Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-01

| their pious lives, interviewer with dis
positions of cheer and comfort are
wonderful examples of altruism and
unselfishness. Those who have spent
any time either as a patient or visitor
within the walls of the hospital can
not but help feel the enrolling and
strengthening influence of their lives.
From class of nurses, numbering
three, at the time of their taking pos
session, they have increased ii to ten.
Applications come from young women
all over New England, asking for the
opportunity to train for graduate
nurse under the supervision of the
good women who have devoted their
lives to the care and nursing of the
sick.
The words and news of the good
work of the hospital has even re-
echoed to the Vatican at Rome, for
His Holiness Pope Plus X had COM
manded to be made, a written bless
ing, with his own signature affixed
and a beautiful photograph of him
self, commenting the Sisters and be-
slowing upon the Mother Superior and
her assistants the Papal Blessing.
This, which came partly through the
audience of DR.. Cragin with the Pope,
is one of the most treasured posses
sions at the hospital.
That each cog in the machinery OF
conducting the hospital may work TO
it's best advantage. the supervision has
been divided. At the head, however,
is Sister Pauline, whose wonderful
personality and unaffected ways, COM
hined with remarkable business abil-
ity, well qualify her TO be the chief
executive of such an institution. Sis
ter Marie, who supervises the operat-
ing room, and the Eastern end of hos
pital diffuses a spirit of good cheer to
all who are blessed by contact with
her life Sister DeSaies has charge
of the wards in the Western end of
the building, and like the others she
has consoled and helped many suf-
ferers to better bear their burden.
Sister Winifred who in a sense is the
hoasekeeper, has oversight of the cult
nary department and under her
watchfui and experienced eye are pre-
pared all the foods and diets for the
patients. There is no special staff of
physicians. Each, patient has his or
her own doctor who calls daily as the
case may require, and the rest is left
to the care and judgment of the Sis
ters and nurses
Boston is the only city In all New
England besides Waterville, that can
boast and express its pride in the
possession of an institution conducted
by the Sisters of Charity. Their train
OF hospitals nevertheless circle the
globe. and at the present time there
are 1900 members of the order in the
United States. The country is divid-
ed into two provinces with headquart-
ers for the Eastern province in EN-
mitsburg, Md, from which place the
WaterVllle sisters come. The other
province headquarter is in st. Louis,
Mo. IN China, Turkey, Russia and
other countries where their work will
do the greatest good, the Sisters have
given up their worldly names and have
devoted their lives with all their use
fulness to the care and nursing of
others. Maternity houses, homes for
orphans, homes for wayward girls,
homes for the aged, houses of refuge,
and insane asylurns are all carried on
by this wonderful army of women.
The Sisters of Charity We're founded
in 1888 by Louise de Marrlac and St
Vincent de Paul. Louise de Marillae
was the widow of Antoine lie Gras,
and is now known in connection with
her life work as Mile lie Gras.
st. Vincent de Paul had organized
many charitable confraternities for his
work among the poor, but the need
becoming apparent for a closer or
ganization, Mile. LIE Gras assembled a
few of the more prominent workers
at her home, where she began on the
2sth of November, 1888, to train them
for the care of the sick and unfortu-