Archives Department papers

From an article written for Shop Talk with Archivists, Volume 4, No. 1, March 1988, the newsletter of the archivists' section of the American Benedictine Academy. Sister Vivian Ivantic, OSB and Sister Eleanore Hillenbrand, OSB presented this history and description of the Priory Archives at Saint Scholastica Priory, Chicago, Illinois. At that time, Sister Vivian Ivantic, OSB had been serving in the role of community archivist for about 10 years.

The Benedictine Sisters of Chicago were founded in 1861 by members of Mount St. Benedict Convent, Erie, PA with the assistance of Sisters from St. Joseph Convnet, St. Marys, PA. Thus roots can be traced directly to St. Walburga's Abbey, Eichstatt, Germany. Young women cane (sic) to join them begining in early 1862. The Sisters' primary work was the education of young women in the academies and of boys and girls in the parochial schools.

During the destructive Chicago Fire of 1871 the Sisters and their students escaped with their lives. All community properties were lost excpt the Vow documents and a small statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The new mother house, SS. Benedict & Scholastica Convent, was based on Orleans Street, Chicago from 1872 until 1907 when the novitiate was transferred to the new location, St. Scholastica Convent on Ridge Boulevard. When the prioress moved there some years later it was designated as the motherhouse.

Very few documents and artifacts have come down to us. We have a copy of all the Vow papers, a listing of those women who became novices whether they remained or not, Minutes of the elections of prioresses; Minutes of the Board of Managers and of Community Chapters. These are kept in the office of the prioress in a fire-resistant safe.

Lack of space in Motherhouse and on Missions was always a problem. Individuals had very little space for storing "valuables" and house superiors did not have much more. A still more serious problem was that of Sisters falling victim to tuberculosis and, consequently, the destruction, usually, by burning, of whatever was handled by the critically ill.

Today, the priory archives are growing in what was formerly the Altar Bread Department. This is a large, bright, sunny room with no temperature or humidity control but a nice place to work in. It has been renamed the "Heritage Room" and now houses five multi-drawer letter/legal files, several bookcases, two display cases, excellent workspace, and a fine typewriter.

Displayed on the walls are art objects: paintings, embroideries and laces made by our Sisters and photographs of our prioresses. In cabinets are some samples of our Sisters' workmanship: china painting, hand-made candles, and items of special significance: awards, watches, rosaries, a set of "nun dolls" including one in the dress of a lay sister, and other memorabilia.

One large case houses books that document what religious were studying, reading and praying in the 1920's through the 1950's Another has volumes of Our Community, a chronicle, collected during the fourteen years of its existence. Still another holds whatever theses we were able to get our hands on and the published works of our Sisters. We have the yearbooks of our Chicago high school during all their years of publication and some publications from our Canon City, Colorado school.

Many snapshots are in albums which are indexed for quick reference. There is a growing collection of slides and tapes. The greatest number of tapes focuses on our religious celebrations and on community meetings but the number of recording reflections, homilies and speeches is growing. The celebration of our 125th year of existence in 1986 resulted in three videotapes.

The stairway leading to the Heritage Room is lined with official photographs of our jubilarians which could be found; the lower stairway has displays of our history; our European background, the American scene and local events. Currently, there is a display of the awards our Sisters have received.

Members are encouraged to donate materials which are placed in the individual's drop file. The drop file is open to the Sister any time she wishes to examine it; when it becomes too full, some materials are removed and put into Hollinger boxes.

The publication of the monthly NEWSLETTER: a bit of history, biography, anecdotes, and listings of gifts received has been a major source of donations to the archives.

A few rare items in our collections are: a handwritten copy, in English, of The Constitutions of St. Scholastica's Priory, Atherstome, Warewickshire, dated 1869 and A Spiritual Retreat for Eight Days dated 1822; a handwritten copy in German, dated 1864, of The Constitutions for the Abbey of Saint Walburga, Eichstatt, Germany; and a sixteen page parchment book of miniatures painted by Sister Celestine Fischer focusing on the Hours of the Divine Office and the Sequence for the Feast of Saint Benedict.

Sister Genevieve Harrison wrote Where There Was Need, an unpublished history of our community from 1861 to 1961. This is being updated in the Archives Newsletter. During the celebration of our 125th year of existence the NEWSLETTER published a thumbnail sketch of each member who had died.

What is being collected today? Anything that reflects life in community: calendars of activities, certificates and diplomas, liturgical life, community meetings, minutes of meetings, histories of the parishes where we are and were involved, tapes: audio and video, photos, newspaper clippings and school records.

Eventually there will be an area set aside for archives that meets with national standards. Until then, we collect, sort, file, and hope. (March 1988)