Marymount hosts Zimbabwe School Reunion

Keynote speaker Peter Godwin brought back memories both good and bad as he read passages from several books he's written as more than 50 alumnae, friends and relatives from the Marymount School in what was once Umtali, Rhodesia gathered for a reunion and luncheon Saturday afternoon.

"It's sad that we are attending a Marymount reunion for a Marymount that doesn't exist," he said.

The alumnae at St. Joseph's Hall at Marymount in Tarrytown represented nearly a dozen countries and spanned several generations who attended the school in the country now known as Zimbabwe.  Many were living there during the civil war of the late 70's.

The author brought both smiles and some tears as he read about the place that was once their home, answering questions from alums including when asked about his sister who was killed in a still-unexplained incident by government troops, an event he said "shattered his family", turning his vibrant, middle-aged parents old and broken. 

The reunion was the first in the United States; and the Tarrytown location was chosen because six former teachers at the school are now at the Tarrytown site according to Sister Florence.

The "group of nomads" as Godwin called them, seemed cemented in their solidarity as he spoke.  "What really irritates me is that history makes things that happened look like it was inevitable.  Zimbabwe didn't have to be that way," he said as nearly all in attendance nodded their heads.

Editor's note: Marymount College's status as a women's college in Tarrytown and keynote speaker Peter Godwin's name were incorrect or unclear in the original article. Patch regrets the errors.