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]
First 50 years of the College of Saint Benedict (CSB). Sister Dominica Borgerding was appointed the directress of the academy in 1909. When the college was established in 1913, she served as directress for both the academy and the college until 1918. Hers was an ample, progressive, hearty soul. Weeping girls were swept to her bosom, given a huge apple, and made to feel that all was right with the world. She is best known for her amazing gift for dramatics (Gable, OSB).
Schools in north-central Minnesota (1871-1909). The Benedictine sisters from St. Joseph, who were teaching in Moorhead in 1883, are identified as follows (left to right): Sisters Paula Bechtold, Alphonsa O'Donnell, Euphrasia Hirtenberger (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
Solemn first holy communion picture of young girl in a white dress, wearing a veil and gloves. She is standing by a table with a prayer book, rosary and candle..
Studio portrait of Reverend Nels Forde (1849-1917) and Nora Erickson Forde (1862-1924). Rev. Nels [Nils] Forde was ordained in 1876 serving congregations in Clay County, Minnesota (1876-1881), Amherst and Stevens Point, Wisconsin (1881-1892), and Indherred, Immanuel and St. John's Congregations in Pope County (1892-1917). Nels and Nora were married in 1882. Nora contributed her musical talents and leadership to the Young Peoples Society and church choirs.
Early years in St. Joseph, Minnesota (1863-1880). Soon after Mother Antonia (Margarethe) Hermann was born in Baden, Germany, her family immigrated to America. In 1857, Margarethe joined the Benedictine Convent in Erie, Pennsylvania. Four years later, 1861, she was sent to found a new convent in Chicago and was appointed prioress there in 1862. In 1868 Abbot Rupert Seidenbusch, without consulting the sisters in St. Joseph, brought Mother Antonia to St. Benedict's Convent and appointed her as prioress of that community. However, after the completion of her first term as prioress, she was elected by the community in St. Joseph for a second term. Mother Antonia, an able leader, helped the community face the challenges of the early years in St. Joseph. She introduced record and bookkeeping practices which are included in the community's archival collection. Mother Antonia lost the favor of Abbot Alexius Edelbrock when she negotiated to have the sisters discontinue doing the laundry and sewing for the monks at St. John's Abbey. She chose to resign as prioress and returned to her former community in Chicago. Later, she transferred to the Benedictine community in Yankton, SD, where she volunteered her services in the Dakota missions (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives; McDonald, pages 65-73).
This is a photograph of Rev. J. G. Lagerstrom, who served as a minister to Swedish Lutheran congregations at Mooers Prairie in Wright County and at Norseland in Nicollet County.
This is a photograph of Rev. and Mrs. Michael Sandell. Rev. Sandell was the minister at the First Lutheran Church in St. Peter from 1871 to 1874 and from 1892 until 1902.
Studio portrait of Reverend Magnus Koefod. He was born in Norway on March 9, 1848. He was pastor of Indherred Lutheran Church in Starbuck, Minnesota from 1875 until 1892.
Studio portrait of Reverend Peter S. Reque (July 15, 1842-October 4, 1879). Reque served in the Civil War. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri in 1869. He was called to "Vor Frelsers Menighet" and was the first resident Lutheran pastor in Pope and Stevens counties.
This is a photograph of Dr. John Sander, who was the head of the German department at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter until his resignation in 1903. Dr. Sander was also a co-founder of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church, also known as Trinity Lutheran Church, in 1892. He served as pastor until 1902.