Gannon University - Lance Yearbook (Erie, PA)

Page 18 text:

Qf rum QJjunww • • iijmnmij: s • • ♦ From humble beginnings . . . how trite this phrase has become! But in all the instances which caused its overuse, none was more appropriate than our own reference to the phrase in regard to the earliest origins of Gannon College. For the entire college consisted of one large mansion and one small building at the time that the charter was granted in November of 1944. The college, which was named by Monsignor Wehrle in honor of Archbishop Gannon, was received with surprise and uncertainty by the people of the city of Erie. At that time it was during the Second World War, and it seemed doubtful that a male college could survive with the current lack of manpower. During this time of struggle, the perseverence and foresight of men such as Archbishop Gannon and Monsignor Wehrle showed the promise of what was to come. — 14 —

Page 17 text:

mu The Board of Control has the plenary power in the conduct of the college. The Board acts upon educational policies in all areas of the college. These areas comprise : Purpose, Faculty, Curriculum Instruc- tion, Library, Student Personnel, Administration, Finance, Physical Plant, and Athletics. The Board of Control is comprised of six outstanding educators: His Excellency, Most Reverend Archbishop John Mark Gannon, D.D., J.C.D., LL.D., Chancellor His Excellency, Most Reverend Bishop Edward P. McManaman, S.T.D., LL.D., Secretary Right Reverend C Raymond McQuillen, S.T.D., Chairman Right Reverend Wladislaus J. Stanczak, Ph.D. Right Reverend Joseph J. Wehrle, S.T.D., LL.D. Right Reverend William L. Sullivan, Ph.D. 13 —

Page 19 text:

ijmim an eircloU . Through the next few years, Gannon College underwent a phenomenal period of growth, which up to the present time, has increased the college plant to fifteen buildings, the faculty to nearly eighty members, and the total number of students to over one thousand. The college grew not only physically, but reached higher achievement in many fields; quality and diversity in academic fields, student acti- vities, sports, and all other forms of inter- collegiate comparison. After the war, and despite the pre- vious humorous references to the young institution as being a local school or Perry Square University, the public be gan to take cognizance of the college school which was growing to a place of national prominence. 1 1 HI 3 2 5E Jl 1 i ■4 v-' != ' ■ P iMHHlraHHlM nSd . £?. Wt irf A JnMF - J ■ T ™ 3- - fc -r x tl w » • -%- n ' - ' M But sometimes in growth there tends to be the evils which can detract from the glory of the increase itself — there is the natural inclination to sacrifice quality for quantity, or the even greater student problem of the individual's being lost in a crowd to the consequent loss of individual attention, and the grave error of impersonality in the educational system. Strangely, Gannon College escaped these potential shortcomings without the faintest trace of no- ticeable change. It can be said without qualification that there never was a student for whc.m a faculty member had no time. The astounding fact is that since the increase in size, the administration has taken more particular efforts toward the individual. This is a situation which is truly unique here at Gannon, and no one takes more pride in this attitude th;m do we, the students. — 15 —