In its 103-year-history, the school has gone through many memorable changes, including switching to a co-ed student body and moving from Downtown at 14th and Meridian streets to its current location on East 56th Street.

And as a member of the faculty, English teacher Mrs. Melinda Bundy Hon.’94 has seen, in person, 46 of those 47 years.

But her direct observation of all the happenings on the Hill will end at the conclusion of this school year, but when she closes her pink desk and, for the final time, tells a class as they leave Room 2316 in Loretto Hall, “I love you.” Bundy informed the administration on April 6 that she would retire, and her last day of instruction is scheduled for May 28.

This year, Bundy taught freshman honors English, speech, composition, and etymology but has instructed almost every class in the English department during her career and served as the department chairperson twice. The second time she was co-chairperson with Mrs. Barbara Fitzgerald.

Her two children, Brittany Bundy ‘05 and Bryce Bundy ’06, are Cathedral graduates, and her granddaughter, Ella, is a sophomore during Bundy’s final year.

Covid-19 forced Bundy to teach from home while her students remained in person. Bundy said, “This year has been really challenging because of (my) age. It’s hard because my classes are in person but I am online.”

This year was a challenge for everyone, but Bundy found herself working through the forced challenges of Covid-19. “Collecting papers, grading them, and then getting them back to my kids is a big challenge for me. My students have to have someone in the room with them at all times. Thank goodness we have the technology. I don’t know what I would’ve done my first year,” Bundy said.

Bundy explained that it was somewhat of a struggle to teach online when her students were in person. She said, “If I want to show a movie to my class, it is very difficult for them to watch it while I’m online.”

Bundy has been through many of the school’s changes over the years but she has remained Irish. From being Downtown to the current campus, from all boys to co-ed, to different types of grading and multiple schedule changes, Bundy’s commitment remained constant.

She said, “I love my kids. I love the tradition. Cathedral has always been a good fit for me. When I had bad times, they were with me. They were good to me. If you let the kids know how much you love them, they’ll show it back.”