A Brief History of The University of Scranton
The University was first established in 1888 as Saint Thomas College, founded by Bishop William O’Hara, D.D., the first Bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Scranton. In August 1888, he placed a single block of granite as a cornerstone for his new college, which is still preserved in the wall of St. Thomas Hall. The college was renamed in 1938 to "the University of Scranton" under the administration of the Christian Brothers, or Lasallians. However, during the Great Depression and then on the eve of World War Two, the school fell into a great debt and attendance started to drop. "In the late summer of 1942, 19 Jesuits, led by Rev. Coleman Nevils, S.J., the newly appointed president, arrived on campus to administer the University and the Lasallians moved out" ("History of the University"). Under the Jesuits, the University soared to new heights: they revitalized the system education with their Ignatian emphasis on the humanities and liberal arts and saw a sharp increase in enrollment. The University, previously a "commuter school with fewer than 1,00 students" (Ibid.) has grown into its present form "with a total enrollment of approximately 5,500 students in undergraduate, graduate and nontraditional programs" (Ibid.).
Currently, the University of Scranton an independent institution and a member of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The school is composed of three Colleges: The College of Arts and Sciences, The Kania School of Management, and The Panuska College of Professional Studies, all of which contain both undergraduate and graduate programs. Since taking over, the Jesuits have grown "the U" and helped it gain national recognition. There have been decades of change, military training, and student achievement. Though the University's past has already written, it's future holds untold successes and achievements as it continues to expand its role in the Scranton and global community.
Currently, the University of Scranton an independent institution and a member of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The school is composed of three Colleges: The College of Arts and Sciences, The Kania School of Management, and The Panuska College of Professional Studies, all of which contain both undergraduate and graduate programs. Since taking over, the Jesuits have grown "the U" and helped it gain national recognition. There have been decades of change, military training, and student achievement. Though the University's past has already written, it's future holds untold successes and achievements as it continues to expand its role in the Scranton and global community.
The Christian Brothers
The University of Scranton, founded as St. Thomas College, was the first institute of higher education to serve the Greater Scranton Area, Bishop William O’Hara blessing the cornerstone of the original building on 11 August 1888 (cf. Catholic Record in James J. Gormley, “History of The University of Scranton, 1888-1942”). The University of Scranton was originally administered by the Xaverian brothers (cf. Gormley, “History of The University of Scranton, 1888-1942,” 25), with the Lasallian Christian Brothers, or “the sons of St. La Salle” (Ibid., 2), taking over in the year 1897 (cf. Ibid., 34). The Christian Brothers would act as administrators of the University for forty-five years, and would “advance greatly St. Thomas College” (Ibid., 34).
Though the Christian Brothers did uncontestable good for the University, problems nevertheless existed. Some of these problems included a lopsided faculty-student ratio (i.e., there were not enough faculty members to teach the growing student body) and a lowering of academic standards in favor of full-tuition athletic scholarships. Brother Denis Edward, F.S.C., as president of the University, managed to reverse the problems named above and many more unnamed, but he was not able to keep the University from plunging into debt. The University “posted its first deficit in 1933, as many students were unable to pay full fare” (Frank X J Homer et al., The University of Scranton: A Legacy To Hold, A Future To Build, 1888-2013, 10.). Facing financial issues at their own institution, La Salle College in Philadelphia, the Christian Brothers withdrew from administration of the University in 1942 (Ibid., 13).
Though the Christian Brothers did uncontestable good for the University, problems nevertheless existed. Some of these problems included a lopsided faculty-student ratio (i.e., there were not enough faculty members to teach the growing student body) and a lowering of academic standards in favor of full-tuition athletic scholarships. Brother Denis Edward, F.S.C., as president of the University, managed to reverse the problems named above and many more unnamed, but he was not able to keep the University from plunging into debt. The University “posted its first deficit in 1933, as many students were unable to pay full fare” (Frank X J Homer et al., The University of Scranton: A Legacy To Hold, A Future To Build, 1888-2013, 10.). Facing financial issues at their own institution, La Salle College in Philadelphia, the Christian Brothers withdrew from administration of the University in 1942 (Ibid., 13).
The Transition
The Catholic Light, “Jesuits_Formally_Welcomed_To_Diocese_Bishop_Haffey_Is_Preacher_A-
t_Mass_In_Honor_Of_Holy_Ghost.Jpg,” Who would administer to the needs of a financially-ailing college in the midst of a war with an uncertain outcome, much less only a decade after the worst depression the country had ever seen? The bishop of the Diocese of Scranton, Bishop William Haffey, D.D., was faced with that very same question. Offers were made to various institutions, all resulting in an emphatic, seemingly-universal refusal. Hope emerged, however, in an 3 April 1942 letter from Brother Zacheus J. Maher of the Society of Jesus, who told Bishop Haffey “not [to] make the refusal absolute, but temporary,” claiming that “[m]uch w[ould] depend upon the course of the war.”
Debate went back and forth in the Jesuit camp, any argument against the proposal boiling down to either “[t]he [f]inancial element … [or] [t]he [m]an-[p]ower [p]roblem” (Edward C. Phillip, S.J., “Should The Society Accept The Offer Of The Bishop Of Scranton To Give To The Society ‘The University Of Scranton’ And Accede To His Request That We Man And Conduct It?”). The so-called financial element’s main concern was that the University was in debt about $150,000, though the debt was not classified as “extreme” (Ibid., 1), while the man-power problem asserted that “[t]he Southern Jurisdiction [of the Society of Jesus] ha[d] not th[e] number to spare” (Ibid., 1) to properly staff the school, though “the Provincial ha[d] promised to supply a large proportion of the needed men from among the members of the Northern Jurisdiction” (Ibid., 1). Effectually, any factor raised against acceptance of the bishop’s offer was reasoned away as a temporary, manageable inconvenience, while several elements stood in favor of accepting the new responsibility. These included an overall well-disposed air towards the Society from the general public, the promise for new novitiates into the Order, which would, in turn, increase the Order’s size, and the maintenance of the bishop’s good will (Ibid., 1-2). Finally, in a 11 May 1942 letter from James P. Sweeney, S.J., to Bishop Haffey, the Order of the Society of Jesus accepted the offer to act as administrators of the University of Scranton (James P. Sweeney, S.J. to Bishop William Haffey, D.D., May 11, 1942).
The transition itself was considerably less organized. All information concerning it was top secret, and the Christian Brothers were only informed on the details on a need-to know basis. Not even the moving-truck driver was allowed to know what was going on when he came from Ammendale to pick up their things (cf. Brother E. Leonard to Brother Visitor, "Correspondence_2009-049_K_061-062.pdf"). The Brothers slowly began leaving after Commencement on 7 June 1941, and, on 15 June 1942, then president Brother Leonard had his final meeting with Bishop Haffey before he and Brother James left Scranton for the last time (cf. "History of the Community of the Brothers of Christian Schools, St. Thomas College, 1897-1942 :: The University of Scranton Digital Collections"). The previous president left just three days after the official announcement was made in the 12 June 1942 issue of The Catholic Light. It was the end of an era: the Christian Brothers were gone.
The first Jesuits didn't begin to arrive until July. The first two, Father Nevils and Father Wheeler, arrived in Scranton on 7 July 1942 and were elected to disintegrating Board of Trustees. The Board would see a complete overhaul when the rest of the Jesuits began arriving and replaced the previous board members (cf. Ferdinand C. Wheeler, "Scranton_University_The_Beginning_And_First_Year.pdf"). The Jesuits were formally welcomed in a mass at the cathedral by Bishop Haffey. His sermon was nothing if not chilling: he swore the service of the University of Scranton faculty, staff, and students to the Allied cause, and swore, if necessary, the sacrifice of their lives in seeing it accomplished (cf. The Catholic Light, “Jesuits_Formally_Welcomed_To_Diocese_Bishop_Haffey_Is_Preacher_A-
t_Mass_In_Honor_Of_Holy_Ghost.Jpg”).
A core of characteristic of the University of Scranton’s identity is its status as a Jesuit institution, though that was not always the case. The University of Scranton passed through two sets of administrative hands before the Jesuit’s agreed, after a long period of debate, to run the fledgling institution with crippling finances and an uncertain future. The decision that would largely define the Scranton area for decades to come was not always a certain one, but the Jesuits accepted the responsibility of the running the University with the willingness to accept a challenge and faith in divine Providence.
t_Mass_In_Honor_Of_Holy_Ghost.Jpg,” Who would administer to the needs of a financially-ailing college in the midst of a war with an uncertain outcome, much less only a decade after the worst depression the country had ever seen? The bishop of the Diocese of Scranton, Bishop William Haffey, D.D., was faced with that very same question. Offers were made to various institutions, all resulting in an emphatic, seemingly-universal refusal. Hope emerged, however, in an 3 April 1942 letter from Brother Zacheus J. Maher of the Society of Jesus, who told Bishop Haffey “not [to] make the refusal absolute, but temporary,” claiming that “[m]uch w[ould] depend upon the course of the war.”
Debate went back and forth in the Jesuit camp, any argument against the proposal boiling down to either “[t]he [f]inancial element … [or] [t]he [m]an-[p]ower [p]roblem” (Edward C. Phillip, S.J., “Should The Society Accept The Offer Of The Bishop Of Scranton To Give To The Society ‘The University Of Scranton’ And Accede To His Request That We Man And Conduct It?”). The so-called financial element’s main concern was that the University was in debt about $150,000, though the debt was not classified as “extreme” (Ibid., 1), while the man-power problem asserted that “[t]he Southern Jurisdiction [of the Society of Jesus] ha[d] not th[e] number to spare” (Ibid., 1) to properly staff the school, though “the Provincial ha[d] promised to supply a large proportion of the needed men from among the members of the Northern Jurisdiction” (Ibid., 1). Effectually, any factor raised against acceptance of the bishop’s offer was reasoned away as a temporary, manageable inconvenience, while several elements stood in favor of accepting the new responsibility. These included an overall well-disposed air towards the Society from the general public, the promise for new novitiates into the Order, which would, in turn, increase the Order’s size, and the maintenance of the bishop’s good will (Ibid., 1-2). Finally, in a 11 May 1942 letter from James P. Sweeney, S.J., to Bishop Haffey, the Order of the Society of Jesus accepted the offer to act as administrators of the University of Scranton (James P. Sweeney, S.J. to Bishop William Haffey, D.D., May 11, 1942).
The transition itself was considerably less organized. All information concerning it was top secret, and the Christian Brothers were only informed on the details on a need-to know basis. Not even the moving-truck driver was allowed to know what was going on when he came from Ammendale to pick up their things (cf. Brother E. Leonard to Brother Visitor, "Correspondence_2009-049_K_061-062.pdf"). The Brothers slowly began leaving after Commencement on 7 June 1941, and, on 15 June 1942, then president Brother Leonard had his final meeting with Bishop Haffey before he and Brother James left Scranton for the last time (cf. "History of the Community of the Brothers of Christian Schools, St. Thomas College, 1897-1942 :: The University of Scranton Digital Collections"). The previous president left just three days after the official announcement was made in the 12 June 1942 issue of The Catholic Light. It was the end of an era: the Christian Brothers were gone.
The first Jesuits didn't begin to arrive until July. The first two, Father Nevils and Father Wheeler, arrived in Scranton on 7 July 1942 and were elected to disintegrating Board of Trustees. The Board would see a complete overhaul when the rest of the Jesuits began arriving and replaced the previous board members (cf. Ferdinand C. Wheeler, "Scranton_University_The_Beginning_And_First_Year.pdf"). The Jesuits were formally welcomed in a mass at the cathedral by Bishop Haffey. His sermon was nothing if not chilling: he swore the service of the University of Scranton faculty, staff, and students to the Allied cause, and swore, if necessary, the sacrifice of their lives in seeing it accomplished (cf. The Catholic Light, “Jesuits_Formally_Welcomed_To_Diocese_Bishop_Haffey_Is_Preacher_A-
t_Mass_In_Honor_Of_Holy_Ghost.Jpg”).
A core of characteristic of the University of Scranton’s identity is its status as a Jesuit institution, though that was not always the case. The University of Scranton passed through two sets of administrative hands before the Jesuit’s agreed, after a long period of debate, to run the fledgling institution with crippling finances and an uncertain future. The decision that would largely define the Scranton area for decades to come was not always a certain one, but the Jesuits accepted the responsibility of the running the University with the willingness to accept a challenge and faith in divine Providence.
The First Jesuits
Very Reverend William C. Nevils, S.J. (Rector and First University President)
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** These sources are listed again on the About page, along with specific archival information.