EARLY DAYS AT STELLA MARIS REMINISCENCES

It was one of the wildest wind and rain storms we had ever experienced. Stella Maris Convent in North Rustico was as yet non-existant as a convent, although a nice home was waiting to be moved to a suitable location not too far from the school, for the Sisters’ residence. This was in 1940.

We lived in the school-building and had our meals at the rectory with the Pastor and two lay teachers who boarded with him.

On this special evening in mid-September, as we were preparing to return to the school after supper, there was some consternation as to how we were to get back in the rain-storm that llud suddenly come up. Rain we could easily face, but the accompanying wind was terrific! There was no question of our walk- ing. The wind would have made “Mary Poppins” out of us, and we had no desire to be “flying nuns”.

The Pastor Fr. McNeill and the Principal, Lawrence Doucette, after see- ing one of us decked out in the former’s confessional cloak — a warm garment for cold churches — and the other well-covered and buttoned in Miss Helen Gallant’s long raincoat, led us carefully out to the car. When we arrived at the _ school the car had to be left quite a distance from the front door. This was the old Stella Maris School with a narrow walk up to its front entrance. We got out of the car in the downpour, but one of the Sisters, forgetting the strength of the wind, neglected to hold on to someone and away she flew! Her companion, deter- mined not to lose this precious little person, flew after her. While both Sisters now seemed destined to land somehwere in the village, they suddenly went bang! into the post and they clung to it and to each other with the determination that it would have to give way before they would. (Sr. Edna Pitre and Sr. Louis Gallant or as they were known in religion Sr. Catherine of Louvain and Sr. Marie Eugenia).

The two still more determined men soon rescued them, led them up the steps and into the school, the front door of which had been battling the wind all this time. The keen competition could not last much longer. Since the lock had given way, every gust of wind pulled the door open and slammed it back. Having deposited the rather shaken Sisters, and well aware that nothing could hold the door from the inside on such a night, the rescuers found a strong board and nailed it against the door from the outside. Thus well-guarded from the ravages of wind and rain the Sisters relaxed, trusting that the Lord would calm the wind.and waters before morning, when the Principal would come to "let them out” in time for Mass.

On our very first night in Stella Maris School, which was our residence for the time being, we were awakened by a crashing sound. What could be

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