Boarding at St. Agnes

Boarding at St. Agnes

Background: St. Agnes Academy was established in 1908 as a Catholic High School for girls only. There were 89 day students and 1 boarder. By Christmas there were 19 boarders. The first graduating class was in 1911. Boy day students were admitted in 1925. I’m not sure when the elementary school was begun or when boys (elementary only) were accepted as boarders.

I began boarding at St. Agnes in second grade (1948-49). There were 27 in second grade. I think 6 were boarders.

These are some of my memories about boarding at St. Agnes. Our day began at 6:30 when Sister turned on the lights in the little girls dormitory. The dormitory had about 20 beds in two rows. Each had a chair and a night stand beside it. I can’t remember where our closets were but we had a row of sinks on the west wall and windows on the east. I had always had a window beside my bed so the bed in the middle of the room was a bit disconcerting. We had 30 minutes to get up, get washed and brushed, get dressed and make our beds. Usually Sister French-braided 3 or 4 heads of hair as she kept everyone moving so that we were all ready to march two flights downstairs for Mass at 7:00.

After Mass we went downstairs to the basement for breakfast. Tables were assigned. Usually there were two high school girls and 4 elementary boys and girls. Some of the high school girls were very bossy and I hated being assigned to their tables. Others were very kind and are friends to this day.

After breakfast we returned to the dorm in case we hadn’t gotten everything ship shape before Mass and then went to our classrooms. Primary grades were on the first floor and upper elementary on the second. The boarders had lunch in the dining room. There was no hot lunch program for the day students and I don’t remember that they brought their lunches to the dining room. I think that they ate in the class rooms or on the enclosed porch if they brought their lunches.

There was a little store on the second floor where we could buy school supplies or candy. It was usually open for the day students before school and for the boarders on Monday after school. After school we could change from our uniforms into everyday dresses and sometimes I took my boots so I could change out of the required saddle shoes. We usually had a light snack immediately after school and then we could play on the playground or in the basement playroom until 5:00. We also had the opportunity to learn to knit, crochet or embroider during this time. At 5:00, everyone had study hall or music practice. Music lessons were also given at 5:00.

We had supper at 6:00 and a bit of play time after supper. There was another study hall at 7:00. The elementary boarders went upstairs at 7:45. There were 5 bathtubs and the little girls had to get their baths taken AND THE TUB CLEANED before the big girls came up at 8:15. Our lights were out at 8:30.