The School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) were required to keep chronicles at each mission site. The chronicles are a record of significant events that occurred throughout the year, such as major events at the school, church or convent, and illnesses or deaths. They can also provide amusing stories about life as a SSND. The following is a chronicle entry...Read more

By Michele Levandoski, Archivist, School Sisters of Notre Dame North American Archives Click here for a PDF version Today, the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) are known for their work with social justice issues, but that was not the case in the mid-1960s when Sister Marie LeClerc Laux became involved in the Milwaukee civil rights movement. Sister Marie LeClerc’s...Read more

Christmas is a time for family and thanksgiving, but also a time to reflect on the past. It is evident through the chronicles that the Sisters in Baltimore celebrated Christmas in different ways – those in the motherhouse attended midnight Mass while those at St. Anthony’s Orphanage had more traditional Christmas fun with the children. The following excerpts describe how...Read more

St. Francis de Sales Convent, located at 421 Daly Street in St. Paul, Minnesota, closed in November 2019, marking the end of a 135-year presence of the School Sisters of Notre Dame at the parish and school. We honor the SSND who worked there with the following photos and excerpts from the convent/school chronicles.   [1884] “On August 27, 1884,...Read more

The School Sisters of Notre Dame living at St. Mary of the Pines in Chatawa, Mississippi are currently in the process of moving to a new home. When the final sister leaves in 2020, it will mark the end of 146 years of the SSND living and working in Chatawa. Click here to watch a historical slide show of St....Read more

Needlework was an important part of a girls’ education and the School Sisters of Notre Dame often included needlework as part of their curriculum. Pictured here is a needlework class from St. Agnes School in St. Paul, Minnesota, circa the late 19th or early 20th century. Notice the wall, which is covered in various needlepoint projects. Click here for more...Read more

It is difficult to figure out what is happening in this photo of Sr. Marietta Bettels, until you read what is written on the back: “An experiment – with a yardstick – camera on windowsill.  Took this myself in my classroom in Seelas Hall, New Orleans.” Turns out, Sr. Marietta was attempting to take a selfie!...Read more