The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-18
THE SHEPHERD HOUSE
A Description of the Much
Talked-of Institution.
HOW AND BY WHOM CONDUCTED
Founded Over Two Hundred Years Ago
Purpose and Methods of the SIS
tcrs-Description of Rooms.


OF it's work will prove interesting at this
time TIE house In this city. which -
situated on Ninta street. near Jefferson
street. Is but one OF several hundred SIM
lIar institutions conducted by the same
organization, a slsterhood OF clustered
nuns, whose title Is the Congregation OF
Our Lady Of Charity Of the Good Snep-
herd OF Anglers. and which was founded
IA 1851 a, Csen. Normandy, BY Rev Jean
I<udes The order is devoted 20 works OF
charity, the specific object for which II
was founded being the reformation OF
fallen women and girls and the moral
preservation Of young female children.
Although a Roman Catholic Institution
end fcztered by that church. IL is. like
other religious orders, an entirely tnde-
pendent organization. seif-goyerntng and
eelf-8ustaiaing, the church exercising over
the order only the same spiritual author
sfy which Ii claims from all persons OF
that faith. The order makes and enforces
It's own laws and regulations. and In ev-
erytninc except spiritual allegiance X Is
independent OF church management and
control. Prior 20 1885, the various houses
Of the order were independent OF one an
other. but IN that year they we're CONSOLE
dated under one general organization. and
tho house at Argars. France, declared 10
be the mother house. There are now over
800 branch houses established in every
civilized country on tho globe. the gem
e1al government being su0divided into
;lsovfncial governments. There are seven
provinces ln the United States. The Sc
attic branch bell nging 10 the province OF
ST Paul siien., each provinces being gov
erned by mother provincial. Again.
while the personal organization and dis
cfpiinc OF the order Is general. each house
IL managed independently. each being a
separate and distinct corporation. own
ing and managing IT'S own property. as
does local congregation Of any denomi-
nation. Each house Is therefore locally
dependent and must be locally sustained.
Notwithstanding the irksomeness OF this
rule IN the early years of establishing
n branch house. Il has never occurred in
she history Of the order that . house once
established has ever been abandoned. In
tha various houses Of the order there arc
now over 1900 penitents. 1000 orphans
and 1893 preservation children. There
arc at the present time over $500 sisters
belonging 20 the order.
Rules of the Order.
The order Of the Good Shepherd is what
r. called a cioistered order. and the rules
forbid the sisters leaving their premises
without absolute necessity. Owing to the
need of soliciting aims and work and
transacting the business Of the institu-
tion. certain sisters are appointed TO 70
out for this purpose. cut they must al
wave be accompanied. With the excep-
ton OF an hours recreation at midday
their whole time IL occupied with work
md prayer from o'clock in the morning
until 10 at night. After rising they give
themselves up to religious meditation for
half an hour At they attend mass in
the chapel, which is said by priest ap-
pointed for the purpose by the bishop of
the diocese. Following mass for one-duar-
ter hour they recite an office, which Is the
term for a certain particular set OF pray
ers enjoined by the rules of the order.
Then breakfast is partaken of followed
by general Homework until $50 when an
other Office In rccited for twenty minutes.
Then the work Of the day is begun In the
various industries which 10 10 support
tho institution. such as dressmaking.
plain sewing. embroidering and Lander
Ing. soliciting aims and work. etc Lunch
Is taken at II o'clock, followed by an
hours recreation. after which work is re-
stunned and continued until 6. with three
brief recesses, during which a spiritual
lecture Is given. and two offices recited.
the last followed by meditation Dinner
's taken at c. followed by recreation and
homework until $50. when prayers for
the inmates are said. the children going
TO bed AT o. after which the sisters recite
their last Office OF the day and retire at
n. The routine for the inmates Is much
the same. except the hour for lunch
which is at noon. and the periods for rec
reatioa are longer.
The seattle House.
The Seattle House OF the Good Shop
herd was established July 81. 1870. by the
present Mother Superior Mary OF the
Nativity Williams and four sisters. who
came here from the provincial house at
ST. Paul. Charitable people interested in
the work OF the order solicited the Mother
Provincial 10 establish n branch house
In this city. assuring her Of a liberal sup
port. one henefaotor Offering as an induce
mcnt the gift az "A #0-acre tract OF Wild
land near Ballard. The Mother Provincial
came out here and was pleased with the
city and the prospects for successfully
maintaining a hr~nch house. ~ arst a
small house near Grace Hospital was
rented and occupied a couple OF months
The doror OF tina so-acre tract OF land
near ballard increased his heneiaciion by
tho gift OF another f9-Acrc tract near
Columbia. With the expectation or being
able TO gnortsREe .hcse tracts the pre5ent
site. on waich was a small eight-roon cot
tage. was purchased on time. Failing 10
raise money on the land a personal loan
81 5000 WIS made VITA which 20 purchase
the site, II may be interesting hero TO
state that tho largest original benefsctor
who. az the time or making his gifts was
an old bachelor. afterward got married
aud then repented OF his Aberality. He
had recourse 20 the courts 10 get back
the land be had given the sisters. but was
defeated.
since that time there have been four
teen additions made from time 70 tine
% the original cottage. The sisters have
worked hard aud struggled hravelv under
lead Of anxious care and the desire 10
provide a shelter and Sustenance
for the constantly Increasing claim
ants upon their charity. Aside from
the lumber mills around the city which
donated the building material FOR The
structures. and the merchants or the Guy
and White river valley farmers who have
literally contributed food and clothing Tor
the inmates cf the Institution those who
have been thu most liberal contributors
90 the support II the house have been the
hard working men IA the lumber eamps.
IN the coal mines and along the railroads
Tho struggle Ter a livelihood has been
incsSsant
Immediately uron opening the house
there were applications Tor admission %
both the refoTmatorv and the orphan
age departments and ;he number OF ap-
plicatsons has always been ia excess 81
The capacity Of the institution to shelter
ana care for them in The manner the sis
tiers would Ike. IL was owing 70 their
hard pressed financial condition that
many eg the later additions were not lath-
e. and mastered. although they were
ceiied and papered ana comfortably heat-
ed However, since the authorities have
REQUIRED that all the rooFns BE plssteTe3.
means have been found % DO Il. ana the
work is now in progress
There are now eighty-;hvee inmates -
the house. hffv-seven orphans and twe8-
ty.six pcritentS, who are cared for ~
tventv-ane sisters all - whom hct ere
are American born. The orphans ranse