Thursday, February 25, 2016

South Carolina Places -St. Joseph's Academy





St, Joseph's Acadamy, Sumter, South Carolina
Credit: The University of South Carolina Digital Post Card Collection
https://digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/collection/sclvispc/id/18423

My maternal great grandmother, Loretta (McManus) Daughrity (1894-1936) attended St. Joseph's Academy in Sumter, South Carolina. A boarding school for girls, it was said that she was sent there sometime after the death of her mother, Frances "Fannie" Victoria (McRady) McManus (1856-1903).


Loretta McRady McManus
(1894-1936)
Graduation Picture
St. Joseph's Academy
About 1911
©Cheri Hudson Passey
   
    St. Joseph Academy was started in 1863 by the Sisters of Mercy, who moved to Sumter County to get away from the unrest of the Civil War. The school served as a place of learning and community events for Catholics and Non-Catholics until 1929. 

                                   
St. Joseph's Academy About 1907
Sumter County Postcards-Schools

     It is not known exactly when Etta McManus began attending St. Joseph's but two newspaper reports of the 1910 and 1911 Graduation Ceremonies name her as a participant.

 Award for Household Industry
June 1910 Commencement Exercises
The Watchman and Southron
22 June 1910, pg. 2
image from newspapers.com

   Junior Grade
June 1911 Commencement Exercises
St. Joseph's Academy
The Watchman and Southron
24 June 1911, pg 2
image from newspapers.com

Musical Trio Participant
June 1911 Commencement Exercises
St. Joseph's Academy
The Watchman and Southron
24 June 1911, pg2
image from newspapers.com
    
                   A search for school records to further learn of Etta McManus' time at the academy has not produced any results. 
   
  The following bill showing the price of tuition found in a hanging file for St. Joseph's Academy at the Sumter County Genealogical Society. There is no date on the bill, but a search for Florence Bradford, daughter of R.D. Bradford, named on the document shows that Florence was 12 in the 1920 Sumter County, South Carolina Census, and 22 in the 1930 Census of the same county. 
                                             The bill most likely represents prices from the early to mid-1920s. 

Bill for Tuition
St. Joseph's Academy
Hanging File
Sumter South Carolina Genealogical Society
                                                                              $3 a month for tuition. My, times have changed!
  
                          
Do you have a connection with St. Joseph's Academy?
I'd love to hear from you!


Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,


7 comments:

  1. Hi Cheri, I have a good number of Hudson's in my data base, wondering if you have any DuBose connections? My family in from Clarendon Cty, SC also have family in Sumter.

    Al DuBose, Beaufort, SC

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    1. Thanks for contacting me. I have many Sumter and Clarendon surnames. Some of these are Daughrity, McManus, Stafford, Thames, Gibson and McRady. As far as I know I am not directly related to the Dubose family but they are often friends and neighbors to my people. My Hudson's were from Darlington County and later in Florence and Clarendon. Maybe we have some connections!

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  2. The postcard of the Academy looks quite pretty. It is great that you have evidences of your great grandmother attending the academy. The reason for her attendance is sad but maybe it was best for her.

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    Replies
    1. It most likely was best for her. She was the youngest child.All her siblings had married and moved on. I would really like to find some school records. Thanks, Colleen!

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  3. You may be interested in this website. There are digital Sumter High yearbooks dating back to 1928. Lots to elementary class pictures also. Great website with a lot of Sumter historical stuff. Here is the link... http://www.edmundshigh.com/library.html

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  4. Cheri, my great great grandmother, Sarah Theresa McAndrew and her sister, Mary Ellen McAndrew were from Charleston, SC and I was told by Sarah's granddaughter (my great aunt) that they were sent to St. Joseph Academy during the War. Glad I found your page. I don't have any records personally that say she really went here. I'm named Sara (Sally) and my daughter is a Sara. The nuns that taught at St. Joseph were of the same order that taught me and my siblings at St. Angela Academy in Aiken, SC. I was also born in Charleston. Sara (Sally) Caver Messier, Camden, SC

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your comment. I am still on the hunt for any information on the school and students. I will be sure to contact you if I am successful!

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