St Xavier College - Xaverian Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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Highlights in the History Of St. Xavier College ATHOLIC Education in Cincinnati took its first forward step just one hundred years ago. It consisted in the efforts 01' Bishop Fenwick, the Dominican, and first Bishop of this Archdiocese, to secure the fou'nda- tion of a school of higher learning. The first endeavor went no farther than epistularly communication with the Jesuits, and Benedictines in England, be- cause neither of the two solicited communities were in position to engage in the project. Throughout the next six years, the zealous Bishop sought vainly for a religious community to aid him in his program, but unsettled conditions, and other obstacles constantly interferedt In 1831 he opened uThe Atheneum , for the instruction of youth; where a classicial course of study was provided, and entrusted to the ten diocesan clergy to teach. Affairs at the institution never reached as efficient or smooth a status of operation as was desired, due mainly to the fact it lacked a necessary organization. Bishop Fenwick died one year later, and never saw the ups and downs which his enterprise was doomed to for the next nine Years. This, in short forms the early history of what was destined to be the St. Xavier College which is ours today. Shortly after the coming of Bishop Purcell to Cincinnati, he determined upon the matter of obtaining Jesuits to conduct an intended College in Brown County, and thereupon set about what Bishop Fenwick had failed to accom- plish. As early as 1838, he was promised by the General in Rome, that the next house established by the Society in America should be in Cincinnati. Relying on this assistance, he set about, and gained the permission of His Holi- ness, Gregory XVI, to deed to the Jesuits some property which he held in trust, and Which was intended for the maintenance of a college for educational purposes. Negotiations were finally opened with Bishop Purcell by Fr. P. J. Verhaegen, S.J., at St. Louis, Arrangements were completed, and by October 1, 1840; the Fathers had taken over the property, giving to it the name of St. Xavier College. Fr. Elet, after whom the new Dormitory is named, became the first of a long line of Presidents, and the great work for good in Cincinnati was begun by the Society of Jesus The General Assembly of Ohio granted a tempmary charter of the College, with John B. Purcell, J. A. Elet, PM. Pin I. J. Gleizal, and Edward Purcell acting as trustees. This charter gentitled the conference of degrees of colleges and universities of this State of Ohio, and placed the school on equal footing with the other sectarian, and non-sectarian institutions in the State. Not until the act of the Assembly on May '7, 1867 which was An act to provide for the incorporation of certain colleges therein described , did St. Xavier become incorporated in perpetuity. FLrs. W. H. Hill, and S. A. H. Fastre, acting for the Board of Trustees, sent a copy of a resolution to the Secretary of the State, accepting the provisions of the Act. Prior to this incorporation in perpetuity, it was found necessary to erect another building for the handling of increased attendance. In 1863, ground was purchased to the north of the old Athen- eum , which step gave access to the corner of Seventh and Sycamore Streets. The cornerstone of the Hill faculty 1building , as it was called was laid by Archbishop Purcell, May 12, 1867. Following the destruction of the Athen- eum building in 1890, the present High School ediface was erected; this with the Mueller Building of 1855 completed the development which the fully utilized site permitted. It might be thought that all was easy sailing with the College from its foundation onward, but such was not the case There were ever difficulties to be surmounted as there are in all schools where endnwments are unknown, and all constructive work must be done by sheer perseverance, and multitudi- nous denials, From 1853 to 1865, the College passed through what might be termed its zero hour. Chief among the many calamities of the period were the cholera epidemics which wraught havoc everywhere, the disgraceful Know- Nothing movement, when disturbing Anti- Catholic demonstrations were almost a daily occurrence, and last, but not least, the Civil War. Up to this time, the student attendance consisted mainly of boarders from the west, and south Conditions steadily approaching an impingement, finally forced the abandonment of the dormitories and left St Xavier entiiely dependent on the Page Twenty-seven

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