[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 172 (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING MOUNT SAINT DOMINIC ACADEMY'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY

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                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 25, 2017

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mount Saint 
Dominic Academy of Caldwell, New Jersey on the occasion of its 125th 
Anniversary.
  Mount Saint Dominic Academy serves the surrounding community as an 
all-girls Catholic College Preparatory School dedicated to the 
education of young women from a variety of ethnic, religious, and 
economic backgrounds. The institution's goal of inclusivity aims to 
both inspire and empower students to realize their unique gifts and 
talents in an academic atmosphere fostering excellence, respect, and 
diversity while at the same time reinforcing the Christian-centered 
value of moral integrity.
  The history of Mount Saint Dominic Academy began in 1892 with the 
Academy's founding by the Sisters of Saint Dominic. Although the 
Caldwell Dominican congregation was initially based in Jersey City, New 
Jersey, the municipality was ravaged by tuberculosis throughout the 
1880s. With the threat of contracting the disease an everyday concern, 
Mother Mary Catharine Muth sought out a location for her ill sisters to 
recover. This refuge was found twenty miles west of Jersey City in the 
Borough of Caldwell. It was here where Mother Catharine purchased the 
Harrison Estate on Roseland Avenue, a plot of land comprising of a 
small home and garden where Mother Catharine taught day students and 
boarders, all the while, looking after her ill Sisters.
  Over the next decade as the student body increased, so did the 
necessity for larger quarters. In 1893, the cornerstone was laid for a 
new Motherhouse convent and school in Caldwell. In 1903, with the 
increased demand in time devoted toward the education of New Jersey's 
youth, the sisters decided to renounce their cloistered lifestyle and 
become Third Order Dominicans.
  By the late 1920s history repeated itself as the school saw a greater 
influx of new students. This influx led to renewed efforts to expand. 
Under Mother Joseph Dunn, the institute constructed a larger dormitory 
that came to encompass both the school itself as well as the residences 
for those boarding. More improvements and renovations were made under 
Sister Germaine in the 1950s to add additional classrooms, offices, and 
a larger library.
  Recently, the academy has continued to improve upon the renovations 
that took place during the twentieth century by continuing to add more 
physical alterations and expansions to the campus. Among these 
expansions has been the construction of a new 19,000 square foot 
athletic center to accommodate the growth in participation within 
women's athletics. Furthermore, under the guidance of Sister Francis 
Sullivan, the school transformed its former gymnasium into the Doris M. 
Byrne Performing Arts Center which offers Broadway quality experiences 
for both performers and patrons. These installments not only serve to 
improve the experiences of students attending the Academy, but are also 
available to benefit the greater West Essex community as well. Mount 
Saint Dominic Academy remains today one of New Jersey's foremost 
educational. institutions.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in 
congratulating Mount Saint Dominic Academy on its 125th Anniversary.

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