Evening star., 1939-05-14
School of Arts and Crafts
Only One of Kind in Capital
Advantages Of Private
Institution Offered
At St. Gertrude's
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.
In the spirit of the Bible, Il shall
open the door of hope" st. Ger
trude's School Of Arts and Crafts,
at 4801 Sargent road NE, is a
veritable threshold of opportunity
for a group of girls from 7 to IA,
who, because of their retarded prog
ress, present problems in regular
classrooms.
The only school of it's kind near
Washington, it offers the advantages
OF small private home school to
a group of girls who would not
otherwise be able to keep up with
their companions of the same age
In the prescribed routine of the
average classroom.
1t is not in any sense school for
the feeble minded Rather, it is a
haven Of adjustment in a rural en-
vironment. Here under the spiritual
influence of Sisters of St. Benedict,
and the immediate direction of
Father Moore, world-famed psychol-
ogist at Catholic University, lives
that might otherwise be dull and
apathetic flower into efficient use
fulneSS.
Scope Is NOn-Sectarian.
Non-sectarian in scope, except
that for the sake of unified pro-
cedure all students are required to
attend the ordinary religious services
of the school, it is dependent upon
the good Offices of its board of lady
managers for its financial support
and upkeep.
Parents and guardians of its
pupils pay what they can. A num-
ber are unable to assume any finan-
cial responsibility, even for their
clothing. but the students them
selves are on absolutely the same
parity, regardless of the financial
arrangements for them.
Pupils in most instances remain
at the school throughout the year,
even during the summer months, at
which time special routine is
maintained for them This practice
is observed to prevent a long vaca-
ton away from the school interfer-
ing with its formation of habits.
especially where there has been an
emotional problem to overbalance.
With each pupil, ST. Gertrude's IS
endeavors to build up rounded pro-
gram designed to achieve certain
definite measurable ends. These are
checked by diagnostic tests twice a
year to ascertain the degree of i'm
provement reached by the individual
and the group.
Upon entrance, psychological
examination is given to determine
the child's intellectual standing
This is followed by an educational
achievement test to enable the
teacher to place the child in the
ability group to which she belongs
and to select the proper remedial
work for her individual case.
Care Of Home Emphasized.
In the academic subjects. stress is
always placed upon the subjects in
which the child is most deficient
The success acquired by each child
invariably stimulates and promotes
further interest for the individual
and the group.
Courses in arts and crafts as well
as in household science are also
features of the course Emphasis
is placed upon the daily care of
the home as we'll as upon lessons in
cooking and serving meals, sewing
and dressmaking
Physical training, music and rec
reational facilities also play their
important part in the schools char
acter training.
AS proof of its adequacy in de-
veloping the lives of the girls who
are committed to its care, it is in
teresting to note that four out of
its present group who were the least
promising when they entered are
now going out to high school, re-
turning to it each day at the end
of their school sessions.
Two out of it's first group have
since become nuns. one a Bene-
dictine sister. the other Franciscan.
The Franciscan sister is at present
a teacher in an Indian school in
Arizona.
ST. Gertrude's has been function
ing only IL years.
Founded for Specific Need.
1t came into existence to meet a
specific need, when Father Moore,
o. S. B., founder of St. Anselm S
Priory for Scientific Research at
Catholic University. and director of
the Clinic for Nervous and Mental
Diseases at Providence Hospital,
advised the mother of an unhappy
maladjusted child to place her
daughter in such school in this
immediate vicinity. Asked to rec
ommend such school. Father
Moore realized there was none
available.
In response to his appeal to rem
edy this emergency, 50 Catholic
women met at the home of Mrs.
William E. Montgomery in this city
and organized st. Gertrude's Guild
for layWomen. This nucleus, now
greatly augmented, has continued,
with the support of the general pub
lie, to carry the burden of the
schools financial needs.
Prominent among the early work.
ers were Mrs. Milton E. Allies, it's
first treasurer, and her mother,
Mrs. Ellen Gowans; her two sis
tiers, the Misses Gowans; the late
Mrs. B. F.. Saul, Mrs. Daniel Sta
pleton, Mrs. D. j. Callahan, Mrs.
John Cammack, ST.: Mrs. Elmer
Murphy, Mrs. James G. Haskell,
Mrs. Joseph P. Tumulty, Mrs. w. F.
Sands, Mrs. James Edward Duke,
Miss Sarah Lee, Mrs. Harold P.
Norton, Mrs. George P. Scriven and
many other prominent Catholic well
fare workers. Archbishop Curley,
Mrs James Couzens, Mrs. Charles
P. Crane and Mrs. Paul H. Bastedo
are others who have generously
sponsored the welfare work which
st. Gertrude's School is doing to
make its girls become self-support-
ing as we'll as able to take a useful
o1oce in tho world fo which thew