Seton Hall University eRepository @ Seton Hall New Jersey Catholic Historical Commission Archives and Special Collections newsletters Fall 1990 New Jersey Catholic Records Newsletter, Vol. 10, No.1 New Jersey Catholic Historical Commission Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.shu.edu/njchc Part of the History Commons, and the Religion Commons Recommended Citation New Jersey Catholic Historical Commission, "New Jersey Catholic Records Newsletter, Vol. 10, No.1" (1990). New Jersey Catholic Historical Commission newsletters. 23. https://scholarship.shu.edu/njchc/23 VOLUME X NUMBER 1 AUTUMN 1990 "PI ATE" CHIEFTAI s No, not the stirring tales of Kidd, faculty, administration, student and Morgan and Teach, nor the fictional alumni participation in 1969, with the exploits ofJim Hawkins and Doctor creation of a search committee to find a Livesey in foiling the dastardly plans of successor to Bishop Dougherty. That peg-legged John Silver. The Pirate process has been used several times chieftains of concern here are those who since-and the members of the commit­ over the past 134 years have led Seton tees might agree with Bishop Bayley Hall College and University. The about the difficulty of the task. inauguration on October 13 of Reverend Thomas R. Peterson, O.P. as chancellor The general tasks of a university of the University occasions recollections president remain largely the same-­ of the University's past and some leadership in establishing and improving prophecies about its future. This essay the curriculum, in recruiting students, will restrict itself to looking at some faculty and administration, and in snippets from the careers of Father fundraising, and allocating resources to Peterson's predecessors in office, meet needs. A university president is also Reverend Bernard J. McQuaid when he was Bishop ofRochester, New York. whether called president or chancellor. responsible for alumni development, public relations and fostering a commu­ The process of finding a president nity of learning. The specific challenges The bishop considered that a solid has over the years seen some changes. ofany presidency will be determined foundation had been laid, and wanted Apparently the University founder, sometimes by circumstances external to McQuaid full-time in Newark as Cathe­ Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley, merely the school, sometimes by those of its own dral rector and vicar-general. Reverend appointed the first president, Reverend development And how the institution Daniel Fisher, professor ofEnglish, now Bernard J. McQuaid, and McQuaid fully responds to the challenges will be shaped became the second president. Fisher had justified Bayley's expectations. But the in large part by the philosophy and been a missionary among the Indians and bishop did later note in his diary: "It is personality of the person at its head. scattered Catholics of Minnesota Terri­ more difficult to find a good college tory, where his health had broken down president than it is a good anything else Father McQuaid, as the first presi­ and he h~d returned East to recover. He in this world. All that the college needs dent of Seton Hall, faced all of the served at Seton Hall for two years, in to insure its permanent prosperity is a challenges in perhaps their most extreme which the college grew, but his heart was president. Everything else is there." form. Recruiting students for a school in the missions, and in 1859, Bayley Subsequent presidential appointments that is going to begin must be more released him to return to the West. became a matter for the board of trustees, difficult than enticing them to a going McQuaid returned now for his second who were no doubt greatly influenced by concern. Bayley noted in his diary for stint as president. the views of the board chairman, the August 31, 1856 that "Father McQuaid bishop of Newark. Until 1977, all the and the rest have been busy getting ready Because the facilities at Madison presidents were clergymen of the diocese to open the College tomorrow. Will were becoming overcrowded and because of Newark. The advent of Robert T. probably have twenty to thirty boys to Bayley considered the area too far from Conley marked the first time a layman start with." The next day, the president Newark for the seminarians to participate headed the University, and his successor, and his faculty (three more priests and in Cathedral ceremonies, almost the frrst Reverend Laurence T. Murphy, was the five laymen) greeted the five enrolled action of the new presidency was the first priest not a member of the diocese. students. Talk about faculty-student removal of the college to a 6O-acre site in ratio! Recruitment continued, and by the South Orange. The property had a villa The process of choosing a president end of the month another 11 students had adequate for the seminary, but needed was formally expanded to include appeared; by the end of the academic facilities for the collegians. McQuaid year, enrollment reached 44. continued on page 2 took title to the property on April 2, 1860. McQuaid's departure, and when he On May 15, the cornerstone of the new himself was consecrated bishop of college building was laid, and on Septem­ Newark in 1873 remained the chief ber 10 it was ready for occupancy. The officer of the college until 1876 when his late 20th century is unlikely to ease a brother, Father James H. Corrigan, college president's problems by improv­ succeeded him. As is often the case after ing on that timetable. an era of intense building, the next administration saw little construction on McQuaid was perforce a builder. In the campus, but a great deal of facilities 1863 he initiated construction of the improvement-water and gas supplies, Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, e.g., and the laying out of walks and and of a large infirmary, which also gardens. It also focused closely on the contained the quarters of the Sisters of development of student life. Charity, who were in charge both of the domestic arrangements of the college and In 1870 a clear distinction was intro­ of the infrrmary. Despite the Civil War, duced between the prep and college enrollment grew. In July, 1862 the courses (although fonnal separation of president wrote to Bishop Bayley not to the schools did not occur), the curriculum accept any more students for September, was reorganized to place greater empha­ because enrollment was full, at 75. By sis on English and historical studies, and ReverendLaurence T. Murphy, M.M., the 1865 th size f the college building ha . Scie ce S iety wa organiz d. ixteenth.president ofSeton Hall. to be doubled to accommodate the In the following year the first Junior increase. Night was held; this was a festival of paid for through contributions of the student perfonnances held each year on alumni. In 1886 the third major fue on McQuaid's last construction on the the feast of St. Joseph, a tradition which campus gutted the college building. campus resulted from a fire which broke lasted until the beginning of World War Though in failing health, Father James out on January 27, 1866 and totally II. Corrigan did not retire until a replace­ destroyed the marble villa which housed ment building began to function in 1888, the seminary; only a few pieces of In addition, the Bayley Debating but the insurance on the old building furniture, some books and some records Society, several library and reading-room covered only half the cost of the new one, were saved. Fortunately, no lives were associations, the Setonia Orchestra, the and the debt position worsened. lost A week later McQuaid outlined Dramatic Company and organized plans for "something larger, grander, baseball, football and tennis associations In this situation, the board of trustees more suitable for college purposes." made their appearance in these years. turned to Reverend William F. Marshall Construction of the new facility-now And in 1879, the alumni association was as the new president. Marshall had known as Presidents Hall-went forward formed. become treasurer of the college in 1881 rapidly and early in 1867 it was occupied. and retained that office when he was But the cost laid a heavy mortgage on his Major construction during this era subsequently appointed vice-president; he successors. was hampered in part by the generally now continued in both those offices while poor economy-in 1877, the annual cost serving as president. The situation must McQuaid's consecration as bishop of of tuition and board was reduced from have facilitated decision making at the Rochester, New York in July, 1868 $450 to $380 because of the effects of the top level, but his modem successors opened the way to the Corrigan decades. Depression-and the college's debt would probably find the triple task Michael Augustine Corrigan succeeded to si tuation, but in 1883 the cornerstone of exhausting. The new president success­ the presidency of Seton Hall at --- Alumni Hall was I. ,th building being fully concentrated on solving the f-iscal problem by a combination of economiz­ ing measures and wider appeals for support. 'At the same time, the faculty was enlarged, academic programs broadened, and a program of instruction in military subjects was introduced by the assignment of an active Army officer. The latter program stirred controversy because some anti-Catholic circles perceived it as a violation of the First Amendment and one newspaper com­ mented that the incident "has caused more excitement among the know­ nothing element of the Protestant community than anything that has occurred in New Jersey for many years." Mar hall retired for health reasons in 1897, his principal contribution the Picturedfrom left are the College and Library, Seminary and Chapel, circa 1900.