Holy Cross Students Donate Surveys of Worcester Area Churches to Preservation Worcester

WORCESTER, Mass. – Preservation Worcester is beneficiary of the substantial volunteer time and energy of 12 Holy Cross students.  The students catalogued all of Preservation Worcester's print library and entered the catalogue onto a computer data base.  They also made the National Register property survey forms much more accessible, among other projects.

The students are members Holy Cross Art History Professor Virginia Raguin's "Structures of Faith" class.  Raguin, a renowned stained glass expert, directed the students' undertaking in which each student contributed 24 hours of time this semester.

On Thursday, May 4th, the two organizations will join forces to celebrate this gift of time as well as a gift of approximately 30 richly documented surveys of area churches that Raguin's students have completed over time.  Included are Roman Catholic, Protestant, Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopalian, Greek Orthodox, Congregational and Baptist churches as well as Jewish Synagogues. Preservation Worcester docents will use the surveys when they give tours throughout the city.

The students also will be hanging an exhibit of devotional prints, many from Raguin's own collection, in Preservation Worcester's Conference Room.  The exhibit entitled, "Mementos of Faith," will be open for viewing until the end of August.

Master of Ceremonies at the celebration will be Preservation Worcester President Paul Braney and his wife, Mary Braney, the Head Librarian at Knox Trail Junior High School in Spencer.  Mary's father, Holy Cross Librarian Emeritus and current Curator of Rare Books, James M. Mahoney, will be guest of honor.  Members from the churches surveyed are also being invited.

"We are thrilled to have had such a wonderful group of people bring our library up to date," says Jim Igoe, Preservation Worcester Executive Director.  "These dedicated students have added a lot and the church surveys will be in a place where they will be used and appreciated. We hope this relationship with Professor Raguin and her students continues to grow."