The Goderich Signal-Star, 1973-11-08, Page 15THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 197 3
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St, Joseph's Convent and Separate School as it ap-
when the first Sisters of that order travelled from
to Goderich In 1873 is shown in this sketch -by the
Ian Photo Engraving Bureau which appeared in a
On by the Goderich Board of Trade dated March 25,
. a
1889. The publication was printed as the "Goderich
Illustrated Signal -Star", one of the first combined operations
of -the two local newspaperswhich in later years were to
combine as one. (staff photo)
In the 1889 Goderich Board of Trade's Illustrated Signal -Star"
this home is shown as the residence of Philip Holt at the cor-
ner of North and Anglesea Streets. In 1971 that property was
purchased from- Clyde Everett by the parish to replace the
outmoded St. Joseph's Convent. The former convent and
Separate School now serves as facilities for Oueen,Elizabeth
School. (staff photo)
The Sisters of St.
ding io the, annals of
Goderich St.:Joseph's con-
'tarly in 1573 the "people
pastors of the Goderich
began to realize the im-
good accomplished by
'Sisters in London".
a result Father Bouhat,
torofGoderich, travelled to
Mother House at London to
use the possibility of
ring the establishment of
otnmunity in his ,parish.
it was the `dearest wish of
heart to place t he education
c►f his children in the hands of
religious," the annals note,
"and Reverend Mother
promised to take the matter
into Consideration and decided
in the affirmative."
he
Selection of her subjects was
the next problem facing the
Reverend Mot her.
"One evening the
Sisters'assemhled in the corn=
munity room (of the Mother
House) to hear the expected an-
nouncement.," the account ex-
plains, "as to who were the ap-
pointed ones for rhe new
mission."
"Each held her breath while
awaiting the names of the
chosen few and the final com-
mand to go forth. The appoin-
ted group, Sister Vincent,
Superiores, Sister. Francis,
assistant, were to have charge
of the school, Sister Patricia
Mallon was appointed music
teacher and Miss Mary Jordan
housekeeper, were announced.,"
A>,
ars were shed in abun-
dance and ~arrow cast her
cindli hi.on this cake represented one decade since the Sisters of St. Joseph first
orkh Pictured above ire Sister Marie Louise, Local Superior of the Goderich
pytt ��odFather Moynahan, Cloderlch Parish Priest at St. Peter's Church, dust prior to
Ing of the anniversary cake. (staff photo)
shadow .over the whole
household, for they were as one
family "
-Accompanied by Reverend
Mother the group set out on
November 4, 1873 and arrived
in Goderich about 3:00 p.m.
that day. Their trip was long
and delayed even further by a
three hoar wait for .train con-
nections at Stratford.
. Upon arrival the group was
greeted by Father Boubat and
a delegation of men and women
of the parish who led the sisters
to a "spacious" convent, "well- .
furnished."
The convent is described as a
"beautiful Krick house which
the parishioners had built and
financed tinder the pastor's
record, "that the parishioners
did most of the work of erecting
this convent gratis, and they
worked at night after having
spent their day in arduous
labor.
The new convent was well
furnished, even a piano had
been installed.
The first school was a frame,
two storey house which stood
on the grounds of the present
Queen Elizabeth School, west
of the convent. It was the for-
mer residence of Rev. Father
Snider, whose parish had ex-
tended from Goderich to Sar-
nia.
The" building, though not
very well equipped, served its
purpose and "the pleasure
manifested by the pupils in at-
tendance, compensated for lack
of many appliances'lhat would
hay 'T ssened the labor of both
teachers and pupils."
So enthusiastic were the
parents in sending their
childr n that accommodation
proved insufficient and a
proposal was made to open a
select school if a teacher could
he provided.,
This proposition mist with an
affirmative decision and in
December of 1873, Sister Ur-
sula McGuire was sent to
Goderich to formally open the
school.
"Among the first pupils in
the Sister's classes," the annals
recall, "were the old time
names characteristic of
Goderich, McGregor, McIntosh,
Doyle, McDougall, Nolan,
Cameron and so on." Many
protestants, as well as
Catholics, were admitted to
this school.
On Sunday afternoon het -
ween 2,000 and 3,000 people
assembled around the
basement of the new church to
•
witness the ceremony of placing
the cornerstone in position.
Rev... Father McBradv of
Toronto delivered the sermon
on the "Visable Church, the
formation of the.world -and the
Advent of Jesus ('hrist."
The building of the church
advanced with such rapidity
that by November of the same
year it was ready for oc-
cupation.
According to the record kept
by the Sisters a great number of
workmen were employed and
they "applied themselves most
fa ithfu1lv."
"Father West watched every
stone that was placed in the
building, and none hut perfect
material was permitted to be
used. At •last, before seven mon-
ths had elapsed since the laying
of .the cornerstone, the day of
its opening was near at hand."
The Sisters careful record of
parish life continues over the
years covering the opening of
the new church on November 8,
1896, the visit of Mother
Angela McKeough in 1903
which marked the first of a
Reverend Mother, the appoint-
ment of Father -Donald McRae
as pastor in 1905, t125th an-
niversary of the ordination of
parish priest Rev. Father
McRae and the Golden Juhilee
of the establishment of the
Sisters of St. Joseph was
celebrated in 192:3.
In a March entry of 1925 the
Sisters note, "Seldom has the
passim; of any one caused
greater feelings of regret than
the death of Doctor Alexander
Taylor, which took place at his
home on the Terrace on March
28."
"Seldom has anyone so en-
deared himself to such a large
circle as had Doctor Taylor
during his long term in the
honorable pract ice of his
profesion. -
The Sisters said its their en-
try that Dr. 'Taylor hid regar-
ded the function of
"ministering to the sick almost
in the sacred way that a pastor
might regard his duty of
ministering to the sick of soul."
"This same half century of
service has been given to the
community of the Sisters of, St.
.Joseph," they re.o,i.led, "with
the same earnestness and sym-
pathy even more evident, than
was displayed in the service of
ordinary patients."
"Apparently, he considered it
a favor to be asked to treat the
sick Sisters-, and his .attention
was constantly bestowed on
any Sister who consulted him."
In the pages covering 1929
the Sisters' record the passing
of Sister Adelaide.
"September . 6 Sisters
Adelaide and St. Felix returned
from Clinton after collecting in
the surrounding parishes. They
arrived about 5:3-0 p.m.
exhausted by the heat of rhe
dad' and at 6:00 p.m. went
down to supper all feeling well_.
.and happy." /
".When the meal was nearly
over, Sister Adelaide gave a
slight cough and all at once her
head dropped and she would
have fallen to the floor -had not •
Sister St. Felix come to her
aid. In another moment Sister
was dead."
In 1933 His Excellency. Most
Rev. J.T. Kidd, D.D.,'Bishop of
London, opened the twenty-first
annual Eucharistic Congress of
the Diocese of London at
Goderich with "t h0usra nds to
at tendarice. "�
In Septei 'her of 19:37 rhe
school was closed nw ini.; an
epidemic of infantile ParaHas
for nearly the whole month hut
reopened October h -
Arid so the accoun't of kw
years service to the parish con-
tinues, recording rhe passim; of
priests and Sisters-. staff
changes, schi X01 act i‘ i t tee and
the history of . w0rk in the
pa rish.
In pages dealing, with 1971-
'72 the Sisters note rhe purchase
of the former residence' of
Judge Holt and rio(re recently
of Clyde Everett by the Parish
for the, Sisters ..f ,St. .Joseph.
Perhaps in another. 10)) years
the diary of work and service
will recall the centennial of the
Sisters of St. .Jcieph in
Goderich on Nuvemher
Over 200 people crowded the small hall at St. Peter's Parish
I:hurch Sunday afternoon when the Sisters of St. Joseph
celebrated the 100th anniversary since their arrival In
Goderich. Among the people at the head'table, we see, Cliff
Webb, SS, the oldest of the living male graduates of St.
Peter's School, second from front at head 'table and Mary
Lady, 11, oldest female living graduate of the school. She Is
seated next to Mr. Webb. (staff photo)