St Michaels College - Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

Page 11 text:

Tbistorical Sketch HE sixty-three years which have passed since the early Basilian Fathers crossed from France to America to begin their noble work on this continent, have witnessed the return of all those early pioneers after lives of strenuous labour, but to a Land far brighter than sunny France. They laid the foundations for their successors broad and deep, and to-day we ind as a result, four flourishing colleges, two in the United States, two in Canada, all taking their vigour and strength for the result of the work of these earlier labour- ers at St. Michaels, which has itself undergone great changes and development. Tn the consideration to-day of St. Michaels proud position as a fully developed College of the University of Toronto, with an enrollment which is increasing so rapidly that it has, within the recollection of the present graduating year, grown to three times its earlier numbers, we are apt to be more or less neg- lectful of the struggle which has made this condition possible, a condition which is an invaluable asset to higher Catholic education. The memory of those men who sacrificed brilliant careers in other fields and gave their best in an obscure and humble fashion, in order that, not only their generation, but the generations of all time to come in this country, might be so endowed. must not only be honoured but kept fresh, as the highest ideal which can be placed before the Catholic student of to-r ay. The success of their work bears no more conclusive proof than that they were able to establish these other seats of learn- lIOl ing and their own Scholasticate. without loss of energy or vigour, or without interfering with the general advancement of what may be regarded as the Mother House of the American branch of the order. In addition, many parishes throughout the country have much to thank these pious priests for, because their work went beyond the walls of the school, to numerous churches and to institutions like the Central Prison, the Asylums, the Mercer Reformatory, and these have witnessed the untiring zeal of these holy men, endeavouring to call souls to God, even from among the number of those whom the world has deserted. There is no better proof to be found for the unlimited de- velopment of St. Michaels as a part of the University, than a consideration of the years which have passed since the humble beginnings in 1852, and a short study of the lives of those who laboured so fervently for her advancement. This year her largest graduating class goes forth, more courses have members on her registration list, a more active interest in University affairs has been shown than ever before. her faculty, composed as it is of men capable of sustaining the best of traditions, is larger than ever before, and future mem- bers of the faculty are studying in other universities. All these augur well for her future in the remarkable position of a Catholic College conferring a State University degree, but there can be no greater proof of the necessity of her wonderful future as a Catholic educational institute than the successful issue of the life work of those who are no more. T. S. O'C.

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St. fllbichaets Grabuates EST our subject be misleading, it may be well at the offset to explain the sense in which it is to be taken. The word, graduate, is here used in a limited sense, and by it we do not wish to designate all those who have St. Michael's for their Alma Mater. liVe have reference only to the graduates of the new era of St. Michael'sg the era of University Confederation. Those then, who have gone forth from the College with the Arts degree of Toronto University, properly form the subject of this writing. Gthers, indeed, there are whom the College proudly claims as her graduates. But these belong to the old school, to a time when University affiliation did not exist. To endeavour to bring all these within the range of this writing would be an iinpos- sible task. Their number is legion. And from us they need no praise. Their achievements will ever stand as monuments to testify to their work and efhciency, and as a glory to the institution which formed them. And now a word regarding University Confederation. St. Michaels was made a part of Toronto University in 1887. By the Act of that year she was ranked as an affiliated college and placed on a level with the colleges of other denominations al- ready enjoying the advantages of University education. But what is the significance of all this for us? It means briefly that St. Michaels a thoroughly Catholic College, with all the ad- vantages accruing thereto, became enabled to give its students the best possible secular education and still keep them sur- rounded by the safeguards of daily mass, frequent communion and the many other circumstances of religious training found only in Catholic Colleges. The object in view was to send forth men thoroughly educated, and what is more, thoroughly Catholic. llfhether or not this object has thus far been at- II tained to, is left to the reader to judge, after following the fortunes of those who have already completed their course in Arts. And here it must be noted in justice to those whose names are found in the sequel, that, since the realization of the first fruits of affiliation, the interval of time has been entirely too limited to enable us to make account of the extraordinary at- tainments of any single individual. Hence, what follows will be, for the most part, a catalogue giving the present location and occupation of each graduate. It is rather the whole frame- work to which we wish especially to direct your attention than to the individuals themselves. And note that the percentage of g'raduates preparing for the sacred ministry far exceeds the percentage of those following other avocations in life. XY-e state this particularly, because with some. at least, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that University affiliation must necessarily entail a decrease in the role of students who have a desire of serving within the sanctuary. The fact that this idea is entirely false will be easily gleaned from a reading of the account which is here given. It is now five years since the first bearers of the Bachelor's insignia went forth as graduates. That was in IQIO. The class of that year had a very limited number, only Eve receiv- ing the degree. Four of these were led by the grace of God to the priesthood. Rev. C. McNeil is successfully labouring in the diocese of Calgary. Reverends B. Doyle and nl. O'Con- nor are carrying on the Masters work here in our own city. The former is curate at Holy Family Church. while the latter assists at St. Pauls. Rev. M. Oliver. CSB.. is at present attending lYashington University. The other of the five, Rfr. Ll. Greenan. has completed his law course and re- ceived his call to the bar. Their class has accordingly given