The Irish standard., 1917-09-01
College Of St. Thomas
Each Year Its Success is Noted in Its
Marvellous DeveIopment-Repre
investment Of Nearly Million Dol.
lars.

Marvellous DeveIopment-Repres
investment of Nearly Million DOL
| lars.
The College of st. Thomas con-
tinues on it's course of marvellous de-
velopment. During the past year it
has added stately chapel to the
buildings that fringe in ever lengthen-
ing line the avenue winding through
the college grounds. Embodying the
grace and dignity Of the Byzantine
churches of northern Italy, the new
| chapel constitutes a distinct acquisi-
tion to the college, and notable con-
tribution to ecclesiastical architecture
| in the northwest. The college now
comprises eight buildings: Admins.
| tration, residence hall, chapel, dormi-
tory, recitation hall, armory and club
house, and military building. These
buildings, with the grounds, represent
an investment Of nearly million dol
lars
Eight hundred and thirty students
were enrolled last year. OF these the
| northwest contributed the bulk, but
more distant states, among them New
York, Rhode Island, California, Okla
homa, Washington, Wyoming and
Kentucky contributed their quota to
swell the gratifying total. The stu
dents are organized into a corps of
cadets, comprising nine companies,
military brass band, signal corps,
and other minor organizations An Of
ficer of the United States Army, de.
tailed by the War Department, and
assisted by four sergeants of the Regu-
lar Army, have charge of the military
training. Every day every student
turns out under arms, for an hour of
drill forms part of the daily routine
at st. Thomas.
The steady increase in attendance
is due in no small part to the growing
Importance attached to military train
ing and to the growing appreciation
of it, as parents come more and more
to understand its advantages. Every
we'll trained cadet is telling illustra-
ton of the benefits that accrue from
course in a military school, Manly
bearing, precision, promptness, initia-
tive, alertness, courtesy, the spirit of
obedience and respect for authority
arc cultivated by system which is
devised to secure just such results by
methods that have stood the test of
experience. The reputation which st.
Thomas has established for efficiency
! q 70 ;e,r
common knowledge. 1t is one of the
institutions designated by the War De-
partment as an honor school-a dis
tinction conferred Oh the ten best
military schols of the United States.
The training of the St. Thomas ca
diets enabled them to render valuable
service in drilling the Citizens Auxil-
larry of st. Paul and Minneapolis
when, two months ago, those organi-
cations, comprising twelve hundred
men,, made St. Thomas the center Of
military, activity for both cities. Dur
ing the past year seven commissions
in the Regular Army, two commits
sions in the Marine Corps, two cap
taincies and fifty lieutenancies in the
Reserve Officers Corps, and place at
West Point, were awarded to st.
Thomas students.
The progress made by St. Thomas
in courses and equipment has earned
recognition at the hands of many uni
versities. 1t is recognized as an .insti-
tuition of full collegiate rank by the
University of Minnesota; it is &C
credited to the North Central Associa-
ton Of Colleges, an utilization which
opens to it's students the doors of
every university and college in eigh-
teen states. It's credits are also hon
ored in various eastern universities,
and at West Point. The utmost care
has been taken in the selection of the
staff, and only distinguished graduates
of the best universities are aggregated
to the growing faculty in the collegi-
ate department.
The prospects of st. Thomas for
the coming year look bright. Military
schools are growing rapidly in popu-
larity. Every year the work they are
doing is better understood and more
intelligently appreciated. 1t seems
that they combine with careful train
ing in academic branches a training
which is generally neglected in the
home and in the class room. Now
that universal training is taking shape
as we'll defined possibility, parents
will look more and more to military
schools to give their sons in safe
surroundings the training which will
fit them to assume responsibility
when they take their place in the
ranks of the army. From certain pro.
visions in bills already drafted it is
inferred that should universal military
training come, the Government will
make due allowance for the time
spent in military schools.
With its grounds extending over
f1fty-five acres in the most beautiful
suburb of St. Paul, with it's eight
buildings with its sn1endid library