Villanova University - Belle Air Yearbook (Villanova, PA)

Page 17 text:

am Alumni Hall opened with an enrollment of six students. The faculty consisted of seven professors, who con- ducted classes on the first floor of the Belle-Air mansion. In the short period of two years the student body increased to forty-five. Soon Villanova's reputation spread far and wide and it was necessary to expand. Thus it was in the year 1S44 that the first new college building was constructed, classes being trans- ferred to it immediately. The first College pros- pectus was soon issued and during that same summer a new chapel was completed and dedi- cated. Due to the Know-Nothing” uprising, which was at its height in Philadelphia during this period, the Church of St. Augustine in that city was burned and its reconstruction involved such a tremendous expense to the Augustinian Order that it was necessary to suspend classes until the following year. Reopening in 1S46, the first public commence- ment was held during the July of the next year. Father O'Dwyer officiated as president of the College and associated with him were Fathers Ashe, Hartnett and Kyle. Also Messrs. Ainslcy and Gibncy, who were retained as lay professors. In the year 1848 the State Legislature granted a charter and on March 10th of the same year. Governor Francis R. Shunk signed “An Act to incorporate the Augustinian College of Villa- nova in the County of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania. By virtue of this charter the President and Faculty were empowered to grant degrees. At the same time the college seal was adopted and the School of Theology inaugurated. The years prior to 1855 were marked by the Villanova College 1922

Page 16 text:

COLLEGE HISTORY Original Buildings 1850 INETY-FOUR years has she lived—our Alma Mater. She has rejoiced and sorrowed, struggled and enjoyed periods of repose, hut always she has kept her eager eyes fixed on the golden banner in the heavens. She has followed the words emblazoned thereon Veritas, Unitas, Caritas.” She sees even beyond that to a cross from which shine out letters in glittering gold, In hoc signo vinces.” To every true son of Villanova it should be a pleasure and a journey of love to wander back into the beginnings of our beloved Alma Mater. At the beginning of the nineteenth century there was no Villanova. It was Belle-Air. On Octo- ber 13, 1806, John Rudolph, a Catholic mer- chant of Philadelphia, bought a farm of one hundred acres from Jonathan Miller of Haver- ford township. He afterwards enlarged his farm by purchasing four neighboring tracts of land. Rudolph was born in Philadelphia about 1760 and had served as a lieutenant in the Revolution- ary War. When he bought this farm there was an unfinished building on it. He completed it and then moved from town and in remembrance (it is said) of his father's native place in Eng- land, called our present Villanova, Belle-Air. We, who arc so blessed with convenience in this day, will be surprised to learn that Mr. Rudolph drove every Sunday to Philadelphia to the nearest Catholic Church. The many details of Belle-Air life we must pass over. Rudolph died March 30, 1838, and was buried at St. Mary's, Philadelphia. Belle- Air was advertised for sale to take place on Thursday, October 14, 1841. The day before the one announced for the public sale, Belle-Air was purchased by Rev. Augustine Kyle, of St. Augustine's, and Dr. Moriarty, commissary of the province. On January 5, 1842, title to Belle-Air was granted to the Brothers of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine.” During the same year, on August 28, the feast of St. Augustine, illustrious doctor of the church and founder of the Augustinian order, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated on our cam- pus for the first time. It was then that the Estate of Belle-Air became known as Villanova, being placed under the patronage of St. Thomas of Villanova, a saintly bishop, loved for his charity towards the poor. On the 18th day of September, 1842, classes Villanova 1857

Page 18 text:

Thr Campus in 1896 Villanova continued to advance in the field of education under the direction of Presidents Dohan, Dean, Driscoll, Hickey and Sullivan. June, 1893, the Monastery and College Hall were erected. Then the Schtxils of Engineering and Science were inaugurated. This great accom- plishment was achieved under the presidency of Father Delurey. death of Father O'Dwyer and the completion of the cast wing of the new college building. The presidency was then filled by Father Hartnett, who was succeeded by Father Moriarity the fol- lowing year. At the graduation exercises of 1S55, the first degrees of Bachelor of Arts were conferred upon James F. Dooley and Henry C. Alexander. The following year Father Hartnett returned as Pres- ident of the College. But due to the missionary activities of the Augustinian fathers, authorities temporarily closed the college at the end of the session in the year 1837. Filled with the profound desire to educate Catholic youth, the Fathers, after successfully filling their missionary efforts, resumed classes in September of the year 1S65, under the leader- ship of Father Mullen. The college prospered under the supervision of Fathers Mullen, Gal- bery, Stanton, Middleton. Fedigan, and Coleman. On February 3, 1874, the long-contemplated college building was completed, today Alumni Hall. At the same time a new post-office was opened, the nearest one being at Havcrford. In 1912, after fire had completely destroyed the Rudolph mansion, the present St. Rita's Hall was constructed. In the same year St. Mary’s Hall, which now houses the Seminarians, was begun. Upon our country's entrance into the World War, Villanova became one of the student train- ing quarters established in the East. With the signing of the Armistice regular collegiate activ- ities were once more resumed on the campus. In 1922, the School of Commerce and Finance was inaugurated. And in 1925, a sudden increase in enrollment necessitated the erection of a new dormitory, Austin Hall. A library containing over 35,000 volumes was incorporated into its east wing. In January, 1928, two years after the election of Reverend James H. Griffin, O.S.A., to the presidency, College Hall was leveled to the ground by a ruinous fire, destroying student liv- ing quarters, class rixims and nearly all the offices and records. Within a very short time, how- ever. the stately walls of Mendel Hall arose Fourteen After four years of construction the present chapel of St. Thomas of Villanova was dedicated on July 3, 1887. The college chapel still retains its architectural beauty and attractiveness, and seems to re-echo the traditions of those many students who gathered daily under her pinnacled towers to do homage to God. Following the Golden Jubilee of the College in The Monastery 1920