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Volume 49
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY AND ORGAN OF THE ALUMNI
COLLEGEVILLE, MINNESOTA, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1936
Number 18
THIRTY FOUR COLLEGIANS
31
Dr. Kirwin Gives Address; Edmund Piotrowski Delivers Valedictory
In an impressive afternoon program the seventy-ninth annual Commencement Exercises of St. John's University were held Sunday, May 31, in the University Auditorium. Thirty-four seniors received their diplomas and thereby officially ended their college careers. The College medalists were also rewarded during the course of the program.
Rt. Rev. Abbot Preaches Baccalaureate
Sermon
The exercises opened with Solemn High Mass in the Chapel at seven o'clock Sunday morning. At this time the Rt. Rev. Abbot of St. John's Abbey, Alcuin Deutsch, addressed the seniors. Father Abbot called attention to the coincidence by which Pentecost, the feast of the descent of the Holy Ghost, and the birthday of Pope Pius XI, the pope of Catholic Action, both fell on the same day as the graduation of the young men from college, and he exhorted them to meditate on the significance of those two events—to live the spirit of Catholicism as Christian gentlemen imbued with faith, by by the Holy Ghost, as were the apostles, and to become leaders in the Catholic Action movement which is so dear to the present Holy Father.
Band Concert Precedes Auditorium Ceremonies
At one-thirty in the afternoon the Concert Band under the direction of Father Mathias opened an hour's concert on the Auditorium lawn which was concluded with the grand processional march. The graduating seniors, the faculty, and the speakers marched from the Chapel steps to the Auditorium stage where Father Abbot introduced the Commencement speaker, Mr. Jerome G. Kirwin.
Dr. Kirwin Is Principal Speaker
Dr. Kirwin, professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and an outstanding Catholic layman, spoke forcefully and wisely to the class on matters of a practical nature for Catholic business men. He deplored the current apathy and lack of leadership among many Catholics and pointed out the almost unlimited opportunities for young men schooled in Catholic principles and willing to stick by them—in the fields of journalism and politics as well as in business. It was a frank but invigorating and inspiring message.
Continued on page 2
NEW GYMNASIUM TO GO UP THIS SUMMER
1936-37 EDITORS
Emerson Hynes
Clevc Cram
The St. John's publications, the Record and Sagalagan, will be in the hands of new editors when the 1936-37 school year opens. Cleve C. Cram of Waterville, Minnesota, has received the appointment as editor of the Sagatagan, while Emerson Hynes of Winnebago, Minnesota, will succeed Edmund Piotrowski who was responsible for the fine editorials in the Record this past year.
Mr. Cram, who will be a junior, was a member of the Sag Staff this year and assisted in the write-ups of the various classes; he also served as a reporter for the Record. Hynes will be entering on his fourth year as a Record Staff member when he assumes editorial duties next fall.
Two Administrative Changes Announced
Two administrative changes for the coming school year have been announced. Father Arno Gustin will succeed Father Theodore Krebs-bach as Dean of the College Preparatory School; Father Theodore has served as Dean for many years and several classes have entered and graduated under his guidance. Father Arno took his Master's Degree in Education from Catholic University two years ago and since that time has been studying at the University of Minnesota in preparation for his Doctorate which he expects to receive next fall.
Father Damian Baker has been appointed Registrar to succeed Father Frederic Frey who is leaving for missionary work in the Bahama Islands. A few other changes in administration are likely and will be announced at a later date.
Plans Call For 85x130 Foot Structure
This week marked another step forward in the building of a greater St. John's with official announcement from the Administration that plans for a new gymnasium had been approved. It will replace the old gym which has served St. John's athletic teams for nearly thirty years. Fathers Walter, Virgil, and Theodore have been appointed as the committee in charge of building arrangements.
Work To Begin Soon
No contracts have been let as yet since the architect's plans have not been entirely completed, but the actual construction is scheduled to start in the very near future so that the structure will be ready for the coming basketball season.
Only a limited amount of information is available, but the plans call for a floor 130' by 85' with a full basement underneath and protruding a few feet above ground similar to the auditorium basement. A sizeable annex will be built in front to provide offices for the athletic administration and a property supply room.
Perfect vision for well over a thousand will be assured by seven rows of folding bleachers on either side of the main floor, and the end space will also be available for bleachers if the size of the crowds warrant them. The new gym is sufficiently wide so that two intramural courts will be ready for service when the varsity court is not in use; this arrangement will eliminate the handicap which the directors of intramurals have been laboring under for some time. One-half of the basement will be given over to showers and locker space while the other half will give the new building the semblance of a fieldhouse; a dirt floor will be left in this half where indoor football practice as well as track and baseball practice may be held.
St. John's Becomes Second Conference School To Build Gym
Finest accommodations will be shown visiting teams in two more of the schools of the Minnesota State College Athletic Association now that the new gym at St. John's is assured. Hamline University of St. Paul has a new gym already under construction which will be finished this fall in time for the opening game of the Hamline basketeers, State Champions for the past five years.
