You didn’t have to tell Sister Agnes to “step on it”

Patty Sawyer Skeen, Class of 1965, has memories of the Sts. Peter and Paul School nuns and a great about Mother Agnes, aka Sister Leadfoot.

Let Patty tell it:

“John, I had Sister Joseph for fifth grade (1957-8) and remember her as being older and walking with a limp.  Very kind and I loved her as a teacher. Two other sisters were Sister Dominic and Sister Thomas.  Both were younger and there in Monongah around 1955-7.

 

“A memory of Mother Agnes--Had her for sixth, seventh and eighth grades.  There were just seven students in our eighth grade class, and she decided to take us on an eighth grade graduation trip to see the mound in Moundsville.  The seven of us, Mother Agnes and a younger nun set out in a station wagon over Route 7 early one morning in May.  (That was in the days before seat belts.)

 

“Mother Agnes's leadfoot took over and we were soon speeding along over the hills on Route 7 toward New Martinsville.  Beside a country church at the top of one of the hills sat a State Police trooper.  (What he was doing there at that time of the morning in that deserted area I have no idea.)  As Mother Agnes sped by, he pulled out with his lights on.  We pulled to the side of the road, and he approached the car. 

 

“Seeing two women in black habits and a car loaded with kids, he was stumped for a moment or two.  He had no idea how to address her.  Finally after stammering a bit he started with,  ‘Ma..Ma'am, you were exceeding the speed limit.’

 

Mother Agnes replied:
   

 

"Oh, Officer.  I didn't know I was speeding.  Did it seem like I was speeding to you, children?"

 

Patty again:

 

“What is a kid to say?  We replied in unison, ‘No, Sister.’

 

“He let her off with a warning, and we were soon on our merry way--within the speed limit (at least for a while).

 

“While at the mound, she met the warden's wife who got us into the prison for a brief tour.  I remember standing on a porch overlooking a courtyard where a large group of prisoners were standing or sitting  in the sunshine after  lunch.  Some of them probably had never seen a nun in their lives.  I can only imagine what ran through their minds seeing two women in black habits and several children standing above them with the warden and a couple of guards.”

 

And the legend of Mother Agnes, who would have been a strong competitor in the Indy 500 in her day, continues. She kept Saint Christopher working overtime when she drove.

 

Patty, who lives in New Martinsville, is a Fairmont State and WVU graduate with an education degree who taught for 37 years in Tyler County.

 

Her grandmother was Mary Domalik, who with Patty’s parents lived on the hill between Pete Shenasky and Claude Domico.

 

Patty also was kind enough to stop by my table at the 2015 Monongah High Alumni Reunion and tell me how much she enjoyed reading this MHS Alumni blog.

 

Patty’s sister, Linda Sawyer Duckworth, Class of 1966, lives in Meredianville, Alabama. Linda once was a pharmacist for Giant Eagle in New Martinsville. Linda’s husband, Steven Duckworth, Class of 1966, was in the Wetzel County school system.

 

Linda married into a lot of Monongah High Duckworths on her husband’s side. There’s Donald Duckworth, Class of 1975, son of the late Betty Zane Duckworth of Idamay.

 

 

Judy Duckworth Campbell, Class of 1972, is Betty’s daughter and Donald’s sister.

Betty Duckworth Sutphin, Class of 1964.

 

Elton Duckworth, Class of 1966.

 

Meredith Duckworth, Class of 1964.

 

Roger Duckworth, Class of 1965.

 

Sharon Menear Duckworth, Class of 1965.