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Changes on the Horizon

 Father O'Donnell Pleased at Having Texas Assignment

Newly appointed President O'Donnell transitions from Notre Dame to St. Edward's. [Figure 2.1]

St. Edward’s did not tread lightly, either academically or in extracurricular endeavors, even in advent of their financial troubles. In line with their slogan, “A Greater St. Edward’s,” the institution sought to become the “Notre Dame of the South” that it knew it was destined to be. As the economic situation continued to dwindle throughout the decade, though, newly appointed President Hugh O’Donnell, who succeeded President Burke in 1931, suggested they revise the slogan to a more modest promise. He also suggested, as things went figuratively south, that they might relocate the university literally South, too, to the “Catholic San Antonio.” [5]

The Dangers of Communism

Ten dangers of Communism, as written in the student newspaper. [Figure 2.2]

The internal struggles of the decade were not indicative of the students’ experiences. The Holy Cross University maintained its Catholic outlook. Administrators sought to protect their students from the perils of secularism. Students, too, maintained that a comprehensive Catholic education could insulate them from the dangers of Communism. [Figure 2.2] The university-required courses of religion and philosophy bolstered students’ solidity in their faith, ideally. The Catholic, all-men’s university provided a holistic education that spanned more than simply vocation. [6] At the same time, though, some students were wary of the value of their degree in an exhausted job market. "Taking the Breaks," [Figure 2.3] an article from the 1932 student newspaper, questioned what their holistic education would bring them in the midst of the Depression. There was fear that they would graduate college with only a degree and no job lined up. [Figure 2.3] While the '30s were certainly not an easy decade, St. Edward’s men took their Catholic education in stride and wielded their values quite closely.

With so much uncertainty on the horizon, St. Edward's maintained its core philosophy. The core values reflected in the student newspaper included an emphasis on Catholicism and being an inward-looking institution. While the university did spread itself too thin on some occasions, the advent of the Depression caused the University to lean more deeply into their Catholic values.