Chronicles of Fairfield University (1942 - 1992). Book 1: The Founding Years.

              CHRONICLES
tY
FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY
,~42 - '~~2
BOOK ONE:
f7b g-~J/efU'€5/
By
Charles F. Duffy, S.J.
Fairfield, Connecticut
1992 ~
The six Chronicles of Faitfield University are being published in
conjunction with the observance of the 50th Anniversary of
the founding of Faitfield University and Faitfield College
Preparatory School.
The booklets are published under the auspices of the
Anniversaries,Committee which includes:
Rev. Vincent M. Burns, S.]. Rev. John J. Higgins, S.].
Lawrence F. Carroll Stephen P. Jakab
Mrs. Patricia M. Danko William]. Lucas
George E. Diffley (Chair) Dr. Mary Frances A.H. Malone
Murray Farber Mrs. Clarissa Sinagulia
James D. Fitzpatrick Mrs. Mary Spiegel
The History Subcommittee, which served as the editorial board,
includes:
Dr. William M. Abbott Rev. Victor F. Leeber, S.].
Paul Davis AlphonsusZ]. Mitchell (Chair)
Mrs. Elizabeth G. Hoagg
CHRONICLES
iT
FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY
By Charles F. Duffy, S.J.
11942 Faitfie1d University joined the array of educational
institutions that stretches from Washington, D.C., along the Eastern
Seaboard, to Boston and Cambridge. Along that line are some of the
oldesteducational institutions in the U.S.A.; we think ofHalVard and Yale
right away. Before Fairfield University was thought of, 25 Jesuit
educational institutions were already in existence. Eleven of these are
along the Eastern Seaboard - five Jesuit Universities and six Jesuit
Colleges. NewEngland had two ofthem: Boston College and the College
of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. Other notable ones are Fordham
and Georgetown Universities. In 1989 Georgetown celebrated its 200th
anniversary. In 1991 Fordham celebrated its 150th. In 1992 Fairfield
celebrates its young 50th.
Up to July 31, 1921, the New England states along with the seaboard
states down to and including North Carolina were grouped together as
one Jesuit province, named the Maryland, New York Province. In 1921
it was felt that New England now had enough manpower (i.e. Jesuits) to
become a province in its own right. From 1921 to 1926 it was a vice­province,
using that five-year period to make adjustments, such as
bringing back native New Englanders to their new Province. Finally on
July 31,1926 it became the New England Province of the Society ofJesus
with, Fr. James M. Kilroy as its first Provincial. In a 1929 meeting of his
consultors (trustees), the suggestion to open a school in New Hampshire
or Connecticut was discussed favorably. However, nothing developed.
In 1935 Fr. Provincial James T. McCormick informed his consultors
that on a visit to the Bishop of Hartford he had asked for permission to
1
open a school in Connecticut. The Bishop said he would discuss this
matter with his consultors before replying but no reply came. These
provincials evidently felt that with the numbers ofJesuits increasing (over
30 new vocations each year in those days), new openings of schools,
retreat houses, parishes or missions should be sought so that later these
vocations, when trained,would have places to go.
Fr. James H. Dolan, the third provincial, had already accepted the
offer of Mr. Edward Cranwell for an estate in Lenox, Mass., to be used for
a school. This Cranwell Preparatory School started in 1939 as a boarding
school. With the backing of his\consultors, Fr. Dolan on July 24, 1941,
wrote to Bishop Maurice McAuliffe in Hartford, Conn., asking permission
to establish a school for boys in the Hartford Diocese. A meeting was
arranged and Father Dolan and Father Robert Hewitt met with Bishop
McAuliffe in Hartford on Sept. 4, 1941. The Bishop asked the Jesuits to
start a religious community and open a school in Bridgeport, Conn. In
his written permission and request of Sept. 15 the Bishop changed the
location from the city of Bridgeport to the Bridgeport area. He also
requested that we include the founding of a college in the same area.
LooKING FOR A SITE
Fr. Dolan started out on Sept. 10, 1941 to look for available sites for
a high school. With Fr. MCLaughlin, treasurer of the province, and Fr.
Mahoney, superior of the Jesuit Retreat House in South Norwalk, Conn.,
he canvassed Bridgeport. Only two sites in Bridgeport were available at
the time, one in the South End and one in the North End. Fr. Mahoney
enlisted the aid ofJudge Paul Connery and Judge John Flanagan. They
looked at the "Chimneys" at Black Rock Point. Someone viewed the
Morris estate. Fr. McLaughlin discussed the Morris, Ostrofsky, Seeley,
Barnum and Walker estates with William Connolly, the first assessor of
the city of Bridgeport. The Sept. 15 letter of the Bishop had given more
leeway when he named the Bridgeport area for the school rather than
Bridgeport only. Property in the Greenfield· Hill section and neighbor­hood
was viewed. The Jennings place at this time w~.s occupied by the
(
family as their summer home, named Mailands. Their winter home was
in New York City.
2
In mid-October word came through Mr. Edward Bray that the
Jennings estate was for sale. On Oct. 22 Major Paul Daly and Mr. Bray
came to assist us, but a few roadblocks followed. First our offer on Nov.
I through Lawrence Cornwall, realtor, wasrefused. On the night of Nov.
2, the refusal was more definite. Mr. Lawrence Jennings phoned Major
Paul Daly and informed him that after discussion with other members of
the family there was an unwillingness to negotiate with us for a school
under any conditions. A few days later we were inforrn.ed that the
Jennings place had been sold to Lawrence Copley Thaw who had
previously bought Lawrence Jennings' home to the north of Mailands.
But mid-November brought word that the Thaw buy had not occurred.
On Nov. 23 Major Paul Daly telephoned that the Jennings family had
yielded and was willing to sell. An agreement of sale was drawn up,
signed by Fr. Dolan in Bridgeport on Dec. 2, as of Nov. 28. Word was
received on Dec. 15 that signing and final transfer could be made that
afternoon. Fr. Dolan was contacted and arrived in Bridgeport at 4:30
p.m.. All negotiations were concluded at 5:05 p.m. to the satisfaction of
all (eleven people). Deo gratias!
The purchase price was $43,879 for 76.2 acres. Fairfield or
Bellarmine College, as Fr. Dolan first named it on Dec. 30, 1941, borrowed
moneyfrom the NewEngland Province, which continued to lend money.
The Jennings house, renamed McAuliffe Hall, had to be changed into a
school with offices, classrooms, a cafeteria, and tablet armchairs, etc. A
meeting was held _to establish the Articles of Association at Pomfret
Center, Conn. on March 17, 1942. After their establishment the first
corporation meeting was held. The name was changed from Bellarmine
College to Fairfield College of St. Robert Bellarmine and Fr. John J.
McEleney was elected President. Two weeks later another purchase of
another estate was made by the corporation, with money from the New
England Province. This was the formetWalter B. Lashar estate, acquired
from the Town of Fairfield. Here is the New York Times account (Dec.
,4 ,1941) of how that estate came into the possession of the town:
"Special to the New York Times. Fairfield, Conn., Dec. 4, 1941. The
town of Fairfield prepared today to take title to Hearthstone Hall, the
estate of Walter B. Lashar, American Chain Company executive, which
includes 106 acres and a forty-room house at Barlow and Round Hill
Roads, for tax deficiencies of $51,559 from 1934 to 1938."
3
"The estate is assessed for $350,000 and includes garages, dairy barns
and other buildings." r
The Bridgeport Post of April 1, 1942, describes the purchase:
'''Hearthstone Hall' the fonner Walter B. Lashar estate in Fairfield, today
became the property of the Society ofJesus of New England as Fairfield
town officials turned over deeds to the property. The purchase price was
$68,500."
"Thus, the second of two adjoining show places passed into
ownership of the Jesuits, who will open a preparatory high school for
boys in the Fall."
Thus, too, 76 and 105 acres were joined together, under God's
Providence, for the future prep and college and university. Truly April 1,
1942, was a day of thanks to God for this dovetailing of these two estates
into one. TheJennings residence, Mailands, renamed McAuliffe Hall, be­came
the school. Itwasthe more adaptable for conversion to schoolrooms
and offices. The Lashar residence, Hearthstone Hall, renamed Bellannine
Hall, became the home for the Jesuit teachers and administrators.
"The Summer of '42" was certainly a summer to remember at
Fairfield. McAuliffe Hall had to be renovated, an empty Bellarmine Hall
had to be furnished for the Jesuits moving in. It was wartime and the
Jesuits living in Bellarmine Hall were considered a family subject to
wartime restrictions, aswere all families ofthe time. Some foodstuffs were
hard to purchase; some began to be rationed, like sugar and meat. In fact,
any Jesuit helping out in a parish on weekends had to bring along his
ration books, for the pastor or cook would be sure to ask for ration slips
to make up for their slips used for the meal. The war, too, swelled salaries
in war work in Bridgeport, which was not conducive to attracting suitable
cooks or field and house workers for a burgeoning Jesuit Community.
On Wednesday, Aug. 5, 1942, Bishop McAuliffe arrived to fonnally
bless our residence and establish us as a religious community. ).bout 37
Pastors of Fairfield County parishes were present at the blessing and
Benediction service on the outside porch. The blessing of the school
took place on Wednesday~ Sept. 9, 1942, the opening day of Fairfield
College Preparatory School. Bishop McAuliffe presided at the Solemn
High Benediction in the McAuliffe students' chapel. Two days later the
Auxiliary Bishop Henry O'Brien said the Mass of the Holy Spirit i~ the
same students' chapel.
4
Fr. john j. McEleney (left), later to be Bishop ofjamaica, was the
first Rector and President in 1942 while Fr. james H. Dolan (right)
was the New England Provinical. In -1944, they swappedjobs.
OBTAINING A CHARlER
In the second semester of this first year of Fairfield Prep, Fr. Rector
McEleney informed Fr. Provincial that every effort had been made to
secure a charter, but without success. It turned out that in accordance with
a legal requirement, enacted by the General Assembly during the session
of 1943, "no school of this state (of Conn.) becomes eligible to receive
the power to grant academic degrees until it has been in operation for
three years."
"The Board of Education is keen on that law, and they have virtually
effected it already. They will appear before the legislature and fight any
grant for a first year school," Fr. McEleney said. Fairfield did not pursue
the matter further, on expert advice. But as we know from the Principal's
diary, after three years in existence, Fairfield Prep on March 22, 1945,
started work to gain that charter. On April 4, 1945 Fr. Rector Dolan and
Fr. -Reilly (Principal) drove to Hartford with Mr. Gaynor Brennan, a
lawyer, to submit the petition for a university charter. ByearlyMayall state
legislatures had passed the bill. On May 29, 1945, Governor Raymond E.
Baldwin signed the bill that gives to the newly incorporated "Fairfield
University of St. Robert Bellarmine" the authority to "establish, organize,
5
maintain and conduct an institution for intennediate, secondary, under­graduate
and graduate education in the state of Connecticut. . . . Said
corporation shall have the right to confer all such academic degrees as
are usually given in colleges and universities."
The Bellarmine Quarterly, a Fairfield Prep magaZine (Christmas
1945, pp. 63-64) commented: "Thus, with the University Charter, we have
the prospect offulfilling hfre at Fairfield the traditional plan and purpose
of the Jesuit University in America. That tradition, from the days of the
foundation of Georgetown University in 1789 to our own, has been one
of expansion from secondary and preparatory schools, into the fields of
co~legiate, graduate and professional studies, combining and including
all phases of academic life."
You may have noticed above that when Fairfield Prep started work
on gaining the charter, there was a new Rector ofFairfield Prep. Yes, you
might say that Fr. Dolan and Fr. Mc~leney had swapped jobs, being
named to their new positions by our superior in Rome. Fr. McEleney
became Fr. Provincial on Dec. 8, 1944, and Fr. Dolan, fonner provincial,
succeeded Fr. McEleney at Fairfield Prep on Dec. 18, 1944. Fr. McEleney
was, of course, glad that Fr. Dolan was succeeding him as Rector of
Fairfield Prep for was not Fr. Dolan the prime mover in getting Fairfield
started? He would be expected to have future plans for Fairfield. As we
have seen, at the proper time he started action for a university charter and
gained it. Even before this he kept reminding the public that eventually
Fairfield would start a college; e.g., in a March 2, 1945 editorial of"the
Fairfield News, here is what is printed:
"College Town? In a talk in Bridgeport last week, the Rev. Fr. Dolan,
SJ., Rector of Fairfield Prep, spoke of future plans of the school. Father
Dolan envisages a campus development on Round Hi1~and North
Benson Roads with more than 25 college buildings and a fully-accredited
Jesuit College conducted here. This is a post-war picture which we like
to dwell on. In less than three years, Fairfield Prep has become a leading
preparatory school in this state. There is no reason why it should not
become one of the .leading colleges in the nation."
Again onJune 10,1945, on the occasion of the Testimonial Program
to honor the first return visit of Fr. McEleney, Father Dolan had prepared
in lithograph fonn (by Chester Price ofNewYork) a comprehensive plan
of the various future buildings, rendered in perspective with an inscribed
6
legend or key. This future plan of the combined Prep and University
campus was hung in a prominent place for the several hundred invited
guests to view. It did not escape the keen eyes ofmany of the guests that
there were 42 buildings shown in the plan! In our fiftieth year, 1992, we
have over 30 buildings, plus the many student townhouses.
It was known that with Prep classes increasing in numbers we
would have to build on campus. However, World War II along with the
internal workings of the Society of Jesus delaye? things. Fairfield
University in those early days could not, on its own, borrow money in
the large amounts needed to put up a building. Our Father General in
Rome had to be asked for permission to borrow such amounts from a
bank.
NEW r~cIIinEs
Fr. Dolan had been trying in vain in early 1945 to rent a small building
for the temporary placing of five or six Prep freshman classes. Finally in
April or May, 1945, he was able to buy a suitable location on Park Place
in Bridgeport. This was made ready for the fall opening. Fr. Dolan knew
that this building was only a stop-gap measure and that a new building
on campus was the solution for the future. In 1944 Fr. McEleney had tried.
He wanted to put up a small temporary building of eight classrooms. On
July 7, 1944, his petition was sent to the War Production Board (WPB)
of Bridgeport. The WPB affirmed or denied all building requests because
ofthe material demands ofthe armed forces in World War II. Our petition
was denied. We requested a review, which was made, and again a denial
came in early September, 1944.
Fr. Dolan in 1945 tried his hand with a petition to build. He got an
affirmative response from the Washington, D.C., WPB onJune 5, 1945 to
build a permanent 20-classroom building. The only proviso was that the
building should be started within 90 days. Eitherwe didnr.Write to Rome
in time for permission to borrow from a bank or Rome delayed. Perhaps
we did not tell Rome about the 90 days. At any rate permission arrived
on Nov. 29, 1945. So for the second time, an opportunity and another
year were lost.
An important purchase of land was made on April 1, 1946. When the
Jennings estate and the Lashar estate were bought in '41 and '42 by the
7
New England]esuit Province and joined together, it was thought that the
joining made a compact whole. However in a typed letter ofAug. 23, 1942
from the then Fr. Provincial Dolan to the then Fr. Rector McEleney there
is a handwritten postscript added to the letter. It reads: P.S. "Keep an
eye on the corner lot at Barton (he means Barlow) and North Benson. It
is naturally a physical P3;rt of the school property and should not escape
us, no matter how heaVy the burden in procuring it at the proper time
and price. In the meantime we should be on guard against speculators,
gas stations or worse things." Fr. Dolan was referring to an 18.2 acreage
at the southeast corner of North Benson and Barlow Roads. This was the
estate of an elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Morehouse. In 1945
the estate became available. The assessment on the land, being a corner
lot, was high: $11,920; the assessment on the dwelling $2,600 and on the
barn $340. Negotiations ended April 1, 1946 when we bought it for
$28,500 ($20,000 by us and $8,500 promised or loaned by the Prep
Fathers' Club). So at last Fr. Rector Dolan's wony about the 18.2 acres
was settled and the purchase rounded off or squared the campus of
Fairfield University.
At an Apri115, 1946 Fairfield Prep Consultors' meeting, a change was
made in architects. Mr.Phelan of Fletcher, Thompson Co., in Bridgeport
became the new architect. Athird petition to build was made in 1946. This
time Fr. Rector Dolan decided to try to involve h~elf personally in the
action. His letter of Sept. 1, 1946 to Fr. McLaugWio, the New England
Province Procurator (Treasurer) best describes his actions. "You will be
interested to know that our application for the required Government
Pennit to erect the classroom building was turned down at the CPA
(fonnerly WPB) office in Hartford and was on the way for a denial at
Washington, when our petition went in for the review of our case before
a Committee with the request that I be given the privilege of appearing
at the hearing. These two points were granted after some delay; and on
Aug. 9 (1946) I appeared before the committee at the hearing in
Washington. It was a fonnal but very agreeable affair. I was asked to
present our reasons for urging our petition as a 'hardship' case. After
presenting our case, I then asked the members of the committee to
question me on any points that would be of particular interest to them.
This was done with three members of the committee ~sking questions.
My whole session lasted about 40 minutes. Later in the evening a phone
8
message came to me from the office of the CPA that our application had
been approved and under date of Aug. 16, the written, official confirma­tion
of the approval was sent to me. It was an interesting, if trying,
experience. It was my one regret that we could not have started building
operations before the expiration of the time-limit (90 days) or the WPB
Permit, issued on June 5, 1945. In that event we would now have had
our classroom building ready for occupancy, at less cost and with much
better materials than are now available. Kindly tell Bill Cahill, of the
Newton Trust, when next you see him, that the delayed CPA Permit has
delayed building operations, but that I expect to contact him Soon in the
matter of our loan."
In a July 17,.1946 letter of Fr. Dolan to Fr. McEleney he said that
Maurice Murphy (ofthe WashingtonWPB) is championing our cause and
will attend the hearing with me if this can be arranged. Maurice was the
brother ofFr. Thomas Murphy ofFairfield Prep. We don't know ifMaurice
got into the hearing.
The loan mentioned a few lines above had been arranged in early
January (1946) but would not be acted on until Fr. Dolan gave the word.
According to Fr. Dolan the terms of the loan turned out to be one of the
finest, if not the best, that he had ever arranged. It was for $450,000 or
to any lesser part of it at the remarkably low interest of 1.50/0. It was on
a note, therefore no mortgage and no demand for collateral or any form
of security on our part. It was to begin when our first need occurred and
merely to the amount necessary to cover that immediate need. Other
terms that gratified Fr. Dolan were made as well.
But why was Fr. Dolan and incidentally Fairfield University treated
so well? It was for what Fr. Dolan had done for this Newton-Waltham
Bank in the twenties when Fr. Dolan was President of Boston College.
Fr. Dolan at that time had seen to it that all of Boston College's money
was put into the Newton-Waltham Bank and kept there. This prevented
that bank from going under. The President, Vice-PreSident and Treasurer
of the bank had not forgotten this and now, years later, they were in a
. position to help Fr. Dolan and Fairfield University.
In the Fall of 1946, the Prep started a raffle of four prizes under the
direction of Fr. James Barry. The first prize was a '46 Mercury. Incentive
prizes urged on the sales by students and classes. The Rector wrote to the
Provincial that the big drive would start after the student raffle and after
9
the Christmas shopping season. He also told the Provincial that "I am up
to my neck in the work that is fast reaching completion on the new
building plans and specifications. The plans are shaping up very well and
it is a pleasure to be working with Mr. Phelan and a very efficient assistant
of his, Mr. Andrew Patrick. Their own ideas are solid and practical and
they are most co~perative in helping to keep costs down to.a sound
minimum.... I arranged for a visit with Mr. Cahill of Newton Trust, who
is most eager to go through "with all the fine terms of our original
agreement on the loan of 1.5%. Such splendid treatment makes ample
compensation for all the labor and material-shortage difficulties that wi~l
have to be encountered."
The New Year, 1947, finally brought about the breaking of ground
ceremonies for the new classroom building on Monday,Jan. 6, in a simple
but memorable ceremony witnessed by large numbers of students and
Prep faculty. Fr. Dolan dug the first 'shovelful ofloam from the grassy field
south ofMcAuliffe Hall, overlooking the sloping coastal plain ofthe town
of Fairfield and broad sweep of Long Island Sound. The next day
Epiphano and Frassinelli (E&F) Constru - ion Company, who had been
chosen out of nine bidders, started excavations. E&F had been chosen
on Saturday, Jan 4, after three hours of detailed discussion.
STARTING 1HE COllEGE
Up to Feb. 3,1947, we Jesuits and the public at large assumed that
the building now going up was to be used by Faitfield Prep. Nothing had
been said to the contrary. This was the building that took three petitions
before pennission to build was given. The Prep students had started to
sell paper bricks for $1.00 in order to help out on the financial end. On
the precedingJan. 17, Fr. Dolan, in a letter to his provincial, enclosed an
article that appeared in the Bridgeport Sunday Post ofJan. 5, 1947. The
article was by PresidentJames H. Halsey of BridgeportJunior College (Its
real name was Junior College of Connecticut). President Halsey brought
out two items that interested Fr. Dolan. First Mr. Halsey planned to send
the State Legislature a petition to change h~s Junior College to The
University of Bridgeport, with a University Charter. Second, he ex­pressed
the fairly common opinion among educators, including Fr.
10
Dolan, that the registration peak of college students would be in 1947 or
1948 continuing to 1950 and then declining, but still remaining higher
than before the war.
I believe that Fr. Dolan was influenced by these two items of
President Halsey and felt that now was the time for putting our May 29,
1945 University Charter into action. At least he was influenced enough
to send the article to his superior Fr. Provincial. He even puts it up to Fr.
Provincial with this sentence in his own letter: "It would be so easy to '
open at least the six classrooms of the first floor (of the new classroom
building) for the accommodation of the college students, with the 14
classrooms of the second and third floors of the new building still
available for the Prep students along with the facilities of McAuliffe Hall."
In the same letter he asks the Provincial to appoint a Jesuit as a full-time
contact man in our 'drive' for contributions to our building fund. So
perhaps the prospect of the University of Bridgeport opening in the fall
of 1947, plus the belief in peak college registration, also in the fall of '47,
persuaded Fr. Dolan that the time was suitable for starting our college,
beginning with a freshman class only. In tum, maybe BridgeportJunior
College was spurred on by all the publicity we were getting in our
building campaign, along with the fact that we already had a University
Charter. The University of Bridgeport received its University Charter in
May, 1947.
Fr. Provincial's next letter of Jan. 21 to· Fr. Dolan expressed a
sympathetic view but not a go-ahead. His words were "Of course I'm in
closest sympathy with your dreams of college classes there." Later on he
named Fr. Walter E. Kennedy, the Prep Principal, as the ]esuitcontact
for the 'drive'.
Fr. Minister's Record Book then notes that Fr. Dolan went to Boston
onJan. 28 and returned to Fairfield onJan. 30. Perhaps the pros and cons
of starting a college in the Fall were discussedWith Fr. Provincial and his
trustees. We just don't know if that was so. At any rate, on Feb. 3, 1947
at the Father-Son banquet in honor of the Prep's 1946 football team, Fr.
polan made the announcement that College classes would begin in
Septe1J?ber with freshmen only. So college freshmen and prep freshmen
would use the new building named Berchmans Hall.
Instant approval came from all directions. Here is the first paragraph
ofa long editorial that the Fairfield News printed on Feb. 28, 1947: "Many
11
of us are breathless at the foresight· and vision which is prompting the
Jesuit Order to bring to Fairfield a new University, to be known as Fairfield
University." And here are the last three sentences of the editorial: "We are
acquiring one of the most distinguished and outstanding orders in the
world. The Jesuits have brought and fostered knowledge wherever they
have settled. Wewelcome the new university and hope thatwe may serve
them in more ways than just as the geographical site oftheir new school."
The Jesuit College Faculty was not assigned to Fairfield by Fr.
Provincial until the Summer of 1947. He did, however, suggest in a March
10 letter that "The result of my thoughts and prayers on your new Dean
is that Father (Laurence) Langguth is the person you want. ... I have been
over a list of possible candidates and honestly feel fu'at Fr. Langguth is the
answer to your prayers." Fr. Langguth was appointed soon after but could
not give full time to it since he was continuing his teaching in Fairfield
Prep until June. In the meantime Fr. John H. Kelly, the Prep Prefect of
Discipline, set up a temporary Dean's office in Bellarmine Hall and
conducted interviews. Then, 10 and behold, a surprise outcome devel­oped
in this temporary office. Fr. Kelly was getting so many applications
for freshman college that the administration foresaw that the
combination of that year's and the next year's new people (College and
Prep) would likely mean that more classrooms would be needed. The
conclusion: We needed to construct another classroom building right
away! Befqre April 1 the admirustration started the same process as
before. Fr. Provincial wrote to Fr. General in Rome. Fr. General's reply,
received May 14, 1947, gave the permission to draw up plans for the
second building. Fr. Dolan held a second ground-breaking ceremony in
1947, this time on Aug. 22. This building was named Xavier Hall and was
to be ready for college classes in September 1948.
Meanwhile on April 27, 1947, the building fund drive started with an
$800,000 goal. The drive lasted for at least two years and $500,000 was
finally obtained. The chairman of the campaign was A.]. Donahue of
Stamford. Ray Flicker, publisher ofthe Bridgeport Post and Telegram was
chainnan of special gifts. Other chainnen were Patrick Fahy,Westport;
John Cavanagh, Norwalk; George McLacWan, Danbury; E. Gaynor
Brennan, Stamford; and Eugene E. LougWin, Greenwich. Two large
books with the names of donors and amounts given are in the college
12
library archives. These are names of those who gave to the public drive,
not the student drive. The Prep and College students, when in session,
took up selling the $1.00 paper bricks.
When the first classroom building, Berchmans Hall, was 'planned, it
contained four stories of classrooms plus a basement and a small sub­basement.
But only three stories of classrooms were being· built that
summer of 1947. What happened? The decision to start a college meant
that more Jesuit teachers and thus 1pore bedrooms were needed. So the
fourth floor of the new Berchmans Hall became living quarters for 14
Jesuits rather than 4 or 5 classrooms. With Berchmans Hall finally finished
and furnished, Fr. Dolan, on Sept. 28 blessed these 14 rooms and the
Jesuits moved in that night. On the 29th, Prep started school there on the
second and third stories (plus McAuliffe Hall) and the college registration
took place. On the 30th, the college freshmen started class, using
Berchmans' first floor classrooms. No doubt it took a while for the
students to adjust. TheJesuits who lived on the fourth floor ofBerchmans
Hall had to adjust to the absence ofan elevator for the month of October.
Is this trip to my fourth floor room necessary? was often asked. These
rooms were supposed to be of temporary use by the Jesuits. Temporary
almost turned into permanent, for 34 years later these rooms were finally
given over to school use.
THE COllEGE OPENS
The first college freshman class (men only) numbered 303. About
60 came from a sufficient distance to make commuting inconvenient.
These were boarded in local homes visited and approved by two
members ?f the faculty. Of these 303 men;ibout 121 were veterans of
World War II. For most of these veterans the tuition of $200 per semester,
their books and school supplies were paid for by the U. S. Government.
Books in those days were not as expensive as they are now. I have a 1947
book list. The young man paid $23.02 for the books needed for English,
Mathematics, Economics, Religion, Spanish I and History. Books for a
premed co.urse would be much more, but much less than today.
Programs offered were B.A. honors and nonhonors, B.A. Premedical, B.S.
in Business Administration, B.S. in Mathematics, B.S. in History, B.S. in
the Social Sciences, B.S. in Education. Later these eight were reduced to
A.B. and B.S.
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The New England Province catalogue listed these Jesuits as the
college members of Fairfield University in 1947-48: Fr. James H. Dolan*,
Rector: Fr. VincentA. Gookin*, Minister; Fr. Charles F. Duffy, Subminister
and Custodian of the "Bookstore"; Fr. Laurence C. Langguth, Prefect of
Studies (Dean); Fr. Francis C. Buck, Chemistry and Moderator of the
"Freshman" Society of AtWetics; Fr. James T. Creamer, Economics; Fr.
Frederick A. Harkins, Latin, Greek, Religion and Spiritual Prefect; Fr.
WilliamW. Kennedy*, Procurator; Fr. Robert B. MacDonnell*, Physics and
Mathematics and Assistant Spiritual Prefect; Fr. Arthur A.\MacGillivray,
English, Religion, AssistantSpiritual Prefect, Moderator of the Sodality of
the Blessed Mary Virgin and League of the Sacred Heart; Fr. John P.
Murray*, Mathematics and Assistant Spiritual Prefect; Fr. James A. Walsh*,
French and Religion, Moderator ofthe "Bellarmine Debating Society" and
the French Academy; Mr. Victor F. Leeber, S.]., Spanish and Moderator
of the Spanish Academy. Four laymen were also members of that first
college faculty: Mr.JohnA. Cody, Accounting; Mr. Carmen Donnarumma,
History; Mr. Arthur R. Riel, Jr.*, English and French; Mr. ChesterJ. Stuart,
Education and German. All of the above,.except for Fr. Leeber and Mr.
Donnarumma, have resigned or retired; by May of 1992 Fr. Leeber and
Mr. Donnarumma will have retired. Frs. Duffy and Leeber still live at
Fairfield University.
Sometime after Fr. Langguth had admitted the first freshman class,
a registrar, Mr.Walter Drohan, was hired. OnJune 20, 1949, Mr. Robert
F. Pitt succeeded him. The first College Library started to take shape in
the fall of 1947, situated on the third floor ofBerchmans Hall. Mr. Gaffney
was the first librarian. Mr. Richard E. Barrows succeeded him shortly after.
For ten years after 1947 the number of freshmen entering each
September did not reach the total predicted in 1947; 1957 was the
turnaround year. From then on, more freshmen entered each fall.
While Berchmans Hall was being built in the Summer of 1947,
requests from two hospitals came to Fr. Dolan. St. Vmcent's Hospital of
Bridgeport and St. Raphael's Hospital of New Haven asked Fairfield
University to teach certain college courses to their sisters and nurses in
training. Fr. Dolan gave them Fr. Provincial's answer: No, it cannot be
done this year. A year and a half later, in the Spring of 1949, certain
courses held at St. Vincent's Hospital were given to some sisters and some
*indicates deceased
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nurses who were near the end of their program. We were not running
a nursing school but 35 registered that Spring. Tuition was $14 for each
semester hour of credit. These courses continued for some years. Also
in 1949 the Summer School for men and women started. Tuition: $14 per
semester hour. The summer session ran from July 5 to Aug. 12 and 151
attended. Attendance increased each summer. We did not have campus
boarding facilities until the Summer Session of 1956. Our first dormitory
opened in the fall of 1955.
ACCREDITATION
What about approval and accreditation of our University by the
Connecticut Board of Education? On Feb. 28, 1949, the State Board of
Education received from Rev. James H. Dolan, S.]., President of Fairfield
University, a request asking for inspection of the University for purposes
of State accreditation. An Inspection Committee was formed and visited
Fairfield University on May 2, 1949. There were five on this Committee:
Dr. Samuel T. Arnold, Brown University; Mr. Paul D. Collier, Connecticut
State Department ofEducation; Very Rev. Thomas F. Dennehy, Annhurst
College; Dr. Henry C. Herge, Chiefofthe Bureau ofHigher Education and
Teacher Certification; and Very Rev. Edward B. Rooney, S.]., Jesuit
Educational Association. After inspection, the committee unanimously
recommended on May 23, 1949, that Fairfield University be accredited as
a degree-granting institution for a period of five years, terminating Aug.
31, 1954. On July 8, 1949 we were infohned that the State Board of
Education had approved the recommendation of the inspection team.
A Graduate Department of Education at Fairfield University started
in February of 1950. Tuition was $13 per semester hour. A famous
educator, Dr. Maurice E. Rogalin, who had just retired from Fordham
University, became its Dean. InJune of 1950 the Connecticut State Board
of Education voted to accredit our teacher training for secondary school
and the graduate courses offered by Fairfield University leading to the
M.A: degree in Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Guidance,
Supervision and Administration.
Around Feb. 20, 1950 Pope Pius XII chose Fr. Provincial McEleney
the new Bishop ofJamaica, British ~est Indies. Fr. Rector Dolan, for the
next eight months or so, went back to his old position but this time as
15
vice-provincial. Fr. W. Edmund Fitzgerald, the Dean of Fairfield
University, substituter as vice-rector of Fairfield. Then the same vice­rector
became the new Fr. Provincial of the Province on Oct. 10, 1950.
At once Fr. Dolan resumed his Rectorship of Fairfield University.
STIJDENT ACIlVITIES
What were some of the activities of the early students? Student
government, the student newspaper, the glee club, sports? A certain
number of students were elected by the students as their representatives
in the government. As the number of students increased, so did the
representatives.
The first weekly news for students, professors and administrators
came out on a mimeograph sheet of one page on Friday, Nov. 7,1947.
Its name was The Fairfield College "Tentative". The title indicated a
change was coming and it did after six issues on FridaY,]an. 9,1948. The
new name was The Fairfield Fulchrum. Depending on the news, it came
out with one, two, three or more mimeograghed pages. Even the name
fulchrum or fulcrum was changed again. This time, a printed newspaper
of Sept. 23, 1949 was named The Stag.
Here is the start ofthe Glee Club as described in the Fairfield College
"Tentative" ofNov. 21 and Dec. 12, 1947. OnNov. 21: "In answer to many
requests, a Glee Club will be formed in the near future." On Dec. 12: "The
Fairfield Glee Club will finally be formed within the near future. A
committeewill be headed by the club members.... If the club can prove
that it is capable of representing the college, an instructor will be hired
~
to direct the organization." The Fairfield Fulthrum ofFriaaY,]an. 9, 1948,
described the meeting held two days before when the Glee Club got its
humble start:"Thenew director, Mr. Simon Harak ofDerby, took overafter
a brief talk by Fr. Langguth and already has the club lined up and ready
to begin rehearsals. Mr. Harak is a very competent director, having studied
widely, and comes to th~ club with previous directing experience."
Under Mr. Harak the number ofmembers increased to the sixties and
seventies and the club's musical reputation spread throughout Connecti­cut.
In a short time it performed with the Connecticut Symphony at the
Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport. Many times the group was an
attraction at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
16
At first the college did not plan on having varsity sports. At least that
was Fr. Provincial McEleney's plan. His letter of May 14,'1947 gave his
opinion that the incipient college should have intramural athletics only.
Later he gave approval for an intercollegiate basketball schedule at
Fairfield. Here are the beginnings of four sports: cross-country in the fall
of 1947 coached by Mr. Victor Leeber, S.].; track in the spring of 1943,
coached by Fr. Frank Toal; basketball in the fall of 1948, coached by Mr.
Joseph Dunn; baseball in the Spring of 1951, coached by Mr. Joseph
Yabrosky (Brosley).
FIRST GRADUATION
Our first graduation day finally arrived on Tuesday, June 12, 1951.
It was a beautiful day. Undergraduates to the number of 209 received
degrees. Even the M.A. program which started in the spring semester of
1950 had four graduates. There were four honorary degrees presented:
Bishop HeruyJ. O'Brien of Hartford; Bishop William R. Arnold, Military
Delegate of the Anned Forces of the United States; Bishop John J.
McEleney, S.]., first President and Rector of Fairfield University; and the
HonorableJ. Howard McGrath, the Attorney General ofthe United States,
who made the address to the graduates. The Honorable John D. Lodge,
governor of Connecticut, also spoke to the graduates. The Academic
procession included almost 50 delegates from various colleges and
universities. Fifteen ofthese were in Connecticut. Among greetings to the
graduates wa~ the Apostolic Blessing of Pope Pius XII and the congratu­lations
of Father General J. B. Janssens, S.]. Deo Gratias!!
Father Dolan had been President of Fairfield University for about six
years, so he knew that a new president would be appointed because six
years was the usual length of the presidency in those days. With the
approach of autumn 1951, he wrote to Mr. Richardson of the Newton­Waltham
B~nk and enclosed the last checks to settle the loans made by
the bank to Fairfield University.
In a letter from Mr. Richardson, dated Sept. 5, 1951, here are a few
of his sentences: "Many thanks for your kind letter enclosing checks for
$200,000, in final payment of loan to Fairfield University. You have
completed a most extraordinary task, in my opinion, and the results I
know bring much happiness to you."
17
These p~ges do not comprise a history of Fairfield University's 50
years. They are, rather, a chronicle of the Founding Years of Fairfield
University. As we look back we can truly say that Father Dolan fostered,
guided and pointed the way. God's providence bro~ght together two
estates and turned them into a campus that by acclamation is most
beautiful. With the help of benefactors, planners, administrators, profes­sors,
all types of workers and students, a college was founded that by
consensus is most worthwhile.
Fr. Charles Duffy was a memberofthe Faiifieldjesuit Community when
the University opened its doors and lives on the campus today. He is well
remembered as the long-time manager of the Book Store and as the
Registrarforsomeyears. His accountoftheFounding Years andfive other
booklets to be issued through the year, will constitute the Chronicles of
Faiifield University.
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