Catlzolic Edttcati,mal Endeavors
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the members of the Congregation since 1896. In 1912, however, the two- year college course was opened to all students and to the Sisters of other congregations and communities. A four-year College course was offered for the first time to all students in 1918. The State approved Our Lady of the Lake College in 1919 and it became a member of the Texas Association of Colleges; four years later, in 1923, it was admitted to the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities; and in 1927 the College was placed on the approved list of the Association of American Universities at the annual meeting held in Washington on November II and 12. Other Activities of t/z,e Sisters of Divine Providence. Mother Mary Philothea Thiry, who, as mistress of novices, assistant to Mother Florence, and Superior of the College and the High School, had long served the Congregation, became third Mother General in 1925. Except for the be- ginning of hospital work, her eighteen years of Superiorship were devoted particularly to deepening and strengthening the educational work. During her administration three related groups began the work of imparting re- ligious instruction to neglected children. l11 1930, at Houston, Texas, a pious society of young Spanish-speaking girls was organized so that the underprivileged Spanish-speaking chil- dren should be instructed in the fundamentals of their Catholic faith. So great was the need and so readily accepted was this organization that it developed into the present Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence, a filial society of the Pontifical Congregation of Sisters of Divine Provi- dence, with its separate convent in San Antonio. In 1929, Reverend Mother Philothes cooperated with the diocesan authorities in promoting a project of the National Catholic Welfare Con- ference in establishing vacation schools during the month of August in places where there were no Catholic schools or where children were unable to attend parochial schools. The movement has since grown and spread over a vast territory, and the Sisters of Divine Providence have taken on a goodly share of the work. The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, a national organization, which is vigorously sponsored by the hierarchy of Texas, has taken over the Religious Vacation Schools and inaugurated a practical program that has included the preparation of lay teachers to assist in the instruction of the thousands of poor children unable to attend Catholic Schools. In the last years of Mother Philothea's administration, the Junior Confraternity groups were organized in Catholic colleges and high schools. Our Lady
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