Sister Mary Benedict Phelan, BVM, Interview with Sister Sara McAlpin, BVM, 1998

Sister Mary Benedict, BVM was a professor and chairperson of the departments of education and psychology at Mundelein College. Sister Mary Benedict began teaching at Mundelein in 1934 and left in 1957. Sister Mary Benedict recounts the struggles she experienced as a sister undertaking graduate studies in psychology in the 1930s because church authorities looked askance at the discipline of psychology at the time. Sister Mary Benedict emphasizes the spiritual approach to life characterized by acceptance and recounts her application of that principle in various circumstances. Sister Mary Benedict relays vivid recollections of several of her fellow faculty members including, Sister Justicia Coffey, Sister John Michael Dee, and Sister Augustina.

1998

Sister Mary Benedict Phelan was born in 1902 in Galesburg, Illinois. Sister Mary Benedict received her bachelor's degree from Clarke College, a masters degree from the University of Southern California, and a doctoral degree from Catholic University. Sister Mary Benedict was a professor and chairperson of the departments of education and psychology at Mundelein College. Sister Mary Benedict began teaching at Mundelein in 1934 and left in 1957 to become president of Clarke College where she served until 1969.

Sister Mary Benedict Phelan, BVM
Interview with Sister Sara McAlpin, BVM, March 2, 1998
Dubuque, IA
Time Log

Tape 1, Side A

0-5 minutes
Sarah McAlpin, BVM Interviewer
The interview is recorded two days before Sister Mary Benedict’s 96th birthday.
Started at Mundelein on March 2, 1934 after first vows.
Sat in classes with Sister Mary Antonia who taught education psychology and the history of psychology.
Sister Mary Regina was her counselor.
Sister Mary Benedict started Mundelein’s major in psychology.
Must have taught some of the classes.
5-10 minutes
Describes graduate education.
10-15 minutes
Sister Mary Benedict went to Mundelein with a masters degree in education from University of Southern California. And got her doctorate in psychology and education at Catholic University. Earned her doctorate because Mundelein needed it for certification.
Lived with St. Joseph sisters while at Catholic University.
15-20 minutes
Accomplishments:
Sister Mary Benedict established the psychology department.
Taught religion classes
Challenges:
Spent time working as a vice principal at a junior high school.
Reflections on work as a companion. “Bring your cloak to the office.”
20-25 minutes
Always traveled on buses or streetcars.
Blessings:
Always knew that she was in the right place. Acceptance was a great comfort.
Life in the Mundelein Community:
Lived on the fifth floor of Mundelein. Sisters were in bedrooms on different floors. Had chapel every day. Got up at 5:00am. Had meditation and prayer. Took care of the second floor community room. Went to bed after recreation at 7:00 or 8:00 and night prayers. Was supposed to go to bed but studied too late for getting enough sleep.
The Mission of Mundelein:
Education. The students also valued education.
25-30 minutes
Economic Background of Mundelein Students:
It varied. All of the students had different backgrounds. Some came from a long distance to be there.
Most students did not stay for the weekend.
Weekends at Mundelein:
Often had BVM sisters from the Chicago schools for classes on Saturdays.
Leadership at Mundelein:
Sister Justicia and Sister Consuela, Sister Justicia, Sister John Michael were presidents during Sister Mary Benedict’s time at Mundelein.
The Dean had faculty meetings but not as much as in later years.
30-35 minutes
All the faculty were eager to gain success at Mundelein.
The Jesuits were very helpful to the faculty at Mundelein. Later on they used the Loyola library. The library at Mundelein was also good.
Remarks on Sister Augustina who taught history who planned a conference on the United Nations for the faculty.
35-40 minutes
Sister Mary Benedict accompanied Sister Augustina on trips to the Newberry Library to do research.
Mundelein had an academic dean, a registrar, and a president.
The early years were quite different from the 1950s.
The teachers at Mundelein were all available to students for advising.
The community room was Sister Benedict’s main responsibility.
40-45 minutes
Memories of staff.
Contact with other Catholic colleges. Had contact with Clarke College.
Sex segregation at colleges was the “normal procedure.”
Reflection on the last years of Mundelein.
On the whole, the educational structure was stronger in the beginning because of experience and participation.Sister Justicia’s practice of sending people away to study was very important.
45-50 minutes
Discusses the connection between BVM schools in Chicago and Mundelein.

Tape 1, Side B

Time
Topic
0-5 minutes
Sister Mary Benedict describes the student teaching program.
Visited the student teachers in various Chicago schools.
BVM congregational leadership visits to Mundelein not to check up but to show support.
5-10 minutes
Mundelein always sent faculty to the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) meetings.
Recollects regular attendance at a Psychology Association which was a collaborative association between Mundelein and Loyola and offered a paper every few years.
Professional and religious life did not conflict often except for time pressures.
Mundelein classes numbered at around fifty, forty, thirty.
10-15 minutes
Psychology classes were required and therefore class sizes were large.
Usually had four or five majors per semester.
Is delighted with the affiliation with the Loyola. It would have been impossible for Mundelein to be self supporting because of the costs.

Tape 2, Side A

0-5 minutes
Interviewer: Sarah McAlpin
Interview Part 2
Sister Mary Frances Baldwin went with Sister Benedict to Catholic University. Sister Mary Frances Baldwin Xavier studied music. Stayed with the Sisters of St. Joseph while at Catholic University instead of at Sisters College was a part of the Catholic University. A place for sisters to be housed.
5-10 minutes
Went back to college in Chicago.
Doctorate was interrupted for one year by Mundelein’s Sister Mary Cecil’s illness. During that time, she worked on German. Worked on her dissertation at Catholic University. Traveled by train between Chicago and Washington. Was all alone in Washington D.C.
10-15 minutes
Sister Mary St. Helen. She was very important because she was the registrar and set up the curriculum. She established requirements and also did advising.
Sister Robert Hugh was the librarian at Mundelein.
The location of the library was in the skyscraper building during Benedict’s era.
Recollections of faculty and staff at Mundelein:
Sister Mary Bartella O'Connor was the secretary to the treasurer and to the president for many years.
15-20 minutes
Sister Mary Madelina Thornton was in the journalism department and supervised writing. She was also at Clarke.
Sister Mary St. Leonard Schinner was in sociology.
Sister Mary Logorie was a lawyer and also attended Catholic University for her doctorate. Her field was sociology.
Catholic University was most prominent university for early BVM sisters.
Sister Mary Josephine Malone was Sister Benedict’s superior, but she was also her aunt.
20-25 minutes
Sister Mary Therese Langerbeck was a physics teacher and changed the unused elevator on the first floor into an office.
Sister Therese Langerbeck also did calligraphy. Was multitalented.
Sister Mary Renee Leininger of the Home Economics Department
Antonia Bowman was the Dean
Aldetta was in charge of the reception room.
Sister Bartella was the secretary.
All of the big double doors were used for graduation. Just one door was used for normal use.
25-30 minutes
Mass was on the second floor chapel it was performed for the most part by Loyola priests.
Weekend schedules were different. Mary Benedict taught sisters education classes for certification.
Sister Irma Corcoran taught at Mundelein and went to Clarke as well.
Reflection on Sister Mary Justicia.
30-35 minutes
Sister Mary Justicia laid out the pattern and it didn’t change much. Benedict had great confidence in Sister Justicia.
Taught biology, geometry, and algebra one year in Wichita.
35-40 minutes
Taught sixth grade and junior high in California. Was asked to take courses at the University of Southern California in administration so that she could become a vice-principal.
Challenges:
Worried that she would not succeed.
Wished she had more preparation.
Did not challenge authority.
40-45 minutes
All the faculty and administration were committed to making it succeed. They were thrilled at Sister Mary Justicia’s leadership.
Relied on the community
[Loud buzzing on the recording for a few minutes]
Mundelein’s relationships with other Catholic Colleges:
Catholic University had a relationship with the Sisters of St. Joseph who hosted sisters who attended the university.
Rosary College
DePaul University Sister Mary Benedict took one class there.
Loyola also offered classes to the sisters.
45-50 minutes
In the 1940s and the 1950s there was considerable development at Mundelein.
Experiences in the Great Depression. Sister Mary Benedict’s family suffered a great deal. A great gift was the strengthening of their faith and they learned acceptance.

Tape 2, Side B

0-5 minutes
Final comments:
Sister Mary Benedict was very happy to have been a part of Mundelein’s development.

Mary Benedict Phelan 1998 Index

KEY
MBP1998= Mary Benedict Phelan 1998 Interview

INDEX
BVM Congressional Leadership, MBP1998 Tape 1 B 0-5
Catholic University, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 10-15, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 0-5, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 15-20, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 40-45, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 5-10
Chicago BVM schools, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 45-50
Chicago schools, MBP1998 Tape 1 B 0-5
Clarke College, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 40-45, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 15-20
Conference on the United Nations, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 30-35
DePaul University, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 40-45
Graduate Education, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 5-10
Great Depression, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 45-50
Home Economics Department, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 20-25
Jesuits, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 30-35
Loyola University Chicago, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 40-45
Loyola University Chicago/ Mundelein College collaboration, MBP1998 Tape 1 B 5-10
Loyola University Chicago library, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 30-35
Mass at Mundelein, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 25-30
McAplin, Sarah, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 0-5
Mundelein/ Loyola Affiliation, MBP1998 Tape 1 B 10-15
Mundelein administration, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 35-40, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 10-15
Mundelein community life, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 20-25
Mundelein community room, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 35-40
Mundelein development, MBP1998 Tape 2 B 0-5
Mundelein Journalism department, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 15-20
Mundelein leadership, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 25-30
Mundelein library, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 30-35
Mundelein mission, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 20-25
Mundelein presidents, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 25-30
Mundelein Psychology department , MBP1998 Tape 1 A 15-20
Mundelein requirements, MBP1998 Tape 1 B 10-15
Mundelein skyscraper building, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 10-15
Mundelein skyscraper building, unused elevator as office, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 20-25
Mundelein staff, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 40-45, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 10-15
Mundelein students, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 25-30
Mundelein Student Teaching program, MBP1998 Tape 1 B 0-5
Mundelein weekend classes, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 25-30
National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), MBP1998 Tape 1 B 5-10
Newberry Library, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 35-40
Psychology Association, MBP1998 Tape 1 B 5-10
Psychology major, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 0-5
Rosary College, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 40-45
Sex segregation, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 40-45
Sister Bartella, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 15-20
Sister Irma Corcoran, BVM, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 25-30
Sister Mary Antonia, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 0-5
Sister Mary Cecil, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 5-10
Sister Mary Frances Baldwin Xavier, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 0-5
Sister Mary Josephine Malone, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 15-20
Sister Mary Justicia Coffey, BVM, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 40-45, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 25-30, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 30-35
Sister Mary Logorie, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 15-20
Sister Mary Madelina Thornton, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 15-20
Sister Mary Regina, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 0-5
Sister Mary Renee Leininger, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 20-25
Sister Mary St. Helen, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 10-15
Sister Mary St. Leonard Schinner, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 15-20
Sister Mary Therese Lamberbeck, BVM, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 20-25
Sister Robert Hugh, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 10-15
Sisters of St. Joseph, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 40-45, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 10-15
University of Southern California, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 10-15, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 35-40
Vows, MBP1998 Tape 1 A 0-5
Washington D.C., MBP1998 Tape 2 A 5-10
Wichita, Kansas, MBP1998 Tape 2 A 30-35

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