Loyola University Chicago - Loyolan Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

Page 30 text:

'26 ITH this, its tenth volume, the LOYOLAN celebrates its own and other anniversaries. It is now one hundred years since the founding of the city of Chi- cago and seventy-five years since the coming of the Jesuits to this city. Chicago is cele- brating A Century of Progress and Loyola is proud of the part that she and her fore- runners have played 'in it. It is not, how- ever, only for the last seventy-five years that the Jesuits have figured in the history of the city, for it was a Jesuit, Rev. James Mar- quette, who was the first white man to set foot on Chicago soil. But it was in 1857 that the Jesuits first came to take a permanent place in Chicago. In that year Rev. Arnold Damen, S.J., built a small wooden church at the corner of Elev- enth and May Streets and founded the Holy Family parish. At that time the neighbor- hood was almost totally unpopulated, but it prospered so quickly that a new church had to be constructed. It was consecrated on August 26, 1860. The Society of Jesus is, however, devoted to education and it was only natural that Father 'Damen should shortly turn to that field. St. Ignatius College opened its doors for the Hrst time on September 5, 1870, with an enrollment of thirty-seven. It is in- teresting to note that the first faculty boasted of professors of English, Greek, Latin, Ger- ' Rev. Arnold Damen, SJ., established the Jesuit order in Chicago in l857. Rev. Henry J. Dumbach, S.J.. was Rector ot St. Ignatius College, l900-I908. gm ' St. Ignatius College was founded by Rev. Arnold Damen, S.J,, in I869. The original Holy Family Church was consecrated in I86O. man, and Arithmetic, as well as a prefect of discipline. There was no dean. It was in 1871, the second year of the college, that on Sunday night, October 8, the historic fire swept the city. Only when the uncontrollable flames were sweeping toward the college so directly that destruction seemed inevitable, did the wind suddenly veer and drive the fire eastward, away from it. Father Damen was away from home and, hearing of the danger, vowed that if his beloved school and church were saved, he would always keep seven lights burning before the statue of the Lady of Perpetual Help. His vow has been fulfilled. The college building was used as a tempo- rary relief station for the victims of the con- flagration, and all classes were suspended for two weeks. When they were resumed the attendance rose to one hundred, a new high point of enrollment. In this same tem- pestuous year the foundations were laid for the college library. It was in this beginning that the present several libraries of Loyola and St. Ignatius had their source.

Page 29 text:

In Retrospect

Page 31 text:

The next fifteen years marked no unusual events, but comprised a period in which the college was constantly progressing and its enrollment steadily increasing. In 1881 the first class was graduated, it consisted of Thomas Finn and Carter Harrison. The former chose the priesthood and the latter became the chief executive for several terms of the city which is now celebrating its cen- tenary. During the World's Fair of 1895 many distinguished persons of international fame visited the college. l The next period of growth began during the time in which Rev. Henry Dum- bach, SJ., was rector of the college, 1900-08. Father Dumbach, with a great deal of fore- sight, realized that the space, facilities, and location of old St. Ignatius College were too limited for its steady growth and that of the city. 1906 saw the purchase of twenty-two acres of land on the north side, the present site of the Lake Shore Campus. The land was not, however, developed immediately. The progress of the school was not limited merely to its growth during this period, but extended itself to the kinds of education of- fered. Specialization was becoming popular and the school felt it necessary to include professional training in its curriculum. In 1908 the Lincoln School of Law became the Law School of St. Ignatius College. ' Father Durnbach purchased in i906 twenty-two acres of land on what is now the Lake Shore Campus. But it was not until l922 that the College ot Arts and Sciences was moved from the West Side. E.. ' The late Rev. William l-l. Agnew, SJ., was Rector of Loyola University, l92l-l927. l-lis successor, Rev. Robert M. Kelley, SJ., ends his second term this summer. Expansion and unification of the uni- versity were outstanding in their administrations. But it is not properly the function of a college to embrace both arts and law courses. Therefore, on November 21, 1909, the school secured from the state a charter under the title of Loyola University. St. Ignatius College became the College of Arts and Sciences of Loyola University, and the law school became the Loyola University School of Law. Loyola's next step into the field of professional training was into the realm of medicine. In 1909 the Illinois Medical Col- lege became affiliated and in 1910, under Loyola's guidance, the Illinois, Bennett, and Reliance Medical Colleges merged to form the Bennett Medical College, which consti- tuted the Medical Department of Loyola un- til 1915 when it passed under the complete control of the trustees and became the Loy- ola University School of Medicine. In October, 1914, the School of Sociology of Loyola University was opened. It had L I eil '27