USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 36
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Abbot Peter Engel (1894-). The present abbot of St. John's Abbey, who is now entering upon the twentieth year of his administration, was born near Port Washington, in Wisconsin, February 3, 1856, and came to this state ten years later with his parents who settled on a farm in Wright county. Hav- ing graduated from the classical department of St. John's College, he entered the Benedictine Order in 1874; studied philosophy and theology, and was ordained a priest December 15, 1878. He was subprior of the abbey ever since 1879. Since 1875 he had been intimately acquainted with the affairs of the abbey and of the college. His election was confirmed by the Holy See towards the end of January, 1895, and he at once entered upon office, deferring his solemn benediction and installation until July 11 of the same year. He appointed as prior Father Herman Bergmann and as subprior Father Placidus Wingerter.
In the very first year of his administration, Abbot Peter turned his at- tention to an undertaking projected by his predecessor, the establishment of a college and monastery near Olympia, Washington. He left for the Pacific coast early in August, 1895, and dedicated the buildings that had been erected near Lacey station, three miles from the State Capital and not far from Puget Sound. St. Martin's College threw its doors to students in the month of September following and is at present in a flourishing condition. From time to time the staff of professors was increased by help from St. John's, until the community grew to such dimensions that in 1904 it was made an inde-
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pendent priory. In the present year it was created an abbey and Rev. Oswald Baran was elected its first abbot.
Since 1895 many changes have taken place at St. Johns. Although the principal group of buildings is identical with that of twenty years ago, the surroundings have undergone a remarkable change. Many new buildings have been erected and the grounds improved. In the first year of his ad- ministration Abbot Peter equipped the present astronomical observatory with suitable instruments. In 1901 the gymnasium and library were built at an expense of about $30,000; these were followed a few years later by a new shop building; in 1904 by a dwelling for the sisters employed in domestic work at the institution; in 1908, by an infirmary. The most recent buildings are the Science Hall, which was finished in 1910, a new laundry, which was finished last year, and a three-story extensions to the main building to serve as kitchen and classrooms. The church was decorated for the first time in 1898; re-decorated and entirely remodeled in 1908, when the main altar was replaced by one entirely built of marble and surmounted by a richly gilt canopy. The sanctuary was fitted up with choir furniture of artistic design and workmanship, and with a choir-organ. At the same time the nave was adorned with eight large paintings, representing scenes from sacred history and from the life of St. Benedict. In 1897 a chime of five bells, weighing in the aggregate 18,365 pounds, and a tower clock with eight dials was placed in the two towers of the church.
An electric light plant was installed in 1898 to illuminate all the build- ings; also a hydraulic ram to distribute drinking water throughout the house. Ten years later a turbine was set up at the Watab dam to charge the storage battery which furnishes power for running machinery in the various shops and the laundry. The steam-heating plant, which was no longer sufficient for all the structures, was completely remodeled in 1911. Several hundred feet of cement pavement connect the buildings. The stretches of road from the Abbey to Collegeville, to the cemetery and beyond the Watab dam-in all about three miles-were improved at great expense in 1907; at the same time a new athletic field was constructed. Many acres of evergreens replace the forest destroyed by the cyclone of 1894, and a large apple orchard, under the supervision of Father John Katzner, a well-known pomologist, has grown up on the west side of the buildings. The library, which in 1894 contained about 5,000 volumes, now contains about 25,500 volumes, many of which are very rare and valuable.
Since 1894 the following churches have been organized or furnished with priests : Cloquet Indian Reservation in 1896; Red Lake Falls has a resident priest since 1894; Thief River Falls since 1900; Roscoe since 1898; St. Rose, in the town of Millwood, since 1904; Detroit, since 1901; Beaulieu, since 1900; Ponsford (formerly Pine Point), since 1900; Frazee, since 1906; Dilworth, since 1910; Mahnomen, since 1908; Ogema, since 1911; Medina, since 1912; Ada, since 1912; Bowlus, since 1911. The fathers who had charge of the church of the Assumption at St. Paul were transferred to St. Bernard's Church in the same city. Since 1907 two priests have been stationed at Garri- son, North Dakota; in 1910 the priest stationed at St. Mary's Church, Bis-
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marck, was transferred to St. Joseph's Church, in Mandan, and St. Mary's became the cathedral of the new diocese of Bismarck.
When the exodus to Saskatchewan set in about 1902, the Fathers at St. John's were requested to take spiritual charge of the settlers in the new country, but as they could not fill the demand, they withdrew in favor of the fathers of the former priory of Cluny at Wetaug, Illinois, who left his place in 1903 and under the leadership of their prior, the Very Rev. Father Alfred Mayer, at present in Moorhead, Minn., established a new monastery in Can- ada. In 1911 this house was erected into St. Peter's Abbey and an honored member of the community of St. John's, Father Bruno Doerfler, Director of St. John's University from 1899-1902, became its first abbot. Though inde- pendent of St. John's, it belongs to the American Congregation of Benedic- tines, of which Abbot Peter Engel has been president since 1902.
We subjoin a list (not complete) of the missions in which the fathers of St. John's were at one time or another employed, not including the places under their care at the present time :
In Stearns county, St. Augusta, 1856-1893; St. Nicholas, 1857-1892; Lake Henry, 1857-1894; Lake George, 1857-1859; Spring Hill, 1857-1891 ; St. Wendel (Luxemburg), 1859-1894; Pearl Lake, 1889-1892; North Fork, 1867; Sauk Centre, 1864-1883; Krain, 1873-1892; Maples, 1867-1890; Melrose, 1868-1894; Clearwater, 1857-1875; Holding, 1872-1890; Logering (Pappelbusch), 1876- 1893; Holdingford, 1884-1891; Belgrade, 1890-1891.
In Benton county, the localities formerly known as Brennan's or Irish Settlement ; Big Meadow, 1859-1860; Sauk Rapids from the beginning to 1886; Rice, 1885-1887; in Morrison county, Pierz, or Rich Prairie, which had a resi- dent priest from 1878-1893; and Buckman which was visited from Pierz; in Sherburne county, Clear Lake and Pleasant Valley, which were attended from St. Cloud as late as 1872; in Wright county, St. Michael's, St. Walburga and Waverly, before 1870; in Todd county, Osakis, at intervals from 1869-1900; Belle River, visited from West Union, 1883-1890; Browerville, 1884-1886; in Mceker county, Forest City, Diamond Lake and Greenleaf, before 1875; in Ottertail county, Rush Lake, 1886-1894; Perham, 1887-1890; in Dakota county, Douglas (Miesville), 1870-1881; in Douglas county, Millerville, 1892- 1895; Alexandria, 1867-1900; in Hennepin county, Richfield, 1876-1886; Crys- tal Lake, 1882-1886 (both places were visited from Minneapolis) ; in Wash- ington county, Oakdale, or Hudson Road, 1869-1885, visited from St. Paul; in Scott county, between 1857 and 1869, Shakopee, Jordan, Louisville, Mary- town, St. Joseph, St. Scholastica (Heidelberg), St. Wenceslaus (New Prague), Belle Plaine and Cedar Lake; in McLead county, Glencoe; in Sibley county, Johnstown, Washington Lake, Arlington and Gaylord; in Carver county, be- fore 1868, Waconia, Chaska, St. Victoria, Watertown, St. Bernard (now Co- logne), Helvetia, Norwood, Carver, Young America ; in Le Sueur county, be- fore 1865, Le Sueur, Lexington, St. Henry and St. Thomas.
In the state of North Dakota, St. Mary's Church in Bismarck, 1881-1910; Medora from 1884-1887; Glen Ullin, 1896-1904, and Napoleon, 1907-1912; in the state of Wisconsin, La Crosse and Prairie du Chien, between 1877 and 1880; in the state of Washington, Tacoma (now a dependency of St. Martin's
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priory), 1892-1904; in the state of New York, on Long Island, Farmingdale and Amityville, 1897-1909; Glendale, 1905-1909.
The community of St. John's Abbey at the present time consists of 102 priests, 19 clerics, 6 novices and 30 lay-brothers. Priests from the abbey serve the following churches :
In Minnesota. St. Cloud, Stearns county, church of the Immaculate Con- ception ; St. Joseph, Stearns county, church of St. Joseph ; St. Martin, Stearns county, church of St. Martin; Albany, Stearns county, church of the Seven Dolors; Avon, Stearns county, St. Benedict's church ; Freeport, Stearns conn- ty, church of the Sacred Heart ; Millwood, Stearns county, church of St. Rose ; Meire Grove, Stearns county, St. John's church ; New Munich, Stearns county, church of the Immaculate Conception; Richmond, Stearns county, church of SS. Peter and Paul; Farming, Stearns county, church of St. Catherine; Jacobs' Prairie, Stearns county, church of St. James ; Rockville, Stearns county, church of the Immaculate Conception ; Collegeville, Stearns county, St. John's church ; Cold Spring, Stearns county, church of St. Boniface; Roscoe, Stearns county, church of St. Agnes; St. Paul, Ramsey county, church of St. Bernard ; Minne- apolis, Hennepin county, church of St. Joseph; East Minneapolis, Hennepin county, church of St. Boniface; Medina, Hennepin county, church of the Holy Name; Stillwater, Washington county, St. Mary's church; Hastings, Dakota county, church of St. Boniface; Barnesville, Clay county, church of the As- sumption ; Moorhead, Clay county, church of St. Joseph; Georgetown, Clay county, St. John's church; Dilworth, Clay county, church of St. Elizabeth ; Detroit, Becker county, church of the Holy Rosary; Frazee, Becker county, church of the Sacred Heart; Ogema, Becker county, church of the Most Holy Redeemer; White Earth, Becker county, church of St. Benedict; Ponsford, Becker county, church of the Immaculate Conception; Red Lake Falls, Red Lake county, St. Mary's church ; Thief River Falls, Red Lake county, church of St. Bernard; Duluth, St. Louis county, church of St. Clement; Cloquet, Carlton county, church of the Holy Family; Mahnomen, Mahnomen county, St. Michael's church ; Beaulieu, Mahnomen county, church of St. Joseph ; Red Lake, Beltrami county, church of the Immaculate Conception; Bowlus, Morri- son county, church of St. Stanislaus.
In North Dakota. Mandan, church of St. Joseph; Garrison, church of St. Nicholas.
In New York City. St. Anselm's church, Tinton avenue, Bronx.
Bahama Islands. Nassau, New Providence, church of St. Francis Xavier; Nassau, New Providence, church of the Sacred Heart; Andros Island, Salvador Point, St. Saviour's chapel.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
COLLEGIATE INSTITUTIONS.
St. John's University-Story of the Struggles Which Made the Present Suc- cess Possible-The New St. John's-Present Courses Established-Dis- tinguished Alumni-Student Activities-St. Benedict's Academy-Ideal Institution Prepared by the Sisters for Girls and Young Women-By Rev. Alexius Hoffmann, O. S. B.
St. John's University, conducted by the Fathers of the Order of St. Bene- dict, is located in the township of Collegeville, a little more than a mile south- west of the station of Collegeville on the Great Northern Railway line. Its original site was on the banks of the Mississippi river at a point two miles below St. Cloud; for a short time the school was conducted at St. Joseph and near Collegeville station; since 1867 it has been located on its present site in section one of the township of Collegeville.
It was founded to afford sons of Catholic settlers an opportunity of ob- taining a higher education. There was no Catholic college in Minnesota before this time. The charter authorizing the Order of St. Benedict in Minnesota to establish the St. John's Seminary passed the territorial legislature on Feb- ruary 27, 1857, and received the Governor's signature March 6, of the same year. Section II specified that the corporation was "authorized to establish and erect an institution, or seminary, in Stearns county, on that part of St. Cloud city, platted and recorded as Rothkopp's addition to St. Cloud, to be known by the name and style of St. John's Seminary." Rev. Demetrius de Marogna, who had in 1856, established the Benedictine order in Stearns county and had made application for the charter, withdrew from his position as supe- rior before carrying out his design of organizing a college. In November, 1857, Rev. Cornelius Wittmann, who had opened the first school in St. Cloud, became superior of the Benedictines in the territory and at once organized the seminary. The first class was small in numbers: there were only five pupils- Henry Emmel, Anthony Edelbrock (later Abbot), Henry Klostermann, An- drew Stalberger and Joseph Duerr.
One of the pioneers writes of those simple days: "Think of the primitive log building about 12x20; then an additional strneture about 14 by 20, in height one story and an attic-the latter weather-boarded-situated about two miles below St. Cloud on the Mississippi river, and you have a fine picture of St. John's in 1857. The whole building contained, besides kitchen and studio, three small rooms, one for the prior, one for the professor and the third was kept for an occasional guest. The term professor is used in the singular only, because there was but one, and he taught all the branches. The Rev. Father Cornelius Wittmann, O. S. B., was the first to open a day school in St. Cloud and Stearns county, and he was also the first to fill the professor's chair at St. Jolin's. He was at that time still in the twenties, nimble of foot, bright in mind, pleasant in company ; the children and young folks were espe- cially fond of him ; he was a zealous and amiable gentleman."
ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY
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In regard to the college routine of the time the same writer says: "We had to rise at five o'clock, say our morning prayers, attend daily mass; then study, and at seven o'clock breakfast-a cup of coffee and a slice of dry bread -no butter or molasses or sugar there. After breakfast, free for one-half hour; at 8 o'clock classes began and lasted until eleven; then dinner. After dinner free time until 1 o'clock; then classes were resumed. At 3 we re- ceived a piece of dry bread. From 4 to 6 we had to study ; at 6 supper ; from 7:30 to 8:30 study, then night prayers and bed. There was poverty every- where ; a poor and miserable honse, poor and scant food; poor and bad lights. The tallow candle was the only light in those days. We had few books; the professor lectured and we had to write. Yes, we were started on the European plan." (St. John's Record, I, 62.)
The course was that known as the classical course, comprising the classical languages, history and mathematics. Father Cornelius occupied the position of president and professor for one year, when other work was assigned to him. After laboring for forty years in different missions in this state he retired in 1896 and is at the present time living at St. John's University. Although almost completely blind, he is enjoying exceptionally fine physical vigor, and hears with great satisfaction of the marvelous progress of the work for which he laid the foundation nearly sixty years ago.
His successor as president was Father Benedict Haindl (1858-1862), who took no active part in the management of the school. The only professor now (1858-59) was Father Alexius Roetzer, who at the same time was a mis- sionary to a small settlement on Sundays. After he broke down (see sketch of St. John's Abbey) in 1859, Father Anschar Frauendorfer came from St. Vincent's, Pa., to take his place. His pupils remember him particularly as a fine Greek scholar. In November, 1860, he requested to be relieved and was followed as professor by Father Magnus Mayr, who like his predecessor, had received an excellent education in Europe. He retired in the fall of 1861, and Father Anschar was recalled to fill the vacant chair. The Civil War and the Indian ontbreak discouraged a few of the students and they left for their homes.
The next president, Prior Othmar Wirz (1862-65), transferred the college from St. Cloud to the Indian Bush near the present Collegeville station in 1864. He first took the precaution, however, to have the charter modified so as not to specify precisely where the institution was to be located in Stearns county. The act of legislature amending the original act was approved Feb- ruary 6, 1864. One of the few professors of that period was Father Wolfgang Northman, who had come to Stearns county in 1862, and was the first teacher of music at St. John's. The first student who became a member of the order, after finishing his studies in Minnesota, was Father Valentine Stimmler, who had entered the college at the river in 1861 and had remained with the com- munity ever since. He made the vows of the order in January, 1866, and served the community in the capacity of a disciplinarian and professor for several years; later he was appointed a pastor and after forty years of meri- torious and faithful service died Jannary 16, 1908.
In December, 1865, Prior Othmar Wirz retired from office and was tempo-
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rarily succeeded by the former prior, Father Benedict Haindl. About this time the religious house with which the college was connected was raised from the rank of a priory to that of an abbey-an event which presaged a brighter future for the college. Prior Benedict realized that the site occupied by the priory in 1865 was not suitable for a large community and made arrangements to build a new St. John's about two miles distant on the shores of a picturesque lake. A building was erected on the chosen site during the summer and fall of 1866; in February, 1867, the community and students took possession of it. Abbey and college were under one roof-the former was styled Abbey of St. Louis on the Lake, the latter St. John's college. The principal structure was a stone house, 46 by 50, which stood at the south end of the present cluster of buildings until it was taken down in 1893. A short distance from this stood a frame house, which had been moved from the former location and was de- stroyed in 1886. It contained the chapel and, after 1881, the first photo- graphic studio. The only drawback for the new college was that it was hard to find; it was hidden in the woods, about 12 miles west of St. Cloud and four miles west of St. Joseph, which at that time was not a railway station. No direct road connected St. John's with either locality. The stage coach, how- ever, passed within a mile of its doors. For the next six years a wagon made almost daily trips to St. Joseph or to St. Cloud for mail or provisions.
The New St. John's. With the advent of the Right Rev. Rupert Seiden- busch, the history of the present St. John's takes its beginning. In his capacity as abbot he was also president of the college. The staff was organized after his arrival in the summer of 1867. Father Wolfgang Northman and Father Valentine Stimmler were the connecting links between the old and new. An advertisement of the college was inserted in the Catholic papers of St. Paul and other cities. The admission fee for students was $5; tuition $175 a year and no extra charge was made except for medicine, books and stationery. During the month of July, Father Alexius Edelbrock, who had finished his studies at St. Vincent's in Pennsylvania, but had not yet been or- dained a priest, arrived and took an active part in setting the college on its feet. A retired clergyman of scholarly attainments, Rev. Doctor Alyward, and Rev. James Kearney, also figured on the staff of the first scholastic year- that of 1867-1868. The total number of students enrolled was 51. Among the survivors of this class are Severinus J. Corrigan, the well-known astrono- mer, of St. Paul; L. J. De Meules, formerly of St. Cloud; Frederick Erkens, of Portland, Oregon, whose son was director of the university from 1905 to 1909; Rev. Martin Huhn, of Independence, Texas; Frank Schaller, and Rev. Vincent (Andrew) Schiffrer, O. S. B., at present at St. Cloud.
Instruction was given in the following branches : Christian doctrine, Latin, Greek, English, German, French, geometry, algebra, arithmetic, bookkeeping, history, drawing, penmanship and music. The first name on the roll of honor for the scholastic year terminating June 24, 1868, was that of John Shanley, who died as first bishop of Fargo, July 16, 1909; and another future bishop, Joseph B. Cotter, who died as first bishop of Winona, June 28, 1909, a few weeks before his illustrious fellow-student, was professor of penmanship. In the absence of a regular annual catalogue for the first two years, not much
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can be said of the arrangements of the college. The first printed catalogue dates from June, 1870; it was printed by the "Wanderer" press, in St. Paul, and is an excellent piece of typographical work.
From this catalogue we learn that by an act of legislature approved March 5, 1869, the institution had been empowered to confer all university degrees. Another interesting fact is that the libraries were supported by the literary societies organized among the students. The number of students enrolled in 1870 was 87, and in 1875, at the end of Abbot Rupert Seidenbusch's administration, it was 167. The abbot was in that year appointed vicar apos- tolic of northern Minnesota; he resigned his office as abbot and took up his residence at St. Cloud.
With the accession of Rt. Rev. Abbot Alexius Edelbrock the college made rapid strides. Three considerable additions, the whole length of which was 350 feet, had been made to the buildings by his predecessor in 1869, 1871 and 1873. There was a lull for three years, during which the new president placed the institution on a safe financial basis. Then the march of improvements began. A steam laundry was built in 1877; waterworks were installed; in 1879 work was commenced on the church, which was also to serve as a chapel for the students. Between 1883 and 1886 he built a vast addition 370 feet in length and three stories high, with mansard and basement. The first sec- tion was ready for occupancy in the fall of 1885, when the commercial de- partment took possession of the third floor. In the fall of 1886 the rooms at present used as study-halls, class rooms and dormitories, were also ready for use. The north wing, which adjoins the church, contains study-halls, an auditorium and the printing office; the west wing, class rooms and a dining room; the south wing, the ecclesiastical seminary and a number of private and guest rooms. The increase in attendance was not proportionate to the growth of the buildings, as other educational institutions had been established in the state.
Owing to a demand for facilities to pursue a business course, in the days when there was no commercial college west of the Mississippi, a separate com- mercial college or department was opened in 1877 and has ever since remained a feature of the institution. Its organizer and leading teacher for a number of years was the late Rev. Norbert Rofbauer (+1901). A course in short- hand and typewriting was added in 1887.
By an act of legislature approved February 27, 1883, the legal name of the institution was changed to St. John's University.
Since 1888 the buildings are heated with steam. This was the last im- portant improvement made by Abbot Alexius Edelbrock, who resigned his office in December, 1889, and devoted himself to pastoral work in New York City, where he died May 18, 1908.
His successor, Abbot Bernard Locnikar presided over the institution for the short space of only four years, during which he took deep personal inter- est in the development of the ecclesiastical seminary and the education of effi- cient clergymen. He also undertook extensive repairs in the older buildings. On June 24, 1894, he had the pleasure of welcoming and entertaining Gov-
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ernor Knute Nelson, who presided at the commencement exercises of the col- lege and addressed the graduates. Much damage was done to the surround- ings by the cyclone of June 27, of the same year, but repairs were speedily made and school work was resumed in September following. In 1893 he sent a member of the faculty, Father Michael Ott, to take an advanced course in philosophical studies at the Benedictine university of San Anselmo, in Rome, from which he graduated with the degree of doctor of philosophy, being the first member of the faculty to receive a degree abroad.
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