St Francis Minor Seminary - Via Yearbook (Milwaukee, WI)

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DIAMOND JUBILEE !856 MR. AND MRS. ANTON PALMA Golden Wedding, May 26, 1929 HWU. Palma i: the sister of Msgr. Raimv PRESENT HOME OF THE NIGHT WATCHMAN, MR. PALMA first T05! OIj'ice, St. ffrancix, 1867 I241

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Q? mann wrote in a letter that benefactors were remem- bered in a Holy Mass every Thursday since the Patron Feast, January 29, 1854. Even after the open- ing of the Seminary Dr. Salzmann was often obliged to go out collecting aims, mleaving with tears, he returned with joy bringing with him new courage and supplies for the near future? Many of the students were unable to pay the meager tuition fee of ninety dollars per year; some were admitted at as low a price as twenty-five dollars, and others were admitted gratis. These pioneer students were actuated by the same spirit of sacrifice which was heroically exemplified in their superiors, and, hence, they will- ingly submitted to all the inconveniences which they were called upon to undergo. 1857-1859 In the course of the first scholastic year Rev. George Rehrl and Rev. Mathias Gernbauer were added to the faculty. The former, who had come from Austria, died after four short years of service. The latter had come to America as a theological student in the company of Dr. Salzmann, and, as has been mentioned, had been a student in his little Seminary at Germantown. After his ordination in 1849 Father Gembauer labored in the missions of the Milwaukee diocese and in 1856 Dr. Salzmann engaged him as a professor for the classical courses, a position which he held with some interruption until his death in 1876. This zealous priest assisted Dr. Salzmann in collecting aims, and in 1866 he built the Chapel-in-the-Woods and later the stations en- circling it. SAINT FRANCIS SBMINARY 9' On the first anniversary of the dedication, that is January 29, 1857, the first ordinations were held in the Seminary chapel. Bishop Henni conferred tonsure on thirteen candidates, one of whom was Kilian Flasch, who later became Rector of the Seminary and Bishop of La Crosse diocese. December 16, 1859, was an outstanding day in the annals of St. Francis Seminary, and it is a day to which Dr. Salzmann referred in his letters with pride and enthusiasm. On that day fourteen levites-the first fruits of the Sales- ianumewere raised to the sacerdotal dignity in St. Johnis Cathedral. After the ordination services the newly ordained priests returned to the Seminary in a body via the lake road where they were met on the bridge by the students who awaited them with cross and banner. They all entered the chapel, and there the newly ordained priests imparted their first blessing. This class was the largest group which up to that time had been ordained together in the United States. q I r g5 $3 Among the pioneer professors the name of Rev. Leonard Batz stands out as the first priest in the United States who was elevated to the dignity of a domestic prelate to His Holiness. The number of faculty members increased and in 1859 the students numbered sixtymine, but soon the political crisis of the United States came which created a new epoch in the history of St. Francis Seminary. Although that epoch is fascinating to us, it was tragic to those who were then associated with the Salesianum. BENJAMIN BLIED, B. A. i231

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1861-1862 SAINT FRANCIS SEMINARY The Civil War Period HE BEGINNING of the Civil War in 1861 caused many hardships to the Seminary, but it accommo- dated itself to them as best it could. At first sight the reactions of the Seminary to the War might be called those of a slacker, but on peering deeper into the question and noting the general , situation in the country, its views ;: and actions appear quite in har- mony with the quite general spirit ' of the time. The War exerting its inHuences on all walks of life, had a singular effect on the students of St. Francis. Their antag- onism at the time can be seen at least in an imperfect manner from various incidents. Our first impressions are received from the Junior English Literary Society, St. Josephis Lyceum, wherein was delivered a paper 1The Horrors of the Civil War , and another en- titled, ilOur Civil War,,, in which the many evils and calamities that had befallen out once happy and prosperous country were clearly depicted; and then from the Senior English Literary Society, St. Michaelis Lyceum, in whose minutes we read that a debate uIs Slavery Justiiiable? was held. The decision on the debate was in the affirmative. Our views are further substantiated when we con- sider how many of the students fearing to be taken from the Seminary, paid heavy sums of money to be exempt from military services. Even one of the professors, Dr. Joseph Salzmann, paid $300 to have himself exempted. Later a law was passed which de- creed that all men from 25 to 45 years of age were subject to be drafted. A large number of the seminar- ists, about a dozen in one night, escaped into Canada for fear of being called to war. The dread was so great that when the students heard the word 1ioflicets they would shudder and at times even hide in the cellars or under the beds. On one occasion it hap- pened that Father Gernbauer and two of the older students, Andrew Seubert and H. Reinhard, dis- guised themselves as recruiting ofiicers, and appeared on the walk leading to the main entrance at a time when the students were gathered there. The warning was passed to the assembled students: iiThe officers are coming, and all who were American and old enough, disappeared in a grand stampede for the safety of cellars and under beds. These incidents justly warrant the conclusion that during these years not much progress was made in studies at the Seminary. On June 30, 1861, the Seminary Chapel was com- pleted and dedicated. The ceremony was very im- pressive. The most outstanding feature was the solemn procession from the Convent to the Semi- nary with the relics which were carried on a beautiful litter by four priests. The litter was pre- pared for the occasion by the Sisters of Notre Dame. After the proper ceremonies, the relics were placed into the altar stone. During the procession music was supplied by the students fittingly clad in their distinctive cassocks and surplices. Preceding the dedication rites the Rev. F. X. Weninger, S. 1., preached a most appropriate sermon on iiThe Glories of the Holy Crossii, and an eleven foot gilded iron cross was raised and placed on the dome of the Seminary building. After these pte- liminaries, a Pontifical High Mass was celebrated by Bishop J. M. Henni, who also preached on the occasion. After this, dinner was served for the clergy in the Seminary and for the people in the woods, where benches and tables had been prepared. Most of the laity, however, returned to their homes without dinner. The following year the Seminary suffered a serious loss when Mr. Bernard Durward, a professor, tired of city life sought the open fields. He moved with his family to the llThe Glenh in Caledonia, Columbia County, Wisconsin. In the early days of the Seminary the duty of teaching all the classics fell frequently upon the two professors, Mr. Durward and Rev. Michael Heiss, while the third professor, Rev. Joseph Salzmann, was out begging for his large family which he as Procurator had to feed and house. Further, additional credit is due Mr. Bernard Dur- ward since he was a convert to the Faith. His attitude toward the War was none too favor- able. He clearly expressed his views by saying that he sympathized with the South and held that the United States should have purchased the slaves in- stead of freeing them by force. These feelings prompted him to write a very bitter poem against Lincoln; but his spirit of antagonism later gave way to one of christian love. He died in 1902 at the advanced age of 85 years. We may characterize the life of this man by saying that he was always studiously active and ever a delightful companion. About this time it seems that a building, called the barrackf, was erected on the site of the present high school gymnasium, and was successively used as a dormitory, play-hall and bee-house. The latter formed a diversion for some of the professors and i251