University of San Francisco - USF Don Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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the I sh gym in J905 WQS most modrrri in the Ktst- the Kyra had facilities for boxing, tramftolinc, ueightlifting, wrestling and handball, the fenced-in area (upper section of the picture) is an indoor race track, all of this u-as in line with the Jesuit ideal of developing the whole man, mind and body. The brother who was entrusted with the keeping of the radium managed to save the entire mineralogical collection during the earthquake; however, he lailcd to rescue the radium. A week later he was run down by a bicycle. The Senior of 1909. a forerunner of the Don reads: After the fire, the class uas scattered to all parts of the State; many were burned out. and had to seek refuge in one or another of the camps that were formed in various parts of the city; but each and every one was full of hope, and anxious for the time when all should assemble at Neu St. Ignatius College which was shortly in process of construction at Hayes and Shrader Streets.” On July 1, 1906, the Jesuits broke ground for the new (and fourth) St. Ignatius College. The buildings were meant only as temporary structures; it was obvious that much time would be required to restore the baroque splendor of the past St. Ignatius College. It was this element of time which caused the Jesuit fathers to decline the generous offer of the Sisters of Mercy, who wished to present them the site of the present St. Mary's Hospital for two rent-free years. The new school, located at Hayes and Shrader, opened on September 1st. This institution, christened “The Shirt Factory” by its students, was in use until 1927. Although its appearance was laconic and unimpressive, its achievements were a brilliant continuation of the goals of the ratio studiorum. Among its achievements we find: 1911, the first lineal ancestor of the Don; 1912, St. Ignatius Law School; 1919, debate victory over Stanford; 1923, a Passion Play presented in cooperation with Santa Clara; 1925, the “Pageant of Youth,” presented in the civic auditorium. Work on the present Hilltop lwgan as early as 1906, when the Fathers requested permission to move to the present site. It was purchased in 1910, in which year ground for the church was broken: the cornerstone was laid two years later. Campion Hall was dedicated in 1927, and the fifth and final St. Ignatius College was begun. 1930 saw the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of St. Ignatius College. October 12-19 was proclaimed “Diamond Jubilee Week.” Cardinal Hayes of New York preached at the open air jubilee Mass. There was much about which to rejoice; enrollment, for instance, had leaped in a few years from 40 to 500. The Passing of The Grey Fog It was during this period that the name Dons'' was first used. Up to this time, the school had been called “The Grey Fog.'' The Junior Chamber of Commerce objected to this name (it had been in use for only two years) as being detrimental to the glorious reputation of this fair city. In its brilliant refutation of this provincialism, the Foghorn wrote: A thundering horde can be cornered: a red horde can be outwitted and overcome; a fighting Irishman 29

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in the world” The S.I. Van Ness gymnasium was a prime example of the foresight and understanding of the early Jesuits. Fr. Riordan writes of the building, “From the right of the vestibule, a stairway descends to the locker-room, bowling alley. billiard-room, reading room. and plunge ... A physician's office adjoins the main entrance. it being intended that the students submit to examinations at the beginning and during their course, that the work of physical culture may be gone at wisely, and no part that is structurally weak be exposed to undue strain . . . In the West end is the bicycle room.” The graduations of the days of yore rivaled the decor of Queen Victoria. A newspaper of the day described the graduation banquet as a delightful affair, there was music by a stringed orchestra throughout the evening. The formal program opened with a toast to Pope Pius X, the company standing while the toast was drunk. In the same manner, there was a toast to the President of the United States” The Third Campus of Old S. I. with its classical academic program, its outstanding facilities, its rich traditions, marked the high point of the development of the L'.S.F. to be. April 18, 1906. Father Vincent Testa was celebrating an early Mass at 5:15. The earthquake dislodged the candlesticks on the altar. Father was struck on the nose by a falling candle: fortunately, he was not seriously hurt. At 6:15 the Jesuit fathers celebrated public Mass for an overflowing crowd of people who were anxious to receive the sacraments; indeed, every time a priest stepped into the street, he was instantly beseiged by persons eager to receive absolution. Although the college did sustain earthquake damage, the destruction was not so serious as to be irrepairable. However, what the earthquake spared, the fire destroyed. The holocaust is attributed to a housewife who was cooking ham and eggs for her family. The fire spread to some unused outhouses on the school lot west of the church. The west tower of the church caught fire, was extinguished and later took fire again. This time the fire could not be reached. There was no water available, and the whole church was gutted. Father Minister was able to save only a few insurance policies, coins, and jewels, which lie carried in his pillow case. Father Testa cryptically noted in his day book, ’ Church, residence, and college on fire- all gone” F'ather John Friedan, echoing Virgil, tersely wrote to Rome, Ignatius fuit.” The Radium and The Bicycle A legend of the earthquake tells of the fate of the ounce of radium entrusted to St. Ignatius College. The college was one of the three institutions in America—the other two were Harvard and Yale—which had been presented with an ounce of the newly discovered radium. The reason for the choice of a college for so great a gift is manifest when one recalls that St. Ignatius College had the finest assaying and surveying equipment on the West Coast, provided electric lights for Market Street, had the only telegraph equipment in San Francisco, and, in 1885, had been commended by the Smithsonian Institute for the excellence of its scientific collection. ihr L'SF swimming toot fin 1905. that held over 100.000 gallons . . . teas open student body.

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can be beaten into submission; a bronco can be roped. But the grey fog is unconquerable. It is supreme, defying every contrivance of man to vanquish it and place it under his control.” It suggested to the opposing worthies, 7 the Junior Chamber oj Commerce is so set against the fog, they should station their members out at Land's End some afternoon and try to stop it from rolling in.” When it was derided to change the name, a panel of nine pondered over some 150 suggestions. The winning name, Dons, was proposed by Jack Rhode, sports editor of the Foghorn. The handbooks of the time give ample examples of the pitch at which school spirit tuned. There were the old songs, “Green and Gold;” “All for You;” “Hike. Fog! “Hally Song;” “Fight for Old S. I.;” and a score of yells. The freshmen rules included such dicta as, “Freshmen may not smoke in the cafeteria;” “Freshmen must be present at all rallies and games;” and “Freshmen must at all times be courteous and allow upper classmen to precede them.” All of this school spirit was crystallized in 1928, with the formal establishment of student self-government. This era also saw the change of “St. Ignatius University” to “University of San Francisco.” This was not without its incidents. It was suggested that this change was accomplished purely to obtain further gifts and monies; that a “sectarian” school would use the name of the city. Nevertheless, the change was accomplished. At a later date, the Foghorn indignantly urged that, if the name must be abbreviated, it be shortened to USF, and not to “Frisco U.” Expansion continued with the purchase, in 1934, of the remaining property which now constitutes the campus of USF. This was a lengthy and complex work, and, at one point, involved a United States Circuit Court. The ground on which the campus is situated was formerly a Masonic cemetery, which housed 14,000 bodies. Although the cemetery was no longer used after 1903, and the trustees were willing to sell it, the families of the deceased objected to parting with such hallowed ground. The place was described as a “menace to health, a wilderness frequented by vagabonds, and a barrier to fire apparatus.” The university buildings had been built up to the property line, and it is this fact which explains the unusual shape of the liberal arts building, and the littleness of Little Theater. The case was finally brought to court in 1930. the Jesuits won, and the property was purchased in 1934. This must have been a great relief to the students, who every few weeks were gathered after noon class to clean up the cemetery, for which service they received donated refreshments. The notable features of the interim before the war years were the publication, in 1937, of the first issue of the biology department’s scholarily journal, “The Wassmann Collector.” and the publication, in 1940, of the USF Credo. Authored by Fr. Raymond Feelev. S.J., it received national attention and commendation. A Low Ebb Although the First World War did not greatly dislocate the pace of school life, the same cannot he said of the Second World War. For the first time in many years, the 30 the days of th - roiierh and fumlde taw I SF day to min ds of 50.000 tlus. in this shot I 'SF gtiddcn charge Army—tiring the frame: (•■( 1930).