San Francisco County
Biographies
THE
UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
A time-honored educational institution of the state of California is the University of San Francisco, formerly known as St. Ignacius College. In May, 1855, at Fourth and Market streets, the site of the present Emporium building, the Rev. Anthony Maraschi, S. J., erected a small frame building having just two rooms and a kitchen, and this he called St. Ignatius College.
The coming of the Jesuits to California on December 8, 1849, was in reality their return to California after an enforced absence of nearly three-quarters of a century. Of this journey to San Francisco from Oregon, one of the priests wrote: “We prepared ourselves for our voyage, and although we embarked at the end of October, on the day sacred to the memory of Blessed Alphonsus Rodriquez, we were unable, on account of contrary winds, to set sail before December 3, 1849, on which day, the winds veering in our favor, we reached with rapid course the object of our journey, arriving on the night of December 8, so that the next day we were able to set foot on the longed-for shores of what goes under the name of San Francisco, but which, whether it should be called madhouse or Babylon, I am at a loss to determine; so great in those days was the disorder, the brawling, the open immorality, the reign of crime, which, brazen-faced, triumphed on a soil not yet brought under the sway of human laws.”
The coming of the Jesuits, and the establishment of the little St. Ignatius, were factors looking toward the cultural and moral regeneration of this mining community. The humble beginning, as it undoubtedly was with one teacher and one student, was just the beginning of one of the community’s fine influences. A brick building was later built on the original site, but in 1887 the priests sold this property and moved to what is now Hayes street and Van Ness avenue. In the year 1859, the state legislature granted a charter to the institution, under the terms of which it could grant degrees and have all the privileges of any educational organization of the country. Then, through a period of almost a half century, the college grew in size and in prestige. It became nationally known as one of the best Catholic schools of the country. A science building, library, laboratories, gymnasium, theater, and a beautiful church structure had been added to the equipment of the school. The golden jubilee had been celebrated, and the greatest optimism existed for the future. Then, on April 18, 1906, the devastating earthquake and fire visited San Francisco, and St. Ignatius College was reduced to ashes and ruins. Undaunted, however, the Jesuit authorities in charge of the school began over again at Shrader and Hayes streets. Step by step the school has since grown. Just after the fire of 1906, there were three hundred students in the high school and college together. In 1931, there are fourteen hundred and thirty-three in the college and seven hundred and ninety in the high school. Many fine buildings, of attractive architecture and on an eminence commanding a fine view of the city, now house the work of this college. The church building was constructed in 1914; the administration building in 1921; the College of Liberal Arts in 1927; the new high school in 1929; and the College of Fine Arts in 1931. The law college of the university has grown to be a big feature, and scores of men who have become noted in the law profession have graduated therefrom. Baseball, football, basketball and track sports have been accorded generous attention by the school authorities, and capable athletic groups have carried the school to victory on many occasions.
On Thursday, May 22, 1930, there was celebrated the diamond jubilee of St. Ignatius College, and appropriate exercises were held in the dedication of the memorial plaque on the Emporium building, which, as previously noted, stands on the first site of the college. The celebration was under the auspices of the Society of California Pioneers, and in addition to the members of this society present there were graduates of the first college, and members of the Alumni Association. Addresses were made by Oliver P. Stidger, the Most Rev. Archbishop Edward J. Hanna, D. D., the Very Rev. Edward J. Whelan, president of the institution, and A. B. C. Dohrman, chairman of the board of the Emporium.
As stated in the program of the occasion, “In vision those gathered there saw again the pioneer educators and the materialization of their vision which lives in the towering St. Ignatius College, whose first building was on the ground where the Emporium now stands.”
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 3 Pages 277-279.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN
FRANCISCO BIOGRAPIES