Villanova University - Belle Air Yearbook (Villanova, PA)

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U,- s O A , SWH7 fa-mitt) 6 i j J. Jlr+udtM Jca ,{f? fitcr.i.) ttn e»y€d )f j£Z2z ‘-— — 77 - - e 6tr % gitA ’ • rip C Fxcttt „r Ai fto ’ ™'{ ‘ ,!L hr-il » J (,kP In the lower left i a confiscated note of more than ordinary interest; the writer, it seems, received a penalty of 100 lines. During these days students rose at 5:30, classes were from 8:30 till noon, from 2:00 to 4:30, 5:00 to 6:00, and 7:00 to 8KX). They retired at 9:00. There were three periods set aside for prayer and four for recreation. Silence was enforced in wash' room, dormitory, refectory, and study hall. The life of the early Villanovans was certainly a strict one. Fr. O'Dwyer died in 1850. The number of men succeeding him in the presidency of Villanova be- tween that date and the Civil War were few indeed. And for reasons that will soon be mentioned. Fr. William Harnett temporarily succeeded Fr. O'Dwycr and himself was succeeded by Dr. Moriarty, who held office until 1855. In 1855 Fr. Harnett once again became president of Villanova. The first A.B. degree had been awarded in 1855, and now in 1857 Fr. Hamctt conferred the first M.A. But this moment of high achievement was also a moment of transition to said estate for the college. After the Commencement of 1857 hard times descended. The services of more priests were needed for the far-flung parishes of the Order; subjects of the college curriculum had to be multiplied, but there were not enough professors to teach them; times were hard and money was scarce. The Panic of '57 finally forced Villanova to close her doors a second time. During the years that intervened between the closing and opening of the college, the Fathers applied all 29

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jAvivo J OJiUAtt a. actios t. emit S eM09 I. nil $001 «? Mill (a 0 11 4 Ul TIllMO LIMir munii if TUliset Colli . Mlmri Coasts, fwirltisli. Sictloa 3. nt itjiei »f tan leitttiu U to i«okU u« leUlloctiil. Ml 10 1 1 oolfsro of Its a» fe r . to «fi1 • initio r«Mli( t ttir. tttrih fosurlst • 1 « for Hurston. m » olaiir icoauatise »ltt Aottor of otf. n «i n-U’i u4 9iMtttatio« nr for olit«4 tr : eoamtUf sf. feMtrt., tto . J. m«. i:il . 0 ». E30tt T. Nr. 1. C’Dm’i !!, j r. J. Cro»l 7. Jo C'Mli. • . 0'tOMoll, »1« j ». J. ttrrill, 0.8. A. t l offlolo! , o«.»iro • »» »« «t U Tllltnov UUr rr IftUIUW o U . 1!«. !» • The Rev. Patrick Stanton, O.S.A., be- came President of Villanova in 1869, suc- ceeding Father Mullen. The new gym- nasium and a waterworks were outstanding among the many improvements made dur- ing his administration. teris tr Sours. f « . bo . So for O’Cosaoll. • (elsai J r. i. CrrtltT. » lt. iiirUo. Joo. J. fsrroll 8.1.8. (• offioit] CoMicm oc lorLdoat ut Aj;u tr rillseo Ut lw C tu and miscellaneous records of society beginning . The first Villanova catalog was published in 1871 during Father Stanton’s administration. The manu- script notes were written by Father Middleton, former President and first Librarian of the College. The small group opposite was the faculty at this lime.

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their energies in educating the clerics for the Order, and in serving the missions in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The Fathers had hoped to resume classes at least within two years, but the uncertainty of the times caused by the Civil War and the lack of finances after the depression of '57 forced the college to remain closed for eight years. It was not until after the restoration of national peace in 1865 that Villa- nova once again opened her portals to admit students. With the energy of new life she came, saw into the future, and she conquered. After the Civil War The Rt. Rev. Thomas Galberry, O.S.A., succeeded Father Stanton in 1872, and remained in office until his eleva- tion to the Bishopric of Hartford, Conn., in 1876. During his administration, the new College building was com- pleted. After the Civil War, Villanova definitely built for the future. So much so, that, in 1917, the date which we have set as our limit, there was not existing on the campus a single building which stood as it was when the college resumed courses in 1865. The only build- ing which survived at all, in fact, was greatly altered in condition of existence. In 1875, as we shall men- tion, the building indicated (the principal college building since 1849) became the less prominent wing of an enlarged structure. In 1865, it had stood proudly forth as, by far, the largest of the three buildings directly devoted to college purposes at Villanova. In 1917, it was hardly recognisable in its insignificant position among the six large and beau- tiful college buildings. The above reckoning of build- ing, of course, in no wise includes the half dozen farm buildings which the college kept in use and good condition during the whole period of which we arc treating. The farm has been eliminated as a feature of Villanova life in recent decades, but while it was An outstanding material link between Vil- lanova'» pa»t and present is the College build- ing, the west wing of which was completed in 1874. Now known as Alumni Hall, it originally housed the entire scholastic part of the college. After extensive revisions, it is now used as a freshman dormitory. 30