Mount St Mary Academy - Mercian Yearbook (Little Rock, AR)

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FUHEWUHD The year 1954 sees for Mount St. Mary's a dream come true, a long-range plan ful- filled, a self-sacrificing project finally realized. Rising on the back slope of the campus, a new St. Mary's is nearing completion as another monument to the educational en- deavors of the Sisters of Mercy in Little Rock. Supplementing the present buildings erected in 1908, 1922, and 1928, the new high school building, which will open its doors in September, will be a tribute to the interested patronage of our Most Rev. Bishop Fletcher and the clergy, to the generosity of patrons and friends, to the loyalty of former pupils, and to the efforts and self-sacrifice of the Sisters, in particular to Sister Mary Mark, RSM, superior, former principal and faculty member, whose long-range vision for many years is resulting in a dream come true. We have loved St. Mary's during our years here under her tutelage, and we rejoice in her progress. The fear that perhaps the new building will usher out the St. Mary's We know and love overtakes us, but we realize the foolishness of such a thought, be- cause it is not the building we love. St. Mary's is a school wherein we and numerous others have been, are being, or will be educated, she is the foster mother of all who enter here, she is, more than any other, the guide and the influence behind our future decisions, and she will be in the years to come a source of our fondest and richest memories. Like the old, the new structure will take its worth from the virtues of the people within its walls. Under the patronage of Our Lady of Mercy and dedicated to the service of her Divine Son, our Sisters spend their lives in a labor of love-training young women to love God, to know Him, to serve Him, and to honor and emulate His Virgin Mother and our Mother. What more beautiful tribute can we pay to her than to dedicate to Mary, on the feast of Our Lady of Mercy, in Marian Year, a New Marian Hall, named in her honor. In the MERCIAN of 1954, we have chosen our theme from the Holy Father's Marian Year Prayer as we present the Misses of the Mount at work, at play, and at prayer, under the protection of our Heavenly Mother. Inspired by the splendor of your heavenly beauty, and impelled by the anxieties of the World, we cast ourselves into your arms, O Immacu- late Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mary, confident of finding in your most loving heart appeasement of our ardent desires, and a safe harbor from the tempests which beset us on every side .... -Pius XII, Marian Year Prayer. 3

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UEUICATIUN A hundred years ago Pope Pius IX declared the Immaculate Conception of Mary to be a dogma of Catholic faith. In celebration of the anniversary of a century of devotion to Mary Immaculate, 1954 has been declared by Pope Pius XII to be the Marian Year. We desire to honor Our Lady in a special manner this year, entertaining the hope that the world will return to the Prince of Peace, from whom it has strayed. Students of Mt. St. Mary's have always fostered in their hearts an ardent love for Mary, and she has been our guiding light throughout our school years. Our social and scholastic life is centered around the Sodality of Mary. We sing her hymns, recite her Office, and pray her Rosary. We purpose to follow her example and imitate her virtues so that we may join with her in giving glory to her Divine Son, who gave her to us as truly our Mother, from whom we derive inspiration and consolation when we have need of it. In manifesting our devotion to the Blessed Virgin, We humbly and lovingly dedicate to her the 1954 Mercian, with its theme of the Marian Year. May it bring from her a smile of approval making us worthy to address her as Our Queen and Our Mother. O mary, Conceiuec! Wfdouf Sn, may jar uf me ,Juana facoume ja jfzee. U 5