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Hooper Wing: The 1910 Addition


The boarders were moved into the Hooper wing. Stella Maris, "Star of the Sea", and "Sacred Heart" were the names given to the sleeping quarters. Stella Maris sat under the dormer windows on the upper floor. Mostly the older girls stayed here, and, given more freedom, danced around in the great open spaces between the rows of beds. A Sister always slept in the dorms with the younger girls, in case they needed anything, but this also ensured that they slept, instead of giggling all night. There was a small storage cupboard for each student, and, aside from the items required for their wardrobe the girls were discouraged from bringing extra possessions to keep at the school. "Sacred Heart" , the dorm for younger boarders, allowed a few teddy bears, to comfort little girls away from their families.

Dormitory Room, c. 1911 Dormitory Room, c. 1911

The letters "S H" were hung over the entrance to stand for Sacred Heart, but the girls thought it meant "shhh", and that they were to be very quiet! The dorms were arranged in cubicles, so that each girl had a bit of privacy, but the dividers did not extend to the ceiling, so the sounds carried. Each girl had a dresser, a lamp, desk and chair, and a bed. In the late 1960s, all the parents who could afford to do so contributed some money to the dorm's upkeep, and Mr. Schiller, the maintenance man, repainted. They added wallpaper and bedspreads, to brighten up the space, and make it more modern for the girls.

The Mistress of Boarders cared for a dog named Watchie, a collie-lab cross, who was supposed to guard the grounds. It was spoiled, and a bit fat, probably from all the treats the adoring children fed him. Sometimes, he would come up to the dorms at night, to comfort the younger girls who still felt homesick in the dark. One evening, a girl sneaked an entire chocolate cake into her cubicle and invited some of the other students to have a feast. The dog jumped up on the bed to join in. When the girls were questioned about the mess from the forbidden cake the next morning, they blamed all the brown marks from the chocolate on Watchie's muddy paws!