The Irish standard., 1894-12-08
A NOTED COL LEGE,
CONT, ned from First Page.

increased the annual grant to 926,OO0,
allowed 100000 for the erection of new
buildings, and empowered the trustees to
qnire lands to. tue value OF eS,5OO in
addition to those already belonging to
be college, and to hold them, notwith-
standing the statutes Of mortmain In
this condition the finances 1T the ,l)ege
rem ined until the year 1871.
Until 845 there existed only 200 f. Q
places. exclusive of private foundations;
but, IN virtue Of Sir Robert Peel's act,
the number of free places was increased
to 500, while $50 students we're to receive
EGO each, to defray the expenses Incl
dental to college life. While these pro-
visions Continued, the establishment, as
might naturally be expected was in a
most prosperous condition. the number
of students being rarely less than that
provided for by law. The disestablish
ment of the Protestant church IN Ireland
and the consequent withdrawal OF the
annual parliamentary grant from May
nooth are matters of recent history, and,
therefore, known to all our readers. At
the time it was generally believed that
the college could not continue to exist
under the new c .nditions; but beyond a
retrenchment of it's monetary resources
the institution was not unfavorably af
fected by the change It will be CRAFTY
ing to those who knew Maynooth in the
noontide OF it's opulence to learn that
never, during tho hundred years of it's
chequered history, was the number of
students within it's walls so large as at
present. During the twenty five years
that the college enjoyed the increased
parliamentary grant thu students on the
rolls rarely exceeded 500, whereas at
present, in spite Of slender resources and
enlarged expenditure, no fewer than $40
names OF students in actual residence
stand recorded on the college books.
But increase of numbers may not be
the most reliable criterion OF the success
of an ecclesiastical college; the world
will demand achievements of a moral or
an intellectual character in the men it
has given to the Church. Has Maynooth
such record to show after it's centenary
of years? The visitors to the college dur
ing the approaching festivities will find
conclusive answer to this question in
the portraits On the college walls 1t is
expected, that, when the centenary cole
bration comes round, the college library
will be supplied, by way of donation or
otherwise, with the works OF all the au-
thors who have been educated at May
nooth; and If this expectation be realized,
as we confidently hope it will be, the &C
cess;on to this important portion Of the
establishments will be very considerable.
Not to mention living writers-with
whose works our readers are intimately
AGO uainted-we need only refer to such
names as DR.. McHale,, DR.. RUSSELL, DR..
Murray and DR.. O'Rsilly, to indicate the
intellectual energy that has character
lied the college since it's foundation.
When the history of the institution is
given t =, the world---as it will be during
the coming year-it will contain few
chapters of deeper interest to the read
ing public than that which will treat Of
the success of it's alumni in almost every
department Of letters.
1of ha
centenary shall be celebrated on June %
next and the two days Immediately fol-
lowing. The celebration will be of 8
character partly social, partly intellectual
and partly religious. A distinguished
prelate and past member of the college
staff il: 10 be invited to preach the cen
tenary sermon; another distinguished
prelate, who is also past member CT the
staff, has already promised a lecture on
the history OF the college; while his en-
;nence the lord cardinal, and his grace
The archbishop of Dublin, both Of whom
we're for many years intimately associ :
ated with the institution, will take
prominent pAEt6 Ill bLAo AuuCvlOA. AAAoAS
will be a centenary ode by the most dis
tinguished Catholic poet OF the age, and
a series of scientific papers by the most
illustrious representatives Of Catholic
learning throughout the world, During
those days the college will throw open
it's gates to as many of it's past students
as it's spacious walls can accommodate as
we'll as to prominent supporters OF Catho'
lie interests at home and abroad. The
occasion will be one to enlist the warm.
est sympathy of our country; and when
the centenary festivities will have con-
cluded, we trust that the achievements
of Maynooth College and the pre- emin-
ence she has won as the alma mater OF
the Irish priesthood may be the theme
of every tongue.
Sheridan's Ride.
Sheridan's ride from Winchester to
save the day and turn back the waverlng
q II -