'" '., '^o- xO^'^. 0> "^"'^-v'^'c. '" ^^ ♦ « . %<.' ^0 o^ pq. 1 <, "(b^ ,0^ ^: .1 -% .■V .o^ '^'i^k^j / \ -^■:^s J°^^- '-y'^ / oo <\V' <^r. A PLEA r^-... Higher Education of Catholic Young Men of America. WITH AN Kxposure of the Frauds of the University of Notre Dame, Ind. PRECEDED BY A Circular IvKTTEr to the; Archbishops, Bishops and Prominent Clergy of the United States. CHARIvBS YENl^ZilANI, A. M., Ph. D. (Heidelberg). Professor at the Univerf ity of Notre Dame from '96 to '99. u hil^iof ^^ 56(!25 Copyrighted 1900 CHARI^ Third, the root of the evil is that o_ur cathohc people look upon collegiate institutions as the property of private .corporations which are to be left to take care of themselves. The University of Notre Dame takes a great interest in the spiritu al welfare of the 1452 catholic students, in 6 per ceaitum of the non-catholic colleges of America, very many of whom will lose their faith, and all will be weakened in that faith, and naturally she suggests a remedy conducive to the spir- itual welfare of the students and the temporal welfare of herself. Give $5,000 to the University of Notre Dame and the faith of a catholic boy will neither be lost nor weakened. Wejniay smile at such a holy and unselfish request of the University of Notre Dame,, we may smile at the idea that very many of these catholic young men will lose their faith, we may laugh at such nonsense, that all will be weakened in that faith, but, we cannot laugh at the fact that catholic boys who cannot pay the ex- pense of education are obliged to go to non-catholic colleges. This means that relatively poor boys can receive an education in non-catholic colleges and can- not receive an education in catholic colleges. This is a very important matter. If the catholic clergy really believe that very many of our catholic young men who study in non-catholic colleges will lose their faith, and all will be weakened in that faith, as they are barred from entering catholic colleges controlled by religious congregations, the expenses being too high,, and are obliged to go to non-catholic colleges, these catholic young men should be provided with catholic colleges, where they could receive an education as good and as cheap as in non-catholic colleges. Moreover, since 38 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR this evil is due to the fact that onr cathohc people look upon collegiate institutions as the property of private corporations which are to be left to take care of them- selves, it is now time that our catholics should be thoroughly aroused to the great need of these new catholic colleges, and it is to the Bishops that bequests should be made for this holy purpose. Even in the hypothesis that the danger of our catho- lic young men losing their faith or being weakened in that faith by studying in non-catholic colleges is not so great, the fact remains that the more centers of light the better it is for the nation. It is a shame that we catholics of the twentieth century cannot boast in the United States of educational institutions, where courses are offered as varied and thorough as in the colleges of our non-catholic brethren, and we should certainly have universities doing collegiate work where one might be sure that our catholic young men in get- ting the bread of higher education receive nothing mingled with it which might be detrimental to their faith, as for instance in the study of history, philoso- phy, etc. The proposition of the University of Notre Dame to be entrusted with the faith and education of catholic students who go to non-catholic colleges be- cause t'ney cannot pay the expense of education, and asking only $5,000 apiece for each student, could not be considered even for a moment by one acquainted with the crooked ways of dealing of the University of Notre Dame, besides, there are other drawbacks which .should not be passed over in silence. In the first place many catholic :students go to non- catholic colleges because they ofifer courses more varied and thorough than our catholic colleges. The CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 39 principal degree of the University of Notre Dame is her Bachelor of Arts. Only one or two students take this degr^e_ every year, besides a few who pre- pare themselves for the priesthood ; still the num- ber of beginners in Latin is very great. The reason of the fewness of such advanced students is, that seven years Latin live hours per week, six years Greek five hours per week and plenty of English, are not enoug njo retain students who want a university educa- tion; and although the university offers to those stu- dents who are in the Junior and Senior year a room free of cost, for which she charges fifty dollars per year to other students, the advanced students go else- where. The University of Notre Dame is more successful in atjtracting new students, with her pufifs, athletics -and big catalogue that makes her appear a big univer- sity. One of the biggest frauds of the University of Notre Dame for which she rightly deserves the name of Quack University, is her degree of Doctor of Phil- osophy held forth in her Spanish catalogue, page 79, in order to decoy the Spanish speaking youth, especially the Cubans. The fraud is so patent that in order to shun the ridicule such pretensions would rightly draw upon her, she is silent in her English catalogue, although printed later, about the degree of her Doctor of Philosophy. It seems almost incredible that men who_become priests and join a religious congregation, taking three vows in order to better serve God and be useful to mankind, should _stoop so low to deceive the Spanish speaking people with glaring falsehoods, imaginary buildings and the fraud of a three years post graduate course leading to the degree of Doctor 40 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR of Philosophy, all to be found in her Spanish cata- logue. It is the duty of the State of Indiana not to allow an institution of learning like Notre Dame, deriving her authority of granting degrees from the state, to abuse this authority in order to deceive the Spanish speaking people. How could the Spanish ^^peaking people believe that a university which is both catholic and American should purposely state false- hoods in order to decoy them? Yet it is with these fraudulent methods that the University of Notre Dame secures her Spanish speaking students. Let us suppose that a good soul bequeaths tO' the University of Notre Dame, sufficient funds to endow a number of scholarships, how would the students enjoying the scholarships be treated by a university like Notre Dame who robbed her waiter students of the instruction due to them, for paying fifty dollars a year besides giving many hours in the service of the university, and who used the dropping of this waiter student's class as a pretext to try and rob her Pro- fessor, a married man with a family, of two-fifths of his salary of $600 per year? Other universities that have scholarships state on what condition they can be obtained and the names of students enjoying schol- arships are mentioned in their catalogues. Not so Notre Dame, although according to page 192 of her catalogue she has one ^scholarship. Who knows whether these scholarships would not be offered to ydung men who have distinguished themselves in ath- letic sports in order to induce them to enter the uni- versity? It is a well known secret that during the vacations the University of Notre Dame hunts up ath- letes and offers them inducements to join her athletic CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 41 staff. What is more natural that in a university where waiter students are robbed of their instruction, a teacher of his salary, scholarships, instead of being given to really bright and studious young men, should be given to football and baseball players, who by their feats of agility and dexterity help so much to swell the class roll? Scholarships in a university like Notre Dame instead of helping the higher education would only help to foster ignorance. It is certain that this money would help swell the funds of the congrega- tion of the Holy Cross and perhaps in the near future neither board nor educate students. The reason is evi- dent. The university expressly stipulates that "a. foun- dation of $5,000 will educate and board a student as long as the university exists." The moment the uni- versity ceases to exist as a university she will no long- er be obliged to educate and board students enjoying scholarships. The existence of the university depends upon the state of Indiana. The charter was granted . with a very wise proviso : "Provided, however, that no degrees shall be conferred nor diplomas granted, except to students who have acquired the same pro- ficiency in the liberal arts and sciences, and in law and medicine, as is customary in other universities in the United States." The legislature has full power to have a thorough investigation made in every university in the state, in order to be assured that the power given to confer degrees is not abused. The fact that such investigations have not been made in the different states does not prove they will never be made, and it does not require the foresight of a prophet to perceive that in the near future the charters of those institu- tions of learning which do not compare favorably with 42 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR state institutions in the departments in which they grant degrees will be revoked. It is for the benefit of the public as well as the institutions of learning that the exercise of the power of granting degrees should be used only in those courses in which colleges have a competent faculty. A standing committee of Presidents and Professors of different colleges of the state appointed by the gov- ernor to report at every session of the legislature any shortcomings which need the action of the legislature seems for the present the best remedy for correcting abuses which become more and more glaring in a uni- versity for example like Notre Dame. Suppose such a committee visited the University of Notre Dame ; the gentlemen would certainly go to admire the law school which is not one of the seven wonders of the universe, but something incomparably greater. With a faculty where are to be found Pro- fessors who do honor to the University of Notre Dame by allowing her to use their names and that is all, in the twenty-five pages devoted by the university to the explanation of her great course in law, she modestly states in her catalogue: "It is believed that nowhere in the country is the course in law more comprehen- sive, thorough and practical than at this university." This may be supposed by the gentlemen of the com- mittee to be only a figure of speech used in order to show the excellency of the course in law of this great University of Notre Dame. It is a mistake. God's great wonders can be excelled by others still greater, but the course in law of the University of Notre Dame cannot be excelled. The university expressly states in her catalogue: "This course of instruction is com- CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 43 prehensive, thorough and practical. It is not and can- not be excelled." The inspection of this course may lead the committee to investigate the fraud of the Romance Languages chair, the fraud of the chairs of Mathematics, the fraud of the course in Architecture leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Archi- tecture with no architect in her staff, the fraud of her post graduate course leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, the fraud of her degree of Doctor of Science, the fraud of her degree of Doctor of Letters, the fraud of her degree of Doctor of Laws granted for some remarkable w^ork on law, the fraud of fitting stu- dents to become professors of mathematics or leading them in the difficult path of original investigations with not one professor in her staff who could be called a mathematician, etc. The committee may come to the conclusion that where such glaring frauds exist the students cannot acquire the same proficiency in the liberal arts and sciences as is customary in other universities in the United States, the legislature might revoke the charter, and the University of Notre Dam.e ceasing to exist as a university, she would no longer be obliged to educate and board students enjoying scholarships. These cath- olic students would be compelled to avail themselves of non-catholic colleges, and very many would con- tinue losing their faith and all would be weakened in that faith because the University of Notre Dame, who had asked and received $5,000 for each student in order to be entrusted with their faith and education, has been found to be a fraud rightly deserving to be wiped out of existence as a university. The usefulness of religious congregations, if the 44 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR charters were revoked, would be increased. Their colleges and universities would then become S^aA pre- paratory schools — the feeders of the new catholic col- leges with Bishops as Presidents of trustees and learned laymen as Professors. The cause of the higher education of our catholic young men would be greatly benefited by this change. One might reasonably object that although the President of the University of Notre Dame did not wish to introduce the higher branches of mathematics because they do not pay (see page 15) the fact is, that higher branches of mathematics are offered. On page 40 of her Spanish catalogue elective studies are to be found : "for students who wish to make a deep study of pure mathematics either to fit themselves to become professors in mathematics or with the object in view of making original researches." This requires an explan- ation. About twenty months ago I was approached by a priest-professor on the veranda of the university who handed me a proof of a part of the English cata- logue containing the elective work of the advanced courses in mathematics asking what I thought of it. I replied that the mere fact that Dr. Craig's Differential Equations, the study of which requires a knowledge of Theory of Futictions, is one of the textbooks, and knowing positively that no professor in Notre Dame engaged in teaching mathematics has any conception of Theory of Functions, it is a clear proof to me that this course is a fraud. Any mathematician could per- ceive it because a course in Theory of Functions is not to be found either in the prescribed or in the elective studies ; but Dr. Craig's Dififerential Equations could not be studied without the knowledge of Theory CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 45 of Functions ; therefore the professor who wrote the course had not taken the trouble of examining the book ; in fact, he had never seen it. It is useless to state that Dr. Craig's name was scratched and later replaced by Murray's. When I met the layman-professor entrusted by the President with the writing of this course of advanced mathematics for the catalogue he acknowledged frankly that he had never seen Dr. Craig's Differential Equations, but he supposed it was all right because he had seen that book in the catalogues of great universities, and of course it should find its place in the catalogue of the University of Notre Dame. To study Dr. Craig's Differential Equations after Osborne's Calculus is the same as to study calculus after arj^thme^^^^ It is with such mathe- maticians that the University of Notre Dame offers to the Spanish speaking students opportunities for deep studies in pure mathematics to fit them to become professors in mathematics or to lead them in the obstruse path of original research ! ! ! ! To think that the newspapers unwittingly help to cheat the public with their puffs, enhancing the work of such a lying institution as Notre Dame ! To think that the Very Reverend Dr. Zahm is so highly praised for his zeal displayed in the interest of higher educa- tion ! The great number of catholics who are desirous of seeing catholic educational institutions offer courses as varied and thorough as those of non-catholic col- leges and universities may indeed be pleased with the zeal of the Very Reverend Dr. Zahm who has realized that competition in brains is a reality ; that the insti- tution that offers the largest salaries gets the best teachers and that a competent faculty and modern 46 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR equipment swell the class rolls! ! ! But this is sheer nonsense and the facts prove it. The Very Reverend Dr. Zahm, Provincial of the congregation of the Holy Cross and President of the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame, is 'i simply an abettor and conniver of detestable frauds. As President of the Board of Trustees of the Univer- sity of Notre Dame, Dr. Zahm is responsible for the ' spreading of the falsehoods set forth in the Spanish catalogue to deceive the Spanish speaking students of Cuba, Mexico, Central and South America. As Presi- dent of the Board of Trustees it is his duty to see that all informations in the Spanish catalogue sent or con- veyed to the Latin Americans are correct. It is his dutyto see that the Latin-American young men should (not be decoyed by the most _shameless. misrepresenta- tions of the greatness of the University of Notre Dame. The Very Reverend Dr. Zahm understands Span- ish. Let him open the Spanish catalogue on page 8i and read : "The degree of Doctor of Letters is hon- orary, and is granted to former pupils of the university who write some remarkable work in literature or in /any other branches of the course." This is a false- [hood and Dr. Zahm is aware of it. The object of this falsehood is to convey to the Spanish speaking people the impression that in the faculty of the University of Notre Dame there are Ijterary men of the greatest rank and that such a degree is really granted. It is not so, however, and the English catalogue of the Uni- versity of Notre Dame is silent on this degree as well as on what is further quoted on page 8i, Spanish cata- logue: "Bachelors of Letters may enter the course CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 47 of Doctor of Philosophy and obtain the degree in three years ; see conditions, page 79." Let the Very Rev- erend Dr. Zahm open the Spanish catalogue on page 87. "The degree of Doctor of Science is honorary and is only conferred on former pupils of the univer- sity who distinguish themselves by some remarkable work in any of the sciences of the course." This also is not to be found in the English catalogue, and the Very Reverend Dr. Zahm is aware that the University of Notre Dame do es not have in her stafif such special- ists to enable her to confer such a degree without mak- ing herself eminently ridiculous, and yet Reverend Dr. Zahm, President of the Board of Trustees, con- nives and abetts such falsehoods by allowing the Span- ish catalogue to be spread abroad. Let the Very Rev- erend Dr. Zahm open the Spanish catalogue on page no: "The title of Doctor of Laws is honorary, and it is granted only for some remarkable work on any branch of laws." This falsehood is so. patent that the University of Notre Dame would be ashamed of hav- ing it reproduced in her English catalogue, although she devotes twenty-five pages of her English catalogue to the course in law, which "is not and cannot be excelled." It is evidently wrong for a catholic university like Notre Dame, controlled by the congregation of the Holy Cross, to take advantage of the unbounded con- fidence the catholic Spanish speaking people have in the truthfulness and honesty of priests belonging to a religious congregation, in order to deceive them with abominable falsehoods and thus induce them to send their young men to study In the catholic University of Notre Dame. The end does not justify tKe means. 48 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR Whatever may be the spiritual advantages the Spanish speaking young men will receive by becoming stu- dents of this university, no lies should be used for this purpose. It is the duty of every catholic, of every lover of higher education, of every patriot, who does not wish that an American institution of learning should bring a lasting disgrace on the United States, by spreading falsehoods in catalogues to cheat our neighboring Spanish speaking nations, to see that a stop should be put to it. If the state of Indiana on account of some techni- calities of the law cannot restrain the Very Reverend Dr. Zahm from 'continuing such disgraceful methods, the Archbishops, Bishops and prominent members of the clergy should be applied to, in order to use their influence and authority with the Very Reverend Dr. Zahm. If it happens that the Very Reverend Dr. Zahm, Provincial of the congregation of the Holy Cross, and President of the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame, brooks no interference from Arch- bishops, Bishops or prominent members of the clergy, God be thanked there is a power that can crush him, and bring him to submission — Rome. Rome sanctions the existence of the congregation of the Holy Cross for the edification of the world, but not in order that this congregation of the Holy Cross, enjoying the prestige of the recognition of Rome, should cheat catholic nations. Think for a moment, what a scandal such frauds would occasion, if a patriotic Cuban, having been de- coyed through the open falsehoods of the Spanish CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 49 catalogue to the University of Notre Dame, should bring a suit before the United States court, praying the United States court to have the University of Notre Dame re strain ed from continuing to cheat his countrymen. He might rightly state : "The University of Notre Dame is deceiving my countrymen by lead- ing them to believe through the false statements of her Spanish catalogue, that she is a great university; that her work is exceptionally high; that her staff is composed of eminent specialists. I shall limit myself to the most glaring falsehoods in her Spanish cata- logue and which the university does not dare to print in her Eji^lish^atalogue. i. The University of Notre Dame lies when she asserts on page i8 of her Spanish catalogue : "Notre Dame and the principal universi- ties of this country have endeavored to make the title of Doctor, a degree granted only for exceptional work, and when the pupil shows that he possesses special /aptitude for original research." The University of Notre Dame has not granted one degree of Doctor on the above conditions. It is entirely unknown to the students and professors of Notre Dame, that there exists a three years post graduate course leading to the degree of I^Qctor of Philosophy — a course printed in the Spanish catalogue and which does not exist in the University of Notre Dame. 2. The University of Notre Dame lies when she asserts on page 19 and in other places of her Spanish catalogue : That her de- gree of Doctor of Science, Doctor of Laws and Doctor of Letters are honorary and granted only for some remarkable work on those branches. This is a false- hood leading us to beHeve that the University of Notre Dame has a faculty in which there are eminent special- 50 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR ists in such branches, and I defy the University of Notre Dame to show that she has ever granted her degrees of Doctor of Science, Doctor of Letters on such conditions. Everybody is aware that her Doctor of Laws is not granted for any work on law. 3. The University of Notre Dame lies when on page 40 of her Spanish catalogue she states that stu- dents can make within her halls a deep study of the higher branches of mathematics, either to fit them- selves to^become professors in mathematics or to make original investigations. The University of Notre Dame does not have in her staff one specialist in mathematics, and she is aware of it. The Spanish catalogue is intended, as may be seen on page 15 (Spanish catalogue), for Cubans, Mexicans, Central and South Americans, to decoy them with falsehoods ; thus Spanish speaking young men, instead of profiting by the advantages of the best universities of the United States, are decoyjsd to Notre Dame to receive an inferior education. Such being the case, I, a Cuban j having the interest of my countrymen at heart, and knowing that my people could never be made to believe that a catholic and American university controlled by the congrega- tion of the Holy Cross would take advantage of their unbounded confidence in priests, in order to deceive them, I pray the United States court to put an injunc- tion on the Spanish catalogues of the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, wherewith said university floods my country and deceives my coun- trymen. I pra^ the United States court to compel the Univer- sity of Notre Dame, controlled by the congregation CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 51 of the Holy Cross, to have advertised in the Cuban, Mexican, Central and South American newspapers that her Spanish catalogue is not to be rehed on. The University of Notre Dame is guilty toward her Latin American students of breach of promise, since the University of Notre Dame did not furnish us with the eminent specialists which her several doctors de- grees, granted only for some remarkable work, re- quire. The University of Notre Dame is guilty of breach of contract because the University of Notre Dame exacted our money on conditions which she knew at the time she could not fulfill. The University of Notre Dame is guilty of obtaining our money under false pretense, since her Doctors' degrees and eminent specialists are only imaginary and not to be discovered in her institution of learn- ing. Such being the case, the Latin-American students of Notre Dame university have a perfect right to pray the courts that their money should be refunded, and that damages 'should be granted them for losing the best_years of their life in a university — a university entirely different from what she represented herself to be. The catholic University of Notre Dame should feel happy of a judgment in favor of her Latin-American students, because, according to one of her religious tenets there is no absolution without restitution. I, however, waive all claims to any indemnity to which I may be entitled, provided the catholic University of Notre Dame ceases to deceive Latin-Americans." What a disgrace that would be to the catholics of America, and to think that such a disgrace should be 52 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR brought about by a religious congregation whose object should be the edification and not the cheating of the public ! REMEDY OF THESE EVILS, AND THE CATH- OLICITY OF THE NEW CATHOLIC COLLEGES OF THE FUTURE. We have seen what is almost evident, tliat it is a pre- posterous idea to suppose that religious congregations could furnish our catholic young men of America with colleges where the bread of higher education is dis- pensed. Let us bear in mind that for colleges is meant the collegiate departments of universities like Harvard, Yale, Chicago, Northwestern, Brown, etc. We have seen that the root of the evil is that our catholic people look upon collegiate institutions as the property of private corporations which are to be left to take care of themselves. We have seen that it would be dangerous to furnish religious congregations with money in behalf of those boys who cannot pay the expense of education and are therefore obliged to go to non-catholic colleges, besides other drawbacks all the profit goes to enrich the congregation. Who is not acquainted with the evils with which the Catholic Church has been afflicted on account of religious bodies owning too much, and their avarice increasing in proportion with their wealth? The only way left is to found colleges with learned laymen as professors and Bishops as Presidents of Trustees. To start the new catholic colleges, the real difficulty CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. S3 is raising funds for this holy purpose. The cathoHcs have been so accustomed to see reHgious congrega- tions found colleges and universities, and make money, that it would be hard for them to realize that a good college or university cannot be self-supporting, much less make money. The respect that the majority of catholics feel toward the priestly character of the members of congrega- tions is s^_gTeat that it would be difHcult for them to realize that everything religious congregations under- take is not perfect, consequently catholics do not see the necessity of having catholic colleges with learned laymen as professors. It. is true, that the priestly character gives rights to the one who possesses it, that angels and archangels must gaze at the performance of them with awe and reyerence ; but priestly character will make neither a college professor, nor a carpenter, nor a shoemaker, and unless a priest has spent several years in univer- sities in close contact with masters of seciilar learning he will remain as a rule a very incompetent college professor. It is no wonder that the bequests our catholics make in the interest of higher education are nothing com- pared with those of our non-catholic brethren. This does not prove, however, that catholics are not inter- ested in higher education ; it only proves they have never felt the necessity of making any effort in that line. If an Archbishop of one of our large cities like Chi- cago, New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, etc., should announce to the public his intention of founding a college with a layman President and laymen profess- 54 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR ors, the Archbishop himseh' being ex-officio President of the Board of Trustees, and the Board being com- posed of some few priests of wealthy parishes, and a good number of wealthy catholic laymen, very soon sufficient funds would be raised to start the college. If, moreover, the Archbishop informs the public that one of the objects he has in view is to furnish his seminarians with a good secular education so that the fjuture priests might be college J)red men, and there- fore he wishes to join the college to the seminary, the management, however, of both remaining quite sepa- rate, the contributions of catholics would be ^reatj^ increased. The idea that this college, besides being for the higher education of catholic young men, will also greatly benefit the Catholic Churcfi of America by being the means of irnparting a better secular edu- cation to the clergy, would greatly stimulate the good will of those who are able and willing to contribute. I feel almost certain that even wealthy non-catholics would help, because, considering the priest simply as a teacher of morality and as such of great service to the people, everything being equal, his usefulness will be ijicreased by a good, broad, secular education. The college would help the seminary, on the other hand, the seminary vvould be of the greatest advantage to the college, by offering opportunities to the students of the .college to acquire a deeper knowledge of branches more or less intimately connected with their catholic faith. This is what T call the catholicity of the new catholic colleges. For instance, can we blame non-catholics for their prejudice that we catholics are forbidden tg.read_tbe CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 55 word of God, transmitted to us in the Holy Scripture ; that Book that surpasses ah books, past, present and future, and which, alas, is" not read by our catholic students studying in catholic colleges and universities controlled by religious congregations ? Is it not a shame that while Pope Leo XIII. so strongly recommends to cathohc laymen the study of the Bible, religious congregations controlling catholic colleges and universities offer no opportunities for the study of this great Book ? The Bible is a sealed book to our catholic students in catholic colleges controlled by religious congregations. It is evident that no college can be cahed catholic unless it offers opportunities to students to become thoroughly acquainted with catholic topics. In a real catholic college there should be in every course leading to a degree a certain number of elective studies, and the students should be strongly encour- aged to take some religious topics, which should count as much as any other secular branch. Why should catholic students who are advanced in Latin not have the opportunities of becoming acquainted with some of the Latin Fathers of the Church ? They might read, for instance, with a professor of Patristic Theology, "The Confessions of St. Augus- tine" and many other works in which their knowledge of the Latin language would be utilized both to exer- cise the brain and at the same time to more rationally educate them in the catholic faith. The same method could be even better pursued with the "Greek Fathers of the Church." The motto of Emerson should never be forgotten : "I do not ask 56 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR what my child studies, but who is his teacher." There is dfipLh in this saying. One of the differences between a genuine college professor and an incompetent college professor is that a good student taught by a genuine college professor will acquire a jtaste for the subject taught, and some few hints given in the right time will be the cause of stimulating the student to further pursue the subject, or at least give him a desire to do so ; whereas a stu- dent taught by an incompetent professor may study because he wishes to graduate, but after graduation he has no desire to further pursue his studies. It is for this reason that the real worth of a genuine college professor is thoroughly appreciated only later in life by a student. These new colleges will certainly offer opportuni- ties for the study of Hebrew, Ecclesiastical History, Natural Theology, etc., but what is sure is that the Word of God will be most zealously read and ex- plained. No college can rightly be called catholic unless with- in its halls the catholic students have opportunities to study the Word of God, so strongly recommended by our Holy Father, Pope Leo XHI. COMMUNICATION OF THE AUTHOR WITH THE AUTHORITIES OF NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY. South Bend, Ind.. Jan. 19, 1899. To the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind. : Gentlemen — I send this communication, to present before your most honorable body some claims based CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 57 Upon Statements to be seen in the letters of the Presi- dent of N. D. U., and of which I enclose an affidavit. These are the statements : I. Our chairs of Mathematics are well filled at present, still it is possible that a vacancy will occur at the end of the year, and if it is the one I suspect, I would be able to locate you nicely. II. The vacancy in our Mathematical Department did not occur. However, I am willing to hold out the inducement of a place on our staff in the line of lan- guages, particularly in French, if you are willing to take such classes as we can give you until a vacancy occurs in such of our departments as would best suit • you. III. I think that in the course of time we could make it an object for you to become a permanent mem- ber of our stafif. IV. Your salary for the first year will be $600, with board and lodging included. Thi^ is higher than we ever give for the first year, but in view of the dis- tance and circumstances in your case I shall make the fee six hundred. Allow me to state that on the 15th of June, 1896, I received a letter from Dr. Smart, President of Purdue University, stating that in case a teacher should be wanted in Mathematics he would make me an ofTer. I should let him know my address in case of moving, as he would notify me toward the loth or 15th of Sep- tember. I have the letter and it remains at your dis- posal. Being fully' persuaded that every statement of the President of N. D. U. was true, as soon as I arrived here, September 7, 1896, I wrote Dr. Smart, declining 58 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR his offer. The position was filled, as you may see in the McMillan's Book Review just under the announce- ment that the University of Notre Dame had en- gaged me. It is not necessary to have studied in the universi- ties of Rome, Naples, Louvain, Paris, Madrid, the Polytechnicum of Zurich, the University of Heidel- berg, the Johns Hopkins University, and to have taught in the Boston University, University of Texas, University of California, University of Deseret, now Utah, in order to find out that there are no "Chairs of Mathematics" in the University of Notre Dame, since I have not yet found here a teacher of Mathe- matics who did not laugh at such words as "Chairs , of Mathematics" in connection with the University of \ Notre Dame. I do not wish to touch upon the disappointment I felt, since it was specially on account of such expres- sions as "our chairs of Mathematics" that I decided to decline Dr. Smart's offer. As to my salary of $600, being higher than we ever give, I am afraid that there is as much truth in this statement as there is in the chairs of Mathematics. Statement No. 3 : "I think that in the course of time we could make it an object for you to become a per- manent member of our staff" may be true, but in order that any reasonable person should believe it he should be shown that Dr. Egan, Dr. O'Malley, Col. Hoynes were engaged at a salary less than $600, according to' statement No. 4, and that there has been such an in- crease as to make it an object to become a permanent member of the staff of N. D. U. When I perceived the clear state of affairs I tried to find_s.Qme other place CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 59 and leave quietly and gea-Cefully, but did not succeed ; and it is not to be wondered, because no teacher of Notre Dame ever got a position in a state university, and whatever my abilities, my connection with a catho- > lie institution is a great drawback. It should not be \so, but it is nevertheless so. Such being the case, and for reasons which I do not intend to state in this communication, I came to the resolution of laying before you my claims, trusting I will get full justice from you. This is my reasoning concerning the rights I think I have. The statement No. 2 gives me the right of choosing in case a vacancy occurs which best suits me, but there is a vacancy in the chair of Mathematics, as it is not occupied, ergp J choose it; and beginning next September I intend to be the Professor of Mathe- matics of the University of Notre Dame. Concerning my salary, I reason thus : According to statement No. 4, my salary is higher than you ever give for the first year, therefore I am entitled to a salary higher than Dr. O'Malley, or Col. Hoynes, or D'r. Egan got the first year when they were engaged Hence I respectfully ask you to let me know what their salaries were when they were first engaged and then I will be in a position to let you know to how much more I am entitled. I vmderstand very well the objection that could be made to this last reasoning. When you came to Notre Dame you accepted the position with a salary of $600. Your salary was paid to you, hence you have no claims on this score. My answer is that when the President of N. D. U. wrote he would like to have me make any suggestions 60 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR that I wished on this score (salary) I answered him, I leave the matter entirely in his hands, because on the same page is written, I think that in the course of time we could make it an object for you to become a per- manent member of our staff. When the President of N. D. U. writes me my sal- ary for tne first year is $600, higher than we ever give for the first year, I accept in view of the future and supposing that there is truth in every statement of the President of N. D. U., I decline the profifered offer of Purdue University. Now if that statement is incorrect (I wish to use a mild expression), the University of Notre Dame is liable for misleading me. When I declined Purdue I thought I was connected with a university where there were chairs of Mathematics, to which I would be enti- tled as soon as a vacancy would occur, that it would be an object for me to become a permanent member of the stalT of N. D. U., and that if I had $600 for the first year it was simply because this is higher than the University of Notre Dame ever gives for the first year. If any of these statements are incorrect (to use the same mild expression), the university is bound to make them correct, and I have a perfect right to ask you whether it is true or not that $600 is higher than you ever give for the first year. I beg to remind you, gentlemen, that I am open to comdcti^in, and in case my reasoning does not seem correct to you I wish you would state the weak .poiats, and if I perceive my mistake you will find me quite amenable to reason. In the hypothesis that my reasoning is correct and CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 61 that 1 am entitled to the chair of Mathematics, I wish to make some few sug-gestions which if adopted by you, the University of Notre Dame wih soon have a magnificent mathematical department and the engi- neering courses better attended than they are now. In my opinion the University of Notre Dame offers a fine field in the line of Mathematics, but it must be properly cultivated. There should be a Department of Mathematics lead- ing to the degree of B. S., requiring the same amount of Physics, Chemistry, English and Philosophy as it is prescribed in the Civil Engineering course, and a reading knowledge of French and German. It would be advisable to offer a one year post graduate course in Mathematics leading to the degree of M. S., just as it was offered in the University of Deseret, now University of Utah. The pupils of the Mathematical Department would liave at least one elective study every year, if not more. Advised but not compelled to choose them in any one of the Engineering courses, when they take the degree of B. S. they will perceive that very little is left them to graduate in the Engineer- ing course from which they choose their elective studies, and by remaining one year longer they might graduate in it and perhaps by taking some postgradu- ate courses in Mathematics, if fitted, they will receive the degree of M. S. Of course, next September all I could do would be to take charge of the beginners of Geometry and third Algebra. These two studies should begin simultaneously, divisions shall be made according to fitness, and I shall take charge of the best division and keep it with me to the end of the year. I purposely refrain from stating the amount of 62 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR ground they will be able to cover with me during" the year, because I do not wish to be laughed at, only remember that I advance nothing but what I know by experience I can perform. At the end of the first year I shall have a good number of pupils enthusiastic for Mathematics, then shall my real work begin. Concerning my fitness for teaching elementary branches I only wish to relate one instance. In St. Louis I left Mr. X's school, as he did not wish to augment my salary, as I thought he should. A committee of the pupils came to me asking me whether I left because I had been engaged in another school, as they were told by the principal. I told them the reason. Two days after Mr. X — came to see me, acceded to my terms and told me that the pupils were so pleased with me that they threatened they would leave the school if he did not continue to employ me as their teacher in Algebra and Geom- etry. As to my fitness for teaching higher Mathematics, I leave the matter to the testimonial of Prof. J. B. Toronto, Vice-President of the University of Utah, sent to Dr. Smart, and which I enclose, also the letter he sent me concerning it. I submit also copies of other testimonials, and the programme of the Mathe- matical Department of that university. It is exceptionally high, but it must be borne in mirjd that, in the first place, I found there well pre- pared and exceedingly bright pupils, besides they were not allowed to take more than fifteen recitations a week, each of three-quarters of an hour, and as a rule they had less than that. CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 63 During the first year I had only Freshmen, that is to say, pupils who took Algebra and Geometry, and one single Sophomore, who took Analytic Geometry and Calculus, who soon left, having obtained a posi- tion as teacher. In the second year, as you may see from the report of the Board of Regents, which I en- close, I had pupils in Quaternions, Rational Dynamics, Method of Least Squares, Cremona's Projective Geometry, etc. Hoping, gentlemen, that the Giver of all lights will enlighten your minds that you may clearly see your duty, and strengthen your will, that no earthly con- sideration will prevent you. from performing it, I re- main, gentlemen, Yours very respectfully, CHAS. VENEZIANI. Notre Dame, Ind., Jan. 21, 1899. Dr. Charles Veneziani, South Bend, Ind. : Dear Sir — I am authorized to state that your com- munication of the 20th instant, with enclosures, ad- dressed to the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame, has been received. Having read and considered the same, it has by order of the Board been referred to the President of the university, who has exclusive authority to act in the matter. Herewith I return the enclosures, which were also r»ad and considered. Very sincerely yours, JAMES I. FRENCH, Secretary Board of Trustees Notre Dame Univer- sity. 64 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR South Bend, Ind., March 2^, 1899. To the Board of Trustees of N. D. U., Notre Dame, Ind. : Gentlemen — Your answer to my communication was received. You referred me to the President of the University, who has fuh power to act in this mat- ter. I went to him and he told me my services will not be needed any longer at the end of the year, and my communication was an impudent one. I asked him what he thoug-ht abo"t our "chairs of Mathematics" ; he replied that the chairs of Mathematics have a real existence in the University of Notre Dame. I asked him whether he thoujoht my salary of $600 per year higherthan "we ever give for the first year" ; he replied that his statement about my salary is correct. To my question. "Do you mean to say that Dr. Egan was engaged on a salary less than $600?" he answered I could not compare myself with Dr. Egan. Hence I infer that the statement No. 4 of the President of N. D. U. in the affidavit is incorrect. As I have reasons to suppose that either my memory or that of the Presi- dent of N. D. U. is not to be trusted, I asked him to give me his answer in writing. He flatly refused to do so, but afterwards he told me he would do so later oji. I have not yet received his answer. The President of N. D. U. has left for Europe, hence I apply to you again to suggest to you a plan of action which seems to me the most equitable before God and men. I am afraid that you do not fully realize my position. The incorrect statements found in the letters of the President of N. D. U. have been the cause of my de- clining the best chance I ever had in my life. I mean the position in Purdue University. CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 65 What I suggest is that the claims stated in my for- mer communication, as well as other claims which I have, be referred to Rt. Rev. Bishop L. Scanlan, of Salt Lake City, with full power to arbitrate ; that no papers shall be sent him unless previously submitted to the Rev. Dr. Zahm and seen by myself, that I may have an opportunity of answering any statement which may appear to me incorrect. A check of $200 shall accompany the documents sent to Bishop Scanlan as a fee for his trouble. I shall contribute $100 and you shall contribute the other $100, with the understand- ing that i shall repay you the $100 you contribute if Bishop Scanlan finds that all the claims of my first communication are groundless, that you shall repay me my $100 in case he decides in my favor. If you think, gentlernen, you have some better way of adjusting our difficulty I shall be pleased to hear from you. I wish to be clearly understood that whilst I abhor with all my heart and soul to take any steps which cannot fail to attract a widespread attention throughout the United States and will afford great pleasure to those who antagonize catholics, I do not intend to tamely submit to what I consider a rank injustice.* I wish you would reflect upon the responsibility which each and every one of you incurs. If you are in doubt about my claims, why not lay the matter before such an uninterested party ? If you are sure of being in the right, why be afraid of the judgment of a man of such sterling integrity, of such sound judgment, and such a friend of your order as Bishop Scanlan is ? I enclose an affidavit of Dr. Smart's letter and a leaf *NoTE.— At that time I thoug-ht I could enforce my claims. By doing- so it would have produced the scandal alluded to in this letter. 66 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR from McMillan's Books Review, that you may see that the position of Purdue was actually filled by Ed- win M. blake. I remain, gentlemen, yours very respectfully. CHAS. VENEZIANI. Notre Dame, Ind., May 17, 1899. Mr. Chas. Veneziani, South Bend, Ind.: My Dear Sir — In an interview with you some months ago I told you that I would not need your services at the universily after the present scholastic year. You requested me to put this decision in writing, and I said I would do so before the close of the term. I, hereby, notify you again that your services will not be required after the closing of our school on fune 15, 1899. Smcerely yours, A. MORRISSEY, C. S. C. South Bend, Ind., June i, 1899. 117 S. St. Louis St. Very Rev., A. Morrissey, C. S. C, President of the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind. : My Dear Father Morrissey — Your letter of May 17th, in which you notify me that you would not need my services after June 15th, is at hand. In the same letter I notice you made a big mistake, which is quite excusable, because, as once you told me on the veranda, you easily forget many things. In your letter I see "You requested me to put this decision in writing and I said I would do so before the close of the term." Allow me to tell you. Father Morrissey, that I am far more logical than you suppose. What you should have written is "You requested me to put this answer CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 67 in writing, and I said I would do so before the close of the term." A word makes an immense difference, my dear sir, and you will soon see the reason. If you remember well the interview took place when I came to you in order to know the answer to my first com- munication to the Board of Trustees, who referred me to you, "who has exclusive authority to act in the mat- ter." I sent you a copy of my communication, and in the first line you may see that my object was to present some claims based upon statements to be found in your letters and of which I enclosed an affidavit. After having set forth my claims on page 4 you may read: "I beg to remind you, gentlemen, that I am open to conviction, and in case my reasoning does not seem correct to you I wish you would state the weak points, and if I perceive my mistake, you will find me quite amenable to reason." It is evident that what I wanted was an answer to my reasoning and what I requested of you was to give me in writing your verbal answer. However great may be the respect I have for you, I have a far greater respect for truth, and in this letter of mine I shall follow the example ■ of Adam, who called things by their right name. If you do not remember the verbal answer you gave me I am most willing to refresh your memory. You told me my services would not be needed at the end of the year, my letter was an impudent one because I wanted the chair of Mathematics without your giving it to me ; you told me the chairs of Mathematics have a real existence in the University of Notre Dame ; you said that the statement concerning my salary of $600 per year being higher than "we ever give for the first 68 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR year is correct, when I asked you: "Do you mean to say that Dr. Egan was engaged at a salary less than $600 per year?" You answered I could not compare myself with Dr. Egan ; you stated that my teaching was poor, and to my asking "Did you not tell me once that my teaching was very good ?" you answered you never said such thing to me. To my question, "Did you ever say to anybody that my teaching was so good that the university on this account increased my sal- ary?" you replied it would be impossible for you to have said such thing, since the university never in- creased my salary ; you expatiated on your great kind- ness in having promised me that I could remain here at Notre Dame as long as I had not found a more suitable place, when I answered that I did not see your kindness in taking away the teaching Dr. Zahm in- tended to give me during the vacations, and you replied: "How can you prove that? Besides, it is my duty to see what kind of men are employed at Notre Dame ;" and when I asked was the vacancy alluded to in state- ment No. I of the afihdavit that of Prof. McGris- kin, whose house you promised when you wrote about locating me nicely, you replied you did not wish to answer that question. This was the verbal answer I requested you to put in writing, because before you would have finished it you would have perceived so many contradictions and so many lies that the answer instead of being sent before the close of the term would not have been fin- ished before the close of your life. There is no need to be a Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Heidelberg and to have received the prize bestowed upon the best mathematical scholar in that great uni- CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 69 versity in order to see the complete absence of sound logic in your verbal answer. In the first place, if you have promised that I could remain here until I found a better position, what great crime have I committed ' that you may break your promise? If I had had the misfortune, as it has been ordinarily the case with the teachers discharged in this institution, of being found drunk, or arrested for disorderly conduct, I could easily understand the necessity of discharging me ; but to suppose that be- cause I sent a communication to the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame, stating my rights as I see them, you are exonerated from keeping your promise, I must frankly acknowledge that there is not only a lack of sound logic, but also a want of honesty, such as you would find in a heathen and certainly ought to be expected of a Christian, a priest, one who binds himself with three vows in order to reach heaven with more surety. Concerning the comparison with Dr. Egan, I an- swer that comparisons are odious, but the question here is whether my salary is higher than Dr. Egan's salary, and since it is not higher you lied when you wrote the statement that $600 is higher "than we ever give for the first year," and you know very well your- self that you were lying when writing such a statement, and that you were only confirming a lie when you asserted the truth of that statement. As to my communication being an impudent one because I want the chair of Mathematics in spite of you, I answer the question is whether according to your written statements I am entitled to it and I proved that I am. When you said "You never told me that 70 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR my teaching was exceedingly fine" you were lying. As a matter of fact, I am ready to call God as a witness that you really said so, whilst you would never call God as a witness that you never said that, as you would not wish to become a perjurer. You most strenuously asserted that you never told anybody that my teaching was so good that the university increased my salary, but as I was told this by Mother S — ,* Mother Superior of the Novitiate of St. Mary's, who congratulated me for this good news she heard from yourself, you understand very well that I fully believe you said so, and moreover, Mother S — 's word is above suspicion- — not so yours. As to your reasoning that you could not have said so because the university never increased my salary, your reasoning proves just the contrary. My salary has been increased the difference of the house rent; this you granted Mrs. Veneziani, and Mother S — could never know that, unless you told her, and nat- urally when you speak you are liable to make a moun- tain out of a mole-hill. If you want some instances, I have no objection to quote two. Take for instance "our chairs of Mathematics in the University of Notre Dame." Any teacher here connected with Mathe- matics laughs at the idea of chairs of Mathematics in the university and one teacher asserts that it is the President of the university that holds the chair of Mathematics, meaning that it is the President who has the power of creating the chair of Mathematics, and yet you write and speak of chairs of Mathematics hav- ing a real existence with such earnestness that were it not that I am a specialist in Mathematics and have *Tlie fuU name is withheld ir: print. CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 71 I been in the University of Notre Dame for the last three years you might really make me fall into the mistake of supposing that you are right, and were it not that I know positively that the teacher who according to the catalogue holds the chair of Mathematics does not teach one single branch of Mathematics connected with the University of Notre Dame and has nothing to do whatever with the Mathematics of the University of Notre Dame I might make the blunder of supposing that the University of Notre Dame has a chair of Mathematics. Another instance is the Romance lan- guages fake of the University of Notre Dame. When I was engaged you advertised the great acquisition the University of Notre Dame made by engaging your humble servant to take charge of the "Romance Lan- guages" Department. It served your purpose, which is "Videri, non esse," the great point is to appear, not to be. The only flaw I find in that advertisement is, firstly, there was no Romance Languages Department to take charge of, and secondly, I never was engaged to take charge of it. There is not a word concerning Romance Languages in your letters written to me. The fine point is that you gulled the public so well that some persons who must have known me praised highly the wisdom of the University of Notre Dame in bestowing upon me the chair of Romance Lan- guages. A chair paying $600 per year ! ! ! When lately there was a meeting of the faculty whilst you were in Europe I moved that the whole string about Romance Languages be stricken from the catalogue, as well as the words "Romance Languages" written under my name, because it is highly unbecoming for a catholic university to cheat the public, but I was told by the 72 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR i chairman that Father Morrissey alone had that power, not the facuhy. Let us see what that increase of salary meant. When my family came to South Bend in No- vember, 1896, I engai^ed a house according to my salary of $600 per year, with the intention of moving into better quarters as soon as my salary was increased. When the proper time came I asked you how my teaching was and you told me it was exceedingly good. You had already let Mother S — know that you were pleased with my teaching and I had been ap- prised of it by Sister A — and Mother S— , who from the moment I met her in Salt Lake City al- ways took a great interest in my welfare. I was greatly surprised when a few days later, having asked you what would be the increase of my salary for the ensuing year, you answered that the university had to support the missions in India, hence no increase would be granted ; besides, my teaching was very poor, I could remain at the same salary. I wished to show you your letters, but you replied you knew everything in them. I showed you the letter of Dr. Smart, Presi- dent of Purdue University, and pointed you out these words : "Should I find it necessary to employ an additional instructor in Mathematics I will make you an of¥er." I showed you the McMillan's Books' Re- view where, just on the same page where was an- nounced my coming to take charge of the Romance Languages Department of the University of Notre Dame, is to be found the name of 'the additional in- structor of Mathematics ; and I told you that I might have been connected with Purdue University, but I had written Dr. Smart a few days after my arrival here that I did not wish to be considered any longer as an CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 73 applicant since I was connected with Notre Dame. You replied that if I could see the prospect of a posi- tion in Purdue University from that letter of Dr. Smart I must certainly be a dreamer. I asked you then how you could say my teaching was very poor when only a few days before you told m.e it was exceedingly good. You answered by saying you never made such state- ment. It was then that Mrs. Veneziani, perceiving that I had been tricked by you, asked you for the difference of house rent which you granted and paid until March, 1898, included. When I presented you the next receipt due for house rent, after looking it over you remarked you had no time to give me an order for the money. Later on, when presented again, you told me to come tomorrow. I supposed you were very busy, and I waited several days. When I pre- sented the receipt again you told me I should have come the very next day. You added that you were a man of your word and the word you gave Mrs. Vene- ziani shall be kept ; this money, however, shall be paid together with my salary. I answered that Brother Edward, the Treasurer, had received orders from you not to pay me my salary, and I added, concerning the receipt for the diiYerence of house rent, if the bill is cor- rect it might as well be paid at once ; if there is any mistake please show it to me that we may square this ac- count. Your reply was, everything must be paid at the same time ; thus nothing was paid. For six months I did not draw a cent of my salary, until you asked me on the veranda whether I had been paid, and I answered that in the first place Brother Edward had received the order not to pay me, and afterwards you told me I could draw the three-fifths of my salary, but not a 74 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR cent more, because I was not earning the rest, and as I would not accept the three-fifths I had not yet been paid. You answered, I might go now and draw the whole, and I did so. When, however, I presented you the receipt for the difiference of house rent you told me you did not agree with Mrs. Veneziani to pay more than $5 per month, I should tell her to come and see you. I answered you that as I did not send Mrs. Veneziani to you before, I do not intend to send her now ; if there is any mistake it is your fault, since when I presented you the receipt instead of postponing pay- ment under various pretexts, if you had made me this remark -I would not have engaged the house for a year, and I cannot afiford to lose money for your fault. You replied I am not worth any more than $600 per year, my intention was to grab the world, but you would not pay any more than $5 per month anyhow. After having thought over this matter, I concluded that I had been tricked and cheated quite enough and it was time to present my just claims to the Trustees of the University of Notre Dame. This is the increase you spoke of to Mother S — , as a reward for my good teaching ! ! Now that I have presented my just claims you thought the best way of answering was, not by using the rules of logic beginning with Barbara, but by using a rather barbarous method — that of chopping off the head of the claimant and thus silence him. You think that bv affirming my teaching is poor you have a right to set aside the just claims your letters have given me. I warn you, my dear sir, you are treading rather dangerous ground. Firstly, the question is not whether my teaching is good or bad ; the question is CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 75 whether your written statements set forth in the affi- davit accompanying my first communication and on whose account I declined the Purdue University, are not a set of lies, and whether the university is not responsible for your writing as President. Suppos- ing even that my teaching is poor, as I am teaching Languages, it would not follow that my teaching Mathematics is poor, and as I am entitled to the chair of Mathematics your pretext would fall flat. Besides, from the testimonial of the Vice-President of the Uni- versity of Utah, my teaching of Mathematics is an ideal one, according to you my teaching of Languages is poor ; then why should you hesitate to give me the chair of Mathematics to which I am entitled ? By thus doing the University of Notre Dame would gain an ideal teacher of Mathematics and get rid of what you style "a poor teacher in Languages." When I asked you at the close of my first year whether I would have to teach Mathematics the ensuing year you answered that my services were needed to strengthen the Mod- ern Languages Department. No person could under- stand how (what you st3de) "a poor teacher" would be able to strengthen a Modern Languages Department in a university. There are three reasons, besides, why you should not slander my teaching, ist. Your testi- mony is worthless, having just told the contrary to Mother S — . 2d. I have in my possession irre- fragable proofs of the contrary. 3rd. The work itself is the best proof. My pupils, the beginners in German, on three recitations a week, of three-quarters of an hour each, at the end of the first year understand Schiller's Wallenstein and Goethe ; and you have only to elance at the catalogue to see the immense work 76 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR the beginners in French did under nie last year, and they would have done still more were it not that you through your criminal weakness retarded the progress of my class. When my pupils needed a dictionary the Brother in the office refused to order the one I wanted for the class because he wished to dispose of some worthless dictionaries which the university had for sale. Whenever I told you about it, you would send me to the Brother, and meanwhile for several weeks the class could not do the work it would have done otherwise. At last I spoke to the Director of Studies about it and added that if the parents of the pupils had any conception of such shameful proceed- ings of the University of Notre Dame they would be indignant. The Director of Studies told me to come into the office the following day and he would see that the dictionaries were ordered ; thus what you left dragging for several weeks was dispatched promptly by the Director of Studies, and the dictionaries were ordered at once. Now, my dear sir, compare your criminal weakness in allowing a Brother who has no conception of French, but dictates under your very nose to the so-called Professor of Romance Languages of the University of Notre Dame what kind of French dictionaries must be used in the French class, to the detriment of the pupils — compare, I say, such criminal weakness in regard to thaf Brother with your criminal, idiotic and tyrannical proceedings toward the same Professor of Romance Languages on the occasion you requested me to take charge of the beginners in Latin. I told you I would take charge of that class as a favor, not as a duty, because we agreed that I would not have to teach beginners in Latin ; you answered it CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 77 was true you had agreed that I would not have to teach beginners in Latin, but when you agreed you did not know you would ever need my services in that line, had you known it, you said, you would never have agreed, hence it is my duty to take charge of that class. I replied that I was unable to see the correct- ness of your reasoning ; as a favor I would take charge of the class, but not as a duty. Then began your threats, which you carried into execution. I should not draw any longer my salary, you would take away from me a private pupil I had, the teaching Dr. Zahm wanteu to give me during the vacations would be withdrawn ; an extra class which you had given me and for which I should be paid extra would be with- drawn. Utterly undismayed I repeated, "I don't see that 1 am obliged to take charge ol that Latin class on account of our previous agreement, still as a favor toward you I am willing to do so, as a duty never." What threats could never have extorted from me a good word did. A priest in the university requested me for the sake of peace to yield, and" I promised I would. I came to you a few hours later and told you I would take charge of the beginners in Latin, but you answered you needed my services no longer and that I should not go to teach that extra class you had given me, and for which you had promised me extra pay. I never thought you would demean yourself so low as to carry your threats into execution except so far as to take away the extra class, which you gave to the former porter of the University of Notre Dame. I was really astonished when I went to draw my salary, and I was told you had put an injunction on it. I soon perceived that you tried to take my private 78 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR pupil away, but you did not succeed. Is there any need of proving that you withheld the teaching Dr. Zahm would have given me, when you yourself told me so? And are you not ashamed of bringing as a reason that you must see what kind of teachers are employed in Notre Dame, as if insinuating that there is something in my conduct which might lower the moral standard of those who come in contact with me. when the real motive was your spite? What kind of arithmetic did you use to infer that I was entitled to three-fifths of my salary when I was giving four lessons a day? Was it not yourself who forbade me to continue teaching the fifth lesson, alleging as a reason that the pupils were only waiters and too few in num- ber, and after you ordered me to discontinue this class with this fine reason you want to take away from me two-fifths of my salary. You know very well that I have a family to support and do you think it was right when the difTerence of house rent was asked over and over again to postpone payment with'pretexts of which a dead beat himself would be ashamed? I am per- fectl}'' convinced that no man in the country would ever believe that such things actually took place in the University of Notre Dame, the great catholic uni- versity of America, and still you know yourself that everything I am stating is correct. I wish you now to consider the way I stood under your unfair treat- ment. Instead of legally proceeding against the Uni- versity of Notre Dame for withholding my salary, and thus bring disgrace upon you, I bore everything con- sidering your actions as the antics of a spoiled child, who if only given some few months' time, and no notice taken of his sayings and doings, would come CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 79 back to his senses and act more dutifully. As a mat- ter of fact, it was nearly six months after when you told me to go and draw my salary which you had withheld. It is true, you gave me much useless trouble, and you did also much real harm, but I had decided for the sake of peace, I would overlook many things. Had I been Father Morrissey, the President of the University of Notre Dame, and you Veneziani, instead of keeping your salary and then afterward claim that only three- fifths are due, I should have deemed it my duty, be- sides the claims set forth in the first communication, to pay you for the extra hours teaching since for sev- eral weeks I had seven recitations a day during '96-97. At the beginning of the scholastic year '97-98, I had six recitations a day for over a month. That lesson for which extra pay was promised, should not have been taken away to be given to the former porter of the university, and if I requested you for transla- tions from foreign languages, you certainly should have been paid either in money or in acts of kindness. Had I been the President of the University of Notre Dame, I would have remembered that when I wrote : "Our chairs of Mathematics are well filled at present, still it is possible that a vacancy will occur at the end of the year, and if it is the one I suspect, I would be able to locate you nicely." That phrase — locate you nicely — meant that in case of Prof. McGrisken leaving the university the house called the "Lilacs" was prom- ised to you, and you may rest assured that neither pre- texts nor lies would have been told by me in order to break my promise to you. I would not, after many subterfuges come out saying that the giving of the house lies with the Council, and you by going to Dr. 80 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR Zahm, who is the President of the Council, might have found out, as I did, that the Council has nothing to do with the house ; that it lies entirely with the President. I would not have said to you that Brother Onesimus had the renting of the house, but since the university always got $15 per month rent, you could not expect to have it for less, and then you might go to Brother Onesimus, as I did, and you might hear that the uni- versity never got a cent rent, therefore, he said it should not be rented to the university Professors. Were I the President of the University of Notre Dame, and you the Professor of Romance Languages enquiring from me where you could find a stall for your horse, I would never have sent you to Father Connor, the Superior of the Novitiate for a stall, when Father Connor had scarcely room for his own horse, and I, the President of the university, had a number of places entirely va- cant. I would consider such advice the most idiotic joke played on Father Connor, as well as yourself, and when I, the President, am asked for a stall with the understanding it should be paid for, to answer NO, T should deem it not only uncharitable, but I should deem such a refusal as downright injustice, and if, besides, the inconveniences are taken into consideration to which I would expose you, the Professor of Romance Lan- guages, by refusing that which is granted to pupils liv- ing nearer the university, I would rightly classify such refusal amongst those mean, spiteful actions, which are a sure characteristic of the low standard of the intelligence, as well as the heart. What I have written is the reply to the verbal an- swer which I requested you to put in writing, and which you wisely refrained from doing. If I were CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 81 alone in the world I would have no objection to give up the rights which 3'Our letters gave me. Having declined Purdue University for Notre Dame, to ac- cept my dismissal as an answer to my rights, I really think it would be treason on my part towards those who have claims upon me for their support. If you remember, you called me an unpractical man, and con- sequently it is very doubtful whether you will believe that this legitimate resistance on my part will be the cause of disgracing yourself, the university, the Con- gregation of the Holy Cross, throughout the length and breadth of the United States. This must neces- sarily happen, if you persist in your course, not through any vindictiveness of mine, but through the necessary development of those means of which I have to make use to protect myself from what I consider a rank injustice.* I wish to be very explicit on this point, because when that which I have just told you will ac- tually take place, I want you to remember that it is entirely due to not following the plan I will presently lay before you in order to adjust our differences. The Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame, having read and considered my first communi- cation, has referred it to you, who has exclusive au- thority in the matter. Your decision is final, if ac- cepted by me, and the university is legally bound to stand by your decision. I hope you will have no diffi- culty in agreeing with me that "nemo judex in causa propria" is an old proverb, in which there is a great deal of wisdom. What objection could you have to refer the whole matter to Archbishop Riordan of San *NoTE.— At that time I thought I could enforce my claims. By doing- so it would have produced the scandal alluded to in this letter. 82 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR Francisco, who is a pupil of the University of Notre Dame, quite enthusiastic for his Alma Mater, and who would certainly not wrong the Congregation of the Holy Cross? What objection could you have to refer the whole matter to Bishop Scanlan of Salt Lake City, who is such a great friend of your order, as it is shown by the academies and hospital of the Congrega- tion of the Holy Cross in Utah? We are but men, my dear Father Morrissey, we can never entirely free ourselves from the frailties annexed to our fallen na- ture, and the last thing of which we can free ourselves is the inordinate love of self. The case of which you are constituted the judge is of such nature that one may rationally suppose that even in the hypothesis you have the best intention in the world of dealing fairly and squarely, you can not avoid some partiality, because you are too much in- terested in the sentence you have to pronounce. A judgment in my favor means that you have wronged me during these last three years, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Any reasonable man under such circumstances would be of the opinion that I have the right to refuse you for my judge, and that your duty is to let such judgment be pronounced by some other party. A man of such sterling integrity as Bishop Scanlan or Arch- bishop Riordan, not interested in the case, is more apt to be impartial, and I, for my part, am willing to submit entirely to his verdict. I leave you the choice of the one you prefer. As you cannot deny that you promised me that I can remain at Notre Dame as long as I have not found a more suitable place, I wish that this claim also should be submitted and that you CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 83 should show causes which justify you in my dismissal. I am sorry that all I can afford to give as a fee is $200. I wish I could make it $2,000, but it is impos- sible. If you are willing to arbitrate the matter, we will easily arrange all further details. The only im- portant thing is, that we should wish that the whole matter should be settled according to justice, — for my own part I am willing; if you are also willing, you will apprise me which of the two you prefer as arbi- trator. Bishop Scanlan or Archbishop Riordan, and we will speedily succeed in settling our dift'erences. I will furnish myself the $200, which will be added to my claims, if I am right; if the judgment is against me, I am willing to lose them. Hoping that this suggestion will meet with your approbation, I remain, my dear sir, Yours very sincerely, CHAS VENEZIANI. South Bend, Ind., Sept. 5th, 1899. To the Board of Trustees, Of the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana. Gentlemen : — On March 23rd, 1899, I sent you a second communication in which, after having stated the result of my interview with the President of N. D. U., to whom you referred me in your answer to my first communication, as the one who has exclusive authority in the matter concerning my claims, I sug- gested that Bishop Scanlan, of Salt Lake City, be taken as arbitrator. No answer was vouchsafed to the second communication. 84 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR On May 17th, I received a letter from the President of N. D. U., in which he notifies me tliat he does not need my services after June 15th. I enclose a copy of my reply to his letter, as it is intimately connected with the present subject. You will observe, in reading my reply, that I advocated that the whole matter be referred to either Archbishop Riordan of San Fran- cisco, who, as a pupil and friend of Notre Dame, would not certainly be inclined to wrong his Alma Mater, or to Bishop Scanlan of Salt Lake City, but the President declined to accept any arbitration what- ever concerning my claims, and repeated that my services would not be needed after June 15th. Well, my dear gentlemen, I intend in this third and last communication of mine to speak to you the truth and nothing but the truth ; there is a power in right which might alone cannot give, and which constitutes might in itself, and I feel within me that right and that might. One would reasonably expect from relig- ious people that their actions should be a model, a light to us laymen, and their honesty in business transactions above reproach. One would reasonably expect from the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame, that its members would have enough conscience if a claim is presented by a teacher to make a thorough investigation for fear of incurring the curse of God for keeping a human being out of what is due to him. If the Board of Trustees of the Uni- versity of Notre Dame, instead of being composed of four priests and one brother, all five belonging to the C. S. C, was composed of four saloon keepers and one gambler, all five belonging to the A. P. A., I am fully convinced I would have found better consciences in CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 85 their verdict concerning my claims. Consider the way you dealt with my first communication. If I had had any prospect of obtaining justice by applying to the President of the U. N. D., I would not certainly have applied "to the Board of Trustees ; and any board com- posed of conscientious persons, from the moment they legally represent the university before the State of In- diana, would have thought themselves morally bound to look into the matter and see whether the statements found in. the letters of the President of the U. N. D., and of which I enclosed an affidavit, give me the rights I claim or not. Instead of that, you answer: "Hav- ing read and considered the same (communication), it has, by order of the board, been referred to the Presi- dent, who has exclusive authority to act in the matter." There is nothing more absurd than such an answer of yours, if you except the one given by the President of the University of Notre Dame, who began it by dismissing me from the university, contrary to his promise that I could remain here as long as I had not found a more suitable place. You must certainly know that the President cannot dispose of over $ioo without the consent of others, as my claims are much higher, the President of Notre Dame does not have ex-officio exclusive authority to act in the matter. If your answer means that you confer upon him ex- clusive authority to act in the matter, then I simply observe that the validity of my claims implies that the President has wronged me during these last three years either intentionally or unintentionally, therefore, he is the defendant in this suit in which I am the plaintifif, and you, the judges, confer to the defendant exclusive authority to judge the claims of the plain- 86 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR tiff! ! ! ! No Asialic couri: ever prostituted so low its sacred functions of dispensing justice, as did the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame with such an infamous answer. Far from accepting the President of the University of Notre Dame as my judge, I denounce him before you as a first-class liar, a faithless man, a scoundrel, an unjust despot, and a low deadbeat. I brand the President of the University of Notre Dame as a liar, when he asserts that he never told me my teaching was very good, and I call God as wit- ness, that he did so. I brand the President of Notre Dame University as a liar, when he asserts he never told anybody that my teaching was so good that the University increased my salary, and I call as witness Mother S — , the Mother Superior of the Novititate of St. Mary's, who, when she congratulated me for this good news, told me, she heard it from Father Morrissey, himself, — and who shall dare to question the veracity of a Mother S— ? I brand the President of the University of Notre Dame as a liar, when he wrote that $600 is "higher than we ever give for the first year", and when he as- serts that the statement he wrote is correct, and I call as witnesses you all, members of the Board of Trus- tees of the U. N. D., beginning with you, Father Hud- son, President of the Board ; you. Father Connor, Vice-President; you, Father French, Secretary; and you. Brother Edward, Treasurer. You know very well that he lied, still, if you entertain any doubt, you may go and verify with your own eyes, and you must agree with me, that the President of U. N. D. was a CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 87 liar when he wrote that statement, and a confirmed Har when he confirms the truth of that lying statement. I brand the President of the University of Notre Dame as a liar when he wrote about "our chairs of mathematics", and when asked about the truth of this statement he asserts that, the chairs of Mathematics have a real existence in the University of Notre Dame, since even the teachers of mathematics in Notre Dame laugh at the idea of there being chairs of mathematics in this university ; and if the President really believes that the chairs of mathematics have a real existence in Notre Dame, he is not a liar by no means ; he is only an ignoramus, not fit to be a teacher in a kindergarten, and I, who believed every word he was writing as Gospel's truth must not certainly suffer *for the utter ignorance of the President of the University of Notre Dame. I brand the President of the University of Notre Dame as a faithless man, for after having told me, I could remain here as long as I had not found a more suitable place, and I call God as a witness that he really told me so ; without alleging any cause, he thinks himself exonerated from keeping his word, and as he adopted this method in order to cheat me out of my claims, based upon his own letters, I openly brand him as a scoundrel. T brand the President of the University of Notre Dame as an unjust despot for having withheld my sal- ary for nearly six months without any hearing what- ever before the Board of Trustees, and having done, besides, as much harm as he could in his vindictive- ness, simply because, having asked me to take charge of a class of beginners in Latin, I told him I would take 00 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR it as a favor but not as a duty, since we had agreed 1 should not have to teach beginners in Latin ; and I brand him the more as an unjust despot, because a few hours later, at the entreaties of a priest who wished me to yield for peace sake, I went to the President and expressed my willingness to obey his orders, and still he executed his threats as far as he could. I brand the President of the University of Notre Dame as a low deadbeat, for, when I presented him the receipt of my house rent in order to cash the dif- ference as it had been agreed, he loudly proclaimed himself a man of his word, who keeps what he has promised, and his word shall certainly be kept ; but, he added, this ^difiference of rent must be paid, together with my salary, and thus nothing was paid for six months, and to my entreaties that he might as well give me an order for the money due, if the bill is correct, and if not correct he should show the mistake, he an- _ swered, that everything must be paid at the same time. • and thus nothing was paid. - p These are the reasons why I cannot accept the Pres- ident as a Judge concerning my claims founded on his letters, and should you persist in denying me justice, or, in refusing to have the matter referred to either Arch Bishop Riordan or Bishop Scanlan with the un- derstanding that I shall enclose $200 fee to be lost if I am found to be in the wrong, to be added to my claim if I am right, I shall have these reasons published in the newspapers in order to start a fund to legally fight the University of Notre Dame, and should you enter- tain the least doubt about the truth of my denuncia- tions I defy you to prosecute me. Remember, gentlemen, that I am not here begging CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN. 89 any favors of you, and that I am rather conferring a favor upon you in directing your attention to the mis- take you have made, and by offering you the opportu- nity of correcting the gross injustice you have done me. My first communication is still in your hands, my second was never read at any meeting of yours, and as to my third, I hope you will act according to truth and justice. The worst hypocrisy of man is to en- deavor to hide a gross injustice with the cloak of jus- tice, of order — harmony. Religious congregations have been repeatedly per- secuted, robbed, and banished, still I doubt whether such low, stupid and hypocritical means were ever practiced against them as you used in your answer to me : To appoint as a judge the man who did me the injustice ! ! ! Such proceeding is the more blamable because, having full confidence in your honesty, I tried in my first communication to logically set forth my rights, and after my reasoning, I appeal to you to show me my mistake if you find any, with these words, "I beg to remind you, gentlemen, that I am" open to conviction, and in case my reasoning does not seem correct to you, I wish you would state the weak points, and if I perceive my mistake you will find me quite amenable to reason." How was my reasoning answered? The President to whomi you referred me, notifies me that he does not need my services. Poor logic, the question is of rights, and not of needs. I have a right to the chair of Mathematics, and I intend to have it. I have a right to a salary "higher than we ever give for the first year", and it shall be given. 90 HIGHER EDUCATION FOR The mere fact that you do not wish any arbitration from such men as Archbishop Riordan or Bishop Scanlan, shows quite clearly that you are convinced that I am right, and you are wrong. From the moment Adam fell, mankind began to use pretexts to excuse their wrong doing, Adam setting the example by pointing out to Eve, who, according to him, seemed to have had "exclusive authority in the matter". Do I need to remind you that it is you, not the President, who have exclusive authority in the matter, and it is to you, that I apply for redress ? I should not wonder if you would say. It has always been the policy of the Board to leave full authority to the President in all matters concerning the relations of teachers with the university, because good har- mony is indispensable to the attainment of good re- sults in educational matters. My answer would be, that in the first place my teaching in the University of Notre Dame has been very successful, and I like har- mony as well as any man, and in the present case more than the President and the Board of Trustees do. I am in full harm.ony with the statements of the Presi- dent to be foimd in his letters, but, unfortunately, he is not in harmony with his statements, and what is worse, his statements are not in harmony with truth, and you are not in harmony with justice, when you do not compel the president to harmonize with his written statements. Let the statements be made true, that is to say, let my salary be "higher than we ever give for the first year", let the chair that best suits me be given unto me, and, of course. I choose the chair of Mathe- matics, and I am in full harmony with the President of the Universitv of Notre Dame. CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN- 91 If what I heard is true, the venerable Sorin and Father Corby said that it was the pohcy of the Uni- versity of Notre Dame to never discharge a teacher as long as he fulfilled his duties as teacher, and did not give any bad example as man. This policy seems to have been cast aside and now, a teacher is discharged as soon as he claims his rights, based upon statements to be found in the letters of the President of the Uni- versity. I hope that such loose policy, more in harmony with a soulless and heartless corporation, than with a relig- ious congregation, will not meet with your approval. I Hope that you will do me full justice, and heartily hope that I shall not be compelled to give publicity to this matter. I remain, gentlemen. ' Very sincerely yours, \ / CHAS. VENEZIANL. No Answer. n -1^1^ JV ^^•k 4. <%) x^^^ ^^4^ ■