Evening star., 1936-05-03
RY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.


Georgetown IS one of the most
L historic religious and educa-
tional communities in the United
States. Its beginnings upon the banks
of the Potomac, whose recent flood
waters were clearly discernable from
its one-tirne astronomical observation
post, go back beyond those of our
Capital City itself.
Facing directly upon the sidewalk,
two long, red, four-story brick build
ings, with a sandstone chapel between
them and 40 acres of ground to the
rear and north, constitute the Monas-
terry of the Visitation Nuns and the
Convent of the Visitation, which Is
under their jurisdiction. The monas-
terry occupies the corner of Thirty
fifth and streets. Lower sections
of its first and second floor windows
are shuttered. Upon its Thirty-flfth
street wall in a sandstone entablature
one sees "Fayette," to indicate street
nomenclature of the long ago.
The life of the monastery is apart
from the life of the school, yet the
two meet, for the nuns of the monas-
terry administer to the needs of the
convent and come to it, although the
pupils of the convent never go to the
monastery. AS the Nuns of the Wsita-
ton Order are clustered and seldom
transferred from one post to another,
the field of duty upon which they
first engage usually becomes their life
work. This gives permanency to the
institutions with which they are as
sociated.
Fortress Buried Recently.
A grave in the nuns cemetery with
In the Georgetown Visitation grounds.
so new that the grass has not yet
had time to grow upon it, is that of
the schools beloved FORTRESS. who for
ST years had welcomed and hidden
Godspeed to incoming ard outgoing
students.
Every nun connected with the school
has her picture gallery of former pupils
in their presentation gowns at court,
in their wedding gowns or, as the
mothers of families. with their chill
dren. Often, the gamut runs from
grandmother to granddaughter, for
coming to the Visitation Convent is
heritage of tradition in many of
Americas Oldest families. 1t is both
q boarding and day school,
Founded in 1899 by Most Rev Leon
ard Neale, S. j., second Archbishop of
Baltimore, to care for the education
of the daughters of those whose sons
would be trained at the Georgetown
Preparatory School and College, the
secular community is the oldest of its
kind in America.
The convent's chapter was obtained
In 1928. Signed by Andrew Steven
son, Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives, and approved by John
Quincy Adams, it was later certified
by Henry Clay. In 1873 the convent
was rebuilt. Fennesy Hall, residence
for second-year college students, was
opened in 1921.
Distinguished Names on Roster.
Its roster of sisters, superiors, head
nistresses and pupils is distin-
guished one. The mother of Sister
Bernard Graham was the first wife
Of George Mason of Gunston Hall.
Sister Agnes Brent's administration
was notable one from 1812-l825.
Sister Genevieve White was an
astronomer of merit, and no story of
the school is nobler one than her
climbing of innumerable flights of
stairs on the bitterest Winter nights
to her observation post atop the con-
vent that she might make her sur
veys of the heavens. Sister Phoebe
Ripley was the neice Of Emerson. and
the friend of Hawthorne. Sister An
gela of Civil War times was known
among the wounded soldiers to whom
she ministered as The Angel Sister"
Because Virginia, the beloved
daughter of Gen. Winfield Scott, had
become member of the order after
her graduation from the convent and
was buried in the grounds, dour Sec
retary Stanton respected the soldier
fathers plea that her last resting
place should not be disturbed by
making military headquarters of
this religious community.
Among the schools pupils have
been Katie Irving, niece of Wash
ington Irving; Harriet Lane John
ston, delightful White House chate-
laine; Pearl Tyler, daughter of Pres
ident Tyler; Adelaide Cults, later to
become the wife of Stephen A. Doug
lass; the Carroll sisters, one of whom
married Baron Esterhazy of Austria;
Ida Honore, who. as Mrs. Potter
Palmer, was one of Americas famous
social leaders; Constance Edgar,
daughter of Nine Bonaparte and
niece of Daniel Webster; Emily War
rem, who, as Mrs. Roebling, saw her
husband build the famous Brooklyn
Bridge; the Princess de Iturbide
daughter of the constitutional en-
peror of Mexico, and nearer our own
Basque stories have delighted a con-
tinent.
Old Customs Retained.
The schools students have always
delighted in maintaining its old Gus
toms and traditions This last week
! spent delightful morning in this
famous old convent whose garden, for
the first time in its history, is to be
open to the public during the garden
week pilgrimages in Georgetown.
Here are seen native dogwood and
redwood trees interspersed among an
cient orchards in their Spring time
Towering Illuminating the landscape
After ringing the convent door bell
you stand in front of an iron grilled
doorway. one of whose panels swings
inward to permit you to address the
gentle nun who, as FORTRESS, bids you
welcome. Two reception rooms side
by side emphasize the old and the
new, whose intermingling is such a
characteristics of the Georgetown Visi-
tation Convent. One is in modernistic
red leather furnishings with hangings
that emphasize this same gay note.
The one where met the headmistress
Is a collectors delight with its old
mahogany table and black mohair-
covered chairs in as perfect condition