Learn more about Marymount in the 1980s and the life of Mrs. Burschinger (mother of Maire Burschinger ’16) in this interview.

Mrs. Burschinger graduated from Marymount in 1985 and later attended Santa Clara University and Mount St. Mary’s College. She is now a happy art teacher who looks back fondly at her high school years. Take a look!

What attracted you to apply to Marymount?    

It was a Catholic school. It just seemed like the right place for me after nine years at a Catholic school.

Was it your first choice school? Yes!

What would you say is the most different about Marymount now and Marymount then? 

One difference is the transportation today compared to 1981. It was not easy because there weren’t any buses then. Parents or public transportation was the only way to get to school. I remember getting my driver’s license at 16 and then driving a station wagon full of my sisters and girls from the area to school everyday down the dangerous and busy Sunset Blvd.

What would you say is the same about Marymount now and Marymount then? 

The smallness of the class and how easy it was to get to know everyone in my class.  We only had 72 girls in my class.

What were the dances like? 

At dances, a band usually played.  I remember seeing Otis Day and the Knights (from the movie “Animal House”) play in the Leavey Gym (now known as Pavilion).  I also attended dances at other schools.  When I was a senior, Loyola had The Plimsoles, The Bangles (an all-girl band) and The English Beat play at their dances.

Was Loyola the go-to guy school back then? 

For me, it was. The summer after my junior year, at a Loyola dance, I met my husband.  We went to the Loyola and Marymount Proms together and eventually married eight years later.

If you had to summarize your four years at Marymount very briefly, what would you say?

Marymount is a very special place – a place where I met some of my dearest friends.  All of these women have similar attributes; they are poised, confident in their abilities and skills without being arrogant, quick to think of others, and able to feel at home in any situation.

Are you still in contact with girls you met at Marymount? 

Yes.  A small group of us get together occasionally for dinner to discuss our lives, families, and memories of Marymount.

What was the fashion trend?  

Girls had short hair with bangs; it was the early 80’s.

Did girls wear things they weren’t supposed to with the uniform? 

Our uniform was a navy blue jumper and many of us wore a white turtleneck under it instead of the white blouse. We also wore knee socks and saddle shoes.