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1 Mount Benedict Academy


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in American School Medals (currently in collection)
Charlestown (now Somerville) Massachusetts. Silver, Completely hand engraved. With ring for suspension. Obverse: Mount Benedict, Charlestown Mafs, May 1st 1830 - engraved in three lines. Reverse: Presented by the Ladies of the Ursuline Community to Mifs Maria W Cotting for her amiable Deportment and general good Conduct - engraved in 9 lines.

Provenance:

  • Al Malpa
  • Rocky Gardiner
  • Miss Sarah E. Holmes, daughter of Miss Cotting

“The annual Examination takes place in the month of June, commencing on the 29th and continuing three days. At the close, two Young Ladies are crowned, one in the Senior, and the other, in the Junior Class; the former receiving, at the same time, a gold medal, and the latter, a silver one. These Young Ladies shall have been in the Institution, one year, at least; during which time, they must have distinguished themselves, by their amiable deportment, general good conduct, and excellence in their studies.” From the Prospectus of the Mount Benedict School for Girls

“The guests were first treated to ‘a variety of airs executed on the Piano, the Harp & the Guitar.’ The Bishop then addressed the students, ‘commending their application & speaking in high terms of the visible improvement they had made since the last examination & …expressing his wish that they would continue to afford the same satisfaction to their teachers on their return to the convent after their short vacation.’ Next, two girls were presented to him for the honor, and he placed wreaths of roses on their heads: ‘on the 1st (Miss Thompson of Charlestown) a wreath of white giving her at the same time a gold Medal; and on the 2nd (Miss Cotting) a wreath of red, with a medal of silver. They are then conducted to the throne & an appropriate Song is sung by all the others accompanied by the Harp & Piano.’ The students and their families enjoyed ‘a sumptuous repast provided by the good Superior,’ which was followed by further distribution of ‘premiums…consisting of a great variety of fancy articles. During which the Italian Musicians performed in the yard to the great delight of all, a great variety of airs.’ After this lovely day at Mount Benedict, the girls left with their families to return home.” From a description of Coronation Day, 1830 in the Diary of Bishop Benedict J. Fenwick (Archives of the Archdiocese of Boston), As described by Nancy Lusignan Schultz in Fire and Roses

Item record created Oct. 6, 2008.
Viewed 386 times.
item record in VRA Core 4.0

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