Xavier University Exhibit All Xavier Student Newspapers Xavier Student Newspapers 1956-08-01 Xavier University Newswire Xavier University (Cincinnati, Ohio) Follow this and additional works at: https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/student_newspaper Recommended Citation Xavier University (Cincinnati, Ohio), "Xavier University Newswire" (1956). All Xavier Student Newspapers. 1996. https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/student_newspaper/1996 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Xavier Student Newspapers at Exhibit. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Xavier Student Newspapers by an authorized administrator of Exhibit. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ' ,,,, EXTRA 1831 1956 ALUMNI ISSUE XAVIER UNIVERSITY NEWS Special Alumni Edition Di1tributed By The 125th Anniver1ary Committee AUGUST, 1956 CINCINNATI, OHIO Xavier Marks First 125 Years Of Community Service Bishop Fenwick's Little College Philopedians Hold NIT Overcomes Setbacks, Expands Educational Opportunities XAVIER UNIVERSITY WAS FOUNDED 125 years ago by a man of courage and broad vision. This article summarizes the material contained In Anniversary Year That man was the first Bishop of the Diocese of elsewhere in The News. Other articles are reprinted Cincinnati, Right Rev. Edward Fenwick, 0.P. When from the May 25 edition of The News. -Ed. Every Xavier man is familiar with the Poland Philopedian the school opened on Oct. 17, 1831, it was called the Debating Society which bas been a center of activity since it Athenaeum. The Rev. James L. Mullan was its first sions. On May 7, 1869 a perpetual charter was was founded in 1841. During the spring to this 125th anniver­ director. It was the first Catholic College in Ohio, granted to St. Xavier College by the General As­ sary year, the Philopedians served as host for the first Robert the second in the West, and the fourth in the United sembly of Ohio. States. The buildings were situated on Sycamore In 1882 St. Xavier College was faced with the S. Marx National Invitational Debate Tournament. The tour­ street in downtown Cincinnati where St. Xavier nament, under the sponsorship of great calamity of the burning of the Church. Alum­ Church and St. Xavier High School now stand. ni, parishioners, and friends came to the rescue and Judge Robert S. Marx, made The Athenaeum never had large numbers of Xavier and the City of Cincin­ raised a sum of $60,000. students. Rev. John B. Purcell, the second bishop of Although the college offered both a classical nati the debate center of the Cincinnati, became president in 1834. He took a and a commerdal course, the emphasis was on the nation. real interest in the project, but he was forced to classical program. The College of Liberal Arts is Debaters and coaches from 24 close the college temporarily due to lack of funds the heart of the Jesuit system of education. The colleges and universities were and students. students in the commercial course received no de­ guests of Judge Marx at the Bishop Purcell appealed to Rome for the Jesuits gree, but were given a "certificate of proficiency , Sheraton Gibson Hotel last April of St. Louis University to take over the,administra­ or scholarship." tion of the school. The Jesuits arrived on Oct. 1, It was in 1885 that the Moeller Building was See tournament pictures and 1840 and began first classes shortly thereafter. Rev. erected to provide additional classrooms, a study stories about Philopedian history John A. Elet, S.J. was the first Jesuit rector, and hall, and an auditorium. In the Golden Anniversary 011 page 2. the name of the institution was changed to St. year of the coming of the Jesuits to the school, Xavier College. there were 419 students enrolled. In 1891 the orig­ The delb!ates were THE SCHOOL ADVANCED RAPIDLY. In 1842 inal Athenaeum Building was replaced by the pres­ in the parlors and small a 30-year charter was granted by the General As­ ent High School building at a cost of $100,000. In 'nin rooms of the hotel as sembly of Ohio. The Sodality was established, and 1901 the enrollment rose to 458 and the nineteenth -~..._, __-~ w-, ell as the Board .Room aud from 1841 dates the Poland Philopedian Society Jesuit President, Rev. Albert Dierckes, S.J., was with its polemic activities. Boarders were received executive offices of the Fifth installed. as well as day students, some even coming from Third Union Trust Co. · THE EVENING COLLEGE was esta1blished on Mexico and Cuba. The attendance grew from 173 Two small Illinois colleges Oct. 9, 1911 as the School of Commerce, Accounting, in 1841 to 330 in 1847. outscored 22 competitors to earn and Finance of St. Xavier College. The Class of Hon. Robert S. Marx After 1848 the enrollment declined. This did 1 the right to compete as finalists 1914 was the first to graduate. The twelve mem­ Sponsors Philopedian Tournament not deter Rev. George Carrell, S.J. from beginning at the concluding banquet on bers of the class received a degree of Bachelor of the work of expanding the college, however. The April 14. Little Augustana Col­ sity, Notre Dame University, Commercial Science. By 1918, Departments of Jour­ new building contained two dormitories, a museum, lege of Rock Island, Ill. won this Ohio State University, Ohio Wes­ nalism, Advertising, Sociology, and the Liberal Arts and a chemistry laboratory. ;final debate a~ainst its cross­ leyan University, Oklahoma Uni- , had been added. In that year the Evening Division state rival Greenville College. versity, University of Pittsburgh, THE FINANCIAL SITUATION gradually grew was made co-educational. For the past 20 years an Induded among the schools Princeton University, San Fran­ worse under Fr. Carrell's successor, Rev. Isidore average of 45 per cent of the enrollment has· been that participated in this tourna­ cisco University, Southern Meth­ Boudreaux, S.J. When the problem became so great women. ment were: Augustana College, odist University, Tulane Univer­ that the only solution seemed to abandon the col­ When the College moved to a new campus site B r a d 1 e y University, Brandeis sity, Vande:ribilt University, Wit­ lege, Rev. Peter Desmet, S.J., saved the situation. in Avondale in 1919, the Evening College remained He suggested that the boarding department be at Seventh and Sycamore streets. In August of 1935 University, University of Cin­ tenberg Colle~e, ~nd ·Xavier cinnati, Fordham University, University. closed. Xavier was thus aible to continue but not the Evening Division moved to its present location, Greenville College, Harvard Uni- This tournament :focused na­ without great hardship. 520 Sycamore street. The number of students con­ , versity, College of the Holy tional attention on Xavier's Phil­ The College had to fight for its life with many tinues to increase constantly. Cross, Indiana University, Uni­ opedians. This has been an im­ foes, among them the great cholera epidemic in Xavier still marches on. There are more new versity of Kentucky, Miami Uni­ portant year in Philopedian his­ 1849 and the intolerance of the Know-Nothing buildings, the Thomas J. Logan Chemistry Building versity, ·Northwestern Univer- tory. movement. Perhaps the severest trial of all was the in 1952, and the Brockman Residence Hall in 1953. Civil War. The Graduate Division opened ten years ago. The In the complicated time after the Civil War, first television course for college credit in the Cin­ the first period of prosperity came. In '1865 the cinnati area was begun in 1954. Like a sturdy, student body numbered 263. It was in the commer­ young tree Xavier University has grown steadily cial department that the greatest growth was shown. through the years from the seed planted by Fen­ OFFICIAL BULLETIN President Walter Hill, S.J. made further expan- wick and Elet. GrHtill&"S to Xavier friends everywhere in thi1 year of eur Uni­ ver!'tity'~1%5th Anniversary. It is with pleasure that we send you this special souvenir issue of the Xavier University News, compiled and edited by the students with materials gathered from many sources. Only a thick volume could do full justice to the long and rich history of Xavier. Nevertheless, we believe the students have shown fine judgment in the selection of these stories and articles. They have tried to give some idea of the character of Xavier, of its origins, its historical development, its set-backs and its triumphs over the years. I know you will find it interesting readinK. I am confident, too, that you will gain a deeper understanding of Xavier. Many times during this anniversary year I will have occasion to refer to Xavier's 125 years of UNCHANGING VISION. I believe thi~ issue of The News substantiates this point of view. Our University, through its century and a quarter of growth from a small school to a complex institqtion, through the vast changes and advances 'of the nineteenth and twen­ tieth centuries, through many generations of teachers and pupils. remains ti'ue to the educational and religious ideals of its founders. Over the door of the Athenaeum in 1831 was carved the motto: Religioni et artibus sacrum. That sacred trust is intact .today. God has blessed this University abundantly in resources, in friends, and in opportunity. We look forward to the tasks ahead. With God's r~ace we will continue unehanred in Xavier's tradition. Pictured above are the present buildings which house St. Xavier High School at 7th and Sycamore Very Rev. Paul L. O'Connor, S.J., president streets as seen at the turn of the century. Then housing St. Xavier College, the buildings depicted are St. Xavier Church, the High School Buildinr, and the Bill Building.