POOR SCHOOL SISTERS OF THE THIRD ORDER OF ST FRANCIS. - Founded by d. Sebastiano Schwarz, parish priest at Vöcklabruck (diocese of Linz).
In 1842 he began to gather in his own house some abandoned children, entrusting their care to two young women of the parish. The experiment was successful, and within a short time both those assisted and the assistants increased, the latter having initially come from the Congregation of the School Sisters of Algersdorf; but in 1851, on 11 November, the house at Vöcklabruck was declared independent and granted its own novitiate. The separation was at first opposed by the bishop of Linz, who subsequently, in 1861, recognized it and erected it into a congregation with simple vows. Having soon spread throughout Austria, the Institute received the decree of praise on 26 April 1929, and on 21 August 1937 the definitive approval of the Institute and of its Constitutions. At present the sisters number 791, distributed among 67 houses.