St Josephs College - Footprints Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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From that moment on the morning of October 2, 1916, when she chmbed the steps of the gray frame building at 286 Washington Avenue, in the heart of one of Brooklyn ' s finest residential areas, each incoming freshman knew that she was making history. Whether or not she was fully aware of the world ' s tensions that had already precipitated a cataclysmic world war. she learned immediately that she was personally engaged in a fearsome responsibility — the laun- ching of the only Catholic day college for wom- en in all of Long Island. Monsignor Coan. pastor of Queen of All Saints Parish, within whose bounds the college was located, told her. in his sermon at the Mass of the Holy Spirit which opened the college year, that the Sisters of Saint Joseph and others interested in the higher education of women had exerted mighty efforts to bring the college into being. Its future, he said, would surely rest, to some extent, in the hands of the twelve pioneer students — the Twelve Apostles as he dubbed them — who were now defying all the pessimistic predictions about any woman who was the product of higher education. The plan for a Catholic day college in Brooklyn went back several years, but it began to take specific form in August. 1915. At that time it was proposed to ask the Board of Regents of New York State to raise St. Angela ' s Hall Academy, located on Washington Avenue near DeKalb Avenue, to the grade and title of St. Joseph ' s College for Young Women. After some delay (caused by a death in Chancellor Sexton ' s family) the provisional char- ter was issued on February 24, 1916.

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T. JOSEPH ' S GIRLS ' GET FIRST DEGREES Most people would agree that half a century is a significant length of time. This is especially true of a liberal arts institution where age has been accompa- nied by expansion, enrichment, and mod- ernization. St. Joseph ' s College for Wom- en devotes this year to a celebration of her fiftieth anniversary, and activities have been planned to make the Jubilee a golden one. As members of the class of ' 66, we have attempted to honor the fiftieth anniversary by taking the back- ward look which is inevitable on any anniversary. This backward look is meant to make the present celebration more meaningful. Brooklyn R. C. College for Wom- en Honors Its Pioneer Gradu- ating Class. The first class of graiiviales of St. Joseph ' s Collc ' se for Women was awarded degrees of bachelor of arts at - if- ccimmcncfnient e.xen-ises of the in- , enxaiioii held la.- t evening at the Acad- :«iny of Mu.sic. The ooUege was found- « U four yeurs ago jind thf 1:; young ■«vomen graduates of the Vj:-. ' } class are •the fii-st to complete their .studies at the institution. ! Addri ' sscs were made ' oy the Very I Kev. .Mens. Michael O. Flaniiery, iii- jBtructor ill religion at the college, and i ' the Rt. Rev. Mons. Joseph McNamee, jTcctor of St. Teresa ' s i . C. Church, Who presented the degi-ees to the ' graduates. Many prizes were awarded for ( xcellence in .special subjects. The Senior Class prize of |25 in gold for geneyal excellence was awarded to Annuniciata V. Scibilia. The Junior C ' lass prize of $25 in gold went tQ, Catherine O ' Hale, Kathleen A. ' Thompson was awarded the $25 prize ifoj- general excellence in the Sopho- ' More Class. In the Freshman Class tthe $25 went to Charlotte Xi. Nolan. The Bishop McDonnell Purse of $25 fo)- proficiency in the study of relig- Joii was awarded to Constance D. Doyle. A $25 purse for the best orig- ; inal essay was awarded to Mildred M. t)uffy. Mons. Flannery jocularly likened the 12 graduates to the 12 apostles. = The keystone of the arch of dioce- ■ ean education for women is laid to- night, he said. Its foundation is real religion — one that binds human con- , Sciences. , ' Mons. MoNamee, V. G.. vailed against (the prevailing allegation that the Ro- fjiian Catholic Church is opposed to learning. {early all of the large universities in Europe were founded on Catholic teachings and principles, he said. The following graduates leceived de- grees: Adaline B. Canning. Marion E. Clarke, Constance D. Doyle. Kthel AI. Kellam, Marie F. McConnell, Mary A. Moore, Marjorie D. Nolan, P ' lorcnee E. N ' olen, Helen R. Parks,, Annunciata V. Scibilla,, Aniali Bimoneiti, Marie A. UhUngcr. Parks lia j|

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