River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-05-28
rxz exxAr oArHo1ro UNIVERSITY.

Bishop ireland, Returned from Washing
ton Gives Some Interesting Details In
Relation to the Magnificent Educational
Institution that VIII Be Founded al
the National Capital.
The first fruits of the recent Catholic plenary
council in Baltimore are beginning to be seen,
and the browning work-the establishment of
great Catholic uniyersity-is already well nm
der way. The special committee appointed by
the council to organize the university met in
Baltimore, at the residence of the archbishop,
on May z, and an outline Of what was done
there has been published. Further details
are, however, furnished by Bishop Ireland,
who has Just returned TO ST. Paul
one OF the committee. which consists of nine
bishops, four layman and four priests, selected
from different sections of the United States
The first thing which the committee had under
discussion was the location of the university
and, recognizing the fact that Washington is
rapidly becoming not only the political but also
the social, artistic and literary center Of the
country, city where the cultured class is
every year becoming larger, they selected
Washington as the place best adapted for the
institution they propose to establish. Other
considerations beside those enumerated above
lnfiueDc ed the committee in its choice Wash
ington Is daily acquiring libraries, museums
etc, uni1valled In tha country, but the principal
point soughtto be emphasized by the selection of
Washington is this: The university is to be thor
ou9hly American. 1t will endsavort to build up
in this country an educated class, not only
tie peers, but the superiors of the graduates
CT European universities The site selected is
one familiar to every visitor to the national
capitalize old Middleton estate, on the
Seventh street road opposite the east gate of
the Soldiers home. Three miles from tie cap
itol, on rising ground, the property, sIxty-fiye
acres, commands . magnificent view of the
city, ths Potomac river and the distant hills Of
Virginia. The price paid for the property was
$50, 0OO-considered very moderate figure.
Architects are now busy preparing plans for
the first building to be erected-the theological
department which are to be submitted to the
committee in Mover, Der next, and work will be
commenced early the spring of1SS6, the the
ologicsl department. of the university opening
the following autumn.
This department will be for young clergy
men who have completed the course usually
taught IN theological seminaries, and will in
clude eight chairs: Philosophy, dogmatc
theology, canon law, Scripture, history sci
ence and literature. The endowments of the
pr0fessorships range from $4,000 to $780, 900,
and six have already been subscribed for, and
the other two promised The theological
building will cost $4,000 Students will
have rooms and meals furnished by the uni
versity at their own expense, tall instruction
will be entirely free. A number OF courses or
fellowships will be founded by the different
dloceses and the Iberallty OF private individ-
t1als at $1,000 each. St Paul is expected to
furnish several from among her Weather citi-
Gems This will make even the board and
clothing Of the student free The professors
of the theological and all the other depart
ments are TO be selected from the best Catholic
talent in the world; and, when man has par
ticularly distinguished himself in science or
literature, he may be invited to take a
professorship, even if he be non
Catholic. A number of the most dis
tinguished professors in Europe have already
consented to accept chairs To fully organ
lie the theological department will take ST.
100000, two thirds OF which is now in hand
and the balance subscribed So high will be
the course Of study that it is expected it will be
the finest theological college in the world, even
exceeding the propaganda at Rome. Depart
rnents OF law, medicine, science, literature,
etc, are to be organized as rapidly as possible
on the same scale as the theological, and at
equally great expense A charter will DO OBJ
tanned OF congress at it's next session The
rector man of world wide reputation, is prob
ably selected, although his name will not for the
present be made public. He is not, however,
Bishop Spaulding of Peoria, as has been errone-
ously reported The university will in no wise
interfere with any existing college, not even that
of Georgetown, because its course commences
where the most advanced colleges leave off,
They, on the contrary, will act as feeders to- it,
receiving inspiration from its halls AS plans
for the perfecting of the parochial schools
were adopted by the council, it is designed in
time to make united system of Catholic edu-
cation in the United States, from the primary
school to the university.