Dominican Congregation of St. Mary
Archives of the Dominican Sisters Congregation of St. Mary
580 Broadway
New Orleans, LA 70118
Telephone number: (504) 861-8155
Fax: (504) 861-8718 or 865-8079
Email: dmdawes@accesscom.net
Website: http://www.dominican-sisters.net/stmarys/
Contact person: Sister Dorothy Dawes, O.P.
Access privileges: Please phone or e-mail.
Hours: By appointment. Please phone or e-mail.
Repository Information: These archives reflect the history of the Dominican Sisters who came from Ireland in 1860 to teach in St. John the Baptist Catholic (parochial) School on Dryades Street in downtown New Orleans. They soon expanded their teaching to open St. Mary's Academy at the convent, and in 1865 transferred their boarding students to St. Mary's Academy at St. Charles and Broadway. This location gradually eclipsed the original academy downtown, and though both are no longer operating, the St. Mary's Academy flourishes to this day (2002) as St. Mary's Dominican High School on Walmsley Ave. The academy in uptown New Orleans was elevated to a Liberal Arts College for women, chartered in 1910, and provided quality education until it closed in 1984.
The Dominican Collection includes financial records and catalogues dating from the early years of St. Mary's Dominican Academy, 1882-1892 and 1902-1905. The congregation maintains a Heritage Hall of photographs, arranged by timeline and subject, and a Heritage Room display, based on the history of the sisters.
Highlights: Salve Regina is an excellent example of a magazine produced by a religious community, which covers the first golden age of the Congregation. This, and the papers of the Catholic Winter School in New Orleans, 1896-1899, could be a rich resource for researchers.
The archives of the Dominican Sisters Congregation of St. Mary is closely affiliated with the archives of St. Mary's Dominican College and of St. Mary's Dominican High School.
Finding aids: Inventory in preparation available at repository.
Facilities: photocopying; power sockets available for laptops.
COLLECTIONS:
1. Commemorating 125 Years of St. Mary's Dominican Sisters
1860 -1985
40 pp.
Anniversary booklet, 1860 -1985
2. Excelsa Versus
1860 - 1910
55 pp., 21 photographs
A history in booklet form of the Dominican nuns of St. Mary and their work from 1860-1910, by Mother Mary de Ricci Hutchinson. It was published in Morning Star, the local Catholic newspaper.
3. Exnicios, Sr. M. Bonaventure
1860 - 1935
627 pp. typescript
Fortune Favors the Bold, the Annals of St. Mary's Congregation. This document records the activities of the St. Mary's Dominican Sisters, 1860 (with pre-history) to 1935. It is in the process of being scanned for easier access and index purposes.
4. O'Brien, M. Dominic
1890 - 1900
4 volumes
A remarkable example of a Victorian scrapbook, ca. 1890-1900, which we have reason to believe was compiled by Sister M. Dominic O'Brien (1868-1900), Mistress of Schools (1882-1900) and "editress" of the Salve Regina, (1888-1900). It began as a "Card Album," is well preserved and has been re-bound in four volumes.
5. Photographs
1860s - present
Extensive collection of photographs of members of the community, buildings, activities, and events in the life of the community.
6. Portrait of Love
1860 - 1960
66 pp.
Anniversary booklet, 1860-1960. 66 pages of photos and text
7. Salve Regina (complete except for one issue)
1888 - 1900
microfilm and bound volume
The monthly magazine of the St. Mary's Dominican Academy from 1888 to 1900. Now available in photocopy, microfilm and bound volumes, the collection includes individual photographs and names of some of the writers. After a hiatus following the death of Sr. Dominic O'Brien, the journal re-surfaced as Regina Rosarii, and later as Salve Regina again.
8. Tanner, Mary Bartholomew, O.P.
1 volume
Humorous sketchbook of a postulant nun, 1947, detailing the daily life of the Congregation.