St. Peter's School, Lewiston, 1937
Item 67530 info
Franco-American Collection, University of Southern Maine Libraries
While typical stories of Catholic education focus on the harsh disciplinary methods employed, these are mostly based on the memories of students.
However, the experience was also difficult for the teaching staff, many of whom were young nuns with little educational training.
In 1904, one Dominican Sister, arriving in a new country from her native France, recalled her dismay at the "American Practice" of employing corporal punishment.
In her first interactions with her new students, she described them as "rude," "ignorant" and "uncultured soil."
The large size of parochial school classes (42 students was not uncommon) further demonstrates the challenges faced by both teachers and students.
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