Ursulines in Rural Schools

Ursuline Sisters became experts teaching in rural schools

By Dan Heckel, Mount Saint Joseph Staff

unlike girls her age in larger cities, Beatrice Peterson had no chance to attend high school in her small, rural community of St. Mary, Ky. That all changed in 1912, when Ursuline Sister Gabriel Hayden led a small group of Ursulines to teach at St. Charles School in Marion County.

“We were so happy to have them because there were not any public high schools in our county except one in Lebanon,” she said in a 1971 interview. “There were no buses at all. There was no such thing as a country girl getting a chance to go to a high school. The Sisters started teaching Latin and algebra and a few other things and made us very happy. We were going to get to learn something. I walked myself every day that I went to school until I was 18 years old, two miles there and two miles back. … Everybody in the county was so pleased that we had a chance to go to school.”

In 1914, Beatrice joined the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, taking the name Sister Mary Joseph. She served as a Sister for 61 years and was elected the community treasurer in three different decades. None of that would have happened if the Ursuline Sisters had not come to teach in her rural Kentucky school.

In their 109 years of existence, bringing quality education to the “country” schools in Kentucky and other states has been a hallmark of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph.

“I attended rural schools. I watched how happy the Ursulines were with so very little,” Sister Mary Matthias Ward said. “Yet they gave so much to each of us. I resolved that someday I would give this to others.”

The first three schools in which Sister Mary Matthias served were in small Kentucky towns – St. Peter of Alcantara in the Daviess County community of Stanley, St. Romuald School in Hardinsburg and St. Paul School in Leitchfield. Getting by with less was a staple for these schools.

“At Stanley we squeezed children in classrooms when we lost a teacher. Our resources were minimal to say the least, but working together, we learned. The older students helped the younger – we were three grades in a room.

“I worked at St. Paul, Leitchfield, for eight years (as principal). I’m still in touch with these folks. We worked, we played, we prayed together,” Sister Mary Matthias said. “I was able to give them experiences of seeing things they were not in touch with. Over a

These are the students at St. Charles School in Lebanon, Ky., in 1912, the year the Ursuline Sisters took over teaching there. In the third row are Sister Charles Gough, left, and Sister Gabriel Hayden. In the back row, the fifth girl from the right in the darker dress is Beatrice Peterson, who two years later became Sister Mary Joseph Peterson, OSU. Sister Mary Matthias Ward, right, gets an embrace from Frances Darst during her farewell party from St. Paul School in Leitchfield, Ky., in 1971. At right is Susie Clark. Sister Mary Matthias was principal of the school from 1963-71.

period of a month, we visited places like grocery stores, banks, the cheese factory and the Coca-Cola plant. We ended with a trip to Frankfort. Each time we wrote about our experiences.”

The Ursuline legacy continues in these communities, even though in several, the school closed long ago. “Our legacy lingers in individuals rather than the institution,” Sister Mary Matthias said.

In 1912, in order for the Ursulines of Mount Saint Joseph to form a community independent of the Ursulines of Louisville, they had to agree not to accept any schools in the city of Louisville for 20 years. To grow her young community, Mother Superior Aloysius Willett accepted requests from priests in small farming towns across Kentucky to lead their schools. Within 10 years, Ursuline Sisters were teaching in similar towns in Nebraska, New Mexico and Missouri.

Sister Mary Agnes VonderHaar attended a two-room school in Vine Grove, Ky., before attending Mount Saint Joseph Academy. She joined the Ursulines upon graduation in 1952, and after serving for nine years, she became principal of St. Ann School in Howardstown, Ky., where she also taught the fifth through eighth grades.

“It was a two-room school!” Sister Mary Agnes said. “I was delighted to use all the methods that I grew up with. One special thing about four grades in the same room is that the students learn so much as they study with the grades ahead of them to prepare for their next grade assignments.”

Many Ursuline Sisters came from small towns, and they immediately embraced teaching in rural communities. Their reputation was already established by 1923, when Brother Bede Rouse, a Xavierian Brother, included in his master’s thesis the ability of the Sisters to succeed in rural schools.

“These teachers have undertaken schoolwork in places where the comforts and conveniences of life are few, and where the spiritual advantages usually cherished by religious teachers are not always forthcoming,” Rouse wrote. … “The uniform success of this group of teachers in that field of parochial school activities attests a thoroughness of preparation for the work, which is highly commendable.”

Sister Mary Celine Weidenbenner is still serving in a rural Catholic school, Mary Carrico in the Daviess County community of Knottsville. The school has about 100 students, K-8. Her first 22 years as a Sister were served in rural schools.

“The benefits I experienced in the rural schools was the great faith community, and most of the people claiming the school as theirs with a commitment to keep it going for future generations,” Sister Mary Celine said. “Since I grew up in St. Teresa’s School in Glennonville, Mo., the rural school was more of a home for me. I believe I can do the best ministry when I am at home and included in the joys and sorrows.”

All of these Sisters emphasized that the key to success in rural schools is the mutual involvement of the parents, the Sisters, and the local community.

Sister Carol Shively served at St. Paul School in Leitchfield, St. Romuald in Hardinsburg and St. Teresa School in Glennonville, Mo.

“The challenges were there because physical resources were

limited, but the spirit of community and helping one another was out of this world,” Sister Carol said. “The challenges include not only leading a school community but being a part of the work for the community.”

The benefits of the small community are praying and working together with the people, Sister Carol said.

“Knowing the pain and suffering of those around us made us part of many families in the small, rural areas,” she said. “I learned how to

Sister Helen Ann Stuart with firstgraders at St. Romuald School in Hardinsburg, Ky., 1985.

Sister Mary Cabrini Foushee, left, and Sister Theresa Margaret Hite walk the hallways in 1994 during a farewell party at St. Paul School in Leitchfield, Ky. Sister Mary Cabrini was the principal and Sister Theresa Margaret was the librarian.

shoot at a shooting match for a school fundraiser.”

The limited resources of rural schools often meant an ongoing struggle just to keep the school open. This was true at St. Joseph School in San Fidel, N.M., where Sister Michael Ann Monaghan served in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s.

“We had a walkathon, we did grant writing, we got some help from the diocese,” Sister Michael Ann said. “The parents were very involved, they believed in our school. The way we tried to enter into community activities was very important. We were showing that we were happy to be there.” Sister Betsy Moyer was principal in San Fidel for five years, and served three more years at St. Mary School in tiny Pierce City, Mo. She said the commitment of the parents and the eagerness of the students to learn made her years in both places enjoyable. “Everyone shared what they had and came together to make things happen,” Sister Betsy said. “If you needed volunteers, they were there. If you needed food for a meeting, program, or party, it was there. If you needed manual labor, someone was there and ready with supplies and ideas.

“The Sisters helped the community strengthen their faith and their love for each other,” Sister Betsy said. “We were one with the people we served and those we taught. Rural appreciation versus city appreciation is valued in a deeper, more intense way. A rural community looks at you as one of them. If I had the choice to work in a city environment or a rural one, I would choose a rural setting, hands down. I had to work harder, but the support and love were greater in the long run.”

Sister Karla Kaelin was raised in a country setting outside of Louisville, so she felt at home in her early missions to New Haven and Stanley, Ky. She appreciated how families nearby looked out for one another.

“On Christmas Eve each year I went down to one family’s home (with eight children) and helped their mom play Santa Claus,” Sister Karla said. “We then went to Midnight Mass together at the parish.”

She quickly had to learn how to adjust to differing levels of preparation teaching the first and second grades.

“Some first-graders had not gone to kindergarten and did not know their ABCs. In other classrooms I had first- and secondgraders together, so in a sense I had double work in half the time allotted,” Sister Karla said. “Then we also had to fit in preparation for First Communion. It baffles me when I think about it.”

Sister Nancy Murphy taught in New Haven and Calvary, Ky., early in her years as a Sister, and said with limited resources, creativity was essential for the Ursuline teachers. She recalls taking advantage of an outdoor classroom for science classes.

“There is still a commitment and dedication to the Ursulines in these rural areas,” Sister Nancy said.

Sister Martha Keller’s first assignment was teaching 35 students in the third and fourth grades at Immaculate Conception School in Hawesville, Ky. Aside from excellent parental involvement – “I

Sister Pauletta McCarty teaching at St. Paul School in Leitchfield, Ky., 1958-59.

Sister Martha Keller, center, and former Sister Kathy Gallo to her right, on the playground at Immaculate Conception School in Hawesville, 1986.

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Sister Michael Ann Monaghan gathers with her sixth-grade class at St. Joseph School in San Fidel, N.M., in the 1990s. Sister Michael Ann served three stints in San Fidel, the last time as principal from 1989-96.

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never remember having to ask a second time for a form to be returned or to be concerned about enough drivers for field trips” – it was the spirit of community among the families that she recalls the most.

“When new families came into the school and community they were greeted very warmly and invited to become involved,” Sister Martha said. “It was a blessing to minister and pray with such a faith-filled community of Catholic families, who made family life and education a priority in their schedule.” Sister Martha said when she encounters families from her days in Hancock County, they tell stories about their former teachers.

“They frequently share wonderful stories about what great educators the Ursuline Sisters were for them personally,” Sister Martha said. “Even though there are no Ursuline Sisters ministering there today, I believe our mission of education and Christian formation continues to bear fruit in the people of God within that community of Hancock County.”n

Sister Mary Celine Weidenbenner helps a Mary Carrico student in Knottsville who was working on the causes of World War II.

Sister Larraine keynote for Chamber

Ursuline Sister Larraine Lauter (pictured on the far left) was the keynote speaker at the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce’s Sept. 2 Rooster Booster Breakfast at the Kentucky Legend Pier. Sister Larraine is the executive director of Water With Blessings, a nonprofit based in Louisville, Ky., which distributes filters to “water women” throughout the world (now 48 countries). The group has been busy lately helping Haiti. To find out more, visit waterwithblessings.org. Assistant Congregational Leader Sister Pat Lynch looks at the portrait of founder Father Paul Joseph Volk in its new home in Saint Joseph Villa. The Sisters held a prayer service and blessing on Nov. 1 when the portrait was moved from Paul Volk Hall after it closed.