Pre-K ProgramSisters Remembered
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Sisters Remembered
Deep respect, appreciation and gratitude for the presence of the Sisters is evident in remembered stories from those early school years and up to the present.
While three of the first sisters left within several years and were replaced by others, the first principal, Irish born Sr. Mary Hilda spent twenty five years in her beloved Solomons. "She loved animals, children and teaching. Under her diligent tutelage, even her pet parakeet developed a 200 word vocabulary," remembers Sr. Ruth Parent, who was stationed as temporary organist replacing Sr. Beatrice who had died. She also recalls "outside recreation", skipping rope around the island in full habit with Sr. John Martin Herzog. "She was truly a free spirit."
Sr. Mary Raphael, Sr. Joseph Mary, Sr. Louise Joseph, Sr. Mary Hilda 1938
Sr. Hilda was revered by all who knew her. In his Mass notes of April, 1938, Fr. Alexander wrote: "Sister Hilda - critically ill - pneumonia. I ask your Communion and prayers for her. It would indeed be a glorious day for her, if God were now to call her to the eternity of glory which she has merited by years of utter self renunciation and burning zeal for His glory and the welfare of His children here below - for her Glorious indeed, but sad, exceedingly sad for Solomons. Your Communion, please and your fervent prayers this morning for her recovery." Sr. Hilda escaped her bout with pneumonia and lived out the rest of her days in Solomons until frailty forced her retirement to Holy Family Home in Melbourne, Kentucky. She died shortly thereafter in January, 1960.
Sr. Louise Joseph Erpenbeck who arrived in 1934 stayed at OLSS for sixteen years. "She worked herself to pieces," remembers Betty Lou Lankford Curran. "She brought out the best in us. You couldn’t find a better nun." The Lankford children were among those first students at OLSS.
The Calvert Review, September 23, 1938 edition reports: "A class of forty-six children and two adults was confirmed at our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Solomons Island last Sunday. Bishop McNamara questioned the children in Catechism and found they had been well prepared by the Sisters of Divine Providence who conduct the parish grade school and high school. His Excellency praised the Sisters for all they have done and said he knew they were a consolation to the pastor and had the gratitude of the members of the congregation."
Sr. Mary Beatrice Nichols began her ministry of teaching at OLSS in 1940, spending eighteen years in Solomons. "Everybody loved Sr. Beatrice," recalls Margaret Langley. "She liked the children and was nice to everyone." Margaret had numerous firsthand experiences of the kindness of the sisters as she volunteered helping serve lunch in the school or substituting in the classroom while Sr. Beatrice or Sr. Hermana were out because of extended illness.
Within the first nine years enrollment steadily increased and the need for a separate school building was evident. Fr. Alexander was informed by the Archbishop that he should provide floor plans for a structure that would "cost not one postage stamp over $30,000." Once again Fr. Alexander’s campaign of raising necessary funds began.
The enormity of the mailings, remembered Sister Louise Joseph Erpenbeck, was impressive. "Wheelbarrows of letters would go out and wheelbarrows of responses would come in." Even the kids helped with the begging letters, typing and folding in the summer months.
In the appeal to his meager congregation, Fr. Alexander wrote: "School Building Fund - $10,000 is most urgently needed to put up a 4 room School on the grounds, where we will have what is needed according to all School regulations—light, ventilation, ample school rooms. We are conducting the school in the basement of the Church under great difficulties. The Sisters are making heroic efforts to establish this School on a permanent basis. Their heroic struggle fills us with admiration. Be generous. God will bless you if you will aid to build this school. When you return home, can you not get up a card party or Bingo for this purpose! Put on your thinking cap and see what you, aided by your friends at home can do. God will not fail to richly reward you for the sacrifice of time, effort and money that you make towards the building of this simple but efficient school. The second collection at the end of the Mass will be for the School Fund."
"My people here are utterly unable to build this school; they are so few in numbers. The total collections since I began to beg for it over a period of 3 months to date is $296.71. May the Providence of God send friends who will enable me to put up this School so that the spiritual and intellectual force that is in the Sisters, through this School will greatly strengthen the Faith of my little congregation and bring in many converts to the Church. For the love of the dear Christ, and his little children, please put on your thinking cap and see what you can do."
These appeals and the tenacity, dedication and generosity of parishioners prevailed and by January 1942, Our Lady Star of the Sea Academy was ready for occupancy. One hundred eleven students began attending classes in the new school for the second semester. This included 26 in high school, 73 in intermediate and lower grades, and 12 in kindergarten.
Fr. Alexander’s admiration and support of the sisters grew. "I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Sisters for their heroic work all through the year and through the hot weather with the Summer School. I am sure we do not realize the ceaseless effort they have made in behalf of your children, nor can you really understand the boundless debt of gratitude that we all owe them, children, parents, and Pastor. We wish them a most pleasant vacation, all too short, and a most fruitful retreat, as they will be going away in a few days to make their Annual Retreats. I ask your prayers and your Communion for them all until we meet again at the opening of the School in September."
In Fr. Alexander’s notes of August 17, 1941, an entry for the Sunday announcements states: "Doll Baby Family is being chanced off by the Sisters to help pay for the books for the School. We have a Free, Catholic School. Even the books are free. The expense is very great. I have four Sisters, and will have five in September when the School reopens, a Bus driver to pay, gas and many other expenses. Be generous, unusually generous at the second collection and be sure not to pass the Doll Family without taking some chances."
There was no tuition in those early days and only in the '50s was it necessary to begin to access $5 per family as a payment for education offered.
The school was the last of Father Alexander’s completed projects before his death in 1946. It was not the last of his planned projects, however. His final report to the Archbishop dated June 29, 1946, less than a month before his death, recommended that instead of mending the school roof, an additional four rooms be built over the existing rooms to accommodate the population growth expected in the county. That summer on July 11, 1946, Father Alexander died, leaving behind a firmly established parish, a school, and a mission church where he had found nothing on his arrival 27 years prior.
Father Alexander deeded the rectory (on the site of the present convent at the corner of Sedwick and Alexander Lane) to the Sisters of Divine Providence. At his death in 1946, before a new pastor had been appointed, the community of sisters moved into their new home. The already aged building was in dire need of repairs. Sisters sleeping in bedrooms on the top floor dealt with the leaky roof. Drafty windows and creaky floorboards were a continual nuisance. The “storm of the year” arrived and left the interior of the house drenched with paint peeling and wallpaper falling. Repairs to the roof were made by parishioners who responded to new pastor, Fr. Gerald Cole’s appeal for help with carpentry, painting and cleaning.
Convent which burned in 1960
A short time later on the day after Sr. Hilda died in 1960, the convent burned to the ground while the Sisters were in school. Neighboring parishioners rushed to salvage as much as possible. Raymond Lankford recalls saving the Blessed Sacrament from the convent chapel. Faulty electrical wiring was blamed for the fire.
The convent and contents were completely destroyed. Fr. Cole invited the Sisters to stay in the rectory while he stayed with parishioners until a new convent was built. They moved back to the corner of Alexander Road into the new brick rectory built in 1958, which today serves as the Parish Office. Neighbors, friends, pupils, Sisters of other congregations, strangers, both Catholic and non-Catholic responded with food, clothing and financial help. The outpouring of Christian charity and sympathy was overwhelming and another display of affection and support of the Sisters of Divine Providence and their ministry in Solomons.
Sr. John Martin, Sr. Marcia, Sr. Alice, Sr. Cyrilla, Sr. Hermana
The "new" convent provides comfortable living quarters for the Sisters serving at Our Lady and accommodates their guests. Numerous Sisters over the years stationed in the Baltimore, Washington and Maryland area celebrated a holiday or community gathering in beautiful Solomons. Many others spent time over the summer months volunteering to provide Vacation Bible School at Our Lady as well as its mission church in Prince Frederick, St. John Vianney. Visiting and vacationing Sisters have always been warmly welcomed as they’ve enjoyed the sights and sounds of this beautiful southern Maryland treasure. |
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