Evening star., 1938-09-11

announced That the college would be
resumed on the morning after the
edict to disband (September rs, 1920
In the old Capitol Building. He took
with him to Capitol Hill the lay
teachers and one sympathetic Jesuit.
It was not until 1848, and then only
through the Herculean labors of the
Rev. William Matthews, that the order
was revoked and renegade Washing
ton City College" once more became
the seminary next to st. Patricks
Church. The same year Pope Greg
ory XVI removed the order barring
Jesuits to accept tuition fees.
The second great period OF the
seminary started auspiciously. Stu
dents from all over Washington
flocked to her portals. A high spot
was reached on July 10, 184s, when
the college held its commencement
exercises in Carusi's Saloon, at that
time the most fashionable assembly
room in Washington. Gen. Zachary
Taylor. President of the United States.
was in the audience. Commencement
took two days. There were 64 speak
ers on the second days program, which
started at 9 am. and lasted until far
into the night.
Carusis saloon became accepted as
the place to hold Gonzaga commence
ments. A local newspaper of July 6,
1857, gave f1rst-page story to the pa
rade Of 525 Gonzaga students to the
commencement exercises "CThey)
marched in procession from the SEM
mary building on F. street down
Seventh to Pennsylvania avenue,
thither to Eleventh street and Carusi's
saloon"
Name CHANGED.
Gonzaga's charter to confer de-
grees was given May 4. 1858, by the
Committee on the District of Co.
l,lmbia. BY this time st. Aloysius'
Church was beginning to rear its am
pie sides, and 1t was decided that,
with the giving Of the charter, the
seminary should take the last name Of
st. Aloysius. i. e., Gonzaga. Some Of
the addresses at the next commence
ment bore such choice titles as In
stability of Mans Temporal Advan-
tages." Forget Me Not The Exile's
Return" Moscow" Ambition" and
THE Dead Eagle.
On October 16, 1859, st. Aloysius'
Church. which was to figure closely
in the remaining history OF Gonzaga,
was dedicated in the presence OF Pres
ident James Buchanan and other no.
tables.
The Civil War marks . milestone
in the history Of college and church.
Attendance dropped to IS boys IN
1861, many Of the students taking up
arms for the North. In June, 1852,
President Lincoln ordered that the
newly completed st. Aloysius' Church
be turned over to the Government as a
hospital to care for the wounded HUI
name to the core, the parishioners
nevertheless baked, for they saw the
labors Of lifetime about to be I'M
pinged upon. The order also violated
an ancient church canon, which for
bids the use Of churches for anything
| save religious service.
So when a battalion Of troops came
to take command of the new church
they met group Of determined
churchgoers on the front steps Of the
big gray edince at North Capitol and
I streets. 1t was Father Bernardin F.
Wiget, president Of Gonzaga College.
who saved the situation, which easily
could have become serious. He po-
litely turned down the suggestion Of q
missionary, Father De Smet, s. j., to
say masses for the soldier souls in
purgatory if the church should escape
seizure and bargained directly with
the colonel OF the troops.
Bargain Saves Church.
Father Wiget promised to erect
three buildings, each 200 feet long and
"a feet wide, within eight days if the
Government would not take the
church. The Government agreed, and
like wildfire the word spread through
the parish. Men rallied to the church,
armed with hammers. nails, saws and
bits Of lumber. A site northwest OF
the church, on K street, was chosen,
and hundreds of men began to work.
Men worked until they dropped
under the general direction Of Peter
Gallant, master carpenter of his
day. In the midst of the tremendous
zeal a stately gentleman asked busily
digging gentleman-laborer. How is
this work done-by contract or other
wiser"
mo contract here" answered the
| gentleman-laborer each one pitches
IN as best he can-no pay"
Can be of any service?" queried
the stately one.
"Of course; take spade there and
help me to dig" responded the worker
The invitation was accepted and
the newcomer worked hard and we'll
all day. He was Maj Gen. Stone
U. S. A. Wives deserted their homes
and cooked meals for their husbands
on the scene Of activity. Six days
after the start of work Father Wiget
turned the keys Of the three build
ings over to the Government.
In 1889 Ambrose Lynch. father of
one Of the instructors Of early Gonzaga
history, gave the college land on I
street northwest and, with the OPEN
ing of st. Aloysius' Church 20 years
later. it was decided to move from
Ninth and F streets to "Swampoodle.
Twelve years later the change was
affected, and since that time-1871-
Gonzaga has remained tn the same
general spot. The 1878 commence
ment was addressed by Wilton
Lackaye, who was destined to become
this city's finest actor.
G. A. r. Parade Disrupts Glasses.
Only handful of boys showed up
for classes with the opening of the
1892 term. School began that year
on Labor Day during the height
Of the festivities surrounding the
G.. A. R. encampment, when $50, 1000
visitors were in Washington to watch
81, 1000 Civil War soldiers march. An
ancient Gonzaga historian remarks
that one of the most Objectionable
phases Of the convention was COM
nanv Of GIRLS from Ohio will, o1,ne