Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/474

 414 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI college was granted the authority to confer degrees and literary honors such as were customarily granted by schools and colleges. The corner-stone of the building was laid by Rev. John Timon, who had originated the work in Cape Girardeau, and who was after- ward bishop of Buffalo, N. Y. The site of the building is a beautiful one, standing back five hundred feet from the river bank on a gently rising slope of one hundred feet above low water mark. The building itself is of soon added Messrs. Amat, Peneo, O'Reilly, Knowd, Tierman, Burlando, McGinnes, Chandy, Verrina, Burke and Pasqual. Presi- dent Figari resigned in October, 1844, and was succeeded by Rev. Thaddeus Amat. In November, 1845, President Amat was made president of St. Mary's Seminary, and Rev. A. Penco became president o/ St. Vincent's. He was very popular as president, and held the position for six years. He was succeeded by Rev. R. Hennessy, this was in 1851, and I 1 Si iiUltiiHn^?^-=?i St. Vincent's College stone and brick, one hundred feet long and forty feet wide and three stories high. To this building there were added, in 1853, the south wing, of the same size as the original building. In May, 1844, the collegiate department of St. Mary's was transferred to St. Vincent's. The first faculty of the college were: Rev. H. Figari, president; Rev. JI. Barbier, vice- president; Rev. J. F. McGerry, prefect of discipline ; Rev. H. Cercos, procurator, and Rev. J. Richini. To this faculty there were President Hennessy died in 1853. The next president was Rev. II. ilasnan, who served one year, and was followed by Rev. S. V. Ryan. Rev. Thomas J. Smith became the next president, on the resignation of Father Ryan in 1858. During the years 1858 and 1859, the archbishop of St. Louis, Rev. P. R. Kenrick, and the bishops of the province of St. Louis requested the Vincentian Fathers to open a seminary for the exclusive use of students for the priesthood. The proposition was made to the trustees of St. Vincent's