The Irish standard., 1894-12-08

them the sum of $4,000 annually towards
the establishment and maintenance of
the college. On June 25 following DR..
Hussey, who had taken 80 active part
in the negotiations from the beginning,
was appointed first president, and on the
9th of the same month vice president
| and six professors were nominated to the
staff. or these DR.. Dare and DR.. De-
lort, who we're entrusted respectively
with the chairs of mental and physical
science, we're distinguished French eccle-
slastics; while DR.. Power, DR.. Ahern
and DR.. clancy, to whom we're confided
the vice-presidency and the departments
of theology and sacred scripture, were
Irish priests who had hitherto been en-
gagged at educational work on the conti-
nent. The other members of the staff
were, without difficulty, secured at home.
One of the most important questions
to be decided by the promoters of the
new institution was the selection OF an
appropriate site. Many prominent states.
men advocated a scheme according to
which the Catholic establishment should
be affiliated to Trinity College, having it's
buildings aud grounds if nots portion, at
least in proximity to, the Elizabethan
foundation. But DR.. Hussey, in his COZ
respondence with Burke, and with other
statesmen who were interested in the
success of the government policy, showed
that such ar arrangement could never
work satisfactorily, since the training
suitable for Catholic ecclesiastics, de-
manding as it does stricter discipline, a
closer application to study, greater
estrangement from the allurements OF
social life. than may be permissible to
students intended for secular pursuits, or
offices in other churches, should be en-
tirely different from that which was
deemed sufficient in the Dublin Univer
sity. The question was finally discussed
at meeting of the trustees, held on July
% in the lord cbancellor's chambers of
the Irish House Of Peers. We learn
| from one Of Dr.. Troy's letters that va
riety of proposals were before the meet
ing; but finally an offer from the Duke
Of Leinster, who was desirous that the
college should be established on his own
estate, was accepted, aud Maynooth was
select ed for the site.
From many points of view the choice
was highly commendable. Though the
surrounding country, as the etymology OF
the word sufficiently indicates, was low
lying and marshy,. yet it's remoteness
from the turmoil of city life enhanced it's
value as q site for an ecclesiastical col
lege. In addition to this, the place was
sacred and historic gr ,und. Above the
lands offered to the trustees arose in
stately grandeur the venerable keep Of
the Geraldines. which in ages past had
sustained many protracted siege in de-
fence of the liberties of Ireland; while
hard by stood the tower of what was
once the Abbey Of St. Mary, in which the
priests of an earlier age had been trained,
and which had continued to flourish un-
der the fostering care of the Fitzgeralds,
until. like 50 many similar institute ms, it
was destroyed by Henry VIII and its
treasures confscated to the crown. A
place hallowed by so many venerable as:
sociations was not unsuited for an eccle
siastical college. Accordingly, the trus
tees, accepting the proposal. of the Duke
Of Leinster, purchased house and fifty
four acres Of land on lease of lives re-
newable forever. The property thus
secured was subsequently enlarged by
an additional twenty acres on the aboli-
tion of the lay college in 1917.
But the foundation of the. college, i'm.
portant though the event is from an bis,
torical point Of view, will not evoke such
interesting "reminiscences, on the occa'
sion of the centenary, as other features
in the life of the institution. When the
pates Of the establishment were thrown
omen to students in the autumn of 1895,
only fifty presented themselves for ad.
mission; and so wretched was the &C.
commodation that many of these were
compelled to find lodging in the adjacent
village. In the year 1897 and 1898. how
ever, when the wings that at present
flank the front central building were
completed, the number rapidly increased,
and in 1899 the college record sho s. the
respectable total of $50 students on the
rolls. As years advanced the financial
condition Of the college improved, and
the number Of occupants grew in pro-
norton. In 1908 the English House Of
Commons voted the sum Of 9l2.6lO,
which included e5,O0o for building pur-
noses. From 1909 to 1913 the annual al
lowance was 98972, and this was in
creased in the latter YEAR TO 1858, Irish
currency, the figure at which itremained
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