Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 217, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 September 1913 — COLLEGEVILLE. [ARTICLE]

COLLEGEVILLE.

The twenty-third scholastic year was opened .last Wednesday morning with the celebration of solemn high mass by Rev. C. Mafr, Dunkirk, Ind., Rev. I. Collins, C. PP. S., acted as deacon, / Rev. A. Linneman, C. PP. S., master of ceremonies. During the vacation days a number of important improvements were made in the buildings and about the premises. The main building has been entirely refreshed. And the tin and copper work has been renewed and new skylights put in. The students’ office has been removed from the prefect’s office to a separate room near the main entrance. The wooden stairway in the students’ department has-been replaced by a cement and iron structure. The entire interior of Wyenger ball has also been daintily frescoed. Minor improvements have also been made on the college lawn, especially on th& interior court. The slow work at the gymnasium and the science hall has been disappointing. There have been a number of unforseen delays, mainly in getting the timbers for the raising of the building. However, on Thursday morning all was in readiness and th§ massive structure began to rise upward supported by some five hundred iron jacks. Mr. Medland, the brick contractor, is getting in material and the work will now he pushed with all possible haste so the work will he complete in contract time. Two changes were made in the faculty. Rev. Rugo Lear, LX PP. S., is president in place of V. Rev. Aug. Seifert, C. PP. S. The other vacancy was caused by the resignation of Rev. G. Hartjens, C. PP. S. I. Collins, C. PP. S., and Rev. A. Linneman, C. BP. S., have been appointed to fill the vacancies; the former will assist in the Latin, English and History departments, the latter in mathematics, Latin and German. Both graduated from St. Joseph’s in the class of 1907, taking their degree A. B. Last June they both graduated from St. Charles Seminary, Carthagena, Ohio,* y and were ordained priests by Rt. Rev. Henry Moeller, Archbishop of Cincinnati. Rev. P. A. Kanney, C. PP. S., A. 8., was appointed to the postmastership, which office was vacated by the resignation of Father Seifert.

The attendance is large beyond- all expectations. Alb the available space has been taken up. The number of applications that were received during the summer was sufficient to fill the house. Those now arriving without attending the formality of applying will be forced to go elsewhere for lack of accommodations here. There are now over twenty on the waiting list for entrance. It is also an interesting fact that a large number of the students come from the more distant states. There have formerly been few those states but this year the number has greatly increased.

All indications are that this will be another very successful year. The faculty will spare no effort to make it thus, and the student body has already caught the real St. Joseph's spirit and their hearts and souls will be in their play and in their work. The athletic department will be at some disadvantage owing to the condition of the gymnasium. The outlook for a strong basket ball team is splendid, and the fact that the playing floor will not be disturbed by the raisers will aid in getting the team started early. The first few weeks now will be devoted to baseball. Thomas Harrington, ,A. 8., ’l3, Columbus, Ohio, has gone to Rome, Italy, to continue his studies in philosophy and theology. Walter S. Reiniek, A. B. ’l2, is the American class leader at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. Henry Grimmelsmann, ’O9, Herman Gabel, ’lO, Cyrus Staib, ’lO, are students at the same university." '

At 3:30 o’clock Wednesday morning Brother John Spaeth, C. PP. S., died in the college infirmary. He had reached the good old age of 81 years, having befeqf born in Austria in 1832. During the French-Aus-trian wars in the middle of the last ceiitury he saw active; service with the Austrian troops against the French in Italy. In 1862 he emigrated to America, and in the same year entered the Community of the Precious Blood at (Minster, Ohio. Since that time'he has been a faithful member. His first years were spent at the different houses of the society in Ohio. In 1893 he was transferred to Collegeville, where he remained until his death. By trade he k was a tailor, and was always engaged In that work. During the last few years his health has been failing, but until a few weeks ago when he was forced by weakness to take permanently to hie bed, his little failing strength was given to his daily tasks. He lived the lowly life of an umble Brother. His disposition was ever genial, and his character upright and sincere. He leaves but a few distant relatives in Europe to mourn his loss.

buti Instead of a host of college friends will regret to learn that he ‘is with us no more. All the “old boys" knew him, but to love and respect, the present stuednt body, to love and revere. His was a life well spent; not with the flourish of trumphets and ambition’s hurrah, but with a well-meaning charity that will endure in the hearts of all those whose pleasure it was to know him to the end ol their days.