Graded Assignment WAH100: Washington State History | Unit 10 | Lesson 7: Centennial Hall of Fame Project Writing

Centennial Hall of Fame Project

Adora Svitak
January 5, 2010

When you think of “pioneer women,” you might think of Little House on the
Prairie, bonnets, hoopskirts, and covered wagons. But for a truly pioneering
Washingtonian woman, think of architectural drawings,
carpentry, and Catholic nuns. I believe Mother Joseph of
the Sisters of Providence belongs in Washington’s
Centennial Hall of Fame because she was crucial to the
history of the Pacific Northwest. According to Washington
State by Charles P. LeWarne, she was Washington’s “first
architect.” Through my research, I learned that Mother
Joesph was more than a spiritual leader; she built schools,
hospitals, and orphanages. All in all, she contributed greatly
to the state of Washington.
Mother Joseph was born as Esther Pariseau on April
16, 1823, in the city of St. Elzear, Canada. One of the things that made her story so
powerful was that she traveled outside of her own country (Canada) to help
citizens of another country—in a wild, untamed territory on the other side of the
continent. Her journey began with her entrance into the Sisters of Providence at
age twenty. It is said that her father remarked about his daughter, “She can read,
write, figure accurately, sew, cook, spin and do all manner of housework. She can
even do carpentering, handling a hammer and saw as well as her father. She can
also plan for others and she succeeds in anything she undertakes. I assure you,
Madam, she will make a good superior some day.” How right he would be!
On December 8, 1856, five Sisters of Providence arrived at Fort Vancouver,
Washington. In the undeveloped Northwest, Mother Joseph would end up using
many, if not all, of the skills her father had outlined. With the help of her fellow
Sisters of Providence, Mother Joseph built twenty-nine hospitals, schools, and
homes across the Pacific Northwest region. She was a presence at all stages of the
building process, from designing (she created her own building plans) to carpentry.
She was not afraid to tackle the “dirty work” when necessary—according to
 Graded Assignment WAH100: Washington State History | Unit 10 | Lesson 7: Centennial Hall of Fame Project Writing

Rosemerena.org, the seemingly sedate nun would oversee work projects by

bouncing on planks or, in one case, knocking down a chimney that did not satisfy
her quality standards. Not content with testing workmanship at every level, Mother
Joseph would sometimes pick up a hammer herself. For many who needed help,
Mother Joseph’s good works provided a light at the end of the tunnel. The amount
of work she did on behalf of children was immense; she established schools, like
Providence Academy (see class picture at left), and even bought a farm to provide
food and a place where orphaned children could
learn vocational skills. She financed such projects
through “begging tours”—she traveled to rural
mines and far-flung villages on horseback, on foot,
or by canoe. As Washington State by Charles P.
LeWarne stated, the nun’s “knowledge,
persuasiveness, and toughness gave force to her
causes.” A hospital she established, St. Joseph’s
Hospital in Vancouver, still stands today as Southwest Washington Medical
Center.
Because of her prodigious work to provide resources and help to those in
need, Mother Joseph was recognized with a statue in the Statuary Hall Collection
in the nation’s capital. The inscription says, “She made
monumental contributions to health care, education,
and social work throughout the Northwest.” Because of
the work that Mother Joseph did, the Pacific Northwest
region grew from an isolated region with few marks of
civilization to a quickly-developing area with promise
for the future. Had Mother Joseph and the Sisters of
Providence not been there to oversee the construction
of a territory in bloom, its future would have been
unsure, and the road to development fraught with
obstacles.
Born Esther Pariseau in Eastern Canada, Mother Joseph did more for the
development of the United States and the Pacific Northwest than many who were
born and raised there. Mother Joseph has been honored as one of Washington
State’s representatives, along with Marcus Whitman. Her birthday has been
declared Mother Joseph Day in Washington State, and she was honored in
Washington’s Centennial Hall of Fame. I completely agree with this choice. The
 Graded Assignment WAH100: Washington State History | Unit 10 | Lesson 7: Centennial Hall of Fame Project Writing

bravery and dedication Mother Joseph showed throughout her life is admirable,
and it continues to inspire Washingtonians today.

SOURCES:

LeWarne, Charles P. Washington State. 3rd ed. Seattle: University of Washington, 2003. Print.

"Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart, a Miraculous Vancouver Life." Rosemerena.org. Web.
(http://www.rosemerena.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/mother-joseph-of-the-sacred-
heart.pdf)

Andrews, Mildred. "Sisters of Providence arrive at Fort Vancouver on December 8, 1856."

Historylink.org. Web.
(http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5207)

"Mother Joseph." The Architect of the Capitol. Web.

(http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/nsh/joseph_m.cfm)