Adventures in Philosophy at Notre Dame

Chapter 2: Breaching the Ramparts

47 ChAPter 2 Breaching the ramparts eARly stePs In the PuRsuIt oF exCellenCe Maverick that he was, Fr. Leo Ward did not play a major role in changing the academic profile of the department. There is nothing in the records of the time to suggest that his dissatisfaction with textbook Thomism had much influence on how his colleagues taught their courses. Nor did his regular attendance of APA meetings inspire other ND philosophers to follow suit. The initiative that dislodged Thomism from its dominant role in departmental affairs originated in the upper administration rather than in the department itself. This initiative was an integral part of the “pursuit of excellence” effort that emerged in the early years of Fr. Theodore M. Hesburgh’s presidency. The present chapter shows how the pursuit of excellence played out in the Philosophy Department and how it contributed to the displacement of Thomism as the cornerstone of ND’s undergraduate education. Although the slogan “pursuit of excellence” is usually associated with the Hesburgh administration, vigorous efforts to improve the academic quality of the university were already underway when Hesburgh took office in 1952. Before Hesburgh came Presidents John Cavanaugh (1946–52) and J. Hugh O’Donnell (1940–46), and before them President John O’Hara (1934–40).1 Unlikely as it may seem to someone familiar with O’Hara, the tides of reform that swept From thomism to Pluralism 48 the university in the 1950s had begun to stir under his leadership in the 1930s. Described as “an energetic prude” by ND historian Philip Gleason ,2 President O’Hara is distinguished in ND lore as a tireless crusader for pious causes. As prefect of religion (1918–34), he encouraged students to participate daily in Holy Communion and made consecrated hosts available in every chapel, where students could receive them cafeteria-style without waiting for Mass. He kept track of correlations between numbers of daily communicants and victories on the football field. And he organized novenas for intentions dear to his heart, including religious vocations, spiritual purity, and gridiron success.3 Perhaps the most widely known illustration of O’Hara’s ingrained piety was his personal removal of books he deemed morally pernicious from the library shelves.4 No one seems sure what became of these books, but rumor has it that he burned them in his fireplace. Religious zeal aside, Fr. O’Hara was a moving force behind the university’s emerging graduate program. Before his presidency, ND already had PhD programs in chemistry, biology, and metallurgy. While president, O’Hara added programs in physics, mathematics, politics, and philosophy. To staff these programs, he traveled to Europe looking for scientists and scholars seeking escape from fascist oppression . Among outstanding faculty gained in this fashion were mathematician Karl Menger and political scientist Waldemar Gurian, both mentioned in the previous chapter. While O’Hara provided administrative support, however, design of these advanced degree programs was left largely to Philip S. Moore, CSC. Moore was a medievalist and paleographer who had obtained his doctorate from Catholic University and had spent several years at the École des Chartes in Paris. Fr. Moore occasionally taught in the Philosophy Department and worked closely with Fr. Ward in setting up the philosophy PhD program. He also launched a program in medieval studies that led to the establishment of ND’s Medieval Institute in 1946. Fr. Moore was appointed ND’s first academic vice-president by Fr. Hesburgh in 1952. Fr. J. Hugh O’Donnell’s presidency (not to be confused with that of Fr. Charles L. O’Donnell, president during 1928–34) bracketed the Breaching the Ramparts 49 Second World War. Most of ND’s student body during this period were officer-candidates training in the Navy’s V-12 program. By Fr. Hesburgh’s account,5 President O’Donnell would stride about campus swinging his cape in a manner that signaled his authority as local “commander-in-chief.” Backed by ND’s increasing visibility in scientific research, Fr. O’Donnell served with representatives from Cal Tech and MIT on the federally mandated Committee on Science and the Public Welfare, exploring how wartime developments in science could be put to industrial use through research efforts by private universities. This committee helped lay the groundwork for the National Science Foundation (NSF), which began awarding research grants in 1952. Fr. O’Donnell’s involvement led to the appointment of ND biologist James...