Early ventures in St. Joseph, Minnesota (1880-1890). Because the government opened the contract for any number of students to attend St. Benedict's Industrial School, an addition was constructed on the west end of Marmion Hall so that the building could accommodate 150 students. When in 1896, the government dropped the contract system of Indian education, the school remained open for two more years when it was forced to close due to lack of funds. The west addition to Marmion Hall was then converted to a school for little boys (ages 6-12), often referred to as "Bethlehem School for Boys." The sisters reserved the east end of Marmion for the formation of its new members (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives; McDonald, page 122).
St. Benedict's Academy (1883-1909). The fact that a room was already set aside for art in the late 1890s attests to the sisters' desire to cultivate the love of beauty. The academy catalogues show the variety of courses that were available including oil painting. St. Benedict's Academy (later College) has produced notable artists, for example, Sister Thomas Carey, among its faculty and students throughout its history (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
St. Benedict's Academy (1883-1909). The library became a vital part of the academy. It was one of the most inviting places on the campus -- one that encouraged the Benedictine tradition of love for learning. In the next addition to the academy/college (Teresa Hall in 1914), an entire floor was devoted to the library. Eventually, as the college expanded to the western portion of the campus, a separate building was constructed as the campus library (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
St. Benedict's Academy (1883-1909). In boarding schools where living quarters were crowded, it was imperative to have a place where students could study in quiet. The study hall was supervised by one of the sisters in order to maintain quiet and to be of assistance to students doing their homework. This study hall in Cecilia Hall also served as the chapel until other wings were added to the convent to provide for larger chapels (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
St. Benedict's Academy (1883-1909). The tradition of preserving records and items of historical importance is passed on from one generation to the next -- from the Benedictine community in EichstÃtt, Bavaria, to the Sisters of St. Benedict in St. Joseph. Now a large archives and a museum, "Art and Heritage Place," preserve the records and objects which have been collected over the years by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Joseph, MN, to depict their life and work here and abroad (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
Drama held a significant role in the curriculum of the academy. Performances drew large audiences, not only from the surrounding areas, but from as far as Milwaukee, WI. The Delsarle Tableaux performance, honoring Bishop Otto Zardetti, was presented at the Village Hall in St. Joseph on February 10, 1893 (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
Expansion of Monastery (1880-1909). From 1882 to 1890 the membership of the Benedictine community at St. Joseph grew to almost 300 professed sisters. The enrollment in St. Benedict's Academy increased to 213 (132 grade school girls and boys and 81 high school girls). Therefore, the sisters added wings to Cecilia Hall (built in 1881-1882) as follows: Benedict Hall in 1883; Scholastica Hall in 1892; Gertrude Hall in 1898. Several factors accounted for this rapid growth: with larger enrollments in the academy, the number of candidates entering the religious community increased; as the Church became more stable when the Northwest Territory was organized as a Vicariate in 1875 and as the St. Cloud Diocese was established in 1889, more parishes developed throughout north central Minnesota; and as sisters went out to teach in more and more schools, the number of candidates from parishes increased. The religious community became more stable and accepted. By 1909, within its first 52 years, the membership grew to 452, and in the next 45 years, St. Benedict's Convent reached its peak membership of 1,278. (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).