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125 years Enthusiasm for the truth L'ethousiasme pour la verite College history comes alive with return of Fr. Louis Winter 1990 Vol. 9, No. 3 University of St. Jerome's College Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2L 3G3 It was a night of history and humour, of feasting and celebration, a night when past blended effortlessly with present and old traditions became new. It was also the occasion of the "return" of perhaps the most important figure in St. Jerome's history -- the College's first President, Fr. Louis Funcken, C.R. The event was a special historical dinner on March 2, 1990 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the College's founding. True to our tradition of community celebrations, the dinner was attended by students, faculty, staff, UW colleagues, and other friends. It featured a menu from the College's earliest days boasting some of the favourite foods of Fr. Louis, including roast chicken and asparagus. Ably emceed by College grad and former Registrar Brian Eby (BA '71) of Kitchener, the dinner was one of many 125th anniversary activities being held this year. Students displayed memorabilia from the current academic year to be included in a time capsule which will be opened in 2040. Following dinner, historian Jim Wahl, C.R., shared his knowledge of College history as he highlighted the early life, formation, and educational vision of Fr. Louis. Father Wahl noted that although the College was founded in a tiny log cabin in St. Agatha, Fr. Louis' goal was "to build something suitable" on larger premises within three years. The present site of St. Jerome's High School in Kitchener was to be the location he had in mind. Fr. Wahl observed that, despite Fr. Louis' own precarious health, including a bout of typhoid which left him partially deaf, long hours, and a period of lean years when the College's future seemed doubtful, Funcken remained deeply committed to education, "but more importantly to the expectation that some of his own students would return to assist him." Many did return and took on positions of leadership within the College. Fr. Wahl's short history of the College's earliest days and its founder was the appropriate introduction of the evening's "special guest," the founding President himself, Fr. Louis Funcken. Fr. Funcken was convincingly played by English Professor Ted McGee, complete with 19th century style Will the real Father Louis please stand up? An 1887 photo of Fr. Louis Funcken (left) and a recent photo of Funcken, alias Professor Ted McGee. mutton-chop sideburns, gray hair and black cassock. Quipped Fr. Wahl, "what better way to celebrate a Resurrectionist's life than by resurrecting him?!" Father Louis "returns" The aging Fr. Louis enthusiastically greeted guests at a reception prior to dinner. Following Fr. Wahl's introduction after dinner, Fr. Louis began his remarks by complimenting the splendid repast he and all assembled had enjoyed. The meal,he said, was "sufficient. to make a person feel that he had died and gone to heaven." "St. Jerome's should not produce 'disreputable persons with no future,' but rather, persons prepared to work with, and for others ..." Fr. Louis Funcken McGee's authentic portrayal of Fr. Louis had an air of believability largely because he had delved into the letters and writings of Funcken in preparation for this role. While at times Fr. Louis' reflections were a source of humour, they also provided an accurate glimpse of his beliefs and educational philosophy, the legacy of which is still felt today. "Returning to St. Jerome's after so many years, I must confess, is overwhelming," said Fr. Louis. "Per Deos Immortales, what changes! I did not know that my invitation to the Notre Dame Sisters of Milwaukee would lead to this collegium of women. Who would have thought," he marvelled, "that the priest-factory as some called St. Jerome's would now offer an education to so many women?" College Registrar Kevin Donelson later reported that 60% of students at St. Jerome's today are women. Fr. Louis continued by expressing his amazement at "how little order [there is] in your lives: a president who has not taken holy orders; teachers and students who do not begin their daily routine with prayer at 6 and holy communion thereafter; hours and hours when students have neither classes nor supervised study; priests who do not even wear their soutane in the house. We were freer in one respect," he observed, "at least we could smoke when and where we chose." Fr. Louis then directed his comments to the assembled faculty members urging them "to use reason, use humour, not fear to engender in [your students] an enthusiasm for the truth. Avoid severity, a little disorder is better than too many rules ... . What will you attain if your teaching produces automatons or machines?" To the students he advised, "have courage and perseverance; learn to speak French, Italian, visit museums, dive into antiquities, converse with artists, listen, investigate, become spiritual withal. St. Jerome's should not produce 'disreputable persons with no future,' but rather, persons continued with additional photos page 3