The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-02-12
WINNING KENTUCKY
WORK, Or SISTERS OF DIVINE
PROVIDENCE AMONG NOUN
4 TANNERS - PREJUDICE AND
BlGoTRY ARE GRADUALLY
BREAKING DOWN.
.tBy N. c. w. G. News service)

s(By N C. w. G. News Service). y
"No illiteracy in Kentucky" is the
slogan with which the Sisters of Di.
vine Providence have inaugurated an
intensive campaign for Christian ed.
ucation and enlightenment in the
mountainous regions Of that state,
where illiteracy is rife, and in many
parts of which Christianity has scarce.
ly penetrated. @
For fourteen years the Sisters of Di-
vine Providence have been fighting
the battle for Christian education in
Kentucky. After years of privation
and self.denial they have succeeded in
establishing at Corbin, ST. Camilius
Academy, the only Catholic day and
boarding school in the Kentucky
mountains. 1t has thirty-five boarders
and ninety day pupils. The boarders
come from the mining towns and lum.
Der camps and railroad centers. The
day pupils are mostly children Of
Protestants, and in learning to love
and respect the Catholic Church they
are helping rapidly to dispel the pref
udice against Catholics in the COM
munity.
An Unpromising Beginning.
The Catholic Church came first to
Corbin when Father Ambrose Roger,
10. s. b., founded Sacred Heart parish
eighteen years ago. This pioneer
movement was fraught with hardships.
Not only was the country new to the
priest, but there were only twelve
Catholic families in the vicinity, and
even at that date religious prejudice
ran high.
To establish and maintain mis-
sion church was hard proposition at
best, but when in conjunction with
that undertaking, Father Roger de-
clared his plans to open school, the
idea seemed almost chimerical.
At first the institution was conduct
ed by secular teachers. In 1906 the
Sisters of Divine Providence entered
tho field. There were EXPLANATIONS
of wonder and surprise when the new
arrivals were seen in their distinctive
habits, for many of Corbin's inhabi-
tants had never before seen Catholic
Sister.
It was only after months of hard
est kind of work and persuasion that
Father Roger induced many of the
mountain people to send their chill.
dren to school, but in less than a doc.
ade the work of Sacred Heart School
became known throughout Kentucky
The number of children increased, and
new buildings became imperative.
With outside assistance the Sisters of
Divine Providence managed to secure
thirty-five acres of ground and the
proposed new buildings soon became a
reality. 1t was called st. Camillus
Academy.
Must Extend Facilities.
But much of the surrounding coun-
try remains as it was, with the chill
dren illiterate and unprogressive 1t
lis estimated there are. 100000 litter
ates in the State. To bring the light
of Christian education to all illiterate
boys and girls is the hope Of the Sis
tiers of Divine Providence. To do this
they have proposed an addition to the
present building, now no longer ade-
quate, so that they may, have ample
facilities for their charges. Fl
Governor Edwin p. Morrow, of Ken.
lucky, is one of those who has given
his support to this project. He has
written the Sisters heartily commend
ing their work in stamping out litter
acy. Bishop Brossart.. OF Covington.
has also extended his pledge of aid and
support.