By Emily Siegel '14
Take a break from the onslaught of
new information to familiarize yourself with the Gertrude Kistler Memorial
Library and consider some less serious information.
Get to know the girl for whom this building
was named.
Gertrude Kistler was the daughter
of Bertha and Sedgwick Kistler, two Pennsylvania natives. Born in 1908,
Gertrude lived with her parents in Philadelphia while she attended St.
Leonard’s Academy, a Holy Child school once located in West Philadelphia. During
the summer of 1920, the family was struck with tragedy while on vacation
sightseeing in the West. On July 7, 1920, the 12 year old Gertrude drowned in
the fast flowing Merced River that runs through the valley of Yosemite National
Park. H.J. Pink, the Los Angeles chauffer who was with her at the time, also
lost his life in an attempt at her rescue.
Less
than 5 years after Gertrude’s death, Mr. and Mrs. Kistler reached out to Rosemont's president at the time, Mother Mary Ignatius Carroll, SHCJ, and shared
their interest in memorializing their lost daughter by providing the campus
with a new building. Their offer fit the campus’ growing need for an actual
library facility, as the one located in Main Building was no longer large
enough for the college’s growing collection. That same year the family announced
their gift, a number of Gertrude’s St. Leonard’s classmates entered the college
as freshman. The Kistlers turned personal tragedy into a gift for future
generations. Remnants of Gertrude’s life can still be found around the library;
her portrait and personal desk can be found in and near the Front Reading Room.
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