Heidi Johnson, an Assistant Professor, Instruction Librarian and College Archivist of the College of St. Scholastica, chose this item from their collection: the Bulletin Villa Sancta Scholastica College and Academy.

Read the booklet here:

Bulletin Villa Sancta Scholastica College and Academy, Duluth, Minnesota 1915

The College of St. Scholastica Bulletin from 1915 is a booklet 13 pages in length published by the College under the direction of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery in Duluth for young women and girls. It explains the College's foundation and aim, location, telephone and railway connections, government, references, equipment, laboratories, publications, lecture course, health of students, physical exercises, rules and regulations including wardrobe requirements, and expenses.

These early catalogs outline the academic and student life of the College including its fees, rules, and regulations; lists of faculty; degree and course offerings; clubs, societies, and activities; publications; scholarships; honor rolls of students; and photos of the College buildings, classrooms, dorms, and recreational rooms.

They were shared with current and prospective students and their families and now serve as one of the best sources of information for what the early years of the College were like. That the audience of these publications was the general public gives them a unique perspective important for historical research.

One fun fact – the bulletin from 1915 has what appears to be a photograph of Tower Hall on its cover that is actually an original architectural drawing of what the building was proposed to look like. However, it is depicted as only having one tower despite the fact that the first part of Tower Hall was completed in 1909 without any tower at all. Eventually one tower was added in 1920, five years after this booklet came out, and Tower Hall ended up having two towers when it was finally completed in 1928.

These college catalogs have been one of the most frequently requested items from especially external researchers, who wish to learn more about an early, women’s Catholic college in the Midwest. Our College was at the forefront of higher education even on a national level focusing on nursing and medical records in addition to the traditional courses of study such as the domestic and liberal arts.

These areas of study have been research interests for scholars either for books, their doctoral dissertations, and other scholarly pursuits. The catalogs have provided them with the information they need on all the aspects of our College to help them understand what college was like for women back then.

The College of St. Scholastica remains the only private higher educational institution in northeast Minnesota since its founding in 1912. As such, it has served many generations of students and the region. This historic legacy can be traced back to these first catalogs as well as tracked to the catalogs that continue to be published today for a longitudinal study of many aspects of the College including its academic and student life.

The College’s first three catalogs were added to the Minnesota Digital Library in 2010 and were one of the earliest non-photograph items to be included. They were important to us to have in our collection in MDL because they are a treasure trove of both charming and fascinating aspects of being a female college student in the early 1900s.

While they may seem boring as they list courses and rules, one can imagine what student life would have been like complete with their telephone number – Melrose 5876 ring one. Curious rules could lead to interesting research questions such as why must the student have had dentistry done before coming to school as well as analyze economic status as students were required to come with their own silver knife, fork, tea and dessert spoon with their name engraved on them. The potential research topics that could stem from the information found in these catalogs are very exciting.

It has always been a delight to incorporate the information included in these catalogs in my own research as well as to support others, and they have brought our history to life in a way few other historical resources can.

As the only private college in Minnesota's upper northeast, The College of St. Scholastica provides unique cultural and academic opportunities for its Duluth community. The college was founded by the Benedictine Sisters of the St. Scholastica Monastery in 1912 with the mission to prepare students for "responsible living and meaningful work." The collection contains photographs, which depict the academic and cultural sides of the college such as students in the classroom, clinical experiences, laboratories, physical education, graduation, leisure time, and concerts as well as documents, including catalogs listing the courses and programs offered, and rules and regulations.

Browse the College of St. Scholastica collection on MDL.

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