Guide to the Antonius Kennelly Papers

Creator: Kennelly, Antonius, 1901-1995
Title: Antonius Kennelly Papers
Dates: 1935-1995
Quantity: 5.0 Linear feet (7 Hollinger boxes, 1 banker's box, 1 large grey box, 1 flat file)

Language: Materials are predominantly in English. Some school materials and correspondence in German and French.
Repository: Archives and Special Collections, St. Catherine University Library

Preferred Citation: [Item Description or Folder Title], Office of the President: Sister Antonius Kennelly. Courtesy of St. Catherine University Archives.

Sister Antonius Kennelly was born Mary Kennelly on May 5th, 1901 in St. Thomas, North Dakota. Sister Antonius was assigned the study of chemistry to fill a need for a chemistry assistant at the College of St. Catherine, but she grew to love and excel in the field. She received her BA in chemistry and language from St. Catherine in 1926 and her MA in chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1929. Finally, she earned her Ph.D. from the University of Munich, Germany in 1933. In Germany she studied under Dr. Heinrich Otto Wieland, who won the 1927 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. She also met Madame Curie, discoverer of radium, while visiting in Paris. Later, after her term as President of the College, Sister Antonius began working in hospitals and became a registered medical technologist in 1950.

Over the years, the Sisters of St. Joseph gave Sister Antonius many important assignments, drawing heavily on her love of education and scientific expertise. Her assignments included: 1933-1943 Chemistry professor, College of St. Catherine (CSC); 1943-1949 President, CSC; 1950-1956 Superintendent, St. Joseph’s Hospital; 1956-1973 Chair, natural sciences division, CSC; and 1973-1976, Chemistry professor, CSC.

During her life she was a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Medical Technologists, Minn., the Academy of Science, the Catholic Roundtable of Science, Phi Beta Kappa, and Iota Sigma Pi. Additionally, she served on the boards of the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education (1946-1949) and the MN Catholic Hospital Conference (1953), as president of the Association of MN Colleges (1948-1949), and as the national secretary of Iota Sigma Pi (1970-1975).

Sister Antonius Kennelly retired from teaching in 1976 and died in 1995.

This collection contains correspondence, publications, awards, personal files, and other materials relating to the life and work of Sister Antonius Kennelly, the third President of the College of St. Catherine. In particular, the collection has materials gathered during her various appointments: president of the college, chemistry student and faculty member, and hospital administrator. Personal papers include postcards sent by her or other sisters from around the world, as well as biographical information and written/transcribed biographies. Additionally, there are historical files compiled by Kennelly while she was researching the history of St. Catherine’s. Finally, the collection includes items donated by Sister Antonius, particularly an antique pharmacy scale and glass beaker.

The collection is arranged into 6 series. Folders in each series are predominantly arranged alphabetically.

1. Series 1: Correspondence
2. Series 2: St. Catherine Subject Files
3. Series 3: Publications
4. Series 4: Hospital Work
5. Series 5: Biographical Materials

Publication Information

Archives and Special Collections
2004 Randolph Ave
St. Paul, MN, 55105
651.690.6553
archives@stkate.edu

Processing Information

The collection was processed and the finding aid written by MLIS graduate students Veronica Olson and Andrea Hoff, 2013.

Separated Materials

• Materials related to the "Presidential Grove" were removed to the Buildings and Grounds records (D-3).

Correspondence

2 boxes

Contents:
This series includes letters written and received by Sister Antonius Kennelly. Many files date to her time as president, however, the series also includes materials from before her term or continued after it. Among these is correspondence with various teachers and advisors dating from her years as a doctoral student in Germany. In addition, there are a number of letters regarding positions, projects, and CSJ assignments Kennelly worked on after her presidency.

Organization:
Folders are organized under three groups: Correspondence as President, Professional Correspondence, and Other Correspondence. Correspondence as President begins with general official correspondence followed by specific subjects filed alphabetically.

See the Biographical Materials series for correspondence with Dr. Heinrich Wieland.

Language:
Correspondence from her period as a doctoral student is predominantly in German; several files are in French.

St. Catherine Subject Files

1/2 box

Contents:
This series is comprised of materials relating to Sister Antonius Kennelly's responsibilities and relationship with the College of St. Catherine. Though dates range over the span of Kennelly's time at the College, most of the files post-date her presidential term. Many such files relate to the Clara Hill Lindley Physical Science Project, a program consisting of workshops, classes, and laboratory experiments designed to provide elementary teachers (4-8) with an adequate background in the physical sciences and to assist them in identifying and directing scientific talent in their students.

This series also contains a significant number of materials Sister Antonius collected in her research regarding the history of the College of St. Catherine and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. It includes articles and notes she used in her research as well as her own writings. There is also information regarding the centennial of the College’s first president, Sister Antonia McHugh, celebrated in 1973.

Publications and Speeches

1/2 box

Contents:
This series includes works written by Sister Antonius Kennelly for publication or for speeches. Most of these works relate to her studies in chemistry and medicine, however some also relate to her position as president.

Hospital Work

1 box

Contents:
This series documents the time Sister Antonius Kennelly spent working in hospital administration, particularly in her role as Superintendent of St. Joseph's Hospital. The majority of materials are images and newspaper articles about various hospitals, however, the series also includes publications and internal messages.

Organization:
Generally chronological

Biographical Materials

1/2 box

Contents:
This series consists of information gathered and written by others about Sister Antonius Kennelly. It includes her faculty record, interviews, news articles, notes, and photographs, as well as awards, certificates and other forms of recognition received by Sister Antonius. There are also materials collected by her during her graduate work overseas. Of note is an oral history interview of Sister Antonius conducted by Gleason in 1979.

Organization:
Alphabetical

Language:
Some materials relating to Sister Antonius' doctoral study are in German.

Artifacts

Contents:
This series is comprised of items owned and used by Sister Antonius Kennelly. It includes books, chemistry artifacts, and other miscellaneous objects

Organization:
Alphabetical