La Sainte Union: A Legacy of Education and Community

La Sainte Union (LSU) holds a significant place in the history of education, particularly in teacher training and the humanities. This article explores the history of La Sainte Union, its alumni, and its lasting impact on various communities.

La Sainte Union College in Southampton

La Sainte Union (LSU) in Southampton was a teacher training college that also provided first-degree courses in the Humanities, particularly history (notably American and Soviet), art, English and foreign languages (B.A. Combined Studies, B.A. Modern Foreign Languages & European Studies, Theology).

Academic Oversight and Legacy

Although the education was provided by independent lecturers and professors, the courses were overseen by the University of Southampton, and degrees, both ordinary and honors, were awarded by the university. The college campus was immediately taken over by the University of Southampton and became a campus of the university called New College, specializing in adult and continuing education, and art programs. The campus is now a housing area with a mix of houses and apartments, built by Linden Homes. Most of the original buildings, and the original houses which were used as Halls of Residence in Archers Road, are gone.

La Sainte Union: Grays and Tilbury

Our school was set up by the La Sainte Union (the Holy Union) community of Catholic sisters. La Sainte Union des Sacres Coeurs was founded in France in 1826. The school is characterized by union, prayer, worship, service and work. On October 29, 1899, La Sainte Union opened a fee-paying day school, known as the Convent Day School. The school initially grew slowly. It opened with only three pupils, and by the end of the year there were still only nine. The survival of the school was to remain in doubt until the 1930’s. Both boys and girls were accepted for many years. However, soon after the day school had opened, the Sisters were looking for a site on which the school could expand. They chose land in College Avenue and by 1906, the building was ready for occupation. On the 19th March 1906 holy Mass was celebrated for the first time in the new Convent chapel and on the 24th March the Sisters left 42, Orsett Road and moved into College Avenue.

Growth and Expansion

Part of the 1930’s building was destroyed in the Second World War, but was later rebuilt and extended. After new classrooms and an assembly hall were built in 1934, the Convent Day School grew quite rapidly and it earned an excellent reputation. In 1989 the Sisters moved out of the Convent to enable further expansion of the Convent School. A computer suite and music and art blocks were established. The Sisters then lived in the house which was built in 1872 and had been known as “The Dell” (when owned by Alfred Russell Wallace) and then “Wylie’s” (Mr Wylie was a vet), and was known as “LSU Convent”.

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La Sainte Union’s Vision

Grays Convent High School is entrusted by the Congregation of La Sainte Union, which was founded in northern France in 1826 by Father Jean Baptiste de Brabant, in response to the great social needs following the French Revolution. The union’s Sisters minister in 13 countries around the world to bring:

Reconciliation and healing to a broken world
Unity for all people in a divided world
Peace and justice in a fearful world

The first Sisters of La Sainte Union came to Grays in 1899, at the request of Cardinal Vaughan, Archbishop of Westminster, for a "good, zealous community of nuns" who would teach in the two parish schools. He later wrote to the Superior General of La Sainte Union in 1898 to say, "There is no mission in or near London that offers such a future for the salvation of souls as Grays does." Lucie Contraine and Eulalie Ramon were among the first hundred women to become the first La Sainte Union Sisters in 1843. The La Sainte Union Sisters continued to grow and they set up schools in England, Ireland, Buenos Aires, Argentina, West Indies, The Cameroon, Tanzania, Burundi, Benin and Haiti. In 1899, when a few English speaking L.S.U. Sisters came from France. Four of them went to teach in Tilbury and three in Grays. The School as established by the Sisters is characterised by union, prayer, worship, service and work.

Notable Alumni

Over the last 400 years, the Roman Catholic Jesuit order has established a worldwide network of schools and universities. The following list includes notable alumni from various institutions associated with the Jesuit tradition:

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam: Former President of India and Aerospace Scientist (St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli).
Benigno Aquino Jr.: Philippine politician.
Benigno Aquino III: Philippine politician and son of Benigno Aquino Jr. (Ateneo de Manila University).
Jyoti Basu: Communist politician from West Bengal, India (St. Xavier's College, Kolkata).
Robert Bennett: Prominent Washington, D.C. lobbyist (Georgetown University).
Matt Berninger: Singer-songwriter, frontman of indie rock band The National (St. Xavier High School).
Jerry Brown: American politician (St. Ignatius High School, Sacred Heart Seminary).
William F. Buckley, Jr.: American conservative author and commentator (St. John's Preparatory School).
Daniel J. Callaghan: American admiral who won the Medal of Honor in WWII (St. Ignatius College Preparatory).
Daniel Carroll: American politician, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States (College of St. Omer).
Archbishop John Carroll, SJ: First American archbishop and founder of Georgetown University (College of St. Omer).
Robert P. Casey, Sr.: American politician, former Governor of Pennsylvania (Scranton Preparatory School, College of the Holy Cross).
Robert P. Casey, Jr.: American politician, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania (Scranton Preparatory School, College of the Holy Cross).
Christopher G. Champlin: United States Representative and Senator from Rhode Island (College of St. Omer).
Marcia Chatelain: Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for History, alumna of St. Mary's Academy.
Tom Clancy, Jr.: American author (Loyola Blakefield).
Brian P. Cleary: American humorist, poet and author (Cleveland St. Ignatius High School).
Thomas Crean VC DSO: Irish and British and Irish Lions rugby player, doctor and Major in the British army (Clongowes Wood College).
Darren Criss: American actor (St. Ignatius High School).
Geoffrey Da Silva: Guyanese politician and administrator (St. Stanislaus College).
William M. Daley: American politician, White House Chief of Staff under President Barack Obama (Loyola Academy).
Raymond J. de Souza: Canadian columnist and Catholic priest.
Charles F. Dolan: American billionaire businessman, founder of Cablevision and AMC Networks (John Carroll University).
Tom Dooley: American Catholic physician and humanitarian (St. Louis University High, St. Louis University).
Rahul Dravid: Former Indian cricket captain (St. Joseph's School and St. Joseph's College, Bangalore).
Richard J. Durbin: American politician, U.S. Senator from Illinois (Georgetown University).
William P. Frawley: American actor (St. Peter's School, Halifax).
Sourav Ganguly: Former Indian cricket captain (St. Xavier's Collegiate School).
Rich Gannon: Former NFL quarterback and 2002 NFL MVP (St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute).
Saint Thomas Garnet, SJ: Canonized saint and protomartyr of St Omers (College of St. Omer).
Gordon Getty: Billionaire and businessman (St. Ignatius College Preparatory).
John Paul Getty: American-British philanthropist (St. Ignatius High School).
Bob Gibson: Hall of Fame pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals (Creighton University).
Bernie Grant: First African-Caribbean Member of Parliament, Westminster (St. Stanislaus College).
Stanley Greaves: Guyanese and Caribbean artist (St. Stanislaus College).
Teofisto Guingona, Jr.: Former Vice President of the Philippines (Ateneo de Manila University).
William Habington: English poet (St. Omer).
Michael Harrington: Harvard professor, political activist and author (College of the Holy Cross).
Jonathan Harris: Actor (Fordham University).
Joseph E. Hawkins SJ: Jesuit, child prodigy and translator (College of St. Omer).
Zakir Hussain: Indian musician (St. Xavier's College, Mumbai).
Dan Hynes: American politician (St. Ignatius College Preparatory).
Arun Jaitley: Indian politician (St. Xavier's School, Delhi).
Lyndon B. Johnson: 36th President of the United States (Southwest Texas State Teachers College, now Texas State University).
Edward P. Jones: American novelist and short story writer (College of the Holy Cross).
James Joyce: Irish novelist (Clongowes Wood College).
Abdul Kalam: Former President of India (St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli).
Luke Kuechly: American football player (St. Xavier High School).
Stephen W. Kuffler: Neurophysiologist.
Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr.: American blogger and internet personality (Perez Hilton) (Belmont University).
Patrick J. Leahy: American politician, U.S. Senator from Vermont (Georgetown University Law Center).
Byron Lee: Jamaican music pioneer (St. George's College).
G. Gordon Liddy: American attorney, FBI agent, talk show host, and convicted Watergate conspirator (Fordham University School of Law).
John T. Lynch, Jr.: American politician, former Mayor of Brockton, Massachusetts (Suffolk University Law School).
Michael Madigan: American politician (Loyola University Chicago School of Law).
Theodore McCarrick: American Cardinal, Archbishop of Washington D.C. (St. Bonaventure University).
William J. McDonough: American banker, former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (College of the Holy Cross).
Joseph M. McShane, S.J.: President of Fordham University.
Mark McWatt: Guyanese and Caribbean author and poet (St. Stanislaus College).
Freddie Mercury: British musician (St. Peter's School, Panchgani).
John N. Mitchell: Attorney General of the United States under President Richard Nixon (Fordham University School of Law).
Lakshmi Mittal: London-based Indian businessman and industrialist (St. Xavier's College, Kolkata).
Andrew Morrison: Guyanese journalist and human rights advocate (St. Stanislaus College).
Julian Morrow: Australian comedian and radio host (St. Ignatius' College, Riverview).
George Moscone: Mayor of San Francisco, assassinated in office (St. Ignatius College Preparatory).
Anne M. Mulcahy: Former CEO and chairwoman of Xerox (Marymount Secondary School).
Arthur Murphy: Author, biographer and barrister (College of St. Omer).
Bob Newhart: American actor and comedian (St. Ignatius College Preparatory).
Paul Otellini: President of Intel Corporation (St. Ignatius College Preparatory, University of San Francisco).
Aquilino Pimentel, Jr.: Filipino politician (Ateneo de Manila University).
Donald Pinkel: American medical doctor, founding medical director and CEO of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Canisius College).
John E. Reinhardt: United States Ambassador to Nigeria (Whitman College, Syracuse University).
J. Bartlett Sher: Tony-winning theater director (College of the Holy Cross).
Eugene Edward Siler, Jr.: United States federal judge (Patrick Henry High School).
Charlie Stayers: Guyanese and West Indian cricketer (St. Stanislaus College).
Yi Su-gwang: Korean scholar; military officer (studied under Fr. Gregorio de Cespedes).
Archimandrite Robert F. Taft, S.J.: Scholar of the Liturgy of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
Sister Rose Thering: American Dominican nun and activist (PhD from St. Louis University).
Daniel J. Travanti: American actor (St. Ignatius High School).
Robin Tunney: American actress (St. Ignatius College Preparatory).
Benjamin Walker: Indian-born author on religion and philosophy (St. Xavier's College, Mumbai).
James White: American physician, lawyer and politician (College of St. Omer).
Anthony A. Williams: American politician, former Mayor of Washington, D.C. (College of the Holy Cross).

SIUE: A Parallel Trajectory

The establishment and growth of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) shares parallels with the development of La Sainte Union, reflecting a commitment to expanding access to higher education.

Early Planning and Development

At a meeting in the First National Bank building, the board members of the Edwardsville Chamber of Commerce established a College Planning Committee under the chairmanship of George L. Moorman, Sr. Dr. Harold W. See duly met with the members of the College Planning Committee as the representative of Southern Illinois University, while the other institution failed to send a representative. The College Planning Committee invited 150 local dignitaries with an interest in the establishment of a local public institution of higher learning to a meeting at the Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville.

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At a meeting in Carbondale involving the SWICHE executive committee and the SIU Board of Trustees, Dr. Robert Lynn of Alton pled for swift action to provide convenient access to higher education for residents of Southwestern Illinois. Dr. Harold W. See received appointment effective July 1, 1957 as Executive Dean of a newly-created Southwestern Illinois Residence Office for Madison and St. Clair counties. Day classes began at the Alton and East St. Louis residence centers. Under a temporary arrangement, students attended classes in the Morrison School, on 59th Street north of State Street, in East St. Louis.

Administrative and Academic Structure

Vice President Harold W. See relocated his administrative offices from the Broadview Hotel in East St. Louis to the former home of Mrs. Edwin Gerling on Fangenroth Road in the south central area of the new campus site. Those administrative employees moving with See included his associates, Dr. H. Bruce Brubaker and Dr. Raymond J. Spahn, Dr. William Going (dean), Mr. Emery Casstevens (industrial and technical programs) and the central secretarial and clerical staff.

Six "divisions" of academic programs--humanities, science, social sciences, fine arts, education, and business--came into existence, each managed by a "head of division." Previously, a "director" at each residence center had reported to Dean of Instruction William Going. The following received appointment, effective July 1, 1960, as acting division heads: Dr. Kermit G. Clemans (science); Dr. John J. Glynn (business), Dr. Nicholas T. Joost (humanities); Dr. Cameron W. Meredith (education); and Dr. Herbert H. Rosenthal (fine arts).

Campus Development and Student Life

Dr. Howard V. Davis, director of student affairs, acting at the suggestion of the joint student council, announced the appointment of student staff members for a new unified campus newspaper and a student yearbook. Bypass 66, and strongly endorsed passage in November of the state universities bond issue. The following firms engaged to create a campus master plan for the property being acquired: Helmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum of St. Louis. More than 1,500 persons attended a bond issue rally held on the new campus. Forty-five student volunteers from the residence centers participated with students from other schools in a marathon run across the state in order to draw public attention to the state universities bond issue on the general election ballot. On Saturday morning, November 5, sophomore Richard Ryan of East St. Louis, died after being struck by a car while participating in the marathon run. Voters in Madison, St. Clair, and surrounding counties overwhelmingly approved the bond issue.

Vice President Harold W. See received abrupt, unsought reassignment as research professor of higher education. Purchase of a 132-acre horse farm from Mr. and Mrs. An announcement described an extraordinary public seminar featuring noted experts in the realm of planning--Environmental Planning Edwardsville Campus or EPEC--to be staged in East St. Louis. The EPEC seminar took place in an inflatable bubble structure on a parking lot in East St. Louis. Dr. Clarence Stephens received assignment as vice president for operations, succeeding former Vice President Harold W. See. The Madison County Board of Supervisors finally enacted the first county zoning ordinance.

Milestones and Expansion

The commencement ceremony took place for the first time at a natural amphitheater site on the northern side of campus just west of Lewis Road and south of the intersection with Poag Road. Subsequently, in 1969, the amphitheater became the site of the Mississippi River Festival. Ignoring several requests that the anticipated library building be named in honor of former Vice President Harold W. See, the trustees instead designated the structure as the Lovejoy Memorial Library after Alton newspaper editor Elijah P. Lovejoy.

The property acquired for the campus included a huge elm tree that stood 77 feet high, measured more than 6 feet in diameter, and had a spread of 125 feet. Classes began on the new Edwardsville campus. Workers constructed the campus water tower during the winter of 1964-65. Raymond Franks Jr. of St. Louis became the first student to enroll at the Edwardsville campus. Under the direction of coach Harry Gallatin, the founding basketball team practiced in the Alton gym and played its home games at Edwardsville High School. After losing their first two contests on November 22 and 24, the cagers won their opening home game against Sanford Brown of St. Louis.

Junior Walter Parrill and Alumni Association director Warren Stookey flew to Houston, Texas, to pick up a young female cougar called Danielle. Renamed Chimega at the suggestion of student Mary Ann Kucinick, the newcomer became a beloved living mascot. Members of the university community gathered in the Communications Building theater to pay tribute to the memory of the martyred Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Student Christine Pashoff cut the ribbon that marked the opening of the newly-completed second floor of the University Center. A news conference heralded the initial plans for a summer outdoor music festival on campus featuring classical music performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Following a gala "Pique-nique" social event on the central mall, the Mississippi River Festival began with a concert by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Addressing Social Issues and Growth

Ohio National Guardsmen shot and killed four anti-Vietnam War demonstrators at Kent State University. On the following day, Chancellor John Rendleman held an open forum in the Goshen Lounge of the University Center and responded to comments and questions from outraged students. Chancellor Rendleman held a campus convocation or "moratorium" on violence, followed by additional convocations over the following three days. Intercollegiate sport competition for women began. In a home game, Barbara Maue scored twice as the field hockey team defeated Greenville College by a score of two to one.

A misguided sociology class "experiment" went badly awry when a female student calling herself "Jane Loemke" set up signs in a classroom building advertising for a husband to share a mythical $100,000 inheritance from a rich uncle. President John Rendleman nominated Dr. Andrew J. Kochman to become vice president for student affairs. A group of streakers attracted a small crowd to the central mall. Chimega, the university's live Cougar mascot, gave birth to two cubs. The first class to complete the School of Dental Medicine program graduated at a ceremony in the Communications Building theater.

Groundbreaking took place for construction by trainees of a connector road between Circle Drive and Bluff Road known as the Whiteside Southwest Connector Training Roadway. Dr. Barbara Tomanek received appointment as dean of the School of Nursing. The trustees decided to raise tuition for the first time in six years. During a huge Sunday evening birthday party held in his honor at the Meridian Ballroom of the University Center, state Senator Sam Vadalabene received and shared the contents of a welcome communication from Governor James Thompson. An announcement revealed that monetary fines for parking violations would be increased. For expired meter time or parking on a roadway, fines would increase from $1 to $2.

Adaptation and Innovation

In order to comply with the direction of the Illinois Board of Higher Education so as to eliminate duplication of effort with the State Community College in East St. Louis, the trustees approved the phasing out of the Experiment in Higher Education program in East St. Louis. A new satellite dental clinic opened in East St. Louis. The new meeting rooms forming a conference center facility on the second floor of the University Center opened with a series of dedication activities.

In a major change of location, the commencement ceremony took place not at the MRF amphitheater site used since 1963 but on the lawn space bounded by the Hairpin Drive, east of the campus mall and between the Peck and Rendleman buildings. President Earl Lazerson informed the university community that he had received the final report of a task force on academics and athletics established by him in response to reports of irregularities in the intercollegiate athletic program. South of the Bubble Gym, on a site previously occupied by handball courts, the newly-constructed Student Experimental Theater opened on this date. It replaced the old Quonset Hut as a venue for student-initiated productions. A ceremony just a year later, on May 22, 1985, renamed the facility for James F. Metcalf.

Continued Growth and Recognition

A celebration marked the dedication of the newly-finished Early Childhood Center. A ceremony marked the naming of the soccer field in honor of the founding coach, Bob Guelker, who had achieved a record of 216-67-21 at SIUE. The era of live campus mascots ended with the hasty and unceremonious removal of Chimega's successor, Kyna. Dean Donal Myer of the School of Sciences announced plans for creation of a campus arboretum. First suggested by environmental sciences professor Frank Kulfinski, the anticipated site for the arboretum would be located north of the Tower Lake recreation area parking lot. The trustees named the anticipated arboretum in memory of Professor Donal G. Myer. SIUE received a national Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA) Award. A new clean-air policy became effective that banned smoking in all public areas and university vehicles.

President Earl Lazerson presented presidential awards of merit to the two pioneering academic officers who had shaped the university during its infancy: former Vice President Harold W. See and former Dean of Instruction William Going. Sharon K. West received appointment as vice chancellor for administration. A ceremony marked the naming of the Louisa H. Bowen University Park Nature Preserve. The trustees named the new stadium that had been constructed surrounding Bob Guelker Field in honor of alumnus Ralph Korte; renamed the Communications Building as Katherine Dunham Hall; renamed the circular central mall area as the William G. Stratton Quadrangle. Dedication of the Donal G. Myer Arboretum took place.

The East St. Louis Higher Education Center celebrated its tenth anniversary. Chancellor David Werner presided at the dedication of the John C. Abbott Auditorium in Lovejoy Library. A dedication ceremony celebrated the opening of the new B. Barnard Birger Hall. To honor the family of Ernest E. and Mary Tosovsky, original property owners and longtime supporters, the university dedicated a patio next to B. Barnard Birger Hall. Workers installed a new replacement Rock of limestone donated by the Unimin Corporation of Pevely, Missouri. The remnant of the original rose quartz Rock subsequently went on display in the Morris University Center.

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