“From the Archives” — Altar Boys — A Century Ago

Becoming an altar server at the beginning of the 20th century was considerably more complicated than it is today. Server’s duties were described in 1906 in The Little Altar Boy’s Manual, a copy of which survives that belonged to young John T. Hill (1896-1987). The boys were instructed to “…have their clothes, hands and face clean, hair combed and shoes blacked.” They were admonished to “…never talk, remain in their appointed place; do not talk; do not stand in the door of the sacristy, nor indulge in idle curiosity.”

The instruction book also contained all the prayers and responses the boys were required to memorize — in Latin — not only for Masses (Low, High and Requiem Masses), but also other liturgies such as Benediction and Vespers. This was the old Tridentine or Traditional Latin Mass; the boys had to memorize all the responses the congregation recites now. Many they could not remember the words, especially the lengthy prayer recited at the foot of the altar at the beginning of Mass.

The manual also included prayers the boys should learn and say regularly: Morning and night prayers, intercessory prayers for their parents, siblings, pastors and teachers, and the pope. The pastor and their teachers tested them on their knowledge! The boys’ manual was published by Benzinger Brothers, the Catholic company that also published The Baltimore Catechism, memorized by every Catholic school student for several generations.