Ursuline-Sisters

Home to the Sisters of Ursuline established in 1894

1894 (December) Sister Maurice Albert and Sister Jerome Schaub left
Kentucky and headed for Kansas

1895 (May) a 5 acre cornfield was purchased. People of Paola donated
$725.00 to the Ursuline Sisters.

1895 (July) excavation for the Academy began at the cost of 12,000
dollars

1896 (March) the Academy was ready for occupancy

1886 (June) the Academy building was dedicated by Rt. Rev. Bishop Fink

1896 (September) school opened with 4 boarders and about 40 day
scholars
- Two of the first students were Indian Boys who were left by their mother
to be educated
- One of the first kindergarteners became Mother Cecilia Koehler, third
superior of Paola order

1898 (January) the State Legislature of Kansas as the “Ursuline
Academy of Our Lady of Lourdes” chartered the school

1901 the first class to graduate with 4 years of academic courses

1902 the Academy became exclusively a boarding school for girls with
day school accommodations for the Academic grades

1902 a small chaplain’s residence was erected and Rev. Father
Hippalite Topet, became the first spiritual director. The building is now a
home for a group of adults with developmental disabilities from Lake
Mary.

1903 The Ursuline Sisters taught at St. Patrick’s Holy Trinity Schools in
Paola until 1995.

1904 (3.5) acres were added to the original 5 and a second building was
started. It cost 22,000 dollars to build
- This building is known today as the Mother House. This building
contains the present chapel, dormitories, dinning and recreation halls.
- The next decade was steady growth.
- The Academy was one of the leading educational institutions of
Eastern Kansas and even though the tuition was fair the sisters were
paid with goods, such as produce and chickens or services in lieu of
fees.

1913 the road dividing the Ursuline grounds was vacated by Mayor L.S.
Smith.

1916 the Auditorium and Music Conservatory was completed at a cost of
$100,000. Wilder and Wright of Kansas City drew the design and F.M.
Spencer & Sons of Topeka secured the contract. The auditorium seats
more than 300 people.

1919 a second house was purchased for the chaplain

1922 the Academy became a member of the North Central Association
of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
- Both buildings became outgrown and the grounds were extended to
include (30) acres to the south and west

1924 a Jr. College was started- it offered associate degrees in a variety
of fields and courses for the certification of teachers. Approximately 80%
of the teachers in the rural and elementary schools of Miami County were
trained at Ursuline College. Six superintendents received their college
training at Ursuline.

1926 the first class to graduate from the Jr. College had only 4 students

1935 the largest class to graduate from the Jr. College had 21 students

1941 the Ursuline Camp was opened, offering hundreds of boys and
girls the opportunity for outdoor fun, sports and recreation every summer.
Sisters who were on break from teaching would be counselors.

1947 Ursuline College adopted the new American College concept
whereby a Jr. College was considered a 4-year college by including
grades 11 and 12.

1957 Ursuline College closed

1965 Mother Charles McGrath, with the cooperation of other Paola
citizens, spear headed the effort that obtained a grant under the Older
Americans Act of 1965 to start The Senior Center, with Ursuline Academy
as grantee.

1966 Five-acre tract of land valued at $25,000.00 was donated by
Ursuline to the Assemble of God Church ministers to construct a nursing
home, which is now Medicalodge.

1969 One of Ursuline greatest accomplishments was the founding of
Lake Mark. It all began with Sister Mary Charles McGrath, superior of the
Ursuline Sisters.
- The sisters contributed 34 acres of land and $50,000 to get the building
started.

1971 the teaching operation ended with over 50,000 students being
educated

1972 The lower level of the auditorium became the Happy Seniors
Center where older adults enjoyed art, ceramics, games, films and
parties.
- The PACA Food Pantry began in the Ursuline Mother house under the
direction of Sister Eugene Reynolds.

1977 Sister Elizabeth Dye helped organize and became the first project
director of the Foster Grandparents Program.

1978 Sister Charles McGrath and Sister Frances served on the Advisory
Board of Poalans United, whose aim was to develop a community
education program.

1985 Ursuline sold the auditorium to the City of Paola for $1.00. It is now
known as the Paola Community Center.

1986 The original Ursuline Academy building and its adjoining Brescia
Hall directly to the west were torn down. The building served as the
original home to the sisters and as classrooms for the academy itself.
- The cupola from the Brescia Hall finds a new home upon the Wilson
Funeral Home lawn. It sits over a natural spring with a stone and
concrete basin that collects water from the spring.

1998 Builders for Christ, a group of volunteers for the Pearl Street Baptist
Church, stayed at the Mother House for a summer during construction of
the Baptist Church.

2000 Friends of Ursuline Gardens was established to enhance,
preserve, protect and restore the historic Ursuline Academy Campus
Gardens utilizing local community volunteers.

IAMI

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