Mind paths and fond memories

I find it funny how my mind can wander and then not stop its journey. . . . Today, Maddie, Jon, Ben and I were sitting at the kitchen table coloring pictures of Easter eggs. As we sat happily playing with the markers, my mind began its meandering. . . . I thought about dyeing eggs as a kid. . . . I thought about how messy it would be with the four kids and figured we'd probably wait another year. . . maybe. . . . I thought about two particular eggs I had received as Easter gifts when I was in fifth grade.

I lived in Pittsburgh, PA, from birth until just after I finished seventh grade. When I was in fifth grade, the State of Pennsylvania hosted a writing competition for students in fifth through twelfth grades. Yes, I was an over-achiever back then. I came home and told my parents I was going to write for the competition, and I had to write about why I "believe[d] a particular woman, living or dead, deserves a place in Pennsylvania history." The deadline was the day after my eleventh birthday. Let me add, I had never written a paper, let alone a research paper, before. I was not getting extra credit, I don't even remember what the prize was; but I did it, and I was the only one in our school to enter.

I didn't have any ideas on who to write about, and back then, Internet wasn't a research option. I went to the library and found books about Pennsylvania history. I contemplated writing about characters I read about: Nellie Bly (journalist), Mary Cassatt (painter), Louisa May Alcott (novelist), Gertrude Stein (writer), Rachel Carson (biologist), Mary Roberts Rinehart (novelist), and Betsy Ross (flag maker). None really struck my fancy, but I was leaning toward Mary Cassatt just because I enjoyed seeing her painting at the Carnegie Museum. Dad came home and convinced me to write about someone "new." . . . someone that no one else would be writing about. . . someone who I could interview, rather than just read about. . . in fact, he knew just the one. So that is how I came to meet Sister M. Gabrielle Maze who gave me those two eggs I started dreaming about.

In my mind wanderings, I decided to track down that paper I had written. In the process of searching, I came across all my high school and college research papers, lots of my Valentines going all the way back to kindergarten (no joke), my birthday cards as far back as age 3. I came across my career aptitude tests, my essay about why I should be admitted to the high school I went to, and my geometry project from ninth grade, just to name a few. It came as no surprise that I found the essay and the writing prompt in the file folder labeled "Sister Gabrielle Report." I found another project in the same folder about my eighth-grade science teacher, but that's another story.

I tried Googling Sister Gabrielle and all I could find was an annual science award in her name, a paper on spectroscopy she had written (it was on a German site), and an obituary in the Sisters of St. Francis newsletter. Since it was my perspective when I knew her, I thought I would just share my paper. This was my very first research paper, written when I was just ten years old:

SISTER M. GABRIELLE MAZE AND
SCIENCE EDUCATION IN PENNSYLVANIA

by Sarah Williams, Grade 5

Pennsylvania women, such as Nellie Bly, Mary Cassatt, and Mary Rinehart, have been recognized for their achievements 1. However, there is a special woman who also deserves recognition. This person has dedicated her life to God and to promoting science education in Pennsylvania.

Mary Maze was born in Chicago in 1906. She was only seven years old when she dreamed of being a nun and having a veil on her head. When Mary was fourteen, that dream came true and she began her teaching career as Sister M. Gabrielle. At sixteen years of age, she and six other girls came to Pennsylvania to start a new convent. Two years later, St. Francis Convent and Academy opening in Castle Shannon 2.

Sister Gabrielle taught a variety of courses as a nun. She taught biology, chemistry, and physics. Biology was her favorite. She also taught physical education, dramatics, and piano. She even taught aviation to boys interested in flying in the military 3. Sister Gabrielle taught seventh to twelfth grade in five different Catholic schools. She celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1985 for being a nun for 65 years 4.

Sister Gabrielle received a BS degree with a major in biology from Duquesne University in 1934. Between 1942 and 1947, she worked at the University of Pittsburgh on her MS degree with a major in zoology. In 1947, she started working on a Ph.D. degree in zoology at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1956, she became known as Dr. Sister M. Gabrielle 5.

Sister Gabrielle belonged to many state and national organizations. She is known best for her work in Pennsylvania Academy of Science (PAS) and Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS). She became a member of PAS in 1943, and was president from 1980 to 1986. In 1934, PJAS started in Reading, Pennsylvania. In 1947, her "Science Club at St. Francis Academy became the nucleus of PJAS" in Region 7 which covers Allegheny and Westmoreland counties 6. In 1970, she served as State Director of PJAS. In addition to membership and offices in different organizations, Sister Gabrielle received many awards and honors. One U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania nominated her as "Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania 7." The Pennsylvania Science Teachers Association named Sister Gabrielle the "outstanding teacher of Science in Pennsylvania 1962-63."8

Sister Gabrielle is presently living at St. Francis Convent. She stated, "I know I am 82, but when I get out of this wheelchair I want to teach biology or be President of Duquesne University 9." This positive attitude describes the life of Sister Gabrielle. It has been said that she "has had a long and noteworthy career in biology education. Her work in Pennsylvania has been outstanding. Her leadership roles in PJAS and PAS have brought acclaim not only for her, but for Pennsylvania 10." The Pittsburgh Press said that because of her dedication, "hundreds of thousands of youths have found their eyes opened to the fascination of science 11." Such comments support the fact that Sister M. Gabrielle's contributions to science education make her a woman worth remembering in Pennsylvania history 12.

REFERENCES

1. Lorant, Stefan. Pittsburgh, The Story of an American City. Lenox, Mass,: Authors Edition, Inc., 1975.
2. Personal communication with Sister Gabrielle on February 10, 1988.
3. Personal communication with Sister Gabrielle on February 12, 1988.
4. Sister Gabrielle's personal records - Program, 1985.
5. Sister Gabrielle's personal records -Individual staff member criteria, November, 1971.
6. Sister Gabrielle's personal records -Individual staff member criteria, November, 1971.
7. Sister Gabrielle's personal records -Letter from U.S. Congressman James G. Fulton, November 25, 1968.
8. Sister Gabrielle's personal records -National Science Teachers Association short biography of Sister M. Gabrielle, March 21, 1964.
9. Personal communication with Sister Gabrielle on February 12, 1988.
10. Sister Gabrielle's personal records -Letter from H.S. Fowler, Professor of Science Education, Pennsylvania State University, March 27, 1980.
11. Sachs, Sylvia. "15,800 Junior Scientists Blooming Here, " The Pittsburgh Press, March 12, 1972, sec. E, p.4.
12. I would like to thank Sister Gabrielle from telling me stories of her life. Also, I would like to thank my teacher, Miss Elaine Marinclin, and my parents for reading my essay and offering suggestions.

Sister M. Gabrielle Maze died November 2, 1994, at age 88. As a ten-year old who wasn't even Catholic, my life was touched by hers. My heart warms as I've been reading some of the words others and I wrote about this remarkable lady.

. . . and that is how my mind wanders. . . . how I got to thinking about those two Easter eggs that Sister Gabrielle hand-painted just for me. One was a bright green, the other a beautiful bright turquoise. Both were painted with green, yellow, and white waxes. I loved those eggs so much I kept them on my dresser. When we moved to Texas two years later, they made the move, too. A few years after that, one broke and the stinky sulfur-smell of five year old eggs made me ill. Its really a wonder they didn't stink before that. I threw them both in the trash that day, but I still fondly remember those two eggs and the kind woman who gifted them to me.