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Biographies of Our Forefathers
Catharine Marie 'Kitty' McColgan
(Page 2 of 4)
Kitty attended Holy Family Catholic Church and school
from which she graduated with a commercial certificate in 1928. She
received her First
Holy Communion and Confirmation at Holy Family.
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First Communion, c.1919. |
Confirmation, c.1922. |
Holy Family School class of 1928. Kitty is seated first row far left.
From the time she was 13 years old, in addition to her classes Kitty worked
various jobs to earn money some of which she saved.
While growing up on Ritchie Street she said that she would sneak out of the
house through an upstairs window and cross a roof to visit her brother
Johnny or to otherwise leave the house clandestinely.
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Photo: Front row L-R Kitty, her Aunt Marry with
whom she lived and her sister Isabella “Pat.”
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Kitty c.1929. |
As
indicated,
Kitty had a strong work ethic and eventually worked as laboratory technician
and medical assistant at a laboratory in downtown Philadelphia. One day she
was looking out the window of the lab and saw a man jump from the building
across the street. She said he hit the ground landing partially on the curb
and on the street and his head was severed by the impact. Another day Kitty
was working in the lab alone and the notorious gangster Al Capone came in
with a wound of some sort, which she stitched. She told her daughter Bonnie
that although Capone didn’t tell her who he was she clearly recognized him
from newspaper photos and films.
Photos: Kitty at
work in the laboratory in downtown Philadelphia while still in her
teens and with a co-worker at the laboratory, 1930.
Kitty and her siblings always remained close even when separated by great
distances at times.
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Photo: Kitty,
her brother Edward and sister Isabella at Walnut Lane Golf Course.
Ed was home on leave from the Navy,1931. |
Photo: L-R Kitty
with her sister Isabella, 1930. |
Kitty was an accomplished actress in local theater and
performed with The Holy Family Players at Holy Family and at Saint John
The Baptist Churches in Manayunk and in other local venues. Years later
she applied her thespian skills directing and acting in local
productions in Arkansas.
An
account of the Holy Family Players from the Holy Family
centennial anniversary book, Church of the Holy Family
1885-1985.
Kitty not only acted in various theatrical productions in Philadelphia and
Arkansas, she actually directed productions as evidenced in this news story,
The Suburban Press, Feb. 16, 1950.
Kitty played the lead role in the Holy Family Players 1944 production of
Abie’s Irish Rose. She is said to have been in the first community theater
production of that show beyond Broadway. From the
Centennial Anniversary Book - Church of the Holy Family 1885-1985.
In
addition to her involvement with the Holy Family Players, Kitty was a member
of the Kendrick Dramatic Club, which in 1931 won the City tournament
among similar organizations, and in 1929 was awarded a cup. The following
excerpt from an article in a local newspaper February 16, 1933, author
unknown, lauded Kitty’s performance in one of the club’s popular
performances.
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“Kendrick” Has
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Fine Dramatic Organization
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Bart A. Hanlon Directs
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A Clever Group at
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Recreation Center
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| Several hundred residents of
this vicinity witnessed a demonstration of one of the finest
accomplishments of the development of young people which is promoted
at the local Recreation Centre, when the Kendrick Dramatic Club
staged a three-act mystery play “The Furies” in the auditorium of
the community building, at Ridge and Roxborough Avenue, on Monday
evening. … “Standing out among all
others for dramatic ability was Miss Katherine McColgan, who
portrayed the part of, “Mrs. Rhodes”. With every gesture, scornful
utterance and indignation, the rise and fall of her voice as she
gave her impression of her feelings, Miss McColgan presented a
splendid characterization of the part assigned her”. ...
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