Belmont Abbey College - Spire Yearbook (Belmont, NC)

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Georgia, was established in 1902 - the Benedictine School. In 1910, the See in Rome created the Abbey a Nullius, and Bishop Haid be- came the Ordinary of eight counties living to the west of Belmont. About the same time, the popular name of Belmont Abbey College be- came prevalent, and in 1913, on Thanksgiving Day, the name was officially changed from St. Mary ' s College to Belmont Abbey College. The pioneer days ended, and Belmont Abbey and its college entered maturity. Having piloted his communi- ty from infancy to majority, Bishop Leo Haid died on July 24, 1924, after appointing Father Willibald Baugm- gartner as Prior. On August 20, 1924, the community elected Vincent Taylor as Abbot of Belmont. (Abbot Vincent had been or- dained at the hands of Bishop Leo. ) One of the first moves by Abbot Vincent was to launch a program of higher studies for the teachers at the Abbey college. Many on- campus courses were of- fered to the teachers, and other members of the com- munity were sent to gradu- ate schools. The old sub- academic studies were abolished and a junior col- lege set up. Shortly after the establishment of the new junior college, many of the old rules were abolished, and newer, more liberal ones took their place. V. .Sg BB Six

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Help of Christians Abbey grew and expanded. New students continued to arrive at St. Mary ' s door, and new novices continued to make their profession of vows to the order of St. Benedict, placing themselves under the patronage of Our Lady of Help. More buildings arose from the soil of the Abbey. A new school was founded in Florida - a mili- tary school placed under the patronage of St. Leo. The Abbey ' s grotto was built in 1891, and the cor- nerstone of the new Abbey church laid in 1892. In 1894, another new foundation was begun, this time in Bristol, Virginia, for homeless boys. By 1900 there were 59 in the monastic community and 120 enrolled in St. Mary ' s Col- lege. In 1900, on the morning of May 1 9, during the monas - tic office of Matins, a fire was discovered in the new west wing of the college. When Bishop Haid saw it, he threw up his hands and implored, O God, save my monastery! Mass was hur- riedly said in the Abbey Church, with all vestments and chalices standing packed for removal. During the sacrifice the wind reversed itseld, sparing the remain- der of the College and mon- astery. This setback was far from insurmountable, however, given the spirit of those in- volved. Before the year 1900 was over, a new building had taken the place of the burned one. Having survived its bap- tism of fire, the college exerted a new energy: St. Leo ' s Hall was begun in 1906, and a new foundation in Savannah, f W y Five

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■ 3 - ' ' A good athletics program was begun. Abbey teams were victorious; this in- stitution now possessed an array of trophies, many of them championship cups, due to the efforts of these men. During 1929 and 1930, an athletic field was graded and the Leo Haid Gymnasium built. This was the latest thing in athletic buildings at the time of its construction. The ground floor of St. Leo ' s (which had been the gymnasium) was, in 1930, converted into a handsome library, and some 30, 000 volumes were gathered from various places around the Abbey and placed therein. Young Abbey monks staffed the new facility. The west wing of the Brother ' s build- ing was made into science laboratories, and the kitch- en was completely renovated and equipped during the summer of 1940. Belmont Abbey Junior College was admitted to the Southern Association in 1936. Father Cuthbert Al- len, O. S.B. was appointed rector of the school early in that year, a post he has held several times since. Shortly following Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Abbey College adopted a warlike stance. Students who returned in January of 1942 found uni- forms, daily drilling, bugle calls, and the like awaiting them. The military regime existed for the duration of the war and through the spring semester of 1947; fall saw the abrogation of the military character of the military character of Bel- Seven mont Abbey College. The 75th anniversary of the college was celebrated in 1953. There was an Ec- clesiastic Day, an Alumni Day, and a final day con- sisting of a joint production featuring an academic con- vocation of no little bril- liance. However, this year was mistakenly chosen as the 75th anniversary, based on the assumption that 1878 had been the first academic year at St. Mary ' s College. To disprove this, records indicate that 1878 was, in actuality, the first academic year. (Hence, the real 75th anniversary should have been in 1951.) In 1952, Belmont Abbey College was reorganized as a senior college under the leadership of Abbot Vincent