Mother Seton School, Emmitsburg, traces its origin back to 1810. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton opened a day school in the valley on February 22, 1810. Three children from the neighborhood comprised the first student body.

In the course of time the sisters moved both to the town of Emmitsburg itself to open St. Euphemia's School in 1888 and to the mountain community to staff St. Anthony's School in 1924. With the increase of students and the need for more adequate buildings, these outgrowths of Mother Seton's first tiny school were consolidated in a prefabricated structure on South Seton Avenue in 1957. When this, too, proved inadequate, a new school was built on Creamery Road in 1964.

In the 1970s St. Joseph, Taneytown, closed its parish school. Father Paul F. Dolan was determined that the children of his parish would have a Catholic education. So this wonderful pastor bought two buses, paid the drivers, insurance, gasoline and even qualified himself to be bus driver, so that his children could travel up to Mother Seton School. Father Martin Eugene Feild, present pastor, continues this supportive tradition to this day. Almost 200 students from St. Joseph, Taneytown travel to Mother Seton each day.

From 1968-1979 I had the joy of being first grade teacher at Mother Seton School. After a southern tour I have been back at MSS as principal since 1995. It is a great blessing to welcome my former first graders and their families to our MSS Community.

Gratitude is defined as a sense of wonder, thankfulness, and appreciation. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was blessed with a spirit of gratitude, which permeated the events of her daily life. As I embrace the joys and challenges of being principal of her school in 2002, I pray with her that I may have a grateful spirit.

Here we are 192 years later feeling the presence of Mother Seton still walking this holy ground, as we continue her mission of providing quality Catholic education in a safe, caring environment for any family who values such an education for their children.

We continually seek and have been very blessed to receive scholarship funds, grants, and tuition assistance from many generous sources to make our school affordable to our families, while maintaining an excellent certified staff and quality academic programs. Mother Seton School is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges and meets all requirements of the State of Maryland.

From our beginnings of three children from the neighborhood, we now have 429 students in kindergarten through grade 8. I am presently the only sister with a staff of 45 persons. Across the line each staff member, whether principal, bus driver, maintenance supervisor, cafeteria manager, teacher etc., makes it all work for the good of our children. Each staff member is respected, and our students know they can count on each adult at MSS.

Mother Seton School launched its capital campaign expansion program, "Celebrating Our Past….Building Our Future," in the Horning Hospitality Room at Mt. St. Mary's College on November 12, 1999. President George Houston, pledging his generous support for the success of the program, graciously co-hosted the kick-off reception.

It seemed fitting that the president of Mt. St. Mary's welcome the principal of Mother Seton School to the Mount, for it was the president of Mt. St. Mary's, Rev. John DuBois, who welcomed Mother Seton to the Mount in 1809. Lodging was provided for Mother Seton until her school in the Valley of Emmitsburg, which is now "our school," was ready.

Thanks to the generosity of many benefactors throughout our history, the faith-centered education envisioned by our foundress in 1810 is a vibrant reality for our students today here at Mother Seton School.

On September 14, 2000, the 25th Anniversary of the Canonization of our foundress, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a ground-breaking ceremony for a much-needed school expansion took place on that same fertile soil.

The present school building was constructed to house 16 classrooms for students in grade 1-8. In the early 80s a kindergarten program was initiated. Today, we have 429 students in kindergarten through grade 8. Our science lab was sacrificed to provide another classroom, another class is inconveniently housed in a modular unit.

The art, music, PE, and Spanish teachers share one storeroom as their office and supply center, while they travel from classroom to classroom with movable carts to carry their teaching materials. The flexible band director finds a spot wherever he can to keep the #1 rated MSS band in tune. The growth in services, programs, and enrollment has resulted in additional staff. The staff room is too inadequate for the 45-member staff, and the administrative offices are located throughout the building, utilizing the former health room and some storerooms. Lack of adequate space has forced the Development Office and Title I Program to move to the sisters' residence.