Authored by John Engett

Saturday, September 13, 2003

Preface

Over the years I told of La Salle School. I never divulged that of St. Colman’s. I always thought - who would believe me! It’s only after hearing of Terry and the website that I had a glimmer of release. I never told anyone, not even my family, of my early years. I did not say a word about it to my wife, who is now deceased after our marriage of 57 years. Perhaps my brothers and sister will be discovered.

My Earliest Recollections


I was the oldest of five children, I had 3 brothers and 1 sister. My memory is such that my mother was 18 when she married my father who was about 30. My mother was of Scottish descent and my father was of German descent. My father had a severe accident and I was then placed in St. Colmans. I seem to remember that at about age 5 someone dropped me off at St. Colman’s Orphanage. I wanted to wave to the people who brought me here to the 3rd floor dorm. The nun demanded that I come to her. She smashed me on the nose. It bled. I soon learned who they are from day one to the end.

St. Colmans Orphanage

I was given the institution’s haircut and clothes. I will tell my story as I experienced it. We were only called by our last name if known. A few are: Clarence Thereon Murray, Cusack Alexander (Peter, Daniel and Steven Serafini) London and Mary Canti (red head).

The Church and Chapel.



We marched from dormitories to chapel silently and in order. We went to early mass Sundays and religious holidays. We went to daily part of the time, the rules of behavior always took place in everything we did. We had the use of a prayer book and the rosary beads. We had no songbook. We sang from catching on. The girls did have a songbook. You were noted if you did not go to communion. Confession was difficult, you did not see the priest and we did not know if these things were reported.

A civilian played the organ and the Gospels were great- the sermon talk seemed to be made for the nuns. The hierarchy was right in the middle section. Mother Superior, Sister Superior in the white veil and habit, this was the hierarchy settings. The other nuns sat on left and right sides. The one in the middle totaled about 27 - this varied. Whenever the Bishop came which was really rare, you would have thought the Pope was coming. Things were ultra strict and so was the discipline (death, novices, and confirmation for the children.)

Because there were so many silent times, kneeling times, standing times, and sitting times, I found a way to overcome these impositions. I would think or dream of pleasant things and what ambitions whenever I got out. This gives you the zombie look that was necessary to avoid being selected. I was behaving! It was perfect for silent time. Prayer time can be confused with talking when you move your lips and vice versa. The institution was self-sustaining in many ways: farm, bakery, kitchen, storage, and much, much more. The funds came from churches, dioceses and other donations from the public.

Dormitories.


There were three dorms for the girls and three for the boys. Sister Teresa tended the boys and the dormitories were designated by the condition of the bedding: Sacred Heart (Wet), St. Joseph (Sometimes wet), Blessed Mother (Never wet). Toilet facilities were at one end. We had to wait sometimes. The other large toilet room was used by Sister Teresa. She had a sleeping enclosure in the Dorm Blessed Mother. I don’t remember the drinking fountains, we did have faucets in the washing room.

Infirmary.


We had separate ones, boys on the 3rd floor/girls on 2nd floor. The nun with the white-veiled habit was the tender of the Infirmary. Three beds, everything dead white. I was sick 3 times with stomach aches all those years. The castor oil was used for everything, you were lucky if you were given a spoonful of sugar. Visits by strangers or doctors were not known by the children. While it was still dusk we would steal a look out the window and watch the sisters parade one behind the other, saying their office or whatever in their playground area. They could be seen by anyone on the main road. It is to be said again that the nursery and wet bed areas were a disaster unto themselves what with excrements of sorts. There is no describing the reactions of the people. This white veiled habit nun reigned with the hierarchy, tended the altar and took care of the Sacristy. The girls had a sewing room next to the classroom on the third floor.

Refectory.

We marched to the refectory through the corridor from the yard or the basement rooms. All things were done by bell - a bell to stand, say grace, to sit and thank you - and a bell to go. Regimented always. Sister Patricia’s rule was to eat that which was on your plate. If you upchucked, you are to eat that which you heaved again and again etc. if necessary.

You were also given the ruler either the palm or the knuckles - thin side or the flat side. Her choice. Along the passage, one outlet was the bread shop. The sisters had their own bread and bakery shop. The civilian (lady) sliced bread we made or that which came from outside. At times raisin bread would come in. The children would grab them on the sly. We would share them. I think the lady knew.

They had can storage. I had that job once in awhile. The cans were rotated top to button - acid problems, cans do explode.

The nuns had unusual ways of testing us. They had a candy, cookies, and other various types of storage rooms. We straightened them up and did checking of the amounts. If you didn’t eat or taste anything you had the feeling of the possibility of working unsupervised. Where these cookies and candies went, I do not know!

Laundry.

At the other end of the corridor was the laundry. The girls handled things under Sister Bridgett with an accent of old Ireland. Next to Sister Patricia, she too kept the girls to a strict silence, and to obey… obey.

Divisions.

We had the convent, the Mother House, the Nursery, Novices induction, Boys and Girls (separated to the nth degree), also called Asylum, Home, Orphanage, and Mother House. It was known as being in Watervliet, --. off Troy and Albany. St. Colman or name St. Coleman supposed to have their roots from Ireland. It was known in Ireland as the laundry sisters. We were doing vestments too. The incorrigibles were sent to the Protectory for boys and the House of Good Shepherd (as I knew it) for girls.

The Basement Room.

This is where the girls and boys were confined to a large degree. It had one opening and a rather low ceiling and I do not remember the system of ventilation. The one from laundry was huge vent (exhaust) to the outside. It kept the area outside nice and warm. We gathered around it. Girls and boys. We still didn’t talk to each other.

The basement windows were never opened. They were half size or less. At times we looked like a parade ground because of the gathering, one half a room for girls, one half for the boys. The side for the boys was as follows. 5 or 6 rows, the line was close to ten one behind the other. The girls' side was filled out the same way others were on duty.

Standing.

This was the formation for the meeting and rosaries etc. at Lent and Advent time we also did the rosaries and litanies. This formation with long standing was also used with variations.

Benches without backs.

- against the wall they were all around the room except for the door openings. Benches were used for sometimes for mass chastisement. The girls sat on one side, the boys on the other. Whenever Freedom time came - the yelling is deafening. The dust was suffocating. Everyone was acting animal-like until the bell rings. Sitting time, this comprised of mass singing, and individual monkey watching, and benches for spanking, too.

Silence time.

Advent and Lent, we had mental prayers, Sister Teresa Prefect for the boys and Sister Benedict Prefect for the girls. Song time - (no song books) - memory only. No books, no papers, no radio, no nothing. This includes candy or no fruit cookies. (We ate skins and all if we did get them from visitors). We had lots of make believe time. Sister Teresa and Sister Benedict were very friendly towards each other. They sat together at the line of separation between boys and girls and they talked all the time. We had favorites. They created their own problems for mass punishments. Classrooms we had grades one to eight. Boys and girls - girls on the side, boys on the blackboard side. The nursery was a large dorm-like room, filled with all kinds of crib. This room was filled to capacity. They had babies yelling, crying, upchucking, etc - a bedlam exists at times. Above all was the learning of the rules of Baltimore Catechism or else!

Visitor Day.

Every second Sunday with the exception of the 3rd Sunday and it was limited to two close relatives if possible. They proposed you don’t come, it’s harder on children after. After awhile no one comes. Only fruit is allowed. It has to be shared with others. There was a time that some entertainers came to the Visitors Room - the children were selected. One other time, two or three clowns came.

The Yard.

The yard was in back of the main center building. It was divided in half - the boys on the outer end - the girls next to the building. The building was in the shape of a square U. Surrounded with a high cyclone fence enclosed the yard. The center line had 30-40 foot elms with benches below. The boy’s side was divided into gravel area and loose stony gravel. The girl’s side was solid. The girls had swings-the boys went up and down the fence sometimes hurting themselves severely. These wounds did not heal well. The boys had no swings. The girls played tag, merry-go-round etc. The boys played bean ball with small stones in a sock. Sister Teresa and her shadow (Benedict) were in charge (Prefects). The large vent from the laundry kept a number warm in the winter. Toilets for the boys were at the end of the building. The girls had theirs off the main building. Strange - we all played with the ants using them much like toy soldiers. We also talked to them and asked them to help us. The challenge of the dares was the vehicle opening of the cyclone fence on the girl’s side. Like Mount Everest it had to be climbed. (It was on the girl’s side of the yard). The two nuns sat together. We had a sense of freedom out here in the yard.

Enforcement Measures.

1. Bending of the knuckles of the pinky finger.
2. Earlobe or nose squeezing - pulling.
3. Mass standing, hands on head or back, timed.
4. Each nun had their own persuader coiled rubber lines for lashing and rulers with thin edge and also wooden and long for knuckles, (backs, or palms).
5. Slapping across the face or boxing ears together.
6. Putting a dress on a boy then mocking him and placing him outside of the girls’ dorm.
7. Two or three boys holding a boy in a splayed position and lashing him.
8. Standing or kneeling at night for long periods during sleep time was awful.
9. Holding a person against the bench spanking with a giant wood paddle wielded by boy or girl. Sometimes knuckles were used on your head. One time a paddle was broken which resulted in pandemonium.
10. The sisters had a place for the incorrigibles, The House of the Good Shepherd and the brothers used the Protectory. It was an unwritten law not to cry if you could help it - and yet if you had a friend or brother, they would cry. You did not strike or put your hand to protect yourself from the various blows. They made sure you knew the habit and the veil were holy. Children came and went without fanfare or notice. No bulletin boards.

It might be noted that when Rudolph Valentino died, all the sisters cried.

The Farm.

From time to time we would be called to duties for some times - collecting eggs, picking chickens from the hen house, tending the cows to and from the farm. We tended the animals out at pastures - that they not go out on the fenceless roads. I tended the surplus kittens to see that they don’t take over by ridding them (drowning), that was difficult to take. To my knowledge, there were no minorities around. Handicapped, yes.

Visitation.

My father came in the old days. My mother came once only, she just went away. What happened to my brothers and my sister, I did not know until a few years later.

Adoption.

I was up for adoption one time only. I was selected by the nuns along with two other boys. We were given a prayer book and rosary beads. Dressed up like new and told to be on good behavior. In addition to act lively and smile - look happy. The other two were selected. It is to be noted that I had my share of UNDESERVED punishment each day. Once in a while people would sneak around the back to see the children. The children would gather with excitement for strangers. They would ask for our prayers. Of course we said yes. They said “I am going to have a serious operation.” We never heard from them one way of another. “God loves little children” “Come unto me” is the sayings speaking of the love of children. Life at St. Vincents, La Salle, the outside farms, the gardens, shipyards and the military are my other life times.