The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-07-22
ST. THOMAS COLLEGE
ATHLETIC FIELD
AFFORDS UNSURPASSED FAciLi-
TIES FOR ATHLETIC SPORTS
AND MILITARY EVOLU-
TIONS.
Largest in the NorthWest-Concrete
WaIls-Grandstand
Gridiron-Tennis Courts and
Race Track-cost $1,000.

The athletic field just completed for
the College of st. Thomas places that
institution in the front rank of educa-
tional institutions as far as facilities
for athletic training and military
evolutions are concerned. It is much
larger than that of any other college
in the Northwest, not excepting North
rop Field at the University of Mime
sofa.
This much-needed addition to the
athletic equipment of st. Thomas cost
about $1,000, and was made possible
through the generosity of the alumni,
students and friends of the college,
who responded to the appeal made by
| it's Vice President, Rev. John Dun
ply, who conceived the idea and un-
der whose direction the work was
carried on.
The new athletic field is located on
the southwestern portion of the col
lege grounds adjoining Cretin Avenue
near Summit.
! A space 750 feet long by 385 feet
wide was graded and levelled and en-
closed with a wall of reinforced con-
crete nine feet high and four inches
thick. To enhance the appearance of
the wall the surface is corrugated;
and to relieve it's monotony concrete
pillars, set solidly in cement founda-
tions and tapering to a point one
foot above the wall, are placed at in
tervals of sixteen feet to support the
connecting panels which are sunk a
few inches beneath the surface of the
ground. The bounding wall at the
north end, instead of running at right
angles to the sides, is semi-circular;
while part of the southern wall is
built up into a grandstand 180 feet in
| length with the topmost tier of seats
sixteen feet above the ground. This
affords ample accommodations for
about 1000 spectators; and the seat
ing capacity can be enlarged at any
| time by additions at each end of the
structure.
The main entrance is on Cretin Ave
nue.. 1t is closed by gates of artistic
design, f1anked on each side with or
namental panels on which the letters
IS. T. c." are interlaced in mono
gram above the words Athletic
Field" The only other entrance is
opposite this on the college side for
the accommodation of the student
body.
In front of the grandstand base
ball diamond and football gridiron
are now being laid out; as well as a
diamond at the opposite end for the
use of the junior baseball teams of
the college A half-mile track and
| three tennis courts are In course OF
construction.
| In addition to this the new field
will afford sufficient facilities and
space for the military formations, tao
tics and drills which form part of the
college course of training It will be
of special value when the various fea-
lures connected with the annual mill
| tary inspection and maneuvers at
i tract large numbers of spectators who
can now obtain a good view of every.
thing that takes place from the van
tage point of the grandstand.
i The formal dedication of the athletic
field will take place at the opening OF
the baseball season after the return
of the students in September.
j The new structure was planned and
built by Butler Brothers, the we'll
known contractors of st. Paul, who
deserve great credit for having made
what is usually an unsightly adjunct
to a college campus, an artistic addi
ton to the equipment of the College
of st. Thomas.