Georgetown College Albany Academy
Which school did Alphonsus J. Donlon go to from 1882 to 1883?
Alphonsus J . Donlon Alphonsus J . Donlon ( October 30 , 1867 – September 3 , 1923 ) was an American Catholic priest and Jesuit who spent his career in priestly ministry and academia , including as president of Georgetown University from 1912 to 1918 . Born in Albany , New York , he garnered a reputation as a good student and an exceptional collegiate athlete . As a professor , he went on to lead Georgetown Universitys sports program , which enjoyed great success . As a result , he became known as the father of Georgetown athletics . He served as a professor of various sciences at Georgetown University and at Woodstock College , and as president of the former , he oversaw the removal of Georgetown Preparatory School from the university to a separate campus , and proposed the creation of the School of Foreign Service . For a significant portion of his career , he also served as a chaplain to Georgetown Visitation Monastery . In his later years , he engaged in pastoral work at St . Francis Xavier Church in New York City and taught at Fordham University . Early life . Alphonsus Donlon was born on October 30 , 1867 , in Albany , New York , to father Patrick Donlon and mother Julia Howard Donlon , a native of Albany . His father emigrated to the United States from Ireland as a young boy with his mother and sister , while Alphonsus mother was a native of Albany , who died when he was eighteen months old . For this reason , Julias mother and her sister largely raised Alphonsus and his six siblings . Education . He first attended the parochial school at St . Marys Church , which was conducted out of the chapel of the Sisters of Charity . After receiving his First Communion , he enrolled at The Albany Academy , where he remained until the age of fifteen . In 1883 , he continued his education at Georgetown Preparatory School , and then at Georgetown College the following year . At college , he excelled in such sports as baseball , football , tennis , and track . During his freshman year , he made the first-string baseball team as a shortstop , and remained in this position for the duration of his time at Georgetown . Academically , he was likewise accomplished , receiving the Goff Philosophical Medal and the Medal for Mechanics . Here , he was known among his friends by the nickname Al . Donlon received his bachelors degree in 1888 and subsequently enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) , where he studied electrical engineering . After his first year at MIT , he studied for the summer in Europe . Upon his return in 1889 , he decided to withdraw in order to pursue the priesthood . Formation and teaching . Donlon entered the Jesuit order on October 11 , 1889 . He proceeded to Frederick , Maryland , where he completed his novitiate in 1891 . That year , he began his two years of study of the classics in Frederick , and followed it with three years philosophy and science , which he completed in 1895 . Following his studies , he returned to Georgetown College in 1895 , where he assumed a teaching position in physics , mechanics , geology , and astronomy . It was during this time as a teacher that he gained the informal title of father of Georgetown athletics . As the faculty director of athletics , he coached all of Georgetowns teams , which went on to be highly successful . Donlon remained at Georgetown until 1900 , when he left for Woodstock College in Maryland to study theology . On June 28 , 1903 , he was ordained a priest by Cardinal James Gibbons at Woodstock College , and he completed his theological studies in 1904 . From there , he went to Poughkeepsie , New York , to fulfill his tertianship under Fr . Pardow , which lasted until 1905 . Donlon then returned again to Georgetown , where he resumed his teaching . In 1906 , he left again for Woodstock , where he taught physics until 1911 . On February 2 , 1907 , he attained gradus and professed his solemn vows to the Society of Jesus . Georgetown University . On October 10 , 1911 , Donlon was appointed the socius , or principal advisor , to the provincial superior of the Maryland Province of the Jesuits . After remaining in this position for more than a year , he was appointed the president of Georgetown University on January 23 , 1912 , succeeding Joseph J . Himmel . His style of leadership was one of ample delegation of responsibilities to subordinates and considerable deference to their judgment , some attributing it to his natural passivity and lack of any particular aptitude for the presidency . Among his accomplishments as president was establishing a strong alumni association across the country . He also oversaw the unveiling of the statue of Bishop John Carroll in 1912 . Another of Donlons marks on Georgetown was his proposal to start a school of Political and Social Science , which would include a school of diplomacy and would be connected with Georgetown Law School . He presented his proposal to the Jesuit consultors on March 31 , 1913 , who approved ; he subsequently submitted his proposal to the Jesuit curia in Rome , but no action was taken . Though this proposal did not materialize until after his presidency , his proposition ultimately led to the creation of the School of Foreign Service . Donlon remained as president of Georgetown until May 1 , 1918 , when he requested provincial superior to relieve him of the office by a Jesuit with greater vitality . He was succeeded by John B . Creeden . Georgetown Preparatory School . Seeing a need to separate the preparatory division from the division of higher education at Georgetown , Donlon also was responsible for the relocation of Georgetown Preparatory School to its campus in North Bethesda , Maryland . He led fundraising to permit the purchase of land in the Maryland countryside on which to build the school , and traveled the area to locate such a suitable property . Having secured the permission of the Jesuit provincial , the President and Directors of Georgetown College purchased . Construction of a new building was largely enabled by a donation by Class of 1869 alumnus Henry Walters . Though originally contributing $80,000 , Walters increased his anonymous donation to $130,000 when Donlon expressed his worry over the increasing cost of the project . On October 25 , 1916 , ground was broken on the new , Georgian Revival building , with Donlon in attendance and the Apostolic Delegate to the United States , Archbishop Giovanni Bonzano , ceremonially turning the first soil . Due to the outbreak of World War I , the building was not completed until 1919 . Chaplain to Georgetown Visitation Monastery . In 1905 , Donlon was appointed chaplain to the nuns at the nearby Georgetown Visitation Monaster , and held this position until his death . During his subsequent presidency of Georgetown , he ensured that the sisters of Georgetown Visitation Monastery receive degrees from Georgetown by opening a summer school for the sisters , staffed by some of the best teachers in the Maryland Province , which covered a broad range of subjects . Donlon regularly attended the sisters debates , musical performances , and dramatical performances , officiated at their celebrations , and led their students on retreats . When he was transferred to do pastoral work in New York , Donlon continued to work with the monastery . He would send promising students to the monastery , and led the community in a retreat in 1922 , which was said to have impressed many of the sisters . New York . Immediately following his presidency of Georgetown , Donlon was slated to go to Boston as pastor of St . Marys Church . He is also recorded as teaching at Brooklyn College from 1918 to 1919 . He then served as a minister at St . Francis Xavier Church in Manhattan from 1919 to 1920 , where he was made the prefect of the church . He also served as the secretary of Xavier High School in 1920 . He then transitioned to pastoral work at the same church , which he did until 1923 . In July 1923 , Donlon was appointed a professor of philosophy at Fordham University . Death . Donlon was conducting a retreat at Manhattanville College in Tarrytown , New York , on August 31 , 1923 , when he suddenly suffered a heart attack at 11 a.m . while leaving the chapel . After consultation with a doctor , it was intended that he be brought to St . Vincents Hospital in New York City . However , at 11 p.m . on September 3 , 1923 , he died in the infirmary at Manhattanville . He was then buried in the Fordham University Cemetery .