St Benedicts Preparatory School - Telolog Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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three story brick building was erected connecting the school to Saint Mary’s Monastery. On April 16th this new monastery was blessed by Bishop Wigger of Newark. Two months later, Saint Benedict's proper was enlarged by adding a fourth floor and incorpo- rating physics and chemistry departments. Upon completion of these buildings, Abbot Boni- face made a formal petition to Rome asking that the community of Saint Mary's in Newark be raised to the status of an abbey. The reply to this petition came on December 19, 1884 when Pope Leo XIII granted the request in a Papal brief. After receiving this decision, a chapter of monks from all the abbeys east of the Mississippi elected on the second ballot Rev. James Zilliox, O.S.B., the first Abbot of Saint Mary's Abbey. The extensive building program and the status Saint Mary's gained by becoming an Abbey greatly enhanced Saint Benedict's College as a scholastic institution in New Jersey. An evening school was established and the total enrollment came to 126 with 78 day students and 48 evening students. The evening school was short lived for it proved unsuc- cessful and was abandoned after only two years. The commencement of 1885 reflected this increas- ing notoriety by the fact that not only were several city dignitaries present but the Governor of New Jersey was also in attendance. The strain of the heavy burden of duties im- posed upon him caused Abbot James to request permission from Abbot Wimmer to resign after only ten months in office. This request was granted in October and the chapter of monks once again sat in conclave to elect an Abbot. The Rev. Hilary Pfraen- gle, O.S.B. was elected Abbot on November 11, 1886. Abbot Hilary with his ascendancy to the Presidency of Saint Benedict's appointed Rev. Fred- erick Hoesel, O.S.B. to his former post of Vice- President and Director of Saint Benedict's. Two years later failing health cost Saint Benedict's its third administrator when Father Frederick was forced to resign his post. He was succeeded by Rev. Hugo Paff, O.S.B. Although the Preparatory course was originally instituted at Saint Benedict's as a minor portion of the curriculum, it gradually took a larger and larger position. This increasing importance of the Pre- paratory course was necessitated by the large per- centage of students applying for admission who did not have the secondary education which was re-

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In 1874 Rev. William Walter, O.S.B., resigned due to his failing health and Rev. Alphonse Himler, O.S.B., the former President of Saint Vincent's Col- lege of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, became the second Headmaster of Saint Benedict's. The faculty at the time consisted of three priests and three laymen. Father Alphonse's term, however, was short lived for one year later he was removed from the Presidency of the College and assigned to the chair of Theology at Saint Vincent's. On September 23, 1876, Abbot Wimmer appointed Rev. Mellitus Tritz, O.S.B., to the vacant post of Headmaster. The school progressed very steadily for the next three years. In 1879 the first full fledged debating society was formed under the direction of Rev. Aloysius Gorman, O.S.B. This society differed from Father Reilly's “Elocution Class in that it was organized as a forensic league “Чо prepare its mem- bers for public speaking, and to furnish their minds with historical facts and arguments on literary and useful subjects.” A long desired wish of the Benedictines was fulfilled on March 21, 1881 when “Bill Number 345” was passed in the State Legislature of New Jersey. The bill reads in part: “Ве it enacted by the U. X. ©. ©. D. N) st Benedict's College, NEWARK, N, J. 722 Гм, 1872. at 7:30 PCH - 一 -ee 一 一 一 一 PROGRAMME. PART I. ЕА ሪ : Sr. СкспллА 8 SELECT QUARTETTE SALUTATORY ADDRESS, 8 . 3 “The Lord's own Day, . D. Sweexer DISCOURSE, “ Religious Education,” J. J. МеКкжуки РОЕМ, (German ) Die Mattertprache. J. ксисвант “Tha Fairies of the Forest,” - АМ. QUARTETTE DISCOURSE, (Latín) De Geographia Physica. J, ®тккт® POEM, (German,) Das Schloss am Meer. Н. Saner DISCOURSE, “Early Rising D. Swanxer PART 11. “Тһе Magic of the Night, Kreuser Br. С. 8. QuAnTETTE DISCOURSE, ‘Small Men £ рр Saenger'« Еи, Uhland) “The Young Orator, . $ й А En. О“Сокмон POEM, . J. Brix Вяарт “Soon the Bell shall Toll for Thee.” œr 2 ቅ QUARTETTE Schillers . Graf v peburg ” POEM, . “The Paine and Pleasures of the Student.” The Praise of Song,” (Мачй”) DISTRIBUTION OF PREMIUMS. VALEDICTORY ADDRESS, Newark Daily Journal Print + А. Ижихоки T. О’Соххок QUARTETTE J. J. МоКккуки Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey that the corporation created by the act to which this is supplement shall have and possess the right and power of conferring the usual academic and other degrees granted by any other college in this state. This act legally raised Saint Benedict's to the rank of a college. In June of 1882, Father Walter died as a result of the illness which had forced him to resign his post as the first Headmaster in 1874. In July Father Mellitus developed heart trouble and resigned, mov- ing to Pennsylvania for a rest. He was succeeded by Rev. Frederick Hoesel, O.S.B. In the years of 1882-'83, extensive additions were made to the school and monastery. In that year Abbot Boniface, because of the troublefree operation of the Newark priory, formulated the plans necessary to raise it to the dignity of an abbey. Before this could be done, however, he felt that a larger monastery building should be constructed. He appointed Rev. Gerard Pilz, O.S.B., who was the prior of the Newark community, in charge of con- structing a new building as soon as possible. Father Gerard had the frame house removed and in the five months from December of. 1882 to April of 1883 a

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quired for college work. The Preparatory course was ultimately destined to become the only course of studies. In 1888 at a faculty meeting discussing aca- demic standards for the students it was decided that henceforth the standard which would be necessary for graduation should be: “ап average of 90% (at least) in Bookkeeping, Arithmetic, Penmanship and English; and an average of 75% (at least) in History, Geography, Algebra and Geometry.” This standard was followed for several years until the curriculum was again revised. Following the conclusion of the great spurt of activity of the 1880's, Saint Benedict's settled down into a regular schedule while continuing to progress in all fields. In this period around the turn of the century, many of the traditions of Saint Benedict's were established. The program for the commence- ment exercises which was established then is still being followed to a great extent today. In the 1890's the great sports traditions of Saint Benedict's had their humble beginnings. During this decade the Saint Benedict's Athletic Association was formed with the purpose of supporting school teams both for interscholastic and intramural com- petition. The athletic teams were not always the well organized teams they are today but were largely unorganized with no particular coach or a set sched- ule of games. Competitions with other schools were often spontaneously scheduled as a result of a challenge. By 1901 there were several teams, among which were the football, basketball, baseball and track teams, all competing on the Junior and Senior levels. One of the most popular of these activities was the annual Field Day Games which were held for the first time in June of 1901. These games were chiefly composed of track and field events in which competition was restricted to Saint Benedict's students. In April of 1910, 85 8 result of a decision by the Board of Trustees, the final steps towards the dis- continuation of the college program, which had be- come obsolete, were taken. The following year these steps were completed and the entire program was dropped and college level degrees were no longer issued. However, it was not until six years later, in 1917, that the name of the school was changed to Saint Benedict's College Preparatory School. It is interesting to note that the act of 1881 which gives Saint Benedict's the power to grant degrees has never been revoked and is still in effect today. In the years from 1906 to 1910 there were three important facts which must be noted. In 1906 an additional story, which included new science labora- tories was built upon the main College building. The following year a Silver Jubilee was celebrated honor- ing the contributions of Saint Mary's Abbey to the city of Newark in the fields of education and dra- matics. In 1910 Abbot Hilary succumbed to a heart attack. Shortly thereafter the Rt. Rev. Ernest Helm- stetter, O.S.B. was elected Abbot. The first twenty years after the turn of the century saw in Saint Benedict's a surge of literary publications and dramatics. All of the classes in attendance during this period were especially noted for their dramatic ability and the successful theat- rical productions which were staged. The majority of these plays were written by Rt. Rev. Leo Haid, O.S.B. who was a teacher and a skillful amateur playwright of the time , These plays were received very favorably by the critics. A school publication was instituted in 1914. The need for a publication was recognized for some time both for the students to exercise their writing abili- ties and as an information medium to unite the classes of the school. This publication was issued every quarter and hence the name “5%, Benedict's College Quarterly. The quarterly was written and entirely edited by the students and included not only news items covering athletic events and various school activities but also literary articles written by the students. Humor was not forsaken in the publi- cation which contained many quips and personal sayings. The Quarterly gave way to the first yearbook which was published in 1919 and was called the Maroon Telolog . The name “Telolog” was chosen because it is the Greek word meaning “the last word”. One of the main features of the “Теіо- log was a description of the school in the future. One of these articles predicts the Saint Benedict's of the sixties as a large university: “Despite the out-