Iowa History Project
Harlan, Edgar Rubey.
A Narrative History of the People of Iowa.
Vol IV. Chicago: American Historical Society, 1931
p. 43
R.W. NEWELL, superintendent of schools at Emmetsburg, was
born at Des Moines, Iowa, March 18, 1893. He was educated in public schools of
Des Moines, graduated Bachelor of Arts from Des Moines College in 1916 and
received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1928.
His record as a school man included the following positions:
Principal of high school at Lynville one year, 1915-16; superintendent of
schools three years at Lacey, 1916-19; three years superintendent at Moravia,
1919-22; seven years superintendent at Seymour, 1922-29; and in 1929 he became
superintendent of schools at Emmetsburg, Palo Alto County, his present location.
He is a member of the Phi Delta Kappa fraternity and the Iowa State Teachers
Association.
Mr. Newell is a Baptist and a Mason and Odd Fellow. He
married Lucile Schilling, a native of Ottumwa, Iowa, also a graduate of Des
Moines College, Bachelor of Music. She is a member of the Eastern Star and P.E.O.
Sisterhood. They have two children, Ellen, born November 27, 1918, Dorothy, born
February 7, 1921.
p. 430
NEW MELLERAY ABBEY. Within the borders of Iowa has
existed for eighty years a community of the Trappist Monks, whose good works,
whose austere and simple life, have been celebrated in literature and history
for centuries. The Trappist Monks, now known as Reformed Cisterians of the
Strict Observance, follow the rule of St. Benedict and devote themselves to the
esthetic or contemplative life, in which prayer is the principal occupation,
mingled with manual labor. The Trappists are also committed to the practice of
silence, except as speech is necessary, and in their community life no general
conversation is permitted. However, many of the stories regarding the Trappists
are erroneous. They lead a cheerful, wholesome life, refraining from meat, but
otherwise having a wholesome dietary, ample periods of sleep, and, as has been
officially stated, their life is so tempered by thousands of peoples of both
sexes, age and condition. The Trappist has better health and a longer life than
the generality of mankind.
The home of the Trappist Monks in Iowa is known as the New
Melleray Abbey, located at Peosta, about twelve miles from Dubuque. When, on
October 28, 1928, the new public chapel and guest house was dedicated,
Archbishop James J. Keane in the course of his address described the founding of
the community in a few brief sentences. "In 1849," he said, "when
these great stretches of fertile land were little more than a wilderness,
fifteen members of the Cisterian community of Mt. Melleray in Ireland embarked
at Liverpool for Dubuque, then an outpost of civilization. They would, like
Jacob, raise a 'holy place' in the wilderness. They landed at New Orleans on the
forty-ninth day out, and after a brief rest, took passage on a river boat for
the north. Scarcely had the boat weighed anchor when cholera broke out among the
passengers and within a week claimed six of the band, already weakened by the
sufferings and privations of the voyage. They were buried with all possible
reverence on the banks of the river.
"The survivors reached Dubuque in December, 1849. They
had a second baptism of suffering during the winter which had already set in and
was to try their spirit in the make-shift home, the best that could be offered
them. In the spring they set to work to erect the temporary buildings which
enabled them to lead the regular monastic life until 1875, when the stately
monastic buildings then, and even now as much admired, replaced the old frame
structures.
"The monks brought with them the traditions and the
spirit of a great institution- that of monasticism to which St. Benedict in the
early part of the sixth century gave form and life and undying energy.
"These traditions were revived and that spirit was
renewed by the great reformers of monasticism, St. Robert De Rance and St.
Bernard. Those who have looked into the history of the Church know something of
the great service rendered to Christian religion and civilization by the monks.
"The purpose of the guest house in this, as in other
Trappist monasteries, is to provide accommodation for gentlemen, lay and cleric,
who may desire to come aside for a little while from the pressure of business,
home and social duties to attend to life's greatest interest-their immortal
souls. This house of retreat has been long looked for, longed for, and very many
rejoice in this morning that it is now equipped for the splendid service for
which it was erected.
"This public chapel will afford opportunity for
those who desire to attend the monastic services so solemn and so inspiring. The
community is today too limited in number, but we have every confidence that New
Melleray will now draw large numbers of young men to that service of God in
which it is engaged.
"I am authorized to say that the guest house is now open
to receive those who may desire to spend some days in quiet recollection and
prayer, and that the good prior and his associates will meet with as cordial a
welcome those who may wish to join them as the saintly bishop of pioneer days
extended to the first members who laid the foundation of this home of peace,
this shrine of spiritual life."