When I first went to St. Mary's, the area west of the building was a vacant lot, thoroughly overgrown with weeds and unsightful. Then Mother Virginia came! I have no idea what it took, but I am quite sure she was the moving force behind turning that unsightful lot into a beautiful park of grass, shrubs, flowers, and graveled walks. By graduation time in 1940, it was absolutely gorgeous.

In the dormitory at St. Mary's, we each had a wardrobe in which we stored our clothing, extra bedding, and other personal belongings. One morning, Mary Ann Meer was unable to get the door shut on her wardrobe, so Sister decreed that she must completely empty it, sort out the things that she was actually using, and pack the rest to take home on the following weekend. As I recall it, one of the biggest problems was that she had fifty-six pairs of shoes, along with a lot of other things that she wasn't wearing for some reason or another.

After our dances, we always sang our thanks to whichever of the nuns had been the chaperones. One night, Mother Virginia and Sister Fides (or perhaps is should be spelled Fidais) had chaperoned, so we duly sang "Mother Virginia, Mother Virginia, thanks to you!" and "Sister Fides, Sister Fides, thanks to you!" Whereupon, Mother asked, "Are you children hungry?" We apparently looked so bewildered, because she added, "Well you were saying, "Sister, feed us," so I thought you must be hungry." Then we all had a good laugh with which to end the evening.

Sincerely,

Maxine (O'Bryan) Allard