LAURA REGINA ALLEN

Laura was the fourth girl, eighth child of Laura Baumgardner and Cornelius Allen and was an independant woman who was an outstanding teacher who liked to do things her way.

Laura was born in Houtzdale 16 Sep 1904 during the time when her father was the elected borough treasurer of Houtzdale, PA. The year after Laura's birth Cornelius was defeated in 1905 for county treasurer, running on a Democratic ticket, by only 128 votes. The election reults inspired her father to run for sheriff and be elected in 1906. Laura was only three when the family left Houtzdale to live in Clearfield, PA. for jailhouse duties and she was five when she arrived in DuBois to go to start school. We are not sure when Laura graduated from high school but we assume it was from St. Catherine's. Laura was the kind of brilliant child and adult who liked to keep the family "stired up." For instance as an adult she would come home at Christmas and decide that the decorations weren't perfect and would rearrange everything in spite of the inconvenient timing.

During high school Laura announced to her parents that she wanted to be a nun. Perhaps she was influenced by her mother's sister Ida Baumgardner who was Sister M. Paul, a nun in the St. Joseph's order and head of the hospital in Erie, PA. Laura and Cornelius tried to talk Laura to go to college but Laura prevailed and eventually took her final vows as Sister M. Jerome of the Sisters of Mercy. A newspaper describes the event, " The customary services distinctive of the Sisters of Mercy, reception and profession was held at St. Joseph's convent, Saturday morning...The triple ceremony of habit investiture, pronouncement, of first vows and of final vows...The bishop addressed the newly received nuns on the excellence and the advantages of the religious life, and also congratulated the participants for their courage in overcoming the allurements of the world to embrace this life...Sister M. Paul and Sister M. Sylvester, of St. Joseph's order in Erie, were also at the services. Sister M. Jerome, one of the four who took the final vows at Titusville, is a niece of Sister M. Paul. The chapel was beautifully decorated for the the Yuletide season and this formed a charming background for the services of profession and reception....The last and most impressive of the triple ceremony was the final profession of Sister M. Jane Frances, Sister M. Annette, Sister M. Eustace and Sister M. Jerome. (6 Jan, Date & name of newspaper clipping is unknown.)

The nuns found Sister M. Jerome extremely talented in math and the sciences and she was educated at Mercyhurst in Erie where she received her bachelors; Masters at St. Bonaventure; and additional graduate work at Catholic U. in Washington, D.C.; Duquesne U, Pittsburgh; Canisius College, Buffalo, N.Y.; and Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY. She then started a teaching career that was know for it's excellence. However, somehere along this highly successful career, Laura had doubts about staying a nun. The family lore say that during confession she admitted to a priest that she wanted out and he helped her in spite of the protests of her father Cornelius Allen. LauraŚs dear friend Margaret Cullinan was a C.P.A. and had some political clout and was able to help her to change the many diplomas and certification that were written in the name "Sister M. Jerome." Without these changes no one would have hired Laura Allen. Margaret was also helpful in recommending her for the teaching position at Bradford. Sometime later a newspaper article announces, LAURA ALLEN TO JOIN STAFF AT BRADFORD CAMPUS. Bradford Area High School biology teacher, Miss Laura Allen a former DuBois resident, at the close of the current school year, will join the botany laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh, Bradford Campus. Miss Allen has taught biology for the past three years at the high school and before, she taught college preparatory biology for twenty-five years and mathematics and science at School Street Junion High School for twelve years. In additon to her experience with the public school system, she has taught anatomy, physiology, and microbiology at the Bradford Hospital School of Nursing and for the Pennsylvania State University Extension classes. (Newspaper clipping not dated)

The family legend states that Laura was eventually asked by the Bradford Campus of the U. of Pittsburgh to write the science curriculum. During her high school teaching days, she was such a task master that her students would take their high school notebooks to the college campus and after being examined would often be excused from the primary course. It is said that she wrote a science book that was used in the school system for many years.

Laura had many happy days living in a Bradford house she purchased with two other professional women, Ruth Ballard and Margaret Cullendin. The were known as ABC (Allen, Ballard, and Cullendin.) The house was lovely and filled with china, crystal, chinese cabinets and other tasteful furniture. They loved to entertain and drummed up many a supper party. Laura's brother Jack remembers the time he arrived with his two boys on the way back from a fishing excursion in Canada. They were a little worse for wear but Laura took them in spite of them landing in the middle of a posh dinner party but jokingly never let Jack forget it. Yes, Laura did have a great love. He was a Bradford man and Laura's parents thought he was fine person and very suitable for their daughter. Often Laura and her fiance would come to visit DuBois and pick-up Con & Laura and drive them over to see the Baumgardner relatives in Houtzdale. However, Laura's young man caught a serious cold one false Spring day about 1938 and he ended up in the hospital with pneumonia and came home only to die a short time later. Laura's heart was broken.

Laura also loved to play golf and took trips with her women friends. She is pictured with all her loot from Mexico which she shared with her family and they are still wondering how she got it all back to DuBois. She visited all her family often and she was a stern and strict aunt that demanded attention and good conversation. On one occassion she had parked her car at the Moulthrops and the brakes released and the car rolled into the lake. Nephew Jimmer jumped in and held up the back while the clan took picts. As usual, Laura got her way - Lucky Laura! Chrysler gave her a new car when it was proved that the brake had failed! Laura took her mother and Elymra and Nancy on a big trip to the West. Early in 1974 Laura went into the hospital in Bradford suffering from fluid retention and a heart condition. She wanted to sell her home and move back to DuBois but sister Jean discouraged her because full time help that would be needed would be hard to find in DuBois. She was unable to climb stairs and would not be able to live in Jean's house. (Letter from Jean Allen to Lucille Allen, 12 Mar 1974) Laura did eventually return to DuBois and her sister Jean's house. Did Jean give up her job to take care of Laura? Laura took two bedrooms upstairs and was confined to bed and kept her wit and sense of humor until the end. One night Jean summoned all her family because the doctor thought she would die shortly. She managed to get through the night and asked the next morning that if she had died what Jean would have put on the body. Jean said, "Your blue suit." Laura was horrified and replied, "Well, I'm so glad to be here because under no circumstances am I ever to have that on again. I can see Elymra standing up in heaven saying, "Here comes Laura in that old blue suit!'" Laura died of complications of heart disease and lung cancer 9 Jan 1975 and Laura had her way and was dressed in the dress of her choice. Her sister Jean received many condolences notes that were wonderful tributes to Laura from former teachers, students and friends.