Digital Exhibit: American Rule of 1812

In recent weeks we’ve shared with you our efforts, working with conservator Mary Wootton, to preserve one of the most historically valuable items in our collection: The Regulations for the Society of Sisters of Charity in the United States of America, commonly known as the American Rule of 1812.
See our June 19 blog post for more information on the Rule and the process of restoring it.

When the newly-restored Rule was returned in mid-June, we put it on display so that Sisters, Associates, and visitors could see it up close. As of today, July 14, it has been returned to our Repository. Planning has already begun for events surrounding the 40th anniversary of Elizabeth Seton’s canonization in 2015, and there will be additional opportunities to view the Rule next year.

In an effort to share the Rule as widely as possible, we have put together the digital exhbit seen here, consisting of photographs of selected pages from the Rule. All images are used with permission of the Daughters of Charity Provincial Archives. The images seen here show seven of the book’s approximately 60 leaves.

American Rule (1): Opening page

American Rule (2)

American Rule (3)

American Rule (4)

American Rule (5)

Detail from image #5 showing crossed out text and annotations

American Rule (6)

American Rule (7)