| The History of St. Dunstan's University |
| 1855-1956 |
| Edward MacDonald |
Opened by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown in
1854, St. Dunstan’s was originally intended to educate young
men aspiring to the priesthood. By the mid-twentieth century it
had considerably expanded the scale and scope of its
operations. While some may have viewed St. Dunstan’s as
being in a quiet, even isolated, corner of the world, history did
not pass it by.
The years 1945 through 1955, are described by Island historian
Dr. Edward MacDonald, as the University’s “Golden Age.” The
University, like so much of Canadian academia, was swept along
by the dramatic social and economic forces unleashed in the
immediate aftermath of the Second World War. Enrollments
soared, driving an ambitious campus building program supported
in part by the most successful fund-raising drive in the history of
the Diocese of Charlottetown.
MacDonald states, “St. Dunstan’s made more progress during
its tenth decade than in the previous nine combined.” This sense
of progress and accomplishment was further encouraged by the
1954 celebration of St. Dunstan’s centennial. Yet although this
was an exciting time at St. Dunstan’s, it also brought many
challenges, especially for this traditionalist religious school
facing postwar expectations for social and educational change.
In 1969, St. Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales College
would combine their long-established educational institutions and
become absorbed into the University of Prince Edward Island.
1854, St. Dunstan’s was originally intended to educate young
men aspiring to the priesthood. By the mid-twentieth century it
had considerably expanded the scale and scope of its
operations. While some may have viewed St. Dunstan’s as
being in a quiet, even isolated, corner of the world, history did
not pass it by.
The years 1945 through 1955, are described by Island historian
Dr. Edward MacDonald, as the University’s “Golden Age.” The
University, like so much of Canadian academia, was swept along
by the dramatic social and economic forces unleashed in the
immediate aftermath of the Second World War. Enrollments
soared, driving an ambitious campus building program supported
in part by the most successful fund-raising drive in the history of
the Diocese of Charlottetown.
MacDonald states, “St. Dunstan’s made more progress during
its tenth decade than in the previous nine combined.” This sense
of progress and accomplishment was further encouraged by the
1954 celebration of St. Dunstan’s centennial. Yet although this
was an exciting time at St. Dunstan’s, it also brought many
challenges, especially for this traditionalist religious school
facing postwar expectations for social and educational change.
In 1969, St. Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales College
would combine their long-established educational institutions and
become absorbed into the University of Prince Edward Island.
|
| _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Preface Abbreviations PROLOGUE: A COLLEGE AT ST. ANDREW'S TOWARDS A CATHOLIC COLLEGE, 1790-1844 I. Labourers for the Lord's Vineyard, 1790-1831 II. The End of the Beginning: St. Andrew's College, 1831-1844 PART ONE: THE SHAPING OF ST. DUNSTAN'S A QUESTION OF SURVIVAL, 1855-1892 III. The House on the Hill, 1844-1860 IV. The Politics of Education: The College Question, 1860-1869 V. A Decade of Shadows: The 1870s VI. Jesuit Interlude VII. From Darkness Into Light, 1881-1893 VIII. Jolly Old St. Dunstan's: College Life, 1880-1920 PART TWO: IN SEARCH OF A GOLDEN AGE FROM COLLEGE TO UNIVERSITY, 1893-1945 IX. The Spirit of the Age, 1893-1913 X. Roads Not Taken, 1913-1921 XI. The Quiet Twenties XII. The Future Deferred: War and Depression, 1929-1945 XIII. College and Community: University Extension XIV. The Spirit of St. Dunstan's: Campus Life, 1920-1954 PART THREE: WINDS OF CHANGE THE POSTWAR ERA, 1945-1969 XV. The Golden Age, 1945-1955 Epilogue: The Turn of the Wheel Bibliography Index The Author |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Ed MacDonald |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ RELATED INTEREST |
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