Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-26
GREATEST WORK OF
ARCHBISHOP FEEHAN

Chicago ftecOru-ffeTdlu- III the lare
Archbishop Feehan had done nothing
else to perpetuate the memory of his
long. faithful and successful service
during the years he has been at the
head of the archdiocese of Chicago,
St. Mary's training school would al
ways remain u monument to his eff
forts in the aid of the weak and I'M
fortunate. This institution is locat-
ed at FeehanVille, two miles west of
the town of Des PLANES. and includes
a tract of land covering 900 acres. 1t
is essentially training school and
not n reformatory, and has been the
means of starting many a poor lad
along the path of a noble and sue
cessful life. There are now 21S boys
at Feehanville. the majority of them
being orphans and haIf-orphans sent
to the institution from Judge Tut
hills court.
Ii was probably one of the saddest
thoughts. in the mind of the late arch
bishop that Feehanville had not vet
reached the proportions in size and
usefulness that he anticipated. The
greatest setback came in 1899, when
everything was swept away by fire.
The loss was fully S15O.OOO, and it was
several months before the institution
was in operation again. Within
few hours after the fire Willett &
Pashley. architects. were called in to
draw plans for new and greater st.
Mary's training school. The diocesan
clergy and the laity of Chicago came
to the rescue with funds. and the
scheme that had been adopted as a
life work by the late prelate was de-
signed and developed upon a greater
and grander scale.
4 few years previous to the fire
Archbishop Feehan had constructed
n beautiful residence within 200 feet
of the buildings of the training
school. and during late years it has
been a source of great pleasure and
recreation for him To spend the
months from spring to fall SO close
to the boys of tender years he found
so much satisfaction and enjoyment
in working for.
AS Feehanville now stands il in
cluCIes a complete waterworks, sew
age system and power house. the adj
ministration building. a portion of
which is used for school purposes,
laundry and dormitories. Just before
his death the archbishop had been
consulting his architects regarding
the school buildings. chapel. dormi-
tories and kitchen which completed
the scheme he contemplated. 1t is
more than likely that the trustees
and directors of the institution will
carry out his wishes in the matter.
g.,
of the model institutions of the kind
i'm America. 1t is in charge of the
Christian brothers. the same order
that conducts the La Sale institute
in this city. The county contributes
SIP 900 year for its support, the re-
mainder being given by the Catholic
church and by donation.
In its early days Feehanville knew
no creed. but in recent years an ar
rangement was made by which it
would care for the Catholic boys
from the juvenile courts, Glenwood
caring for those of other denomina-
tions.
The archbishop was president eN-
officio of the schools; James IL. Burke.
presidents; Peter Conlon, first vice
presidents: Michael Sullivan, second
vice president; Rev. Francis j. Bar
nv secretary and treasurer.
The foundation of this institution
dates back as far as the early COS.
when the first orphan asylum and
reformatory for boys for the Catholic
diocese of Chicago was Incorporated
and located in the southwestern part
of the city. The institution pursued
the even tenor of its way until the
winter of 1871. when it was obliged
to do heroic work i'm caring for hum
dreds of children left destitute and
homeless by the great fire. The
Christian Brothers were then in
charge of the asylum. and many were
the sacrifices they patiently and 81
lently underwent for the benefit of
the boys. In 1882, the institution
proving inadequate for its purpose.
Archbishop Feehan, with the assist
ance of the diocese and clergy, secur-
ed the present site ut Feehanville as
the home for ST. Mary's training
school For 90 years the archbishop
watched and worked for the welfare
of the great project. and were it not
| for the setback in the complete de-
struction of the buildings three years
ago. the finished scheme. as he con
templated it, would probably have
been the result before his death.
The management is keenly alive to
the obligation of fitting its young
charges to cope successfully with the
world. 1t appreciates the fact that
while physical training is good. the
mental culture is more essential
Aware of the signs of the times, il
endeavors to comply with the demand
for intelligent young men by apply
ing the methods of the combined
clerical and commercial college. One
of the principal aims of the manage
ment is TO train the character that