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Dictionary of Miramichi Biography

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MCQUAID, MARY ANN (1862-1938)

MCQUAID, MARY ANN, Sister St Mary Elizabeth of the Congregation of Notre Dame; teacher, and superior at Newcastle, 1923-24; b. Vernon River, P.E.I., 26 Oct 1862, d/o Michael McQuaid and Elizabeth McMahon, natives of Ireland; entered religious life, 1881; d. Montreal, 22 Dec 1938.

Mary Ann McQuaid came of age in Charlottetown, where her father worked as a shoemaker. She was educated at the convent school there and displayed much talent and interest in music. After she finished her novitiate with the Congregation of Notre Dame in Montreal she taught in a number of the CND's best-known schools, in Ottawa, Montreal, Providence, R.I., and elsewhere. She was at Mount St Bernard in Antigonish prior to being transferred to Newcastle in 1923, as successor to Mary Cecilia Dalton (Sister St Clarence).

McQuaid was superior at Newcastle for only a few months, but during this time two of the most important events in the history of St Mary's occurred. The first was the formal opening of a new four-classroom brick school on Regent Street on 15 January 1924, and the second was a fire, on 16 February 1924, which completely razed the beautiful, wooden structure which had housed the convent since its erection in 1895. The building was still in full use at the time, as a residence for the sisters and twenty-two boarders, and as the home of St Mary's high school and commercial, art, and music departments. Fortunately, the superior was awakened by the smell of smoke soon after the fire broke out in the basement and was able to evacuate all the residents to safety.

The fire was a traumatic event for the sisters, and for McQuaid in particular, who was recalled to the mother house soon afterwards. She subsequently returned to teaching in Montreal. In 1929 she was elected provincial superior of the CND, and in 1932 second assistant general. She was "made for leadership" and was always "a tower of strength."

Sources

[b/d] CND archives / Leader 11 Jan 1924, 22 Feb 1924


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