OUR FRANCISCAN HERITAGE

In the fall of 1953, five sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, became members of Scecina's first staff. Sister Hortense Fougerousse joined Father Harry Hoover as an administrator in the roll of Directress of Studies and Dean of Girls. Sister Georgine Bocklage was the schools librarian, and Sisters Mary Hope Zorlaut, Rose Teresa Schneider, and Malachy Raben joined the teaching staff.

Since the convent was not yet built in 1953, the Sisters lived for a year at Little Flower Convent. In January of 1954 plans for a Scecina convent, now known as St. Francis Hall, were approved and the Sisters moved into the new building in the fall of 1954.

In a matter of a few years, the number of Sisters residing in the convent numbered to twenty-one. However, by the year 1995 only one Sister remained on the staff; and several retired Sisters still resided in the convent. In 1997 the convent was officially closed, and the building since that time has been used for offices and meeting rooms. Sister Lavonne still resides in a small apartment in St. Francis Hall.