St Francis Xavier Academy - Xavier Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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(Jlje Gllaas {fropeqj JUNE. 1931 SISTER Mary Blanche was in her office and was very busy. She was the registrar at the College, and so each day's mail brought her an additional task. Uncle Sam had reminded her many times of late that the tenth anniversary of her graduation from Saint Xavier’s was close at hand, and that she must soon begin prepara- tions to carry out the work assigned her by her Class, the famous forty-one. On graduation day at St. Xavier’s, June, 1921, the class appointed a reunion committee and persuaded Cath- erine Louth, now Sister Mary Blanche, to continue to be the Chronicler of the class in the years to come, as she had so faithfully kept the record of events during the school years. Catherine promised that she would keep herself informed as to the destiny of the dear forty-one in order to be able to assist the Committee appointed on that day. to plan for a reunion at the end of a decade of years. How remarkably Providence had come to her assistance! When Catherine left dear Saint Xavier’s, she regretted very much that the Sisters of Mercy had no college in Providence where she might complete her education with them. Since there was no alternative, she went to Pembroke for her college career, and in June, 1925, was graduated with distinctive honors from that institution. Lady Day of the same year found her back at her old Alma Mater, loved St. Xavier’s, this time in the ranks of the Sisterhood. While Catherine, now Sister Mary Blanche, was making her novitiate—was it her prayers that had brought it about?—Mercy College, the first Catholic Woman’s College of Rhode Island, was begun at Mount Saint Rita’s. It was formally opened in 1928, and three members of the class of 1921, who had joined Catherine in the Novitiate, were appointed as members of the staff. Sister Mary Blanche. Registrar and teacher of Latin; Gertrude Fitzpatrick, now Sister Mary Naomi, teacher of English, and Madeline Manning, Sister Mary Josabeth, teacher of French. The work of the Sister Registrar for the first year was to file the record of all the members of Saint Xavier’s Alumnae (might not some of the senior members have daughters who were leady for college?) to communicate with them, and to assure them that sin e it was “ The Xavier” Page Tn en y-Three

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schools, Father Stadleman hopes that his books may reach non-Catholic institutions, so that Catholics there may learn something of their religion. Realizing the scope of Father Stadleman’s work, the International Federation of Catholic Alumnae has responded to his appeal. The Federation has established, in its Department of Education, a bureau of Revised Braille. This was accomplished through the efforts of Miss Louise Banton of Emmitsburg, Maryland. During the World War she contributed her quota of service to our Country by mastering the Revised Braille System and transcribing books for the soldiers who had become blind. Just after the War, May, 1919, the I. F. C. A. held its third biennial convention, at which Miss Banton suggested a resolution that Catholic blind children be provided with Catholic literature. She generously offered her knowledge to the Federation, even proposing to teach the course by correspondence. The Federation gladly adopted her plan, and Miss Banton began work at once. Before the close of the year she had issued twenty- eight certificates, and the recipients of these commenced the work of transcription. Some of the books transcribed were Joyce Kilmer’s “Memoirs, “The Life of Cardinal New- man,” “Blind Rosa, and The Life of Saint Anthony.” The course required to fit one for the work of transcribing extends over a period of three months. The student first memorizes the Braille alphabet, then transcribes ordi- nary print into the Revised Braille. These transcriptions are corrected by a proof- reader and, when perfect, are presented to Reverend Father Stadleman, who arranges for the printing, binding, and circulation of books. He leaves the transcriber free to select whatever Catholic book she may wish to offer, provided it has not already been done. The printing of books is only one feature of the work undertaken by the I. F. C. A. The Chairman also wishes that members of the Federation locate the Catholic blind in their neighborhood so that they may be given the opportunity of learning Chris- tian Doctrine and of receiving books which are lent free by the Xavier Free Publication Society. I am happy to be able to complete this little account by reporting that a class in Revised Braille has been formed at our own beloved Academy. Miss Trainor, a blind teacher, and Mrs. Taff of the I. F. C. A. come to Saint Xavier’s every Saturday from Boston to conduct the class work. The class consists of four Sisters of St. Xavier’s Con- vent and members of the three federated Alumnae Associations of Rhode Island—Elm- hurst, Bayview and St. Xavier’s. We congratulate these members on their noble, self-sacrificing spirit and we trust that their generous labors will inspire many others to follow them. —Elizabeth Williams ‘There is so much bad in the best of us. And so much good in the worst of us. That it hardly behooves any of us. To talk about the rest of us. Page Twenty-Two “The Xavier

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they who made Mercy College possible, the College Would always look to them for protection, for guidance, for encouragement. Sister Mary Blanche was sitting at her desk sorting mail on the morning our narrative opens. She raised her head and looked out across the beautiful landscape of the surrounding country. Truly, she thought, this scenery rivals the beauties of Switzer- land. Just see the hills bathed in their soft, half-purple, half-silvery haze, separated by that winding avenue so prettily arched with majestic pines! While she gazed at the beauty and appreciated it as though seeing it for the first time, she heard the toot of a horn and presently she saw a handsome Lincoln speeding towards the college. After a few moments, she recognized two of her old classmates, Olive Dana and Alice Donahue, the two who had been appointed with her to the Reunion Committee in 1921. She hastily summoned Sister Mary Naomi and Sister Mary Josabeth, and all three hurried down the driveway to welcome the dear girls. After the exchange of glad greetings, the five of '21 strolled about for a little while to enjoy the beauties of nature and to talk over old times. They soon returned to Resident s Hall, and to the Registrar’s office on the first floor of that building. Sister Mary Blanche was about to take down the first volume of registration when Alice ex- claimed,—“Oh, yes Sister, we love all the dear girls of S. X. A., but some other day we shall begin with 1852. Today let us open the record of the class of 1921. And as she spoke she reached up to secure the treasured volume. “You know it is now ten years since that glorious June, 1921, and our reunion is planned for August, 1931. Only six weeks to gather the girls together—but the preparations have been making for ten years!” Sister M. Naomi and Sister M. Josabeth had been busy arranging chairs at the long table and providing blank books and pencils for all. As Alice ceased speaking, Sister M. N.aomi invited all to “draw in.” ‘Oh, Sister, tell us where is Catherine Fitzgerald, Helen Phelan, Lil---- “I see, my dear, you are the same impetuous Olive as of old. Now let us save time by being somewhat systematic. The names are all arranged alphabetically (or acccording to profession) and we shall take them as they come. Each girl has her own section, and I leave plenty of space so that I may add something from every letter I receive. I think there is no detail omitted, for the class of 1921 has con- tinued true to its old principle of reliability. Every one promised to write to me once a year and so far the record is intact. Now we are ready—A—.” “Oh, Sister, what about Margaret Allen?” “Margaret is now in Detroit and is private secretary to the Governor. “Isn’t that grand!” “Agnes Ashworth, Sister? “Agnes is in Waltham. She and three others, Catherine Flynn, Lillian Byrnes, and Julia Walsh are teachers at the flourishing Elizabeth Mulvey Business College of that city.” “O----------h!” Margaret Mary Barry, as you know, is a professor at the Rhode Island College of Pharmacy. Page Trvcnty-Four ‘The Xavier