The Irish standard., 1894-06-09
GOLDEN JUBILEE.
Notre Dame University Will This
Year Complete the First Half
Century of It's Existence.
GLORY OF THE INSTITUTION.
Home OF Learning and Wisdom, of
Educational Enterprise and In
tellectual lAchievem ents.

AaonAo VI L0SSIuAOS S1llO 7" lSQOl12, Oh
Educational Enterprise and In
tellectual Achievem ents.
Among the many noble institutions
which Catholicity, in it's zeal for the pro-
motion OF higher education, has estab-
lished in this country, there are few, if
there be any, that enj y higher distinc-
tion than what deservedly attaches to
the University of Notre Dame, which
completes this year the first half century
OF it's existence, says William d. Kelly in
Catholic Columbian. There is no corn or,
however remote, OF the United States
into which the name Of Notre Dame has
not penetrated. It's title is as familiar q
one in the far eastern and western state g
as it is in the favored commonwealth
that reioices in it's possession, and by the
gulf, as along the lakes, is it known as
the abode of wisdom and learning and
educational enterprise. Few institu-
tione, indeed, in any part or age of the
world have, In the comparatively short
space Of fifty years, achieved the success,
or even the reputation, which now be-
longs to Notre Dame, and because it is
universally recognized as one OF the lead
ing of our American Catholic colleges,
the celebration of it's golden jubilee will
have far more than local interest and
significance.
The site upon which Notre Dame
stands, and there are few lovelier places
in the land, waa purchased in 1880, from
the United States government by the
proto American priest, Rev. Theodore
Badin, who erected upon the spot little
log chapei for the Pottawattomies, whom
he served as missionary. With the dis
persion oil his flock, the mission, which
was attended by other priests than Father
Badin, was, in the course Of time, aban-
doned; but the land rena ned in the pos
session ct the bishop of Vlncennes, to
whom it was decided at the time OF it's
purchase. When Father Sorin came to
this country from France, to establish
the congregation Of she Holy Cross here,
Bishop Hailandiere, then the ordinary of
Vincennes, offered the place to that COM
munity, on condition that they would
build and maintain a college there; and
the offer was gratefully accepted by
Father Sorin, who took possession Nov.
26, 1912. The erection of church was
the first work to which he and bis breth-
rem applied themselves; and, that task
completed, they at once went to work to
comply with the conditions imposed upon
them by Mgr. Hailapdiere. The corner
stone of the first college was laid on
August q, 1S43, but the building was not
ready for occupancy until the following
summer. The college was chartered the
same year that it opened its doors to the
students, and the first commencement
was held in August, 1874 The original
college was necessarily small and un-
pretentious affair, which it soon became
necessary to enlarge, by the addition of
wings and extensions, so great was the
number of pupils that hocked to it from
all parts of the country; and, thus I'M
proved. it was made to answer all pur-
poses, more or less satisfactorily, up to
1879, when the first great disaster befell
Notre Dame in the shape of conAagra-
ton which practically leveled it to the
ground, destroying its valuable library
and it's precious historical and scientific
collections that had been gathered with
great care and toll.
To any other man than Father Sorin
this calamity might have we'll proven an
irretrievable loss 1t only nerved him to
renewed efforts and to determination
to replace the first Notre Dame with g
better and finer building. So industri-
ously, too, did he push the work OF re-
building that the students found ample
accommodations ready for them when, at
the beginning Of the following scholastic
year, they returned to Notre Dame to
continue their studies. OF course, the
university was not completed in that
brief period of time; additions were
speedily made, however; new structures
sprang up beside the main building, until
today Notre Dame possesses group OF
college buildings which are not sur
passed in beauty and utility by those OF
any similar institution in the country.
The main building, which is Of the mod
srn Gothic style, is 800 by 155 feet, five
stories ldtd.ii il height, and surnounted by 9
dome that serves az pedestal for, col
;oeual statue off the Blessed Virgin. whose
shead il enc1iircled BY 9 crown ct twelve
Alectric stars, while under her feet, u
. soras twice That number s'l 6
hsn this