Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-08-13
L0RETT0 ACADEMY.
Historic Facts Concerning the Mother
House of Western Educational
Institutions.

AS Santa Fe is the cradle OF American
christianity 80 to it belongs the honor OF
possessing the first educstiona institu-
tons established ON American soil west
OF the Missouri.
The Loretto academy, of which pic
ture is herewith presented, enjoys the
proud distinction of being the mother
house OF all the Catholic institutions for
the education and elevation OF women
that exist to day between Denver and FL
Paso.
Right Rev. B. Lamv, having been
appointed vicar apostolic or bishop of
| New Mexico, then comprising what are
now the commonwealths of Colorado,
| New Mexico and Arizona, after his return
| from the council CT Baltimore, in 1867,
applied at Loretto, Marion county, KY,
for sisters to devote themselves to the
education OF young girls in his new field
of labor. Mother Mathida, Sisters
Cathsrina, Mary Magdalena and three
others were appointed to come to this
distant mission. They left their Ken,
lucky home on the 9th OF June, 1852
Mother Mathilda died en- route July IL,
OF cholera, on the steamboat after leaving
st Louis and before reaching Indepen-
dence, and Mother Magdalena Hayden
replaced her as superior of the little COM
munity. After long and tedious jour
ney, the s sters arrived IN Santa Fe Sep
TENDER 26, '52 They did not open their
school, however, till June l, '53, on &C.
count of their ignorance OF the Spanish
language At that date they received ten
boarders and three day scholars; before
the close of the session September they
had twenty boarders and twenty two day
scholars The first house occupied by
the Sisters is that known as the Bishops
block, facing the cathedral in 1856 they
removed into the twO-story adobe on their
present property, called LA Casa Amer
icana," the only house in town then
having a ahingle roof. The number Of
pupils increasing. they purchased little
by little all the splendid property now in
their possession at the corner of College
and Water streets. In 1873 their stone
chapel was completed and blessed by the
late Very Rev. Vicar General T. Eguillon
in 1881 they built their academy which is
supplied with all the modern improve
ments, steam, gas, water, etc. for board
ers and select day scholars.
Mother Magdalena Hayden served as
superior until 1881, when, because of age
and infrmity, she was succeeded by the
talented mother superior now in charge
Mother Francisco, sister to the beloved
Archbishop Lamy.
In 1868 three OF the sisters established
a school in Taos, invited thither by Rev
G Ussel, the pastor of the place. II
1864 Rev. Father now Archbishop !
B. Salponte called them TO Mora. II
1869 Rev. Father }. NJ Coudert prepared
a house for them in Las Vegas. In 1871
they went to Las Cruces at the solicitation
Of the then Right Rev Bishop Salpointe
In 1875 they opened day schoo
at Bernalllo, house having beef
built for that purpose and donated
by the late Jose L. Perea
Father subsequently Bishop Machebeu
took three sisters to Denver in 1864 t.
open the St. Mary's academy. To do a
this work accessions to the sisterhooC
were made by bringing out fresh recruit
from Kentucky, besides the admission {
native members, most of whom had bee
. educated in their schools.
Public funds were received for the tn
ton of poor girls az early as 1873 talthoug
payments were deficient some years, du