Sister Remberta, the first full-time president of Saint Ben\u27s and founding member of the CSB Biology Department, was the preeminent authority on the flora of Stearns County. This presentation will focus on Sister Remberta\u27s botanical activities with an introduction to the CSB|SJU Bailey Herbarium. This work was supported by a Centennial Year Fellowship

Saupe, Stephen G.

English

College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University: DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU

College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU Forum Lectures Forum 2-5-2015 Sister Remberta Westkaemper: a fine lady and excellent field botanist Stephen G. Saupe College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University, ssaupe@csbsju.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/forum_lectures  Part of the Biology Commons, Botany Commons, and the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons Recommended Citation Saupe, Stephen G., "Sister Remberta Westkaemper: a fine lady and excellent field botanist" (2015). Forum Lectures. 120. https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/forum_lectures/120 This Presentation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Forum Lectures by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@csbsju.edu. A Fine Lady and Excellent Field Botanist: Sister Remberta Westkaemper, O.S.B.Stephen G. SaupeCSB|SJU Biology DepartmentA Centennial Year Project AcknowledgementsCSB Centennial Year Fellowship – Spring 2014 Botanical biography Database all Sister Remberta’s specimens in CSB|SJU Bailey Herbarium (>1000 records) Display for the Clemens LibraryThanks to: Sister Mariterese Woida – St. Benedict’s Monastery Archives Elizabeth Knuth – CSB|SJU Archives John Parker – St. Benedict’s Monastery Archives David Malone – CSB|SJU Library Miranda Novak & Jonathan Carlson – CSB|SJU Library Josiah Johnson – CSB|SJU IT Services Josh Trutwin – CSB|SJU IT Services Yoon Hee HongImages Thanks to the Saint Benedict’s Monastery Archives for supplying the images of Sister Remberta.  All other images by SG Saupe.Why Sister Remberta? Epitome of the Centennial Year (1913 – 2013) Nearly a Centenarian (1890 – 1988); incl. 81 years in Monastery Sister Remberta arrived 1905; First vows – 1908;  Final vows in 1911 Diamond (75th)Jubilarian (1983) BA – CSB (1919), MS (1922) & PhD (1929) – UM Taught at the Academy & College since 1917 Founding member of the CSB Biology Department 5th President – First non-Prioress & fulltime (1957 – 1961) Appointed by Mother Richarda Peters 70 yo Excellent Botanist Founded CSB Herbarium Expert plants of Stearns County “’But, Mother, I am past the retiring age.’  She answered dryly, ‘One does not retire in the convent.’”  “I wished myself back into biology every day and was glad that with the change in prioress, Sister Linnea Welter was appointed college president, and I did go back to biology.” Honors West Apartments (Dec. 1971) Professor Emerita (1973) Outstanding Educator in America (1972) MN Academy of Science –Charter member President’s Medal (1969) Who’s Who in American Women (1968) Sister Anatomy O.B.F.  Our Best Friend“Outdoor girl” “I spent the summer roaming the pastures and being amazed at nature.”Fieldwork is “is one of the best hobbies there is.”  Sense of wonder “a sense of wonder…is indispensable.” “curiosity to go after things.”“There are enough wonders in the world today.  But not enough wonderers.”The Joy of Fieldwork“Finding the first violets and hepaticas in bloom was always a thrill . . . We were so happy to find those.  Each field trip was filled with joy. . .”On finding large-flowered trillium. . .“How it got there we don’t know.  That was a great thrill.  The girls were so excited.  They ran ahead, shouted, and they said, ‘Sister, you told us that there are no large-flowered trilliums here in the woods’ . . . and we had them spread all through.”The important details“I knew [the students] would forget the details of botany, but I wanted to make sure that they would learn to stand and stare, to develop the sense of wonder and the sense to wonder.” “Fieldwork afforded not only added biological knowledge but to promote the sense of wonder, and to promote class spirit.”I “could out walk any student . . . They had a hard time keeping up with me.  And I covered the whole Stearns County.”  “ran us all ragged” (Sister Phyllis Plantenberg)   “In the fields and woods, Remy moved with an energy and spirit found only in the young.”(Sister Nancy Bauer) “do double-time to keep up with the pace she set for the hike.” (Rene Kaluza ) WHY?  “I haven’t got all the time in the world, you know.  Not at 82.  Besides, you get more tired if you dawdle.”“I had never seen one before.  And then a whole field of them.  I can’t say what is the most beautiful sight for me, but this would have to be close.” “No true nature lover ever becomes a delinquent.”Divinely Inspired “You find God more in the forests than in the books.  Woods and stones will tell you things you cannot hear from teachers.” “for Sister Remberta, botany was theology; the study of goats-beard and goldenrod, the study of God.”  (Sister Nancy Bauer)The Plant Scientist 1000+ specimens Pre-eminent authority on the flora of Stearns CountyChecklist for fieldwork “a sturdy pair of legs” because “you can start out in a car, but the end of every field trip is on foot.”   Sister Remberta wore “the same pair of tennis shoes from the day I came to college until the day she retired.” (Sister Margaret van Kempen)“I thought you were so pretty in the paper – I had to do a figure in clay.  Please forgive my putting on extra pounds or making the tennis shoes blue – but the figure needed some color.”Marilue Johnson (Dec. 1974)Collecting Containers Vasculum Plastic bags“suddenly stop to fetch a flower from the ditch.”  “somewhere south of St. Cloud where the road [Hwy 10] parallels the railroad tracks she observed an abundant blooming patch of Pasque Flowers gloriously arrayed along the Railroad Right of Way.  She asked me to stop which I quickly did.  Sister then proceeded to reap the flowers, seeming almost to embrace them and sweep them from the ground.  She was almost in glory and grateful with excitement.” William CofellFounder of the original CSB Herbarium What is an Herbarium? Plant morgue  Reference library of plants Brief History CSB & SJU herbaria originally separate Merged in 1970’s CSB collections moved to SJU Dr. N. Zaczkowski first curator of joint collection S. Saupe – assumed role in 1994 Bailey Herbarium (1999) – Gordon & JoAnne Bailey 30,000+ specimens 28 cabinets Largest private college herbarium in Minnesota Third largest in state (after UM-TC, UM-Duluth)University of Minnesota Collaboration “very pleased indeed if you would collect duplicate specimens of Stearns County plants for the herbarium of the University of Minnesota.” (Dr. Gerald Ownbey,1964) $0.15 / specimen First batch – 312 specimens (1965) “excellent specimens and we are glad to have such a nice series from Stearns County.” Monastic records confirm 931 plants; 7 exchanges; $150.65When did she collect?Where?The Best Place? The St. Benedict’s Woods – “one of the best places for field trips that there is.” “We have on our own campus a tract of wood very rich in varied plants as the terrain is unusually varied, including a lake and a tamarack woods.”   Though the “woods is not very big . . . it is one of the richest woods that I’ve ever visited.”   “It has such a variety of soil that you find so many plants there . . .”  The Z.L.Chandonnet Collection Zephyrin Leonard Chandonnet born July 10, 1848 (St. Pierre, Canada) died Nov 18, 1915 (Perham, MN) Chaplain St. James Hospital The Collection 6000 specimens Worldwide, esp. U.S., France, Canada, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Algiers Specimens date to 1888 Collected and exchanged specimens with botanists worldwide“this [Z.L. Chandonnet] collection was obtained by CSB before 1917 . . . The original owner, Reverend Z.L. Chandonnet, indicated in his will that his Herbarium collection . . . was to be sold to a small college where it would be kept intact. Our college [CSB], he stated, was to have first chance to buy it . . . Father Chandonnet, a native of Minnesota, was forced by tuberculosis to spend a great deal of time out of doors. He started collecting plants and flowers as a hobby. His hobby lead him to become one of the worlds' greatest botanists, highly honored and respected by his colleagues."Press Bulletin - Sister Juliana, O.S.B.; April 13, 1967Original St. John’s Herbarium Initiated by Urban Fischer O.S.B. in 1885 James Hansen O.S.B. – studied mosses, ferns, flowering plants and insects – major collector Gunther Rolfson, O.S.B. (curator in 1960’s)Flora Exsiccata Austro-Hungarica Set of specimens prepared for sale or exchange Commissioned by the Imperial Academy of Science  Dr. Anton von Kerner (University of Vienna) first director Later replaced by Dr.’s Karl Fritsch & Richard von Wettstein Began in 1881, finished ca. 1902 4000 specimens = full set 80 specialists & collectors participated The Road to the St. John’s Fr. Pius Stasser & Fr. Bernard Wagner – Abbey Seitenstetten Abbey received 1.5 sets of the collection Abbot Theodore Springer offered to sell the extra half-set to Abbot Alcuin in Feb. 1926 Abbot Alcuin asked Fr. James about the collection “the collection is of the highest authority, and correspondingly valuable...” A draft for $100 sent & $2.12 (postage) sent March 1926 On Nov 9, 1926 Fr. James received 10 boxes, 2000 specimens"...is a valuable scientific monument to the former famous Austro-Hungarian monarchy.“letter from Fr. Pius Stasser to Fr. JamesConclusion Sister Remberta is a “Fine Lady” & “Excellent Field Botanist”Dr. Max PartchSt. Cloud State University“It made me proud to be so far from home and find your specimens and be able to say, ‘I know that fine lady and I know what an excellent field botanist she is.’”

Sister Remberta Westkaemper: a fine lady and excellent field botanist

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Sister Remberta Westkaemper: a fine lady and excellent field botanist

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