The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-07-06
$50 Falls The Elm Tree"
Proves Very Human Document
Impressions of Recently Published Biography Of
Mother Ann Valencia Written BY Rev. John
Louis Bonn, S. j. and Recently Published.

A took that Is having a wide ap-
peal Is Rev. John Louis Bon's
80 Falls the Elm Tree" which
tells the story Of a strong, domi-
nant and lovable character, Mother
Ann Valencia, foundress Of st.
Francis hospital in Hartford. The
biography which takes the form Of
a novel is one Of the important
publications Of the early summer,
has an especial interest to those
in the Hartford locality who have
followed st. Francis growth and
development; likewise 1t is a book
that is attractive to all dyed-i1-
the-wool New Englanders because
in it Father Bonn presents so many
details Of background and person.
alities that effect pleasant reac-
lions to those who know their
Connecticut, know their Berk-
shires, and above all know their
Hartford. While the book has for
its central character, Mother VAL
encia, the author surrounds her
with other striking characters,
some actual, some fictional; and
always and ever is the vivid pic
ture of the hospital as 1t was in
the beginning and as 1t was during
the years of its growth and expan-
sion to the present day.
Reflects Care
Father Bonn'S book shows care
in the gathering of his facts which
were accumulated from first hand
information from those who knew
st. Francis, particularly from Sis
ter Teresa, to whom the book is
dedicated, and who is now the
head of st. Francis. Immediately
on starting the book the interest
is held from the first page where
he tells that Mother Valencia did
not find, on coming to Hartford
from France, lust what she ex-
pected." His first part, called 1.-THE
Foundations" finds the one who
was to become an organizer and
builder not too impressed with
what she had for foundation, but
as was always the case with her,
she managed all difficulties and
started an institution that was to
be very great one, and incident
ally started also familiar catch
phrase at st. Francis through the
years, II AK" That she did "fix"
most things at st. Francis Is
brought out in the book in plain
statement of facts, anecdotes and
fictional digressions Of the author.
Strikingly evident in Father
Bonn's writing is the impression
that his novel-biography is a labor
of love. He pictures Mother VAL
encia in a way that makes one,
who never saw or knew the splen-
did woman, actually see her. His
portrayal is skillful, because he at
no time says she is or she was thus
and so, but he draws his character
with sure strokes by gradually
making you acquainted with her,
through her sparsely delivered
words in poor English and her very
positive actions. AS she never
wasted words, she never wasted her
time, and Father Bonn has
brought this out very artfully and
very beautifully. In short he has
presented in his Mother Valencia
a noble and self-effacing woman.
BY self-effacing we do not mean
a negative character, because
Mother Valencia was figure of
Importance In her hospital, but as
the writer takes great pains to &C
centuate, she was self-willed but
she was at all times wholly nat
ural, honest and summed praise
for a life's work that was to her
just a duty to be performed. with
no hand-clapping necessary. These
are only a few Of the impressions
We received from his portrayal of
the elm tree prototype.
Symbolic Figure
In an artistic way Father Bonn
makes the elm tree a symbolic fig
ure. The reader is aware of trees
throughout the look; the elm trees
that the good mother loved and
the one under which she sat: the
elm tree seems TO symbolic her
great strength. the spirit Of the
whole endeavor, and something
also Of the stability Of New Eng
land. But as the reader also dis
covers. an elm tree Is also strong
enough to be sacrificed In the cause
OF right building. The tree also
figures in that part Of the book
where Mother Valencia re-visits
France and goes 10 her little
shrine and 10 her old familiar tree.
dead and bIackened but still stand.
ing.
We are not setting down facts In
the book IN any orderly or ehron-
illogical fashion IN this article. but
merely trying 70 relate q few i'm
pfessions. The book Is divided into
four parts. The Foundations,
Growth. The Tree Stands. and
The Tree Fails. 30 leaping ahead
10 the last chapter Of part three