Oral History: Sr. Rose Irene Boggs
Dublin Core
Title
Oral History: Sr. Rose Irene Boggs
Subject
Sister Rose Irene Boggs
Description
An oral history of Sister Rose Irene Boggs, a Sister of Charity of Seton Hill from 1931 until 2000. The interview was conducted by Sister Marie Corona Miller on September 24, 1987.
Sister Rose Irene Boggs - born Rose Irene Boggs on September 17, 1904 - entered the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in 1931. She received a bachelor's degree in Latin, French, and English from Seton Hill College in 1925 and a master's degree in Latin from the University of Pittsburgh in 1940. She taught in the Latin department at Seton Hill College from 1940-1963 and was the college's registrar from 1948-1971. Sister Rose Irene died on August 31, 2000.
Creator
Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
Publisher
Archives of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
Date
1987-09-24
Rights
All rights to this recording belong to the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
All rights belong to the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
Format
Audio cassette tape
Language
English
Type
Oral history
Identifier
OH-62
Oral History Item Type Metadata
Interviewer
Sr. Marie Corona Miller
Interviewee
Sr. Rose Irene Boggs
Location
Seton Hill
Transcription
1
OH 62-1 Sr.RoselreneBoggs Tape I Side I
This interview is being conducted as part of the oral history program of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. The interviewee is Sister Rose Irene Boggs. The interviewer is Sister Marie Corona Miller at Seton Hill. The date is September twenty-fourth, Nineteen eighty-seven.
SMCM: Good afternoon, Sister Rose Irene. Sister, I understand that today is your feast day, so I want to wish you a Happy Feast Day on this, The Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. I've come here today to talk about your life as a Sister of Charity. Would you like to tell us when you were born and where?
SRIB: I was born in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania on September seventeenth, Nineteen Hundred Four. My parents were James and Mary Brycelyn(sounded like) Boggs. I was Baptized in St. James, in Wilkinsburg on October second, Nineteen Hundred Four, and received the name, Rose. In August of Nineteen Ten, I started School at St. James. My fust grade teacher was Sister M. Maurice McDermott. At that time, we had just a two room frame house building where we had the fust and second grade. They kept you in either first or second grade for two years. Then, under the Church, there were four rooms. When I started to school, my sister Mary, was in the second grade. When it was time for promotion, they kept Mary in the second grade, and I was put in the second grade with her. I was in the "B" class, and she was in the "A" class. Sister Charles Regina Davis was our teacher in the second grade. One time, when Mary was at home because she had tonsilitis, Sister put another girl in the class, so that when Mary came back, we were in the same class. We were together then through grade school, high school, and College.
My third grade teacher was Sister Sebastian Walsh. I don't remember too much about her. When that year was finished, the new school was opened. I was moved from third grade to fifth grade. I skipped the fourth grade. Sister M. Baptista McGivern was my teacher. Then in sixth grade, I had Sister Mary Alphonse Miller, Sister Rose Marie Maher in the seventh, and Sister Basilia Cronin in the eighth. We loved Sister Basilia. She used to have contests, and we really enjoyed them. When I completed that year in June of Nineteen Hundred Seventeen, it was the end of my grade school education. In September of that year, Mary and I started at Cathedral High School in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. The Sisters of Mercy taught us at Cathedral High School. I never knew any Sisters of Mercy previously, but my mother and grandmother were taught by them. We had four very happy years there.
SMCM: Sister, how did you get to and from school?
SRIB: We took a streetcar to Craig Street. My home was in East End. We were not very far from the streetcar line.
On June Twentieth, Nineteen Twenty-One, we graduated from Cathedral High School. In
September of that year, Mary and I began our College education, at Seton Hill.
SMCM: How did you get to Seton Hill College?
SRIB: We drove up to Seton Hill. My parents, and my brother were with us for the trip. The way you had to drive to Seton Hill then was very different. You had to go through Turtle Creek. You didn't have a Parkway like you have now. It was a rugged ride, and took a while to get there. I remember I had never been away from home before, and when we got there I cried and when I
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left there, I cried.
SMCM: Sister, how did you become aware of Seton Hill College?
SRIB: We came to know about Seton Hill College from the Sisters who taught us at St. James School in Wilkinsburg, and of course there was information posted about the College. Seton llill was very young then. I think Mary and I were in the seventh graduating class from Seton Hill.
The first graduating class was in Nineteen Hundred Nineteen. I finished in Nineteen Twenty- ยท Five. The College was very small then. I believe that there were twenty students in the Senior Class, twenty in the Junior, and twenty in the Sophomore Class. I think that when we started, we had forty some in the Freshman Class. It was just like one big family. You got to know everyone in the school. I remember Sister de Chantal Leis, who was a Junior Professed Sister when I entered the College. She was so very kind to me. She helped me to assemble my belongings. I used to go to see her every evening before retiring. She slept in Lowe Hall. Mary and I had the room which was the back of Room 228, the very large classroom in Maura Hall.
We had that room for three years. When we came back as Seniors, we were in Canevan Hall which was opened by that time. The groundbreaking for Canevan Hall was October Twelfth, Nineteen Twenty-Three. That building was opened in September of Nineteen Twenty-Four. Mary and I had private, connecting rooms on the first floor. Sister Marion McKelvy (formerly Sr. Marie Magdalene) was on the same floor. She was in the same class with us. We were good friends. In our first year at Seton Hill, groundbreaking for St. Joseph Hall took place on March Twentieth, Nineteen Twenty-One. We all had our caps and gowns on for the occasion.
Anytime there was anything special, we wore our caps and gowns.
SMCM: What was your Major in College?
SRIB: When I came, I majored in Latin and had a minor in French and English. Sister Aloysius Blakely was my major professor, and she was also our class advisor for four years. She was a wonderful teacher. I just loved her. I Had Mr. Frank Bennett for two years for French. I had him for some English classes too. Also had Sister Electa Boyle for English. I started my French with Sister Marie Elise Blouin, but she said that we knew too much French for her class. We had had three years of French in High School, so she put us in an advanced class. Sister Fides Glass and Sister Evangelist Yahl were in the Art studio. I remember that Sister Fides used to make beautiful Spiritual Bouquet cards. Anytime we wanted one of these cards, Sr. Fides was always gracious about printing one out for us, and I recall that the price was reasonable.
SMCM: Sister, you entered the Community, so you would have seen some contrasts on how the College was when you were a student, as opposed to how things evolved after your entrance.
Could you cite some of these contrasts for us?
SRIB: Of course, as a student, the College was very much smaller. The last building that was here for students when I first came was Lowe Hall. We didn't have Canevan, (which was opened when I was a Senior), Sullivan, Lynch, Havey, Brownlee or Reeves. I think Sullivan Hall was built in Nineteen Twenty-Nine. I know I used to make candy and send it to my other sister who was here in school. They used to sell a lot of things to make money for (couldn't get the word she was saying). I would presume that the money was for the College. Sister M. De Chantal Leis was the Prefect of the Sodality, when my sister was a Senior. I remember a big festival that
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she had one time. We had the Festival down in Cecilian Hall. I made many pans of candy for that. We had a little kitchenette on the third floor, which was where I made the candy that we sold. Other people made candy too.
SMCM: Sister, where did you have Gym before Sullivan Hall was built?
SRIB: We had Gym where Sister Ann lnfanger has her office now, down by the Biology Lab. We practiced for basketball there, but when we had games where we played visiting teams, we went down to the Armory because it was larger.
SMCM: Sister, where did you have your meals as a student?
SRIB: We ate in the Lowe Hall Dining Room. We had twelve large tables by the part where the mantle is. That took care of the College girls. We had served meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The other part of the Dining Room was for the Academy, which was quite large then.
SMCM: Who served you, Sister?
SRIB: The young Sisters served us. Sometimes lay people served us. I remember times at breakfast when we had pancakes, Sister Stanislaus McVeigh, who was Dean, would circulate around to the tables, and if you took one pancake, she would say: "Oh, that isn' t the way you do it. You take two and put one on top of the other, put butter in between, and put the syrup on top." Sister Stanislaus also would say at any Community party we had: "I give a rising vote of thanks to the one who prepared the party."
SMCM: Sister, you talked about your Freshman year at the College. What about the other three years? Can you tell us about any significant events during that time?
SRIB: One year, I don't remember whether it was our second or third year, our class decided that we were going to have a breakfast up in the kitchenette on Third Lowe. We had bacon, pancakes, etc. on November Eleventh for Armistice Day. We sold the breakfast tickets, and made a substantial amount of money from our class.
Every time a Sister died when I was a student in the College, the College girls went to the Funeral. They always played "Je rusalem, My Happy Home."
When we were Sophomores at Commencement time, we had "Rose Chain" with the Seniors who were graduating. Both Sophomores and Seniors wore white. We had the formation of the Rosary out on the front lawn. It really didn't last too long, but it was pretty. Some of the other classes had "Lantern Chain," which was always held in the Gym.
SMCM: What about your year as a Junior?
SRIB: As a Junior, we planted our tree in April. We thought that we had planted a Linden tree, but it turned out to be a Horse Chestnut tree.
SMCM: What did you tell me was significant about the April date for planting your tree? SRIB: It was "Charter Day", the day the College received its Charter. April Twelfth.
SMCM: What outstanding event or events took place during your Senior year?
SRIB: At Commencement time, we planted Ivy. All the Ivy is gone now from the Campus, but the plaques are still there.
SMCM: What was the date then that you graduated?
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SRIB: It was June Ninth, Nineteen Twenty Five.
SMCM: Sister, can you tell me who the President of the College was when you graduated? SRIB: It was Mother Rose Genevieve Rodgers. Mother Mary Raymond Creed died when I was a Junior, and Mother Rose Genevieve was the Assistant Mother. Before long, Mother Rose Genevieve had the Presidency changed to Father Sullivan. When we had priests as Presidents, we had Father Sullivan, then Father Reeves, and the last one was Monsignor Ryan. After that we had Sister Mary Schmidt, then Eileen Farrell, and after Eileen Farrell, we had JoAnn Boyle.
SMCM: What happened after you graduated from College?
SRIB: I went home for a few months, and then I believe it was at Halloween time that I went out to Seton Hill for the weekend. When I went back home, my uncle Tom was there. He always came home on Mondays, because our Grandmother lived with us. He said: "Rose, I would like to ask a favor of you." I said: "Well, what is it?" He said: "Well, I need a teacher, would you come?" I said: Yes, but when will I have to go?" He said: "Tomorrow." So I taught at St.
Bernard's in Dormont from June in Nineteen Twenty-Five until June of Nineteen Thirty.
SMCM: Sister, please tell me a little about your uncle Tom.
SRIB: He was my mother's brother. He was the Pastor at St. Bernard's Parish. They had just opened their new school. The Sisters of St. Joseph from Baden taught there, but they needed another teacher. I got to know the Sisters of St. Joseph when I was very young, because we used to go up to see my uncle at Mt. Galitzen. In fact, that's where I got the Irene in my name. There was a Sister Irene there, and she used to hold her arms out for me to run to her. She asked me if I would take the name Irene when I was confirmed, and I said that I would. She died before I even started to school. Then when I petitioned for a name after entrance, I asked for Rose, and they gave me Rose Irene.
SMCM: Sister, what did your uncle do at Mt. Galitzen?
SRIB: He was the Chaplin for the Academy there. I suppose he was the Chaplin for the Sisters too. They had a boys' school there.
SMCM: At St. Bernard' s, did your uncle have a housekeeper?
SRIB: My Aunt Katie kept house for him. She was his Sister. On First Fridays, I used to stay over with her so that I could get to Mass for First Friday. One of the evenings while I was there, I would go to the Convent to visit with the Sisters. They usually used to have some cake and ice cream or something like that. When I taught there, I used to have lunch with my Aunt Katie.
SMCM: How did you get to St. Bernard' s from your home?
SRIB: I took two streetcars. One streetcar took me to town, and then I transferred to another one, which took me to Dormont.
SMCM: What grade did you teach at St. Bernard' s?
SRIB: The first two years, I had fourth grade, then fifth grade for two years. They asked me to teach the third grade the last year that I was there. I had five happy years there. There were many nice children. I still hear from some of them.
I stayed home for a year after teaching at St. Bernard's for five years. I decided to enter. I had
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been thinking about it for a long time. I knew the Sisters of Charity from being taught by them at St. James School in Wilkinsburg, and at Seton Hill College. I knew the Sisters of Mercy from Cathedral High School, and the Sisters of St. Joseph from my experience with them at Mt.
Galitzen and St. Bernard' s, so it was difficult to decide which Community I wanted to enter. So I decided on the Sisters of Charity. I think in our early days that my Father and Mother were such good parents, and we had such a lovely home, that they fostered Vocations.
SMCM: What date did you enter, and who was your sponsor?
SRIB: I entered September Twenty-Fourth, Nineteen Thirty-One. My sponsor was Sister Aloysia Blakely. That was fifty-six years ago today.
SMCM: Who entered with you on that date?
SRIB: Sister Alice Marie Crates, Sister Carolyn Joseph Wilson, Sister Sara Marie O'Hara, and Sister Mildred Ann Curry entered with me. There were six Sisters who had entered on September eighth, but we all received the habit on January First, Nineteen Thirty-Two. We became white cap Novices and had our Canonical Year. We had classes with Sister Theodosia Murtha. On January First, Nineteen Thirty-Two we received the black cap, and the next day, I was sent to St. Stephen' s in Hazelwood to teach the fifth grade.
SMCM: Sister, could I back up a bit and ask you about your Novitiate? Where did you live as a Novice, and what did you do?
SRIB: As a Novice, I lived on Fifth Admin. In Our Lady of Perpetual Help Dormitory.
TAPE I SIDE II
SMCM: About how many were in the Novitiate when you entered?
SRIB: We were considered Novitiate for five years, so I think there may have been forty. There were others who were out on Mission, etc., but I'm not sure how many that would have been.
SMCM: Who was the Major Superior when you entered?
SRIB: Mother M. Eveline Fisher was the Mother Superior when I entered. I don't really remember exactly who the Council Members were. I believe that Sister Victorine Ellsworth was the Treasurer.
SMCM: So, Sister Theodosia was your Mistress of Novices? SRIB: Yes, we were the first group that she had.
SMCM: Sister, did you see any changes, major or otherwise in the College after you entered and had been away for six years after graduating from the College?
SRIB: Well, for a while, we didn' t have connections with the College. We were separated from the College situation. After I came back to teach in the College in Nineteen Thirty-Nine, things were changing, but it was when we got into the Sixties that things were quite different.
SMCM: After you received the black cap in Nineteen Thirty-Three, you were sent out on Mission. Is that correct?
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SRIB: Yes, I was sent to St. Stephen's in Hazelwood. I was there from January until June. I thought that I would be going back there, but when the Mission List came out, I was sent to Sacred Heart High School to teach Latin. I was there for six years.
SMCM: Sister, can you recall the names of any of the Sisters who were at St. Stephen's or Sacred Heart?
SR.IB: At St. Stephen' s, Sister M. Borgia Casey was the Principal, and Sister Mary Clement Dunne was the Sister Servant. Sister Cecilia James Brown was the housekeeper. Sisters Hortense Barclay, Boniface Curran, Mary Agnes Schildkamp, Julia Teresa Dolan, Philip Neri Murray, James Marie Malone, and Constantia Murphy were there. About twenty Sisters were there.
SMCM: What about Sacred Heart? Do you recall what Sisters were there with you?
SRIB: When I first went to Sacred Heart, Sister Rose Vincent McNulty was the Sister Servant. Sisters James Regis Stewart, Marie Magdalene (Marion McKelvy), Joanna Gleason, Angelica Little, Regina Clare Breig, Reynita Flynn, Pierre Withum, Miriam Anne Eck, Marie Martha Randall, Esperance Walsh,Sister Mary Rachel Nee, Sister M. Evangeline O' Donnell and Sister Clare Blakely, who was the Principal were there. We had a large group of Sisters because we had a Grade School and a High School. Sr. Marie Martha, Sr. Reynita, and Sr. Miriam Eck were Novices. So was I. I remember when I was first sent to Sacred Heart that I was the only Novice. Each week, I used to have to go to Sr. Rose Vincent and ask for permission to talk to the Sisters. Otherwise, I would not have had anyone to talk to.
SMCM: Where did you live when you were at Sacred Heart?
SRIB: We had two houses. One was the old Rectory, and the other was the Convent. When I first went there, I was in the old Rectory. We lived up on the third floor. It was one, great, big room. Sister Reynita, Sister Miriam Anne, and I slept in that part. Sister Regina Clare, and Sister Marie Martha slept in the small room, which was off from the large room. After some time, I don't remember how long, I moved to the other house. I was on the second floor in that house.
SMCM: Were those the days when the Sisters walked in twos?
SRIB: Oh yes. You were assigned a companion, you didn't choose your own. Part of the time, Sister Marion McKelvy was my companion, as was Sister Rebecca Kelsey for a while.
SMCM: So, after six years at Sacred Heart, where did you go?
SRIB: I then went to Seton Hill. I think this move came about because Mother Claudia had been the Dean of Women. We would have called her the Dean of Residence back then when I was in College. She was elected Mother Superior. Sister De Chantal Leis had charge of the Latin and she couldn't take care of it all by herself. Someone else was needed, so I worked with Sister De Chantal. I taught Latin full time from Nineteen Thirty-Nine through Nineteen Forty-Eight. In Nineteen Forty-Eight, I became Registrar, so I only taught one class in Latin then. At that time, the Registrar had charge of Admissions too. I had just come from doing my charge this particular evening, had stopped at the fountain to get a drink. Mother Maria Benedict Monahan came up the stairs. She said: "Sister, I want to see you in my office." I said: ''Now, Mother?" She said: "Yes, Sister." So, I went over to her office. She said: "Sit down, Sister. I think I'm
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going to make you Registrar." I said: "I don't know anything about being a Registrar, Mother." I said: "I've always done all of my own papers, but I type with just one finger." She said: "Oh, that's not the most important thing." I said: "Is someone going to take the classes that I've been teaching?" She said: "By the way, what all are you teaching?" I said: "The one class I have is special. The girls have to complete two years of work in one year." "Well, she said. You're to keep that class. They say that you keep them happy, and that the girls get the work." I said: "Mother, if that's what you want me to do, I'll try it, but I really don't know anything about it." I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about the appointment yet.
SMCM: Who did you succeed as Registrar?
SRIB: It was Sister M. Eucharia O'Hagan, the only other Registrar that we had up until that time. Sister Deborah Kelly came after me, so the College has had just three Registrars. Sister Eucharia was the Registrar for thirty years, and I was there for twenty-three years.
I was teaching Summer School that Summer, and I lived up on Fifth Maura One day I was getting a test ready and the phone rang. It was Mother Maria Benedict who called to tell me that she had informed Sister Eucharia about me being made Registrar. Mother said: "I want you to take over." I said: "Now, Mother?" She said: "Yes, Sister." I stopped my test and went down. Before I got there, Sr. Eucharia was standing at the foot of the stairway. When I saw her, I had to laugh. She said: "Has Mother told you, Sister?" I said: "Yes, she did, and I'm coming down to see if you can give me some help." She said: "Well, you can't go into the Registrar's office because Sister Mary Magdalene Foley is there, and no-one is allowed to know about the appointment." She said: "I'll take you down to Helen Schmadel's office to help you." I said: "Sister, I can't learn about the Registrar's office in Helen Schmadel's office. I have to be in the Registrar's office." Sr. Eucharia continued to say that we couldn't go into the Registrar's office, so I told her that I was going to go and ask Mother Maria Benedict about it. So I came up to the second floor and Mother Maria Benedict and the Council were there working on the Mission list. I knocked at the door and Mother answered. I said: "Excuse me Mother, may I speak to you for a minute?" I said: "Sr. Eucharia won't let me in the Registrar's office. She said that no-one is allowed to know this, so she's going to take me to Helen Smadel's office to help me." I told her that I can' t learn it down there, so Mother, may I tell Sr. Mary Magdalene that after I teach my class, I will be working in the Registrar's office? Mother told me that it was alright for me to do this. At first, when I went to the Registrar's office for help, Sr. Eucharia had me showing people through the house. I decided after a while that I wasn't going back as I already knew how to take people on a tour of the place, and I wasn' t being taught anything about the office. I had been doing this for years. I was up in my room on fifth Maura preparing my class one evening when the phone rang. It was Sr. Eucharia. She said: "Sister, aren't you going to come down to learn anything about this office?" I said: ''No, Sister, not unless you're going to teach me something about the office. I know how to take people around the house, but I'm not learning anything about the office." She said: "When would it be convenient for you to come?" " Whatever is suitable for you, would be fine with me." "What about after lunch?", she said. After lunch will be fine, Then she said: "Oh, but you always go for a walk with Sr. Marie Magdalene (Marion McKelvy) after lunch." I then told her that the walk could be omitted, but she was insisting that we still take the walk. Do you know how far we walked? It was from the dining room to the
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post office, and she was there waiting for me. So, we did go to the office, and she did inform me about things. Mother Maria Benedict had told me about the appointment on July twenty-sixth, and Sr. Eucharia was gone by August ninth. After that, I could really get in and learn things for myself.
SMCM: Did Sister Eucharia move out of Seton Hill at that time?
SRIB: Yes, she went into Pittsburgh to St. Anselm's to take care of the High School library.
SMCM: What about your years as Registrar? Are there things which you would like to say about them?
SRIB: The first year that I was Registrar, Sister Mary Carla Radermacher was my secretary. She was really a great help, especially with her skill in typing. That year, in the Spring, we had the Middle States Evaluation, so we had a lot of things to prepare. We passed the evaluation. I forget how long Sr. Mary Carla was in the office.
At the end of that first year, I was told that my office was being moved up to Second Maura. It was a difficult time to have to do this as it was at the time of exams, and all the grades would be coming in. Again, Sr. Mary Carla was very helpful, organizing and packing. This downstairs office was needed for a Music studio. We had Rooms 222 and 224 on Second Maura. There was no door between the two rooms, so I was in one room, and Sr. Mary Carla was in the other. It was a rather inconvenient arrangement for when I needed to have Sr. Mary Carla do some secretary work for me because I had to knock on her door and possibly interrupt something she was doing. Mr. Troutman had the third room. After a while, I had three doors put in, and that way we could really spread out.
SMCM: Sister, how long did you teach after you became Registrar? SRIB: I taught from Nineteen Forty-Eight until Nineteen Sixty.
SMCM: Did you have another Sister for Secretary after Sr. Mary Carla?
SRIB: For a very short time, I had Sister Jeanne Ellen Morris. Then for another short period of time, I had Sister Jean Augustine. Sr. Jean Augustine really wanted to teach. I didn't have any Sisters after that. They were all lay people.
SRIB: I was Registrar from Nineteen Forty-Eight until Nineteen Seventy-One. Then I was made Co-Ordinator of Tutorial Services from Nineteen Seventy-One until Nineteen Seventy-Nine.
SMCM: Would you like to explain your job in Tutorial Services?
SRIB: I had a small office up on Third Administration. That's where the "Opportunity Students" were. They were the students who needed help with their subjects. I was in charge of getting tutors for them.
SMCM: Who were these Tutors?
SRIB: They were students, very good students. They were paid for doing this, and I was also in charge of verifying that they had satisfactorily done the tutoring work which needed to be done with the "Opportunity Students."
After Nineteen Seventy-Nine, I was retired, but I help with the Alumni. I go down there in the mornings. It's something to do. I think it keeps you alert, and is better than not having anything
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to do. I know a good many of the students from all of those years, so that is helpful. SMCM: So, you have been involved with the College for how many years?
SRIB: It has been since Nineteen Thirty-Nine, so that's a total of about forty-eight years.
SMCM: You have seen many changes occurring on campus. Would you care to make any comments? How do you think the College compares with other Colleges?
SRIB: I've seen different buildings being erected, and changes in the Curriculum. I think that we have a very excellent College.
SMCM: You have also seen a diminishment in the number of Sisters on the Faculty. How do you feel about that?
SRIB: I hate to see us not having more Sisters, but there are none to be had. Then too, the Faculty is much larger, which makes it more expensive.
Tape' Side I
SMCM: This is a continuation of an interview which is being conducted as part of the Oral History Program of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. The interviewee is Sr. Rose Irene Boggs. The interviewer is Sr. Marie Corona Miller at Seton Hill. The date is September Twenty-Fourth, Nineteen Eighty-Seven.
SMCM: Sister, we were talking about the positions which you held as Registrar. At one point, the job responsibilities changed. Could you tell us about that?
SRIB: In Nineteen Sixty, the office was divided, and Admissions was put in a separate office. I believe that Dr. Robert McCarthy was in charge of Admissions. He was there for just a short while. Then Sister Jacinta Mann ( no longer in the Community) was there for some time, followed by Sister Clare Handerhan (also no longer in the Community) for a short period of time. I don't recall who the other successors were. Nevertheless, Admissions became a separate entity
SMCM: After the Admissions Office became separate, what exactly were the responsibilities of the Registrar?
SRIB: The Registrar took care of all the records, all the reports, financial aid, and placement.
SMCM: Sister, when we changed our prayer style after Vatican II, how did you feel about that? SRIB: I think it was wonderful that we changed to the Office. That's one of the changes that I really do like. Many other Sisters were happy about this particular change too. I was pleased with the moderate changes in the habit, but not on all that are going on now.
SMCM: Is there anything else that you would like to tell me?
SRIB: I don't think so. That takes care of it all. Don't you think so?
SMCM: It's your life, so if you are satisfied, that will be fine. Sister, I want to thank you for all the time you spent preparing for this interview, and for the time and energy expended in telling it to me. I always feel enriched by hearing about how the Sisters have lived out their lives in the Community.
OH 62-1 Sr.RoselreneBoggs Tape I Side I
This interview is being conducted as part of the oral history program of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. The interviewee is Sister Rose Irene Boggs. The interviewer is Sister Marie Corona Miller at Seton Hill. The date is September twenty-fourth, Nineteen eighty-seven.
SMCM: Good afternoon, Sister Rose Irene. Sister, I understand that today is your feast day, so I want to wish you a Happy Feast Day on this, The Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. I've come here today to talk about your life as a Sister of Charity. Would you like to tell us when you were born and where?
SRIB: I was born in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania on September seventeenth, Nineteen Hundred Four. My parents were James and Mary Brycelyn(sounded like) Boggs. I was Baptized in St. James, in Wilkinsburg on October second, Nineteen Hundred Four, and received the name, Rose. In August of Nineteen Ten, I started School at St. James. My fust grade teacher was Sister M. Maurice McDermott. At that time, we had just a two room frame house building where we had the fust and second grade. They kept you in either first or second grade for two years. Then, under the Church, there were four rooms. When I started to school, my sister Mary, was in the second grade. When it was time for promotion, they kept Mary in the second grade, and I was put in the second grade with her. I was in the "B" class, and she was in the "A" class. Sister Charles Regina Davis was our teacher in the second grade. One time, when Mary was at home because she had tonsilitis, Sister put another girl in the class, so that when Mary came back, we were in the same class. We were together then through grade school, high school, and College.
My third grade teacher was Sister Sebastian Walsh. I don't remember too much about her. When that year was finished, the new school was opened. I was moved from third grade to fifth grade. I skipped the fourth grade. Sister M. Baptista McGivern was my teacher. Then in sixth grade, I had Sister Mary Alphonse Miller, Sister Rose Marie Maher in the seventh, and Sister Basilia Cronin in the eighth. We loved Sister Basilia. She used to have contests, and we really enjoyed them. When I completed that year in June of Nineteen Hundred Seventeen, it was the end of my grade school education. In September of that year, Mary and I started at Cathedral High School in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. The Sisters of Mercy taught us at Cathedral High School. I never knew any Sisters of Mercy previously, but my mother and grandmother were taught by them. We had four very happy years there.
SMCM: Sister, how did you get to and from school?
SRIB: We took a streetcar to Craig Street. My home was in East End. We were not very far from the streetcar line.
On June Twentieth, Nineteen Twenty-One, we graduated from Cathedral High School. In
September of that year, Mary and I began our College education, at Seton Hill.
SMCM: How did you get to Seton Hill College?
SRIB: We drove up to Seton Hill. My parents, and my brother were with us for the trip. The way you had to drive to Seton Hill then was very different. You had to go through Turtle Creek. You didn't have a Parkway like you have now. It was a rugged ride, and took a while to get there. I remember I had never been away from home before, and when we got there I cried and when I
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left there, I cried.
SMCM: Sister, how did you become aware of Seton Hill College?
SRIB: We came to know about Seton Hill College from the Sisters who taught us at St. James School in Wilkinsburg, and of course there was information posted about the College. Seton llill was very young then. I think Mary and I were in the seventh graduating class from Seton Hill.
The first graduating class was in Nineteen Hundred Nineteen. I finished in Nineteen Twenty- ยท Five. The College was very small then. I believe that there were twenty students in the Senior Class, twenty in the Junior, and twenty in the Sophomore Class. I think that when we started, we had forty some in the Freshman Class. It was just like one big family. You got to know everyone in the school. I remember Sister de Chantal Leis, who was a Junior Professed Sister when I entered the College. She was so very kind to me. She helped me to assemble my belongings. I used to go to see her every evening before retiring. She slept in Lowe Hall. Mary and I had the room which was the back of Room 228, the very large classroom in Maura Hall.
We had that room for three years. When we came back as Seniors, we were in Canevan Hall which was opened by that time. The groundbreaking for Canevan Hall was October Twelfth, Nineteen Twenty-Three. That building was opened in September of Nineteen Twenty-Four. Mary and I had private, connecting rooms on the first floor. Sister Marion McKelvy (formerly Sr. Marie Magdalene) was on the same floor. She was in the same class with us. We were good friends. In our first year at Seton Hill, groundbreaking for St. Joseph Hall took place on March Twentieth, Nineteen Twenty-One. We all had our caps and gowns on for the occasion.
Anytime there was anything special, we wore our caps and gowns.
SMCM: What was your Major in College?
SRIB: When I came, I majored in Latin and had a minor in French and English. Sister Aloysius Blakely was my major professor, and she was also our class advisor for four years. She was a wonderful teacher. I just loved her. I Had Mr. Frank Bennett for two years for French. I had him for some English classes too. Also had Sister Electa Boyle for English. I started my French with Sister Marie Elise Blouin, but she said that we knew too much French for her class. We had had three years of French in High School, so she put us in an advanced class. Sister Fides Glass and Sister Evangelist Yahl were in the Art studio. I remember that Sister Fides used to make beautiful Spiritual Bouquet cards. Anytime we wanted one of these cards, Sr. Fides was always gracious about printing one out for us, and I recall that the price was reasonable.
SMCM: Sister, you entered the Community, so you would have seen some contrasts on how the College was when you were a student, as opposed to how things evolved after your entrance.
Could you cite some of these contrasts for us?
SRIB: Of course, as a student, the College was very much smaller. The last building that was here for students when I first came was Lowe Hall. We didn't have Canevan, (which was opened when I was a Senior), Sullivan, Lynch, Havey, Brownlee or Reeves. I think Sullivan Hall was built in Nineteen Twenty-Nine. I know I used to make candy and send it to my other sister who was here in school. They used to sell a lot of things to make money for (couldn't get the word she was saying). I would presume that the money was for the College. Sister M. De Chantal Leis was the Prefect of the Sodality, when my sister was a Senior. I remember a big festival that
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she had one time. We had the Festival down in Cecilian Hall. I made many pans of candy for that. We had a little kitchenette on the third floor, which was where I made the candy that we sold. Other people made candy too.
SMCM: Sister, where did you have Gym before Sullivan Hall was built?
SRIB: We had Gym where Sister Ann lnfanger has her office now, down by the Biology Lab. We practiced for basketball there, but when we had games where we played visiting teams, we went down to the Armory because it was larger.
SMCM: Sister, where did you have your meals as a student?
SRIB: We ate in the Lowe Hall Dining Room. We had twelve large tables by the part where the mantle is. That took care of the College girls. We had served meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The other part of the Dining Room was for the Academy, which was quite large then.
SMCM: Who served you, Sister?
SRIB: The young Sisters served us. Sometimes lay people served us. I remember times at breakfast when we had pancakes, Sister Stanislaus McVeigh, who was Dean, would circulate around to the tables, and if you took one pancake, she would say: "Oh, that isn' t the way you do it. You take two and put one on top of the other, put butter in between, and put the syrup on top." Sister Stanislaus also would say at any Community party we had: "I give a rising vote of thanks to the one who prepared the party."
SMCM: Sister, you talked about your Freshman year at the College. What about the other three years? Can you tell us about any significant events during that time?
SRIB: One year, I don't remember whether it was our second or third year, our class decided that we were going to have a breakfast up in the kitchenette on Third Lowe. We had bacon, pancakes, etc. on November Eleventh for Armistice Day. We sold the breakfast tickets, and made a substantial amount of money from our class.
Every time a Sister died when I was a student in the College, the College girls went to the Funeral. They always played "Je rusalem, My Happy Home."
When we were Sophomores at Commencement time, we had "Rose Chain" with the Seniors who were graduating. Both Sophomores and Seniors wore white. We had the formation of the Rosary out on the front lawn. It really didn't last too long, but it was pretty. Some of the other classes had "Lantern Chain," which was always held in the Gym.
SMCM: What about your year as a Junior?
SRIB: As a Junior, we planted our tree in April. We thought that we had planted a Linden tree, but it turned out to be a Horse Chestnut tree.
SMCM: What did you tell me was significant about the April date for planting your tree? SRIB: It was "Charter Day", the day the College received its Charter. April Twelfth.
SMCM: What outstanding event or events took place during your Senior year?
SRIB: At Commencement time, we planted Ivy. All the Ivy is gone now from the Campus, but the plaques are still there.
SMCM: What was the date then that you graduated?
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SRIB: It was June Ninth, Nineteen Twenty Five.
SMCM: Sister, can you tell me who the President of the College was when you graduated? SRIB: It was Mother Rose Genevieve Rodgers. Mother Mary Raymond Creed died when I was a Junior, and Mother Rose Genevieve was the Assistant Mother. Before long, Mother Rose Genevieve had the Presidency changed to Father Sullivan. When we had priests as Presidents, we had Father Sullivan, then Father Reeves, and the last one was Monsignor Ryan. After that we had Sister Mary Schmidt, then Eileen Farrell, and after Eileen Farrell, we had JoAnn Boyle.
SMCM: What happened after you graduated from College?
SRIB: I went home for a few months, and then I believe it was at Halloween time that I went out to Seton Hill for the weekend. When I went back home, my uncle Tom was there. He always came home on Mondays, because our Grandmother lived with us. He said: "Rose, I would like to ask a favor of you." I said: "Well, what is it?" He said: "Well, I need a teacher, would you come?" I said: Yes, but when will I have to go?" He said: "Tomorrow." So I taught at St.
Bernard's in Dormont from June in Nineteen Twenty-Five until June of Nineteen Thirty.
SMCM: Sister, please tell me a little about your uncle Tom.
SRIB: He was my mother's brother. He was the Pastor at St. Bernard's Parish. They had just opened their new school. The Sisters of St. Joseph from Baden taught there, but they needed another teacher. I got to know the Sisters of St. Joseph when I was very young, because we used to go up to see my uncle at Mt. Galitzen. In fact, that's where I got the Irene in my name. There was a Sister Irene there, and she used to hold her arms out for me to run to her. She asked me if I would take the name Irene when I was confirmed, and I said that I would. She died before I even started to school. Then when I petitioned for a name after entrance, I asked for Rose, and they gave me Rose Irene.
SMCM: Sister, what did your uncle do at Mt. Galitzen?
SRIB: He was the Chaplin for the Academy there. I suppose he was the Chaplin for the Sisters too. They had a boys' school there.
SMCM: At St. Bernard' s, did your uncle have a housekeeper?
SRIB: My Aunt Katie kept house for him. She was his Sister. On First Fridays, I used to stay over with her so that I could get to Mass for First Friday. One of the evenings while I was there, I would go to the Convent to visit with the Sisters. They usually used to have some cake and ice cream or something like that. When I taught there, I used to have lunch with my Aunt Katie.
SMCM: How did you get to St. Bernard' s from your home?
SRIB: I took two streetcars. One streetcar took me to town, and then I transferred to another one, which took me to Dormont.
SMCM: What grade did you teach at St. Bernard' s?
SRIB: The first two years, I had fourth grade, then fifth grade for two years. They asked me to teach the third grade the last year that I was there. I had five happy years there. There were many nice children. I still hear from some of them.
I stayed home for a year after teaching at St. Bernard's for five years. I decided to enter. I had
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been thinking about it for a long time. I knew the Sisters of Charity from being taught by them at St. James School in Wilkinsburg, and at Seton Hill College. I knew the Sisters of Mercy from Cathedral High School, and the Sisters of St. Joseph from my experience with them at Mt.
Galitzen and St. Bernard' s, so it was difficult to decide which Community I wanted to enter. So I decided on the Sisters of Charity. I think in our early days that my Father and Mother were such good parents, and we had such a lovely home, that they fostered Vocations.
SMCM: What date did you enter, and who was your sponsor?
SRIB: I entered September Twenty-Fourth, Nineteen Thirty-One. My sponsor was Sister Aloysia Blakely. That was fifty-six years ago today.
SMCM: Who entered with you on that date?
SRIB: Sister Alice Marie Crates, Sister Carolyn Joseph Wilson, Sister Sara Marie O'Hara, and Sister Mildred Ann Curry entered with me. There were six Sisters who had entered on September eighth, but we all received the habit on January First, Nineteen Thirty-Two. We became white cap Novices and had our Canonical Year. We had classes with Sister Theodosia Murtha. On January First, Nineteen Thirty-Two we received the black cap, and the next day, I was sent to St. Stephen' s in Hazelwood to teach the fifth grade.
SMCM: Sister, could I back up a bit and ask you about your Novitiate? Where did you live as a Novice, and what did you do?
SRIB: As a Novice, I lived on Fifth Admin. In Our Lady of Perpetual Help Dormitory.
TAPE I SIDE II
SMCM: About how many were in the Novitiate when you entered?
SRIB: We were considered Novitiate for five years, so I think there may have been forty. There were others who were out on Mission, etc., but I'm not sure how many that would have been.
SMCM: Who was the Major Superior when you entered?
SRIB: Mother M. Eveline Fisher was the Mother Superior when I entered. I don't really remember exactly who the Council Members were. I believe that Sister Victorine Ellsworth was the Treasurer.
SMCM: So, Sister Theodosia was your Mistress of Novices? SRIB: Yes, we were the first group that she had.
SMCM: Sister, did you see any changes, major or otherwise in the College after you entered and had been away for six years after graduating from the College?
SRIB: Well, for a while, we didn' t have connections with the College. We were separated from the College situation. After I came back to teach in the College in Nineteen Thirty-Nine, things were changing, but it was when we got into the Sixties that things were quite different.
SMCM: After you received the black cap in Nineteen Thirty-Three, you were sent out on Mission. Is that correct?
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SRIB: Yes, I was sent to St. Stephen's in Hazelwood. I was there from January until June. I thought that I would be going back there, but when the Mission List came out, I was sent to Sacred Heart High School to teach Latin. I was there for six years.
SMCM: Sister, can you recall the names of any of the Sisters who were at St. Stephen's or Sacred Heart?
SR.IB: At St. Stephen' s, Sister M. Borgia Casey was the Principal, and Sister Mary Clement Dunne was the Sister Servant. Sister Cecilia James Brown was the housekeeper. Sisters Hortense Barclay, Boniface Curran, Mary Agnes Schildkamp, Julia Teresa Dolan, Philip Neri Murray, James Marie Malone, and Constantia Murphy were there. About twenty Sisters were there.
SMCM: What about Sacred Heart? Do you recall what Sisters were there with you?
SRIB: When I first went to Sacred Heart, Sister Rose Vincent McNulty was the Sister Servant. Sisters James Regis Stewart, Marie Magdalene (Marion McKelvy), Joanna Gleason, Angelica Little, Regina Clare Breig, Reynita Flynn, Pierre Withum, Miriam Anne Eck, Marie Martha Randall, Esperance Walsh,Sister Mary Rachel Nee, Sister M. Evangeline O' Donnell and Sister Clare Blakely, who was the Principal were there. We had a large group of Sisters because we had a Grade School and a High School. Sr. Marie Martha, Sr. Reynita, and Sr. Miriam Eck were Novices. So was I. I remember when I was first sent to Sacred Heart that I was the only Novice. Each week, I used to have to go to Sr. Rose Vincent and ask for permission to talk to the Sisters. Otherwise, I would not have had anyone to talk to.
SMCM: Where did you live when you were at Sacred Heart?
SRIB: We had two houses. One was the old Rectory, and the other was the Convent. When I first went there, I was in the old Rectory. We lived up on the third floor. It was one, great, big room. Sister Reynita, Sister Miriam Anne, and I slept in that part. Sister Regina Clare, and Sister Marie Martha slept in the small room, which was off from the large room. After some time, I don't remember how long, I moved to the other house. I was on the second floor in that house.
SMCM: Were those the days when the Sisters walked in twos?
SRIB: Oh yes. You were assigned a companion, you didn't choose your own. Part of the time, Sister Marion McKelvy was my companion, as was Sister Rebecca Kelsey for a while.
SMCM: So, after six years at Sacred Heart, where did you go?
SRIB: I then went to Seton Hill. I think this move came about because Mother Claudia had been the Dean of Women. We would have called her the Dean of Residence back then when I was in College. She was elected Mother Superior. Sister De Chantal Leis had charge of the Latin and she couldn't take care of it all by herself. Someone else was needed, so I worked with Sister De Chantal. I taught Latin full time from Nineteen Thirty-Nine through Nineteen Forty-Eight. In Nineteen Forty-Eight, I became Registrar, so I only taught one class in Latin then. At that time, the Registrar had charge of Admissions too. I had just come from doing my charge this particular evening, had stopped at the fountain to get a drink. Mother Maria Benedict Monahan came up the stairs. She said: "Sister, I want to see you in my office." I said: ''Now, Mother?" She said: "Yes, Sister." So, I went over to her office. She said: "Sit down, Sister. I think I'm
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going to make you Registrar." I said: "I don't know anything about being a Registrar, Mother." I said: "I've always done all of my own papers, but I type with just one finger." She said: "Oh, that's not the most important thing." I said: "Is someone going to take the classes that I've been teaching?" She said: "By the way, what all are you teaching?" I said: "The one class I have is special. The girls have to complete two years of work in one year." "Well, she said. You're to keep that class. They say that you keep them happy, and that the girls get the work." I said: "Mother, if that's what you want me to do, I'll try it, but I really don't know anything about it." I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about the appointment yet.
SMCM: Who did you succeed as Registrar?
SRIB: It was Sister M. Eucharia O'Hagan, the only other Registrar that we had up until that time. Sister Deborah Kelly came after me, so the College has had just three Registrars. Sister Eucharia was the Registrar for thirty years, and I was there for twenty-three years.
I was teaching Summer School that Summer, and I lived up on Fifth Maura One day I was getting a test ready and the phone rang. It was Mother Maria Benedict who called to tell me that she had informed Sister Eucharia about me being made Registrar. Mother said: "I want you to take over." I said: "Now, Mother?" She said: "Yes, Sister." I stopped my test and went down. Before I got there, Sr. Eucharia was standing at the foot of the stairway. When I saw her, I had to laugh. She said: "Has Mother told you, Sister?" I said: "Yes, she did, and I'm coming down to see if you can give me some help." She said: "Well, you can't go into the Registrar's office because Sister Mary Magdalene Foley is there, and no-one is allowed to know about the appointment." She said: "I'll take you down to Helen Schmadel's office to help you." I said: "Sister, I can't learn about the Registrar's office in Helen Schmadel's office. I have to be in the Registrar's office." Sr. Eucharia continued to say that we couldn't go into the Registrar's office, so I told her that I was going to go and ask Mother Maria Benedict about it. So I came up to the second floor and Mother Maria Benedict and the Council were there working on the Mission list. I knocked at the door and Mother answered. I said: "Excuse me Mother, may I speak to you for a minute?" I said: "Sr. Eucharia won't let me in the Registrar's office. She said that no-one is allowed to know this, so she's going to take me to Helen Smadel's office to help me." I told her that I can' t learn it down there, so Mother, may I tell Sr. Mary Magdalene that after I teach my class, I will be working in the Registrar's office? Mother told me that it was alright for me to do this. At first, when I went to the Registrar's office for help, Sr. Eucharia had me showing people through the house. I decided after a while that I wasn't going back as I already knew how to take people on a tour of the place, and I wasn' t being taught anything about the office. I had been doing this for years. I was up in my room on fifth Maura preparing my class one evening when the phone rang. It was Sr. Eucharia. She said: "Sister, aren't you going to come down to learn anything about this office?" I said: ''No, Sister, not unless you're going to teach me something about the office. I know how to take people around the house, but I'm not learning anything about the office." She said: "When would it be convenient for you to come?" " Whatever is suitable for you, would be fine with me." "What about after lunch?", she said. After lunch will be fine, Then she said: "Oh, but you always go for a walk with Sr. Marie Magdalene (Marion McKelvy) after lunch." I then told her that the walk could be omitted, but she was insisting that we still take the walk. Do you know how far we walked? It was from the dining room to the
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post office, and she was there waiting for me. So, we did go to the office, and she did inform me about things. Mother Maria Benedict had told me about the appointment on July twenty-sixth, and Sr. Eucharia was gone by August ninth. After that, I could really get in and learn things for myself.
SMCM: Did Sister Eucharia move out of Seton Hill at that time?
SRIB: Yes, she went into Pittsburgh to St. Anselm's to take care of the High School library.
SMCM: What about your years as Registrar? Are there things which you would like to say about them?
SRIB: The first year that I was Registrar, Sister Mary Carla Radermacher was my secretary. She was really a great help, especially with her skill in typing. That year, in the Spring, we had the Middle States Evaluation, so we had a lot of things to prepare. We passed the evaluation. I forget how long Sr. Mary Carla was in the office.
At the end of that first year, I was told that my office was being moved up to Second Maura. It was a difficult time to have to do this as it was at the time of exams, and all the grades would be coming in. Again, Sr. Mary Carla was very helpful, organizing and packing. This downstairs office was needed for a Music studio. We had Rooms 222 and 224 on Second Maura. There was no door between the two rooms, so I was in one room, and Sr. Mary Carla was in the other. It was a rather inconvenient arrangement for when I needed to have Sr. Mary Carla do some secretary work for me because I had to knock on her door and possibly interrupt something she was doing. Mr. Troutman had the third room. After a while, I had three doors put in, and that way we could really spread out.
SMCM: Sister, how long did you teach after you became Registrar? SRIB: I taught from Nineteen Forty-Eight until Nineteen Sixty.
SMCM: Did you have another Sister for Secretary after Sr. Mary Carla?
SRIB: For a very short time, I had Sister Jeanne Ellen Morris. Then for another short period of time, I had Sister Jean Augustine. Sr. Jean Augustine really wanted to teach. I didn't have any Sisters after that. They were all lay people.
SRIB: I was Registrar from Nineteen Forty-Eight until Nineteen Seventy-One. Then I was made Co-Ordinator of Tutorial Services from Nineteen Seventy-One until Nineteen Seventy-Nine.
SMCM: Would you like to explain your job in Tutorial Services?
SRIB: I had a small office up on Third Administration. That's where the "Opportunity Students" were. They were the students who needed help with their subjects. I was in charge of getting tutors for them.
SMCM: Who were these Tutors?
SRIB: They were students, very good students. They were paid for doing this, and I was also in charge of verifying that they had satisfactorily done the tutoring work which needed to be done with the "Opportunity Students."
After Nineteen Seventy-Nine, I was retired, but I help with the Alumni. I go down there in the mornings. It's something to do. I think it keeps you alert, and is better than not having anything
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to do. I know a good many of the students from all of those years, so that is helpful. SMCM: So, you have been involved with the College for how many years?
SRIB: It has been since Nineteen Thirty-Nine, so that's a total of about forty-eight years.
SMCM: You have seen many changes occurring on campus. Would you care to make any comments? How do you think the College compares with other Colleges?
SRIB: I've seen different buildings being erected, and changes in the Curriculum. I think that we have a very excellent College.
SMCM: You have also seen a diminishment in the number of Sisters on the Faculty. How do you feel about that?
SRIB: I hate to see us not having more Sisters, but there are none to be had. Then too, the Faculty is much larger, which makes it more expensive.
Tape' Side I
SMCM: This is a continuation of an interview which is being conducted as part of the Oral History Program of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. The interviewee is Sr. Rose Irene Boggs. The interviewer is Sr. Marie Corona Miller at Seton Hill. The date is September Twenty-Fourth, Nineteen Eighty-Seven.
SMCM: Sister, we were talking about the positions which you held as Registrar. At one point, the job responsibilities changed. Could you tell us about that?
SRIB: In Nineteen Sixty, the office was divided, and Admissions was put in a separate office. I believe that Dr. Robert McCarthy was in charge of Admissions. He was there for just a short while. Then Sister Jacinta Mann ( no longer in the Community) was there for some time, followed by Sister Clare Handerhan (also no longer in the Community) for a short period of time. I don't recall who the other successors were. Nevertheless, Admissions became a separate entity
SMCM: After the Admissions Office became separate, what exactly were the responsibilities of the Registrar?
SRIB: The Registrar took care of all the records, all the reports, financial aid, and placement.
SMCM: Sister, when we changed our prayer style after Vatican II, how did you feel about that? SRIB: I think it was wonderful that we changed to the Office. That's one of the changes that I really do like. Many other Sisters were happy about this particular change too. I was pleased with the moderate changes in the habit, but not on all that are going on now.
SMCM: Is there anything else that you would like to tell me?
SRIB: I don't think so. That takes care of it all. Don't you think so?
SMCM: It's your life, so if you are satisfied, that will be fine. Sister, I want to thank you for all the time you spent preparing for this interview, and for the time and energy expended in telling it to me. I always feel enriched by hearing about how the Sisters have lived out their lives in the Community.
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31:58
31:57
12:17
31:57
12:17
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Citation
Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill and Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, “Oral History: Sr. Rose Irene Boggs,” Collections of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill Archives, accessed April 25, 2024, https://scsharchives.com/items/show/488.
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