S. Vivian Rauch was an instructor in the Education Department at Rosary Hill College from 1963-1977. During her last year of classroom teaching she also became the director of the children’s learning center where she remained for 13 years. In her own words S. Vivian tells about the center:
“In September 1976 I assumed the position of Director of the Daemen College Children’s Reading Center located in the apartment building at 18E Campus Drive . . . In May of 1977 when I retired from college teaching, I devoted myself full time to the Center. At that time three other teachers were assisting me. When I was forced to leave in March 1978, due to serious illness, I turned over the administration to one of the most competent teachers for the remainder of the school year and the following summer session.
When I returned in September of 1978, I relinquished all my tutoring and concentrated on expanding the center’s operations by introducing mathematics instruction. Eight teachers were employed by this time so another apartment was opened for our use.
In May of 1981, Dr. Robert Marshall, President of Daemen College informed me that incoming freshmen would need both apartments, so I could either close the Center or seek new quarters for its operation. Providence directed me to St. Leo the Great Elementary School. Monsignor McDonnell welcomed the opportunity to rent some vacant classrooms.
On June 24, 1981, we relocated in the Dineen Wing of St. Leo’s School utilizing four rooms which were cooler and far more spacious than those in the apartments. The center was now operating independently of the college but retained the name Daemen in its new title, Daemen Children’s Learning Center. Our new location is so centrally located that we now draw pupils from Buffalo, Amherst, Tonawanda, Kenmore, Grand Island, Clarence and Williamsville.
In the spring of 1985, Monsignor McDonnell informed me that he planned to close off the Dineen Wing of the school and bring all the children into the main building. After looking for other accommodations, I again met with Monsignor and prevailed upon him to keep our center at St. Leo’s. This was made possible by rearranging our schedule and using other classrooms.
We still continue to use the Dineen Wing in the summer months when no heating is needed. So far this arrangement has proved satisfactory, both for the faculty and children.”
S. Vivian continued to direct the center until 1989 when, as she put it, she could “finally retire and assume a less demanding position. She moved to Stella Niagara where she helped in the Health Center before becoming a resident herself. S. Vivian died September 30, 1992.