Villanova University - Belle Air Yearbook (Villanova, PA)

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The only offering o! this 1904 Dramatics Society was Sire and Sons , a thrso act drama presented at the Garrick Theatre in Philadel- phia on Juno 9. 1904. Patrick O'Connor was in the title role oi the sire. Count Danicheif. and Francis Roonoy was Count Valdimlr. his son. O'Connor and Rconoy wore tho only officers, mem- bers of the society's business com- mittee. The Society's moderator at the time was the Rev. Lawrence A. Celurey. O.S.A., the President of tho collogo. These students all received degrees of Bachelor of Arts. The graduating class of 190S was one of tho last three groups of graduates consisting exclusively of suc- cessful B.A. candidates. Four of the six graduates were seminarians. Thomas Kiley. third from left is now the Rev. Thomas A. Kiley. O.S.A.. professor of classics at Vkllanova. At the commence- ment exercises on June 14. 1906 the medals for gentlemanly conduct, for Christian Doc- trine. and for Philosophy were awarded to Messrs. Woclsey. Kiley. and Corcoran, re- spectively. The seminarians at Vlllanova in 1905 formed almost 10% of the stu- dont body of 213. which included grammar, preparatory, and college students. Whon tho new college building was completed in 1931. old St. Rita's Hall became the prepara- tory hall for students studying for the priesthood. Back row: Ioseph Per- kins, John Condon. Jamos Daley. George Loomis. Middle row: Mor- timer Sullivan. Edwin McKonna. John Howard. Conleth Gallagher. lames Egan. Michael Drisccll, William Reil- ly. Joseph Powers. Thomas Kiley. Front row: Edwin O'Neil. John A. Howard. Howard Millor. Stephen Foran. Fr. Vlger, Charles Bakor. Luke Powers. Matthew Corcoran. 18

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Below: Mondol Hall, at it stood beforo the tiro, was completod in 1902. This picturo was takon some- timo during the 1901-02 school torm whon workmen wore in the final stages of completion. Right: A 1915 photograph shows tho completed structure. Proposed plans for the buildings completed In 1902 had been drawn up as early as 1883. After the final plant received approval in January. 1899. a siding was built by tho Penna, railroad over the north lawn of tho college campus to bring materials to tho building site. Below: Students in these days took pains to don suitable attire and assume tho propor pose for all photographs. postulants of the order and was opened December 8. 1902 under the patronage of St. Rita of Cascia, while the old college building became an academy for younger boys — St. Nicholas Tolentine Academy. In 1899 the building of the new monastery necessi- tated the removal of the bodies from the old cemetery to the present site east of the church and south of St. Rita's Hall, then still the Rudolf farmhouse. On June 6, 1904. commencement exercises were held, but no one was graduated. This seemingly strange state of affairs resulted because the curriculum that year had been enlarged to meet the more stringent educational standards then introduced. The increased requirements of study meant that the senior class of 1904 had to work a year longer before its members could receive their degrees.

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1892 to 1917 In 1905, to meet a rapidly expanding industrial nation's need for trained men, Villanova opened a School of Technology and instituted courses in civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering. Neither care nor expense was spared in the erection of new labora- tories and equipping them with apparatus of the latest design. By 1909 there were in use at Villanova the drafting room, and laboratories for Dynamics and Heat, Testing, Electrical Measurement, as well as the Dyna- mo, Mechanical, and Chemical Laboratories. At the sixty-sixth annual commencement, June 15, 1909, Villa- nova graduated its first engineers: John A. White of Williamsport, Pa., and Edward J. Kirsch of Rosemont, Pa., civil engineers; John J. Smith of Altoona, Pa., electrical engineer. At commencement exercises in 1910, the last year of Father DeLurey's administration, the President of the United States, William Howard Taft, was awarded an honorary degree. President Taft also addressed the graduating class. The Rev. Edward G. Dohan was Father DeLurey's successor. During Father Dohan's tenure many fur- Oriqinally tho Belle Air Mansion. old St. Rita'» was used by the college irom the beginning. In 1902. It was converted Irom a student dormitory into a preparatory school lor Augustlnlan novices. In 1912. a little more than a century alter it was built. St. Rita's burned to the ground. Five suburban lire companies (ought the blaze, which inflicted a loss to tho college of approximately $103,000. II»