Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1910 — Miss Cordelia P. Monnett [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Miss Cordelia P. Monnett

In the death of Miss Cordelia Monnett, who died on March 22nd, at her hoine in the Chicago Training Schoo), the world loses a remarkable woman. A friend who has been closely associated with Miss Monnett during the last years of her life* furnishes the f Jlowing account of her later life: Miss Monnett first became interested in the Chicago Training School by reading the Deaconess Advocate and articles in various papers describing deaconess work. She first donated to the work, a small house and lot»at Hammond, Indiana, in memory of her mother, Mary Delamar Kinnear Monnett, whose memory she deeply revered. This property could not well be utilized by the school, and it was

therefore sold, the money providing for a scholarship in the name of her mother. This won the hearty approval of the donor. Miss Monnett frequently invited the managers of the training school to visit her and a warm friendship with Mrs. Meyer was established. She was at that time caring for an invalid sister. For a number of years she received more or less assistance from the deaconesses whom she learned to trust more and more. In course of time, the invalid sister passed away, followed some months later by the only remaining sister. Then Miss Monnett decided to transfer all the responsibility of her property to the Training School, taking in return a life annuity. The plan was carried out. Arrangements were made for erecting a fine building in memory of her mother. On November 25th, 1907, Miss Monnett came to make her home in the Training School. On Thanksgiving Day, she joined in the dinner festival with the family and was introduced to the students, who manifested their pleasure by presenting her with a beautiful bunch of roses. She adjusted herself readily to her

new surroundings. The students loved to visit her rooms and she spent many evenings with them. The students grew very fond of her, looking to her as an older sister or mother. Her constant prayer went up to God for the success of the school and of the graduates as they went out into the world. Her desk was covered with pictures and postal cartjs from the outgoing students, who had learned to know and love her. On January 10th, she completed a sketch of her family, in which she had been much interested. At noon on the same day, she visited the north wing of Monnett Hall, which was just being finished and which completed the entire noble building. She went over every part of the building care-

fully examining everything. The boiler especially received careful attention. She seemed pleased with the work and with the building in general; and, her interests being so well taken care of here, she decided that on the next day she would visit her friends in Rensselaer. The managers of the school approved her plan and arranged to have a deaconess accompany her. But when the deaconess called at her room early the next morning to tell her of the mildness of the day and the favorable weather for her visit, she found that Miss Monnett was disabled from a slight stroke of paralysis. Immediate care was given her by a trained nurse and she seemed to improve rapidly, but the second night thereafter, another and more severe shock wholly disabled her. From that time to her death, she was quite helpless. She made a brave struggle for life with a patience that touched all her friends, birt notwithstanding occasional rallies, she slowly failed. She knew she was going and rejoiced in the thought that she would soon “see her darling mother.” Her faith in Christ was strong and her end was peaceful.

Cordelia P. Monnett was a remarkable woman. She was an eager reader and kept herself well informed. She believed firmly in Miss Willard and the temperance cause, and was interested in every good work. To honor the memory of her mother was a passion with her. The noble building bears her mother’s name in large letters across the face, while on the arch connecting the two wings are the words, “Erected by Cordelia P. Monnett for the Chicago Training School.” Miss Monnett seemed to feel relief in finding an outlet for her interest- and activities by identifying herself with Mrs. Meyer and the deaconess work. Her life had been spent in helping others and She wanted her means to continue to help others. It

was the joy of her life that the work she had begun would go on through the years to come and that it would go on in a way to memorialize her beloved mother. Mrs. Meyer gives the following touching incident: At one time Miss Monnett heard a reformed and converted man give his experience. She was very much interested and came home to her room greatly moved. Evidently her mind was dwelling upon the thought that in the building she had erected, many more young women would be trained for the work of helping and rescuing people. She brought both hands down on the arms of her chair several times, exclaim(ng almost In a rapture, “I am so glad! I just want to go Home and tell mother all about it.” The dear lady has gone Home. If she could look back upon her life, and especially the disposal made of her large property, does any one for a moment think she would do differently? “Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. They rest from their labors and their work do follow them."

MONNETT MEMORIAL HALL Erected in Chicago by Cordelia P. Monnett in memory of Her Mother.