marianist.com/donate • 7 out into the adult world with the mark of the Marianist charism. “Poet Dana Gioia, actor Martin Sheen and many other well-known personalities were educated in Marianist schools,” says Mary. “There is a long list of influence.” Documenting the work of the Spirit It’s a short walk to Treadaway Hall where two floors of that building are still devoted to storing and pro- cessing Marianist artifacts. Eventually, these materials will be moved to the Archives facility and the Treadway site will become a processing, digitization and creativity center with exhibit and workshop space for the National Archives. The most valuable items at Treadway, according to Brother Brian, are still-shots from the late 1800s captured on glass-plate negatives. “Brother Bertrand Bellinghausen lived in Hawaii during that time,” Brother Brian says. “He was friends with Hawaiian Queen Lili'uokalani, and there’s a glass negative that shows Brother Bertrand saying grace at a luau.” It’s photos like these that Brother Brian enjoys posting on the National Archives’ Facebook and Instagram accounts every week. He’s posted pictures of old group photos, articles, prayer cards and advertisements. As an artist for 30 years, Brother Brian has a special affinity for advertisements. He still has the March 1980 vocation newspaper ad that the Marianists placed, and which he answered. “Mary is the model for us all, and there’s something about her openness that made things happen in our lives that we never expected, that allowed us to say ‘yes’ to something,” Brother Brian says. “Working at the Archives, I’m continually inspired by what people have done and how, like Mary, they answered that call.” The past: A window into the present The National Archives staff has their work cut out for them. Every day, with white gloves on, they can be found sorting the contents of document boxes. “It’s worth the effort,” says Brother Earl, a longtime member of the Society of Southwest Archivists, who notes that the collection already has been helpful to researchers and those within the St. Mary’s University community. “Students at St. Mary’s have used some of our artifacts for 3-D printing projects and history projects, especially in relation to the history of the schools we operated and the methods in our schools,” he says. “We also get genealogy requests, helping families understand their history.” As province archivist, Mary never knows what will arrive at her desk next, but she is aware of the value of the collection. “Our glass negatives have great research potential,” she says, noting that other items also hold promise for those willing to dig a little deeper. “Marianist Brother Mattias Newell in Hawaii discovered a new bird species and had an insect named for him. Some broth- ers created comprehensive genealogies that may be useful for genealogists. And there are many creative Marianist artists whose work we preserve and promote.” One such work, an unfinished painting by Marianist Brother Louis Schuster, is kept in a temperature-controlled vault inside Treadaway Hall. It’s strange, brilliant and indicative of the National Archives’ purpose: to preserve Marianist history. “Having a home for these records — some of which are historical, humorous and bizarre — is important,” says Mary, “not because they rule our lives, but because they wait for us to find them, to shed new light on modern times.” ■ Alex Salinas is communications coordinator for the University Communications Office at St. Mary’s University. Mary Kenney, province archivist, Marianist National Archives For more information about the Marianist National Archives, contact Mary Kenney at [email protected] or call 210.436.3329. “Part of my job is to listen to stories that need to be told. We want this to be a living archive.” —Mary Kenney, province archivist