History

The story of Catholic education in Moscow began on August 30, 1908, when three Ursuline nuns left Toledo, Ohio for their long trip west to Idaho. Mother Mary Rose Galvin, Sister Paula Slevin, and Sister Mary Carmel McCabe, who, at that time was a novice in the Ursuline Order, had been invited by the Most Reverend Bishop Glorieux, Bishop of Boise, to open a school.

Six days later the three were met at the Depot by Fr. Hendrickx, Miss Fitzgerald and little Mickey Tierney. Father Hendrickx had a carriage waiting for use and they were at the home of Mr. Thomas Tierney's in just a few minutes where they remained for the next two nights. Mr. Tierney is one of the first settlers of Idaho. The next day they went to Mass and returned to the Tierney home for breakfast. After dinner, Mr. and Mrs. George Weber took them to see the farmhouse which had been rented for a year at $25.00 per month. They were introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Shields and Miss Talbot. Father Hendrickx had appointed as trustees of the school, Mr. Weber, Mr. Shields, Mr. Jerry Day and Mr. Rubedew.

The Sisters moved into the farmhouse constructed in 1882 by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Moore at Howard and D Streets. It was known as Moore's. It had nine rooms and was located on the same property where the Ursuline Convent is now. They spent days cleaning the house and stocking the kitchen with necessary supplies. As difficult as it was to make all the adjustments of being far away from family and friends, getting used to the climate and working long hours turning an empty house into their new home, there were a lot of good things happening. One day, two of the nuns went to town for some supplies, and when they came back Mother Rose had a nutmeg grinder but no nutmeg. The nuns were also finding that they had good friends in Moscow, people who could be counted on to help with this huge project they were beginning. Finally, it was time to begin turning some of the rooms into classrooms. Volunteers came to install blackboards in the rooms to be used to teach. On September 14, 1908, they officially opened Ursuline Academy. By the end of the year, approximately 60 students, some boarders and some day students, had enrolled. A few years later, the neighboring field (site of present St. Mary's School) to the east of the farmhouse was acquired as a playground.

On May 1, 1909 Sister Mary Carmel took her final vows as a nun. Bishop Glorieux was unable to come to Moscow from Boise for the occasion, so the parish priest, Father Hendrickx performed the ceremony. It was a small ceremony with only Mother Rose and Sister Paula acting as the choir and the accolades. Catherine McCabe, Sister Carmels's mother and her great grandmother travelled to Moscow to witness her daughter's final vows in the little chapel at the convent. Sister Carmel would be called sister until ten years after she took her vows, and then she would be called mother.

The nine room house grew from a small school to a building that contained several dormitories for nuns and boarders, classrooms that went from kindergarten through high school, a gym, with locker rooms, an auditorium, two large dining rooms and, of course, a chapel.