each class with the consciousness of the presence of God in mind. Mundelein taught thousands of Chicago school teachers and wanted them to know the subjects that they were teaching.
5-10 minutes
Recollection of Mundelein College leaders. Was a member of the college community for the entirety of Mundelein’s existence, 61 years. Corcoran came as a student when Skyscraper was dedicated and left after Loyola took possession of the skyscraper. Memories of Sister Mary Justicia as a builder and a school women.
10-15 minutes
Memories of the first academic dean of Mundelein, Sister Mary Evangela She was beautiful and was finishing her dissertation in 1930. Went once a week for reading. She became the president of St. Andrews in Davenport Iowa. Was succeeded as dean by Sister Mary Bernarda. As a city college, Mundelein had a mission to inspire the love of learning in middle class “work a day” city people.
15-20 minutes
Memories of notable faculty member: Sister Mary Donnell, the head of and actually the entire faculty (of one) for the Classics department. She had a brilliant mind and religious understanding, joy, and enthusiasm. In her hands, Virgil became a vibrant human being as well as a poet. Mundelein gave the sisters an opportunity to use their minds.
Corcoran claims that she was a small town, country girl from a part of the United States that did not matter who was given a great opportunity.
20-25 minutes
Discusses the notion of “One World” education.
Relays memories of physics teacher Sister Mary Sylvester. The faculty of Mundelein were carefully chosen scholars. They needed to be to fulfill what they hoped to accomplish.
25-30 minutes
Relays memories of Sister Mary Consuela Martin who was a scholar “spoiled.” She was vain and boastful of her potential for a doctoral degree which she was not able to obtain. She went into terrible rages over nothing at all because of her lack of opportunities. The sisters were a little afraid of her.
Relays a story of the investigation regarding the “white headed pin” that reveals the Mundelein Community feeling.
30-35 minutes
Recollects Mundelein scholar, Sister Mary Josephine Malone
Tape 2 Side B
0-5 minutes
Memories of Sister Irma Corcoran’s high school experiences in Iowa. Asserts that Sister Mary Josephine was really not an intelligent woman, nor was she well thought of by the students.
5-10 minutes
There were hurts and resentments among some of the sisters. It was far from the ideal. Memories of Sister John Michael, who was a very bright, very arrogant scholar who wanted to be conspicuously first. She suffered from a bad knee and went to her room after supper. Was sent to the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor for her masters degree which she did not receive because she refused to write her dissertation.
10-15 minutes
Memories of Sister Columba, who was a good business person. “She had no heart at all, she had a lump of iron.” But she was good to people.
15-20 minutes
Memories of Sister Laguori. Corcoran states that, “By that time I had published more than anything, but nothing important at all. It was all Milton and no one had interested. All publishers were interested in was money and cars.” Laguori was a sociology major and she was very political. She went to Purdue for her doctorate.
20-25 minutes
Sister Mary Leola Oliver, the drama professor, was one of the most gifted teachers in the whole history of Mundelein. One time Corcoran took the Irish Players on a tour around the Mundelein campus. One of the players met Sister Mary Leola and he said, “What is she doing here at Mundelein? She could be an actress on any stage.” She was very very good.
Index
Irma Corcoran 1997 Index
KEY
IC1997= Irma Corcoran 1997 Interview
INDEX
Anamosa, Iowa, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 15-20
Ann Arbor, Michigan, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 5-10
Brooklyn, New York, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 0-5
Chicago school teachers, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 0-5
Clarke College, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 5-10
Columbia University, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 10-15, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 5-10, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 10-15
Davenport, Iowa, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 10-15
Donations, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 5-10
Gallup, George, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 5-10
Harvard University, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 20-25
Irish Players, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 20-25
Land sales, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 15-20
Little Green House, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 25-30, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 10-15, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 5-10
Milton, John, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 0-5, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 15-20
Mother Ida Gray, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 15-20
Mundelein Classics department, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 15-20
Mundelein College mission, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 0-5
Mundelein Creative Writing courses, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 25-30
Mundelein Creative Writing publications, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 25-30
Mundelein duties, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 0-5
Mundelein leaders, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 5-10
Mundelein skyscraper building, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 25-30
New York City, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 15-20, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 10-15
One World Education, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 20-25
Purdue University, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 15-20
Sister Columba, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 10-15
Sister Liguori,, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 15-20
Sister Mary Angelita, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 20-25
Sister Mary Bernarda, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 10-15
Sister Mary Consuela Martin, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 25-30
Sister Mary Donnell, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 15-20
Sister Mary Evangela, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 10-15
Sister Mary John Michael Dee, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 5-10
Sister Mary Josephine Malone, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 30-35, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 0-5
Sister Mary Justicia Coffey, BVM, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 10-15, BVM, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 5-10, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 30-35
Sister Mary Leola Oliver, BVM, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 20-25
Sister Mary Sylvestor, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 20-25
St. Andrews, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 10-15
Stock market crash, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 10-15
Suicides, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 10-15
The history of ideas, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 0-5
The Sacred Heart, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 25-30
The Skyscraper, student newspaper, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 25-30
Topping Off Ceremony, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 25-30
University of Michigan, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 5-10
Virgil, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 15-20
KEY
IC1997= Irma Corcoran 1997 Interview
INDEX
Anamosa, Iowa, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 15-20
Ann Arbor, Michigan, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 5-10
Brooklyn, New York, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 0-5
Chicago school teachers, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 0-5
Clarke College, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 5-10
Columbia University, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 10-15, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 5-10, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 10-15
Davenport, Iowa, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 10-15
Donations, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 5-10
Gallup, George, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 5-10
Harvard University, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 20-25
Irish Players, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 20-25
Land sales, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 15-20
Little Green House, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 25-30, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 10-15, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 5-10
Milton, John, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 0-5, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 15-20
Mother Ida Gray, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 15-20
Mundelein Classics department, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 15-20
Mundelein College mission, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 0-5
Mundelein Creative Writing courses, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 25-30
Mundelein Creative Writing publications, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 25-30
Mundelein duties, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 0-5
Mundelein leaders, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 5-10
Mundelein skyscraper building, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 25-30
New York City, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 15-20, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 10-15
One World Education, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 20-25
Purdue University, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 15-20
Sister Columba, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 10-15
Sister Liguori,, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 15-20
Sister Mary Angelita, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 20-25
Sister Mary Bernarda, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 10-15
Sister Mary Consuela Martin, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 25-30
Sister Mary Donnell, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 15-20
Sister Mary Evangela, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 10-15
Sister Mary John Michael Dee, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 5-10
Sister Mary Josephine Malone, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 30-35, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 0-5
Sister Mary Justicia Coffey, BVM, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 10-15, BVM, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 5-10, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 30-35
Sister Mary Leola Oliver, BVM, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 20-25
Sister Mary Sylvestor, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 20-25
St. Andrews, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 10-15
Stock market crash, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 10-15
Suicides, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 10-15
The history of ideas, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 0-5
The Sacred Heart, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 25-30
The Skyscraper, student newspaper, IC1997 Tape 1 Side B 25-30
Topping Off Ceremony, IC1997 Tape 1 Side A 25-30
University of Michigan, IC1997 Tape 2 Side B 5-10
Virgil, IC1997 Tape 2 Side A 15-20
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