USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101
"In behalf of the president and faculty, I have the honor to be, with great considera- tion, your obedient servant,
GARDNER JONES.
"Hon. Henry Clay, Washington, D. C."
As a further indication of the wide sym- pathy of Notre Dame for intellectual and moral excellence wherever found, it is pleas- ant here to note the establishment during Father Walsh's presidency of the unique cus- tom of conferring, on each recurring Laetare Sunday, a medal upon some American Cath- olic distinguished in literature, science, or art. It is needless to say that this is an adaptation to the domain of secular knowl- edge of what papal custom has from time im- memorial made famous in the sphere of reli- gion. The golden rose of Laetare Sunday be- stowed by the pope upon some Catholic re- nowned for services in the cause of religion has always been esteemed by the recipient as one of the highest of earthly favors, and has gained from the world at large the most marked applause. The university of Notre Dame has in like manner won great honor by the selection as the recipients of this medal
Digitized by Google
680
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
of Americans, men and women, who by their talents and virtues have added lustre to the American Catholic name. Such recognition, too, has in many cases been peculiarly fitting from the circumstances that the recipients, from their modesty and retirement of life, have been content to labor on in doing good, thinking little of any honor or appreciation that might be bestowed upon their labors, pro- vided only they were conscious to themselves of performing the duty that God set before them. While such persons never look for honors, it is nevertheless pleasant to all who appreciate talent and devotion to duty, to see these single hearted men and women of genius selected for deserved if unexpected recogni- tion. The good done by the giving of the Notre Dame Laetare medal is not simply in the honor done to the worthy, but in the emu- lation aroused in youthful genius, and in the respect inspired in the minds of all good peo- ple for unobtrusive merit. Honors thus worth- ily bestowed upon talent and virtue tend to make us all better by inspiring in us a love and respect for what is good and great.
The bestowal of the medal is usually in- trusted to some distinguished representative of the university, and it is given with such appropriate ceremony, and in the presence of such dignitaries as may add emphasis to the honor intended.
The custom was inaugurated in 1883, the medal for that year being given to the accom- plished historian, John Gilmary Shea, after Orestes A. Brownson, undoubtedly the most distinguished American Catholic layman who has given his genius to the services of the church. That the Laetare medal was first given to so eminent a man has added lustre to the gift, upon whomsoever it may at any time be hereafter bestowed. In 1884 the medal was given to Mr. Patrick J. Keely, the eminent church architect; in 1885, to Miss Eliza Allen Starr, the sweet poet and writer on religious art; in 1886, to General John Newton, the soldier, scientist and engineer; in 1887, to one whose modesty would not suffer him to accept,
and whose name cannot therefore be given ; in 1888, to Patrick V. Hickey, the great Catholic editor; in 1889, to Anna Hanson Dorsey, the author; in 1890, to William J. Onahan, the publicist and organizer of great Catholic movements; in 1891, to Daniel Dougherty, the orator; in 1892, to Henry F. Brownson, the editor and biographer of his distinguished father, Orestes A. Brownson; in 1893, to Pat- rick Donahue, the veteran publisher; in 1894, to Augustin Daly, the theatrical manager; in 1895 to General William Stark Rosecrans; in 1896, to Mrs. Anna T. Sadlier, the writer; in 1897, to Thomas Addis Emmet, the eminent physician and patriot; in 1898, to Timothy Edward Howard, legislator and jurist; in 1899, to Mary Gwendolin Caldwell, a benefac- tor of the Catholic University of America; in 1900, to John A. Creighton, the philanthrop- ist; in 1901, to Bourke Cockran, the orator and statesman; in 1902, to Dr. John B. Murphy, the noted surgeon; in 1903, to Charles J. Bonaparte, the statesman; in 1904, to Richard C. Kerens, the politician ; in 1905, to Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, the great mer- chant; in 1906, to Francis J. Quinlan, emi- nent in many respects; in 1907, to Katherine Eleanor Conway, editor and poet.
This is a noble list of names, taken from almost every walk of life; and does equal honor to the donors and to the recipients. May the list continue from year to year, the honor still accumulating with the past line of glory in those who receive, and the increasing glory of the University that bestows, the gold- en medal of Laetare Sunday.
In harmony with the honor which Notre Dame has endeavored to confer on Catholic laymen and women by the bestowal of the Laetare medal, may be here noted the transfer to her sacred precincts of the body of the great Dr. Brownson, without question the most eminent man, outside the reverend clergy, that has yet been produced by the American church.
On June 17, 1886, the body of Dr. Brown- son was brought from Mt. Elliott cemetery in
Digitized by Google
681
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Detroit, in charge of his son, Major Henry A. Brownson, and was solemnly interred beneath the Church of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame. At the conclusion of the solemn mass of requiem, the venerable Father Sorin as- cended the altar and spoke for a short time, alluding to his long and intimate friendship with the distinguished dead, telling how dur- ing life the lamented Christian hero had often expressed his desire to end his days at Notre Dame, and how it was now their melancholy pleasure to receive his precious remains, to be placed beside other Christian heroes who had labored like him, though in other spheres of activity.
The body of the great philosopher rests be- side those of the sainted missionaries, Fathers De Seille, Petit and Cointet; a tablet with a suitable inscription marking the place of his honored rest. May we indulge in the hope that some day the remains of the venerable Allouez, may also rest beneath the Church of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame? Not more worthy of honor are those who sleep in West- minster Abbey, than are those Christian heroes, the founders and supporters of the early American church.
The tendency to honor the distinguished dead, to mark with monuments their resting places, and to gather relics which may remind . histories, and printed volumes containing
us of their noble lives, is natural to superior minds, and serves to give to the living some- thing of the greatness that attaches to the dead themselves. By honoring them, we partake in the honor which is given them. These me- morials are an especial incentive to generous minded youths, who are by the presence of these memorials stirred to emulation of the great dead.
The following extracts from the facile pen of P. V. Hickey, the late accomplished editor of the "Catholic Review," gives us a graphic picture of such a memorial collection at Notre Dame :
"A national Pantheon has been the dream of many visionary Americans. A much more practical, praiseworthy, and Christian idea is
that of the university of Notre Dame, In- diana, which has established a truly historie and suggestive monument to our illustrious dead in its 'Memorial Hall of our Bishops.' Not many are aware that there exists at Notre Dame a unique collection that commends it- self to the interest of all who love and vene- rate the good men who have ruled our Amer- ican dioceses. While a boy at college, Profes- sor James F. Edwards conceived the happy idea of erecting a national monument to our prelates in the form of a Bishops' Memorial Hall. He immediately went to work, and after years of persistent search, he has brought to- gether a large and valuable collection of life- size paintings, crayons, engravings, photo- graphs, rare old daguerrotypes, miniatures on ivory, busts and casts of all the bishops and archbishops who have held dioceses within the present limits of the United States. These have been placed in a large cruciform gallery, one hundred and fifty-five feet in length, one hundred and twenty at the arms, and a uni- form width of sixteen feet.
"Besides the portraits, there is also an ex- tensive collection of autograph letters and original documents written by the prelates; hound books, pamphlets and pastorals pub- lished by them; manuscripts relating to their
their biographies. In large, glass-covered cabinets are displayed wonderful collections of mitres, croziers, episcopal rings, gold chains, pectoral crosses, and other articles used by our bishops, archbishops and cardi- nals.
"This is the first attempt ever made in any country to illustrate a nation's whole episco- pacy by a monument of this description. Many persons gave willingly of their treasures to assist in building this monument to our loved bishops. They deprived themselves of the pleasure of having relics at home in order to secure their greater safety in this collection, and at the same time to increase their value by making them parts of a systematic series. The hundreds of tourists and others who visit
Digitized by Google
682
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Notre Dame yearly have their attention drawn by this Memorial Hall to the great work done by the American hierarchy, and a desire is ex- cited to know more of the life and work of the truly apostolic men who planted and fos- tered the faith in our midst.
"It is the great desire of the originator of the Bishops' Memorial Hall to make it as com- plete and as national as possible. Anyone who may have in his possession souvenirs of our deceased prelates in the form of articles illustrating their pontifical dignity, works published by them, and documents or old let- ters in their handwriting, can render a valu- able service to the history of the church by depositing them in the Bishops' Memorial Hall, where they will be religiously guarded for posterity. Attached to the Bishops' Me- morial Hall is a large ecclesiastical museum containing souvenirs of missionary priests, Catholic laymen and articles illustrating the different religious orders."
Of even greater importance, from a his- torical point of view at least, is the collection of precious manuscripts made and yearly added to by Professor Edwards in connection with the Bishops' Memorial Hall.
The hierarchy in general realize the vast- ness of the collector's labor and its importance to history. Among the documents in this col- lection may be seen the names of popes, cardi- nals, archbishops, bishops, priests, generals, lawyers, doctors, nuns and others; documents from the Propaganda, American College at Rome, and from the most eminent of the clergy of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Cuba. Some of the documents date back two or three centuries, but the greater number have reference to the early history of the United States, and the missions in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Texas, Kentucky, Oregon, Colorado and other Western states during the past fifty or sixty years.
The collection has as yet not been fully clas- sified and is consequently not accessible for historical studies, except for inquiry in cer- tain specialties. Of the historical value of
even what has been already collected we may judge by the following letter addressed to the collector by the late eminent historian, John Gilmary Shea :
"My Dear Professor: Your wonderfully kind loan has arrived safely and is a deluge of historical material, a perfect mine of facts, estimates and judgment. Many of these let- ters have been in several hands, and how little they have made of them! There are some where every line is a volume to one who un- derstands. De Courcy had some of them, Bishop Bailey had them for years, Archbishop Hughes also had them. I recognize by Bishop Bailey's endorsements some of the Brute papers so long in his hands, and part of which perished by fire.
"You possess in what you have gathered more material for a real history of the church in this country during the present century than was ever dreamt of. Your own zeal and labor as a collector, guided by intelligent love of church and country, has been rewarded by great results. Yet I hope that it is only a beginning. I recognize more thoroughly now what you have done, and properly supported, may still do. You have created a new line, and your zeal has saved much from decay and destruction."
The old college library, then consisting of about twenty thousand books, was, of course. almost completely destroyed by the fire of 1879. These books had been, to a great ex- tent, works of reference, and many of them in the French and Latin languages. In 1873, Father Lemonnier, then president of the uni- versity, conceived the plan of forming a cir- culating library for the special use of the students, and containing works of more gen- eral interest and use in the daily work of the university. This was in reality the founda- tion of the present great library. In 1874. Professor Edwards, at the request of Father Lemonnier, took charge of this library, and has ever since been its zealous and efficient di- rector. On the death of Father Lemonnier his name, at the request of the students, was
Digitized by Google
683
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
given to the library, and this it has since re- tained. In its earlier days a specialty was made of the English classics, and before the fire an unusually complete collection of thesc had been made. By 1879 the library had in- creased to ten thousand volumes, which, with the old library, were nearly all consumed by the great fire. In some respects, the loss was irreparable; for, besides many rare books, a number of autograph letters and ancient manuscripts were lost. But with the same energy and zeal that made possible the erec- tion of the new Notre Dame over the ashes of the old within three months, the librarian, aided by the faculty and friends of the uni- versity, at once set about repairing the loss ; and the Lemonnier Library of today stands a splendid evidence of their success.
In 1882, all the books in the old college library that had been saved from the fire were incorporated in the Lemonnier Library; and, a few years later, through the efforts of Father Walsh, a permanent annuity was se- cured from the board of trustees and placed at the disposal of the librarian for the pur- chase of books. With the impetus thus given, the library has developed with gratifying rapidity.
The library at present occupies the whole of the third floor of the front projection of the main building. The room is a magnificent gothic apartment, one hundred and thirty by fifty feet, and exceedingly well lighted. The arrangement of the shelving is such that every book is in reach of the visitor without the use of a ladder. The cases are built against the wall, and the upper tiers are made accessible by a gallery around the entire hall. At pres- ent the library contains about fifty thousand volumes. The Latin classics number over six hundred. The department of philosophy con- tains the complete works of St. Thomas Aqui- nas and many of the writings of the Fathers of the Church in the original Latin. In this department there are about five thousand vol- umes. The department of biography contains six hundred volumes; English and American Vol. II-6.
poetry, seven hundred volumes; essays and treatises, including the complete works of St. Augustine, five hundred volumes; historical works, between three thousand and four thou- sand volumes, embracing all the standard his- tories and also a number of supplemental works on historical subjects. There are up- wards of three thousand bound magazines and one thousand volumes of bound newspapers, with thousands of pamphlets and magazines yet unbound; one thousand volumes on gen- eral and American literature; two thousand books of a religious character; large collec- tions of scientific works, English classics, selected modern novels; all the standard cyclopedias and reference books. In the French language are about ten thousand vol- umes, and large numbers in German, Italian and Spanish. Numerous curiosities interest the visitor and scholar, among them many old books, including a translation of the Bible into German, of which there were twenty editions, the one here having been printed seven months before the birth of Martin Luther. In the care and growth of this great library gen- erous praise is due to the librarian, who has well executed the trust confided to him by Father Lemonnier; as well as to Father Walsh and the governing council of the uni- versity who have shown their enlightened ap- preciation of the value of a great library to the university.
We have noted several times in these papers the active interest taken at Notre Dame from the beginning in the study of the English language and literature. The university was fortunate in its early days in having as its professor of English literature the eloquent and erudite Father St. Michael E. E. Shawe, an alumnus of St. Mary's, Oscott, England. He was of an old English Catholic family, had been a brilliant soldier under Wellington, and then becoming a heroic priest, came to In- diana at the call of the saintly Bishop Brute, where he built St. Michael's church at Madi- son, and afterwards engaged in the Indian missions, before he became connected with the
Digitized by Google
684
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
University of Notre Dame. Here his memory is preserved with enthusiasm as one who gave to the university its first tendency towards that high literary excellence to which it has attained.
Succeeding Father Shawe came Professor Gardner Jones, a journalist and an orator of much power. In his hands the ponderous lectures of Blair became to his students fasci- nating as fairy tales to children. His influ- ence upon the students as a patriot was scarce- ly less than that exerted by him as a master of the English language and literature. The glory of the American Union and the excel- lence of our free institutions were themes upon which Professor Jones never tired. He was a man after Father Sorin's heart, a fine type of the American literary enthusiast, an inspirer of those who love the English lan- guage and literature.
These men were the founders. After them, and perhaps more practical than either, though not more earnest and devoted, came Father Gillespie, Professor Stace and others, of whom we have already written. Later came Charles Warren Stoddard, the master of pure, unaffected, fascinating English prose. Father Walsh was himself the master of a beautiful and forcible English style. These men, with Father Bigelow, Father Brown, and especially Father O'Connell and Father Hudson, gave to Notre Dame the daily habit of a pure, noble literary style, the perfection of which was seen in each successive number of the "Scholastic" and the "Ave Maria."
In 1887, the faculty of Notre Dame recog- nizing the fact that the exclusive study of the ancient languages and of pure science is not in itself sufficient for a liberal education, determined to institute a course which should provide for a more than ordinarily thorough acquaintance with the English language and with English and American literature. The course, like those in science and the classics, extends over a period of four years; and those who have completed the required studies re- ceive the degree of Bachelor of Letters. A
high standard is kept up throughout the course in all the English branches; and the degree will be conferred on no one who, be- sides giving evidence of proficiency in the classics and in science, does not also show his ability to apply the principles of composition, and also give evidence of an acquaintance with the writings of the best authors in English and American literature.
The preparatory studies for this course are the same as those introductory to the classical course, except that Latin or Greek may be replaced by one of the modern languages. From the beginning of the course special at- tention is given to essay writing, each essay being read and criticised in its author's pres- ence. Facilities for a training in journalism are afforded in the columns of the "Schol- astic," every student being required, after the first year, to contribute to the college paper at least two articles each session. Besides requir- ing a familiarity with the masterpieces of English and American authors, the students are encouraged to take special courses of read- ing, having access at all times to the English and American classics in the Lemonnier Library. The graduation thesis, finally, must show, besides the graces of style, a scholarly treatment of the theme selected.
The crown to the good work of the Univer- sity in this regard, and one of the chief of the great services rendered by Father Walsh, was the engagement, in 1888, of the distinguished poet and brilliant writer of prose, Maurice Francis Egan, as professor of English Liter- ature. In connection with this happy selec- tion it was said at the time by the "Baltimore Catholic Mirror":
"The university of Notre Dame is one of the most, if not indeed the most, progressive Catholic educational institution in America. Its growth within the last decade has been marvelous. Not only in respect to the number of scholars upon its rolls is this true, but chiefly in the means adopted to meet the re- quirements arising from this increase. The high standard of studies in each department
Digitized by Google
1
685
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
of the university has been steadfastly main- tained, and the tendency is to raise it still higher by the introduction of the newest fea- tures of the best educational systems of the world. Thoroughness in each course is aimed at, and to achieve this, approved methods are tried and new names added to its already bril- liant galaxy of educators.
"The latest acquisition which the faculty has had is Mr. Maurice Francis Egan of the New York 'Freeman's Journal,' who becomes professor of English literature and belles- lettres-a position which has been specially created for him. Too much cannot be said in praise of the honest effort which this move on the part of the Notre Dame managers indi- cates, to secure careful teaching in this branch of polite learning. It is needless here to en- large upon the many qualifications which Mr. Egan brings to the position. To those who are familiar with the best Catholic literature of today, Mr. Egan's name is a household word. His productions in prose and verse rank with the highest; and some of his poems have elicited the highest encomiums from the best minds of the English-speaking world. In ad- dition to his character as a well-read and ac- complished worker in this field, Mr. Egan has acquired a wide reputation in the world of letters for the intelligence, discrimination, and rare analytic power evinced in his critical writings.
"His careful work in this department, which has found its way to the reading public through the leading magazines and in a vol- ume recently issued, has attracted the most fa- vorable attention. Of Mr. Egan's work on the 'Freeman's Journal' it is scarcely necessary to speak. The prestige which James A. Mc- Master's honest and fearless course won for the paper, and the distinctive character which his strong individuality impressed upon it, have been admirably sustained by Mr. Egan, who was for many years associated with the brave old champion of Catholic faith and Catholic thought. The university's gain is Catholic journalism's loss. Notre Dame is to
be congratulated upon its efforts to provide for the careful teaching of so important a branch as English literature, and it is to be especially felicitated upon securing the serv- ices of one so admirably equipped for the posi- tion upon which Mr. Egan will enter at the beginning of the scholastic year."
The promise indulged in when Professor Egan was appointed has been more than ful- filled. The literary character of Notre Dame has been wonderfully elevated. Some of the brightest young writers in the land have added luster to the student rolls of the uni- versity. This is shown not only in the pages of the "Scholastic," which has taken the first place amongst the college journals of Amer- ica, but also in various journals and magazines in the country to which our students have become contributors. With Professor Egan, the literary course has become a complete suc- cess; and not only are the young men who go forth from these halls learned in the arts and sciences, but they are so trained in the easy, graceful and forceful expression of thought that they are able to communicate their learn- ing to others.
Subsequently Professor Egan became at- tached to the Catholic University, at Wash- ington, D. C., where he maintained his high reputation. He became a close literary friend of President Roosevelt, who in 1907 appointed him minister to Copenhagen.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.