Alfred Elowson locks an exterior door at Salem Mission Church. This small photo was used in the "50 Years With Christ" booklet celebrating Salem's 50th anniversary.
Schools in St. Cloud (1869-1909).The sister-faculty of St. Mary's Parochial School in 1900 are identified as follows: (seated from left to right): Sisters Chrysostom Sanz, Wilhelmina Kahl, Cornelia Berg, Raymond Otto, Dionysia Meinhardt; (Standing): Sisters Carmel Fruth, Cleta Kurth, Evarista Stenzenberger, Loyola Kapsner, Rosebia Sieverding. The following summarizes the background of the sisters' presence in St. Mary's Parish, St. Cloud, MN: 1. Although the sisters left St. Cloud in 1863 because of the public versus parochial school controversy, it is not surprising that they accepted the invitation in 1869 to return to St. Mary's Parish which had been their first home when they came to Minnesota in 1857. This time they were specifically invited to teach in the District/Independent School which was located in the former St. Mary's Church adjacent to the convent. This school served as the parochial school for the growing St. Mary's Parish, but it was becoming inadequate. 2. When in 1875 the state legislature endorsed the concept that both the "District" and "Independent" Schools would be supported by local taxation, influential citizens spearheaded the building of a district school near St. Mary's Church. This new school continued its unique position as the district/parochial school and employed some sisters as teachers; the sisters also continued teaching in the original school adjacent to the convent--it became known as the "sisters' school." 3. However, despite the 1875 legislation, school conflicts continued to rage. So the sisters decided to withdraw from their teaching positions in the district school and put all of their energies into the convent school. Because of the rapid growth of the parish, the sisters could not accommodate all the children who wished to attend the convent school. It was at that point (1886-1887) that St. Mary's parishioners, after 25 years of conflict, built their first real parochial school ([Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives Witte, pages 77-78).
Group portrait of the Home Mission Society. Back row: Pearl Franklin, Grace Dryer, Marie Schumacher, Ann Schumacher. Middle row: Elsie Sponagle, Rose Lindeman, Pauline Shipman, Emma Gaffney, and Gladys Schmidt. Front row: Mary Kelly, Annie Lueck, Anna Schmidt, Amanda Lindeman, and Sara Lindeman.
Besides fostering the mission of education, especially the academy, in which the sisters of St. Benedict's Convent were engaged by 1880, Mother Scholastica Kerst is best known for fearlessly launching the community into the new field of health care. Under her leadership, St. Benedict's Convent flourished as did the hospitals in Bismarck, Duluth and St. Cloud. During her administration of nine years, the membership of the community increased from 57 to 164; the number of parochial schools staffed by the sisters had grown from 10 to 28; the orphanages, schools and hospitals became monuments of her enterprise and executive ability. Mother Scholastica had the spirit of the American frontier in her blood. Mother Scholastica (Catherine) Kerst was born in Prussia in 1847 and came to St. Paul, MN, with her parents in her infancy. She entered St. Gertrude's Convent, Shakopee, MN, in 1862, two days after its establishment. Bishop Thomas Grace, O.P., of St. Paul, required that she spend some of her formation period at St. Gertrude's founding motherhouse in St. Marys, PA. This experience in a well-established, older convent and her own flair for leadership and good business, gave her the impetus to request permission to establish a convent in St. Paul with four other sisters. Instead, church authorities advised her to transfer to St. Benedict's Convent, St. Joseph, MN, which she did in 1877. Three years later Abbot Alexius Edelbrock appointed her prioress of St. Benedict's Convent. [Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives ; McDonald, ppage93-95]
This is a photograph of Rev. Aaron H. Kerr, a Presbyterian minister in St. Peter, who became the chaplain of Minnesota's Ninth Regiment of Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War.
This is a photograph of Rev. I. O. Nothstein, who served as the minister of the First English Lutheran Church in St. Peter from 1902 until 1906. The church is now known as Trinity Lutheran Church.
This is a photograph of Rev. Moses Newton Adams and his wife. Adams was a Presbyterian minister and missionary at Traverse des Sioux. He became the Indian Agent at the Sisseton Agency in 1871.
Rabbi David Aronson, Senator Hubert Humphrey and Rabbi Kassel Abelson pose standing for the camera. Rabbis Kassel Abelson and David Aronson led the Beth El Synagogue congregation during the years it was located on Penn Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The photo with Senator Humphrey was taken at the Penn Avenue building. Aronson especially worked closely with Humphrey during Humphrey's tenure as Minneapolis mayor to improve North side inter-community relations during the late 1940s and early 50s.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Five former pastors of the Salem Mission Church gather for an informal portrait at the church in 1940. Pictured are, from left to right, Reverends C.V.S. Engstrom, Raymond A. Johnson, Axel E. Smedberg, E.O. Franklin, C.V. Anderson
First 50 years of the College of Saint Benedict (CSB). Sister Grace McDonald contributed an immeasurably important service to the community in gathering and researching the materials that led to her publishing the story of the first 100 years of the community. Without her notes and the materials she collected over a period of many years, the archives would not have the records of the community's development that it now enjoys. Though she kept no administrative files as an archivist, she is considered the first community archivist (from 1933 to 1963) because of her role as collector, researcher and writer.
Wedding portrait of George Worm and Ethel Schmitt. Seen is the wedding party from left to right: unknown groomsman, flower girl Shirley Williams, Harold Schmitt, George Worm, Ethel Schmitt, unknown groomsman, and Harriet Pink.