St Joseph Commercial High School - Parmentier Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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as flawiicd Slept Za Bwufmfi Learn to clo by doing . is surely expressed llere by tlle Seniors in tlie various activities ol ollice assistants getting' lirst llancl experience in tlie oltiee ol' our lyelovecl Principal ,- Sister St. Benemlift. Here, ttie regular clerical routine is enjoyecl uncler tlie liinclly guiclanee ol' Sister. Under tllis priceless guiclance. we put in action ilu- essentials ol olliee practice. Among tlie various activities ol tlie sefretary are typing. liling, keeping anrl clieclqing reeorcls. ancl other miscellaneous lxusiness praetiees. XXWIIICII tlre Seniors leave tlie portals ol tlleir lvelovecl Alina Nlater, ancl enter tlie patlis ol Ille lmusiness worlml, we are certain tlley will llolml clear to tliein, all tlie lqnnwleclge tlley llave attainell in Sisteris ollliee. - lxlARl0N CAs'l'ral.l.ANo '-ll

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74MuZ'e la 7fze ljafamenifim Through the foresight, generosity and kindness of the noted Parmentier family who bequeathed to the Sisters of St. Joseph, our Faculty, their beautiful mansion and garden on Bridge Street, we have been blessed with the happiness of a suc- cesslul business training in our present St. Joseph Commercial High School, known as uparmentier Memorial.,' It seems only fitting that we, the graduates of 1041, should offer a tribute to the memory ol those great promoters ol Catholic Action and pioneers ol social service, the Parmentier Family. Andre Parmentier was born in Belgium in 1780 and in 1815. married Sylvia Parmentier. They came to New York and Brooklyn in 1824. While here, both labored zealously for the missionaries who at this time had to meet with almost unconquerable obstacles and hardships. During these dark days, there were a lew brilliant leaders who served as beacon lights, among whom the most illuminating was Madame Sylvia Parmentier. By her moral and material aid she proved a great stimulus to those noble souls who endeavored to plant the seeds oi Christen- dom on the rough and rocky shores of the United States. Bishop Du Bois was an ever welcomed guest at the home ol the Parmentiers on Bridge Street and his room was preserved almost as he left it in 1839, up to the death ol the last member oi the family in 1908. Father Edwin Sorlin, C.S.C. founder of Notre Dame University also enjoyed the hospitality of the Parmentier home. Rev. Peter De Smet, the Jesuit- missionary who labored with unceasing patience among the indians, was also a recipient of Madam Sylvia's kindness. But the Parmentier charity did not end here. lt encompassed that noble band ol missionaries, the Little Sisters oi the Poor, in the United States. ln fact. Father Lelievre with Mrs. Sylvia's son-in-law, Edward Bayer, rented the first little Home for these Sisters, even before they had arrived in the country. This residence was on DeKalb and Bushwick Avenues. Madame Parmentier accom- panied these little Sisters on their tours of collection until they were acquainted with the city and the customs. Madame Parmentier gave unlimited assistance to the Sisters oi Providence. ln reality she was the co-loundress of the Order. It was through the uniailing generosity of Madame Parmentier that the community was provided for and grad- ually grew in size until today, St. Mary of the Woods, conducted by the Sisters of Providence, is recognized as one of the foremost educational institutions in the country. In the parlor of the mother house is a life-size portrait of Mother Theo- dore, founder, and beside it one of Madame Parmentier, co-loundress, a lasting tribute oi homage to their efforts and accomplishments in founding the Sisters ol Providence. Another great work ol Madame Parmentier was the organization ol a taber- nacle society oi pious women who made vestments and altar linens and distributed them to poor missions worthy oi such charity. Madame Sylvia did much to help the struggling little Church ol St. James on Jay Street, Brooklyn, and her family was among the first to help in organizing St. Pauls parish on Court Street. Truly, no missionary was permitted to pass the Parmentier residence without first partalking oi aid in some form to sustain them in their noble work. Madame Parmentier also founded many Conlraternities, among which the Holy Childhood was the most outstanding and widely known. When Madame Parmentier passed away her encomium was summed up in these words, Her life was saintly: her works, those of a saint. -DOROTHY L. SHPE '41

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14 Our Uimoic of dreams was only marie possiinie tilrougii tile generous and icinciiy cooperation of our many friends and beneiactors. To all who have, in any Way, assisted in time realization of this golden treasure of memories, we gratefully offer our sincerest wisii that they will enjoy tile weaitii which is stored therein. f-1 LILLIAN KEARNS '41