Since September 12, 1905…celebrating 100 years of caring

Posted by: Debbie Bowley on Thu, 15 September 2005 14:49:12

On September 12, 1905 Mother Augustine Claven, with a small band of Sisters of Mercy, opened the doors of the Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, Lauralton Hall to the first group of young women who came to the Milford campus to be educated.

For one hundred years, the teaching staff of Lauralton has offered young women an excellent education and the opportunity for spiritual growth and development. For one hundred years, the young women of Lauralton Hall have exhibited a concern for women and women’s issues and have been gifted by their teachers with a world vision and a sense of responsibility for the world community. Faculty and students have collaborated with each other and with outside organizations to offer compassionate service to poor people, the homeless, the victims of our sometimes uncaring society.

For the past several days the students of Lauralton Hall have been collecting money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. There have been pictures of the devastation on television; there have been reports from one of our sister schools in Gulfport where buildings are leveled and the principal has not yet located all of the students; we know that many of those left behind to face the wrath of this storm are poor people, the homeless, the elderly and the sick. And, faithful to 100 years of Mercy tradition, Lauralton Hall is again reaching out.

The students are currently finalizing a collection of funds for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The money collected will be entrusted to the Sisters of Mercy who remained in the Gulfport area with those who could not leave, who will remain long after the supply trucks have left and the government has finished its project, who will help those without homes and those without hope. The funds collected at Lauralton will be added to the $1 million initially put forth by the Saint Louis Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy to aid the the relief effort. 

On September 12, 2005, Lauralton Hall celebrated her heritage--one hundred years as a community that cares...about one another and about others. The day of celebration included a school wide dress down day, shortened classes and a student/faculty lunch on the beautiful campus grounds.

The Lauralton Hall chapter of the National Honor Society has collected more than $4000 and will continue the collection of funds to be entrusted to the Sisters of Mercy until September 16. NHS will gratefully accept and forward all contributions from Lauralton families and friends. Donations should be sent in to school marked for “Katrina Relief” and checks should be made payable to Lauralton Hall.

Thank you in advance for joining the students in the Lauralton tradition of helping those without homes and those without hope.