Guestbooks for major life events are keepsakes of the most important events. A day to day guestbook might not quite have the same value, but over time it can reveal some important things.
St. Ann’s Infant Home, founded in Washington, D.C. in 1860 and which later moved out to Hyattsville, Maryland in 1962 was one of the most prominent institutions of the Daughters of Charity in the capital area. It’s role of caring for orphaned children evolved into a modern day care and family service center (now fittingly called St. Ann’s Center for Children, Youth and Families).
And its guestbook shows just how prominent of an institution it was.
Many of the names are Daughters of Charity from around the U.S., illuminating the full range of ministries that they were engaged from the earliest date in the book, 1972, to its latest, 1983.
Amongst those visitors, though, are also Sisters from around the world, reflecting the global missionary spirit of the Daughters of Charity. There are a number of Daughters from Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Madagascar, the U.K., and France.
Several members of the local media appear, including journalists from local station WJLA, led by the trailblazer and future Emmy-winning journalist Renee Poussaint.
A delegation of the Bishop and Archbishops of Washington visited on June 8, 1973, consisting of Archbishop William Baum and former Archbishop Patrick Cardinal O’Boyle.
Most eye catching however, are the names of national level politicians. Just glancing through the entries we see Representative George Miller of California, Senator Pat Leahy of Vermont, and future Vice President Walter Mondale, who arrived with a cadre of reporters.
Mary 18, 1981 saw perhaps the Center’s most frequent high-profile visitor, First Lady Nancy Reagan, barely six weeks into her new role. The St. Ann’s collection highlights many high profiles visits, and this First Lady has the most folders amongst any Washington political figures.
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