St Josephs University - Greatonian Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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1934 THE GREATONIAN Civil War, Father Barbelin marshclled his forces so well that the next two years brought a new high mark in attendance-one hundred and sixty-two-with all the former studies, save philosophy, having been resumed, Not only the attendance but all kinds of activity boomed. Ex- hibitions of all kinds, especially short plays and debates, were given to the assembled student body and their friends. lt was courageous advance like this, in the face of the most appalling difficulties, that was to bring success ultimately. Shortly alter the end of the War, the dream of ex- Lansion was once more brought to the fore, and, in l866, Father Barbelin purchased a spot three miles northwest of 'fOld .t. ' ' S Joseph s. ln this, the second move for a greater The Old College Building College that he had instigated, he saw the final realiza- wth and Stiles Streets tion of his labor of years, thought that he was at last to Now the Prep School behold the plans of decades take final shape in the form Of bricks and mortar, the permanent home of the new College. Death overtook him before his work was completed and it was Father Villiger, the former Vice-President to Father Barbelin, who laid the corner-stcne of the new church erected cn the site in June of l868. December saw the opening of the new edifice, and from then an, progress was rapid. Eighteen hundred and seventy-nine saw the opening of a parish school and ten years later b'0UQht the dream of dreams--the rebirth and reopening of St. Joseph's College. A long and heart- lefldlfisl struggle it had been, and a worthy one, and it had been waged by men of courage and clear v.s:on. The succeeding years brought long strides in a program of expansion that was placed before The leaders of the new College. At the turn of the century, the fiftieth anniversary of the College was Celebmledt Nine Vears later, the buildings grouped about the school were still further increased when The need of a faculty house was realized. ln l9l7, with the appointment of the Rev, Redmond J. Walsh, S. J., as President, the government WGS Once OQGJVW plunged into war. The College immediately volunteered assistance to the country both by utilizing its buildings as a Students' Army Corps base and by having seven hundred and twenty' four Of her students enrolled in all branches of service. Fourteen of these gave their lives to the cause. The VGOF following the War, the Rev. P. F. O'Gorman, S.J., was named President. His term lasted 3 WSOF when he was succeeded by the Rev. Albert G. Brown, SJ. During this time, a movement came Obcful lo Sellarate the College department from the l-ligh School, a movement that was actualized dUl UQ The term of Father Brown. A9091 eXDansion came to the fore when it was planned to erect new College buildings on a new plot Ol Qround. l-leretafore, St. Joseph's had offered one solid course of seven years, at the close of Which the Bachelor of Arts degree was awarded. The campaign was begun, generous donations poured 'nf SUCOUVGQIHQ the proposed expansion. The site at Fifty-fourth Street and City Line Avenue was Gcguired and developed, the breaking of ground for the initial buildings being held on September 27, l925. Since then, an additional building, the John E. Lonergan School of Mechanics, has been erected, the dedication taking place in April of l933. Thus, in outline, is the history of St. Joseph's College written. lt is the colorful story of a 5lVUQQlG'f'a struggle valiantly carried on by sincere, devoted men motivated by their all-inspiring DUfDOSe of God's greater glory. We, the Class of l934, acknowledge in no uncertain words, the lllU5TViOus battle which these men fought in establishing the College, and we pledge our unselfish SUPDOW and cooperation in any and all future expansion, which we trust, with God's help, will even Uulslflli the past. Greater and higher Catholic education is the end in view, and we, the products at that education, dedicate ourselves to the fulfillment of that end. Fifteen

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THE GREATONIAN 1934 from the blasts of preiudice and the chilling rains of blind opposition. Strong, vigorous, courageous men, priests of God, Jesuits, gave their lives to the preservation of the tiny flame, pledged themselves to its furtherance, and God saw fit to accept their sacrifice. Even the violent hatreds engendered by the Nativist riots of i834 were not enough to stamp out the growing flame. Sometimes it would grow dim, waver, but always the new day brought new life. The seed had taken root, the flame had seized upon the fuel. The sun shone brightly upon the United States in the middle of the nineteenth century, the land was so busy seeking its share of new wealth that Catholic educational projects could go forward with- out the accustomed opposition. Father Felix Barbelin, S. J., then the rector, seized upon this welcome opportunity, and for over a year labored in the preparation for the great work. The climax of one hundred and eighteen years of endeavor came on the morning of September l5, l85l, when the doors of the College were opened to all who aspired to higher education. Forty students attended those first classes which were conducted on the ground floor of the edifice. By the end of the year that number had increased to ninety-seven, in four years there were one hun- dred and forty-nine students attending the college classes. Although the State Charter had been granted in l852, not until six years later, with the inauguration of the philosophy department, were any degrees awarded. During this time definite courses were established and a stipulated routine enforced. Comparison with the schedule of .today shows that the students of the pioneer days had much longer hours and a far longer term, Both the classical and commercial students were closeted in the school from eight-thirty in the morning until five in the afternoon, with a period of two and a half hours being allowed for lunch and recreation. Besides this, mass for the students was celebrated each day at eight. Grouped about Father Barbelin in his momentous undertaking were the Rev. Burch- ard Villiger, S.J., the Rev. Francis Vespre, S.J., Mr. Patritius A. Jordan, S.J., and lvlr. Frederick Lager, SJ, Those were the days of great hopes, great expectations. The College was caught up in the great tide of material prosperity that swept over the land, enveloped it, drugged it with its elusive power and swept it to newlheights never before attained, never dreamed of as possible attainments. Those were the days of great expansion, when the frontiers were pushed back in bold thrusts before the sweeping onrush of the new railroads, when space fell before the miracle of the telegraph, and the foundations of world-famous fortunes laid, Perhaps it was fortunate that the College should have come into being at lust those times and no other, for then it was enabled to strengthen itself against the greater trials that were to come, greater time was given the roots to strike deeper into the yielding soil. As the student body increased, the old building proved inadequate and it was finally decided to begin a program of expansion that started with the acquiring of a new site at Juniper and Filbert Streets where today stands the Evening Bulletin Building. This was in January, l856. The founder of the College, Father Barbelin, had been replaced by the Rev, James Ryder, S.J., who in turn was succeeded by the Rev. James A. Ward, S.J. ln i857 came a short, disastrous panic upon the country and all the material gains of the previous seven years were swept away. The College suffered. Just when the first proud fruits of expansion were beIng tasted and hopes for a more prosperous future were being indulged, it seemed that everything was to be lost, that the labor of years was to go before the choking grip of nation- wide financial ruin, Despite the seeming defeat in the move, despite the bitterness, disappointments and losses it involved, prudent leadership dictated that the College be moved back to the original home at Fourth Street and Willings Alley. ln this black moment Father Barbelin was again ap- pointed leader of the forces that courageously launched against the repulse. Undaunted by the loss of previous gains, by the appearance of failure just when success had seemed assured, and by the still more terrible war clouds that drew about the country as it plunged into a disastrous When the College was situated at Filbert and Juniper Streets Fourteen

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-X Qc' Fif?f?' The Present Col lege