Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-21

the college is named. had expressed his In
tention to found a free institution Of learn
ing, but he died. intestate, IN 1874. and left
his project unprovided for. His widow.
Mrs. Mary Lucretia Creighton determined
to carry out her husbands plan as a me-
mortal to him. and when she died in 1876
her will contained a provision which made
the school possible. She bequeathed $780,
900 to be devoted 10 the establishment OF a
school in Omaha, and to Bishop OConnor
was intrusted the work Of carrying into ef-
feet the provisions Of the will. The execu-
tors acted as directed by the maker OF tn
will, and after purchasing the present site
of Creighton college, on July l. 1878. turned
over to Bishop O'Connor the property and
securities, and Creighton college was prop
erly founded.
Later Bishop O'Connor found It advls-
able TO turn the trust over to the Society of
Jesus for reasons which he set forth in full
in his petition to the district court asking
TO be relieved of the trust. Among these
reasons he gave: "Tfe legitimate duties Of
the episcopal office are exceedingly onerous
and absorb the utmost energies and atten-
ton Of the incumbent, whoever he may be
and this is more especially true of such
jurisdiction as that over which your petit
tioner presides."
VI Nht
Bishop OConnor was relieved Of the trust
and the name of the institution was
changed from Creighton college to Creigh-
ton university thus broadening its scope.
| alterations being made in the charter to
provide for its activity along the newer
lines. This was in 1879, and at that time
the total endowment fund Of the institu-
tion was but S147,5OO Commenting on this
| Father Dowling says:
To those who are familiar only with the
| million-doila endowment of other univer-
modest sum. Even TO those experienced in
| the management of Catholic colleges II
| must seem hazardous undertaking to
/ build up and develop a free college on a
/ financl al basis of nothing more than the an
nual interest of S147500. But the Jesuits,
/ like most of the teaching orders of the
Catholic church, receive no salary for their
| labor, and though in this particular in
stance they fully realized the financial diff
/ tculties they consented to face them In
/ this no doubt they we're animated by the
| hope OF seeing restored one OF the chief
glories of their history, the bestowal of
! gratuitious education, such as was given
| by their predecessors In the older and more
| fortunate days Of the order, when all Jesuit
! colleges and universities were endowed and
| free Institutions. The venture has thus far
met with unexpected success. thanks to
good friends, and In particular to John A
| Creighton and his lamented wife, both OF
whom generously seconded the noble pur-
| pose OF the original founders and by large
benefactons carried on the good work to a
! development made possible only by their
! munhcence.
It was thus Creighton university was
founded and under such care and guidance
| has It grown to its present standing In
the educational world. The books of remin-
| iscences is full of references to the early
trials met by the fathers who assumed the
task of building up the school, and nearly
every one contributes some good natured
reference to the makeshifts they employed
| to the prlvations they endured and speaks
| with glowing satisfaction of the results ac
| compIished In December, 1877, Father
| Shaffel came from Chicago to prepare FOL
opening the school. In August of the FOL
lowing year the faculty of the new col
Iege arrived This body consisted of Father
Hubert Peters. Messrs. A. Belle, NJ Eichel
and w Rigge. few days later Edward
A. OBrien and Mrs. Hail. both seculhrs
came on. On Monday, September ?, 1873
the college was opened with 100 student:
in attendance. 1.-THE low standard of the
studies at that time" says Father Dowling
"can be judged by this: The Englist
branches of the third humanities, which
was then the highest class, were on a pal
with those of the sixth reader class; ye
the number in that highest class was -
small that its teacher, Mr.. Reile was abl,
to take in addition some of the boys pre-
viously taught by Mr. Eicher. At thi'
early date quite number of non Catholics
! attended"
Mark the Advance.
How the institution has advanced from
, this crude beginning and how far behint
in its path lies the humble achievement
of that day may be judged from the Col
: lowing extract of letter from one of tn
I faculty of a later period. quoted entirel.
by Father Dowling
In October, 1892, on the occasion Of tn
, | Columbus CelebratiOn, there took place a
9uet ene M,IsTo ever gWen RESen 'h IN omaha. ~ % Yo
, must reflect upon the contrast between tn
condition Of Creighton, when its defender
. OF those from whom they had a right I
expect sympathy. and the actual standin
ter colleges to realize how comforting
{ is TO them to hear from her and how muc
they feel INTERESTED in any sSHtythnE b that SGn
l OF the same great law which operates, a
ascetic writers tell US, in the kingdom G
God. Our Joy is measured out accordn
: The following facts stand out before m
whep go Over IN the the f o I yhe coes
! entered upon a classical course. Greek wa
: introduced; then came the days OF ptepai
: boys absorbed daily four of a hard workin
e presidents busy hours. Then came :, th
= ! University president He gave the colleg
n a strong push 10 the front when he gay
t. the preparatory boys push down IN
. California street hill. BY long and perse
{ vering labor in English composition 2. !
s ! McKiilip laid low the barriers which fo
4 | ten long years had shut the college OF
e from the intercollegiate contests He too
o the s25 prize in 1893; the SO prize in lSS
| At last in 1887, Peter Cannon won the prtz
| we longed for, the Latin medal In lS9
| John Smith took the SIS prize. This ma
q tering score has been kept up by my FRIEND
. | John BennewltZ and Edward Leary.
Lights and Shades of the History
Thus Creighton came into her own,
ulace among the educational institutions
the church. and It may be added CreightS
has since won quite as distinct place
the general category Of educational instt'
tions The addition of the hospital and u
Imedical college are recounted by Fath'
Dowling. each being another exhibition
the goodly munihcence OF the Creighto
family The development of the COLES
spirit gets a chapter. and the hardship
that came with the panic Of 1898 and Il
opposition engendered by the wave
fanaticism that swept over Nebraska
the guise Of the American Protective ass
cia tion are also made the subjects of SCI
arate chapters. The course Of The Bee
combating this secret organization
4t.t "a, das