The venerable Mother Evangelista, the first mother and foundress, was succeeded in office by Sister Theresa, who governed the community as Reverend mother for the next twelve years. Since that time Mother Aloysia has ably carried on the work of her predecessors.

The early days of Mt. St. Scholastica, like the early days of Kansas, were times of struggle and hardships. Yet, these brave pioneer sisters were of the true Kansas type, and tell us that they never for a moment regretted their mission to the Sunflower State. They tell us, too, that the sunflower itself had a strange power to cheer and encourage their early days. Its sturdy stalk and bright disk seem so fit a type of faith, labor and grateful content, that, even to the present day this rustic flower always finds a place in the convent garden.

The later history of Mt. St. Scholastica is too well known to need repetition. Its actual growth began with the purchase of Price villa in 1877, since which time progress has been steady and vigorous.

A most comprehensive plan of study is pursued at Mt. St. Scholastica. It includes all branches needful for a thorough, literal and refined education, the outcome of long years of experience and thoughtful consideration. That this fact is appreciated, not only by neighboring cities and towns, may be seen by consulting the academy roster, which records a long list of names from many and various sections of the country. Besides the academic or classical course, Mt. St. Scholastica furnishes a complete commercial course, together with special advantages for the study of music and art.

The home life of Mt. St. Scholastica is ideal. The association of fellow-students amid wholesome environments has the tendency to bring out and develop every noble and womanly quality, while the beneficient and judicious guidance of the sisters wisely leads to the attainment of those lofty principles so needful to right living.

Sacred Heart parochial school, in Atchison, is also controlled by the Benedictine sisters, and is supported by tuition. Its curriculum extends through the grades, and the school is under the direction of Sister Monica, O. S. B., and one assistant. Both boys and girls attend, and the enrollment in 1916 is seventy-four.

St. Louis College is another parochial school, offering work through the grades, and admitting both boys and girls. It is maintained by St. Benedict’s parish. Number of teachers employed is six, and the Rev. Gerard Heinz, O. S. B., is principal. Enrollment in 1916 is 293.

St. Patrick’s parochial school is located near St. Patrick’s church, in Union District No. 2, about seven miles south of Atchison. Two teachers are employed in the school, and Ven. Sr. Merwina, O. S. B., is directress. It is controlled and supported by St. Patrick’s parish, and its curriculum extends through the grades. Boys and girls attend the school, and the enrollment in 1916 was sixty-seven.

St. Ann’s school is a Catholic parochial school, at Effingham. It is controlled and supported by St. Ann’s parish. Both boys and girls enroll in the school, which completes the work of the grades. The past year, forty-six pupils were in attendance. Two teachers are employed, one of whom is Sister Sr. M. Marcellina, O. S. B., the directress.

The Trinity Lutheran parochial school is controlled and supported by the Trinity Lutheran parish, corner of Eighth and Laramie streets. The curriculum extends to the eighth grade, and work is offered to both boys and girls. The enrollment in 1916 is fifty-three, and Rev. Carl W. Greinki is principal.

MIDLAND COLLEGE AND WESTERN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.

The board of education of the general synod of the Evangelical Lutheran church, after considering propositions from a number of cities in the Middle West, decided on Atchison as the most suitable location for a Lutheran institution. It is easy of access from the whole territory from which students are most likely to come, and the offer of the city to give $50,000 in money for buildings, twenty acres of land for a campus and professors’ houses, a half interest in the sale of 500 acres of land, and to furnish 200 students the first year, was a tempting offer.

Owing to some difficulties that arose, this offer was not entirely fulfilled, but the twenty acres of ground was donated, and about $33,000 put into buildings. The college was opened on the fifteenth of September, 1887, with 101 students registered.

In 1888 the main building, known as Atchison Hall, was begun, and turned over to the board of trustees in the spring of 1889, and formally dedicated on the 30th day of September of the same year. The institution was given over to the care of a self-perpetuating board. From time to time the constitution has been changed, so that the trustees would be elected by the synods supporting the college.

At the present time the board is composed of twenty-nine members; four are elected by the board from the citizens of Atchison, six from each of the Kansas, English Nebraska and German Nebraska synods; two from the Rocky Mountain and Iowa synods each, and three from the Alumni Association, with the president of the college advisory member, ex-officio.

Rev. Jacob A. Clutz, D. D., was elected first president, and served efficiently in that capacity for fourteen and one-half years. In 1904 Rev. M. F. Troxell, D. D., pastor of the English Lutheran church of St. Joseph, Mo. was elected president, and was succeeded by Dr. Rufus B. Peery.

In 1891 Oak Hall, a dormitory for girls, was erected, to which, about ten years later, the annex was added, giving accommodations for thirty young women. In 1893 the gymnasium was erected, the money being solicited by the students of the institution. Through the solicitations of Dr. Clutz, a splendid six-inch telescope was donated, and an observatory built in 1899. Through the efforts of Dr. Troxell a proposition was secured from Andrew Carnegie to donate $15,000 towards the building of a library, provided the same amount could be raised for its upkeep. From the synods on the territory, alumni and friends of the college, this amount was secured, and the handsome library building was erected during the winter of 1910–1911, and formally dedicated on May 30, 1911. A legacy of $5,000, given several years before, was added to the building fund in order to have a public hall, and a memorial tablet was placed in the hall to the memory of the generous donor, Rev. J. G. Griffith, D. D. On the retirement of Dr. Clutz, his home was bought by the college board for the use of the president.

The Western Theological Seminary was organized in 1895, and the first president and professor, Rev. F. D. Altman, D. D., was inaugurated.

The German department of the seminary was added a few years later, with Dr. J. L. Neve as dean of the department. The home owned by ex-Senator John J. Ingalls was secured in 1908 for seminary purposes. It is admirably adapted to that purpose. At the annual meeting of the college trustees in 1910 the board of education turned over the management of the seminary to this board.

ST. BENEDICT’S COLLEGE.

St. Benedict’s College is the product of Benedictine activity in Kansas, in the cause of Christian civilization. Father Boniface Wimmer, O. S. B., the founder of the Benedictines in the United States, settled in Pennsylvania in 1846, and ten years later he sent missionaries in all directions, and where they settled, promptly there, too, their schools soon were founded. Father Henry Lempe, O. S. B., was the first Benedictine to touch upon Kansas soil in 1856, and he inspired Bishop Miege, S. J., of Leavenworth, with the idea of inviting Abbott Wimmer to make a foundation in Kansas, and thereafter Father Augustine Wirth, O. S. B., was sent out to Doniphan, in 1857, but in 1858 he moved to Atchison. Father Augustine’s management of the college continued until 1868, when he was succeeded by Louis M. Fink, O. S. B., who remained at the head of the institution until 1871. It was under Father Louis that the first printed catalog of St. Benedict’s College appears. Father Giles Christoph, O. S. B., succeeded Father Louis, and held the position three years, from 1871 to 1874, and was succeeded by Father Oswald Moosmueller, O. S. B. The college is situated on the hills north of Atchison and commands an extensive view of the Missouri river and surrounding country. In 1908 the college planned to erect a new group of buildings to crown the brow of the hill, east of the old college, new St. Benedict is to be not only first class, but it is to be a monument of beautiful architecture, which will be in Tudor Gothic and uniform throughout. The administration building, already erected, comprises the first of the group, part of which comprises living quarters of the students. It is a fire-proof building of re-inforced concrete and vitrified brick, spacious, well ventilated, and conveniently arranged. The buildings in the old group are of substantial structure, well fitted to serve their purposes. They comprise an auditorium, recitation room, kitchen and dining rooms, scientific laboratories, museum of natural history, music and typewriting departments. The college has two distinct libraries, one for the exclusive use of the students, and the other, the college library proper. The students’ library contains upwards of 5,000 volumes, in addition to a number of papers and magazines. The college library proper, maintained for the use of the professors, occupies four rooms and the monastery, and it contains more than 27,400 bound volumes and over 5,000 pamphlets. The scientific laboratories are adequate for present use, and the museum is one of the best of its kind in this part of the country. The playgrounds of the college are large and well suited to afford all manner of healthful exercise for the students.

The courses available in the college are the academic, the collegiate, business and stenographic, which are presided over by twenty-two professors, and in which are 300 students. St. Benedict’s is one of the finest Catholic institutions in the West.