Schools in south-central Minnesota (1876-1909). The German community of Hastings, the second oldest settlement in Minnesota, at first had the Sisters of St. Joseph as their teachers. In 1890, four Benedictine sisters from St. Joseph, MN, replaced the Sisters of St. Joseph teaching the 140 students in the parochial school provided by the German parish. This was due, perhaps, to the fact that the Benedictines were primarily a German community. In subsequent years the enrollment increased to 335 students. Though the photograph shows only boys, girls were also enrolled (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives, Shifra Stein's Day Trips: Gas-saving Getaways Less Than Two Hours from Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul, page 149).