At this year’s Raspberry Social, visitors to the Historical Museum at St. Gertrude heard the story of one prioress who made a large impact at St. Gertrude’s and the communities served by the Sisters.
Center for Benedictine Life employee Monica Goeckner portrayed Sister Eugenia Schallberger as part of the Living History program.  Here is that story with a few extra details:
I was born in 1885 in Sarnen, Switzerland. One year after the death of our mother, my two sisters and I traveled to America to join the Sisters of St. Gertrude and our aunt, Sister Hildegard Vogler.
I was fluent in French, learned to speak English, made my vows at our convent in Colton, and became a teacher.
Many of our Sisters were unable to fight off infection and died young, including my two siblings. My youngest sister, Hermina, joined the convent with me in late 1905, made her profession in 1907, and was named Sr. Philomena. She died four months later of pneumonia, at the age of 19. She was the first Sister to be buried in Cottonwood. When my sister Josephine made her profession one year later, she was also given the name Sr. Philomena, in honor of Hermina. She fell ill, as well, and died at age 29.  It’s not surprising Sisters were unable to fight off infections.  We were sleeping on the floor in cramped spaces, eating sparsely, and performing physically demanding labor.
When I was elected prioress in 1943, I ordered blood tests for everyone, finding that many of us were anemic. I required Sisters to take vitamins, eat three meals a day, and sleep in a bed.  I ordered the building of the brick annex - which added 70 bedrooms - and bought 75 beds.  I found ways to lighten the Sisters’ workloads. General health improved significantly. During my tenure, we opened St. Benedict’s Hospital in Jerome.
I enticed the Berklund Sawmill to locate in Cottonwood, bringing with it many jobs.  I met the Berklunds in a restaurant. When I heard they were looking for a place to build their sawmill, I promised they could take all the timber they needed from our land on the Butte to get the mill started right away if they chose Cottonwood.
My two brothers, Joseph and Arnold also came to St. Gertrude’s and worked many years at the Monastery in maintenance. My last fourteen years were spent working in the office at St. Mary’s Hospital in Cottonwood. I passed in 1969 at age 83.  All five of our family members are buried in the monastery cemetery.