Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/141

 PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH SCHOOLS 123 Helen's Hall, including the different scholarships and professorships which had been established, amounted to $177,573.17, with incumbrances amounting to $20,000. In addition, the board had a general indebtedness of $10,922.15. In 1897 the indebtedness was all consolidated into two mortgages to the Palatine Insurance Company and a loan of $50,000 was secured. In 1901 a legacy of $33,364.65 was received from a Felix Brunot, for St. Helen's Hall. This was turned to paying off the general debt but after the closing of the Bishop Scott Academy the money was all returned to the other school. Of importance in this period of the history of St. Helen's Hall was the death in 1896 of Miss Rodney, the principal. Her sister took charge for the remainder of the year and the following year she was succeeded by Miss Eleanor Tebbetts, Ph. D., of New York, who remained in charge until 1904. In 1898 a new "post-graduate" depart- ment was created, but was discontinued very soon after- wards. By that year the school had recovered from the effects of the panic, as is shown by the nerollment of 199 pupils, the largest number in its history. The depart- ments of Literature, Music and Art continued to be stressed and a large number of students were enrolled in these courses. 15 In 1896 a kindergarten was established and although not a financial success at first, it was con-. sidered well worth while. In 1901 the students of the different schools were distributed as follows: Prepara- tory 86, Intermediate 17, Primary 22, Kindergarten 23, Kindergarten Normal 6, Music only 5, Art only 2, and English only 2. In 1904, after considerable deliberation, it was decided to place the school under the management of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist. This group of women was founded at Clewer, England, and affiliated in 15 The catalogue of 1897 states that Wednesday evenings are spent by the pupils in the society of the faculty. The first Wednesday of each month, the pupils and teachers are at home to their friends in the city; alternate Wednesday evenings parlor lectures, open to patrons and in- vited guests are given on various subjects, scientific, historical, and literary. The list of lectures and reading for the year 1896-97 is given. 11 If