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4 closure and amalgamation This departure [from old college methods to new], made imperative by our plans for the development of a great university, will eventually work unto the benefit of all. —father albert biever as a college or university evolves, so too does its curricular structure. changes in societal expectations, legitimacy standards, or developmental issues related to ideological conceptions of “high school” and “college” curriculum impose pressure on administrators and faculty to adapt their educational institution if they want it to survive. ashasbeenshown,thetraditionalJesuitcollegeconsistedofapreparatory department as well as the college division. as american standards changed in regard to this age-old european structure, preparatory departments were separated from colleges to become high schools or were dissolved entirely, leaving the college department to function as a formalized institution separate from preparatory and secondary curricula. This was not always a successful venture in securing survival. in some cases, academic departments were removed and merged with another institution prior to the closure of a college. Such was the case with the college of the immaculate conception (1849–1912) and loyola college (1904–1912) in new orleans, louisiana. in this chapter, both of these Jesuit colleges are presented as examples of program amalgamation and institutional closure. although located in the same city, neither shared the same immediate geographic area, and the impetus for founding each institution was particularly different. as the institutional identities and missions of both the college of the immaculate conception and loyola collegeinfluencedrelationshipswithsurroundinggeographicregions,theSociety of Jesus began to plan a new Jesuit university that forced the merging of academic departments from both colleges, thus signaling their demise. college of the immaculate conception in new orleans, louisiana imagine if you will, receiving a letter emblazoned with a collegiate seal bearing mary the mother of Jesus at the forefront of the crest. clouds surround mary, her head is haloed with stars, and light streams from her hands. Scripted above the seal is the following appeal: “mary, conceived without sin, pray for us, who have recourse to thee.” This was the common letterhead and seal of the college of the 106 / Chapter 4 immaculate conception in new orleans, louisiana.1 but before there was a seal, there was the foundation of a Jesuit residence in new orleans and later a college for the education of young men. according to the diary of father Jean baptiste maisounabe, communications regarding a Jesuit residence and college in new orleans had already been established with archbishop antoine blanc during the first years of the Jesuit return to new orleans. This project was delayed, however, due to inadequate funds.2 eventually , through the efforts of father maisounabe, property was purchased on the corner of common and baronne Streets. The purpose of the purchase was to build a catholic church and rectory for the Society of Jesus, as well as a college for the instruction of young catholic men in the city. Despite petitions to the catholic populace for financial assistance, none was given;3 however, in november 1848, theSocietyof Jesusborrowedthesumof$2,000fortheconstructionofasmallcollege next to their barrone Street church from the ursuline Sisters. The ursulines, who had been brought to new orleans by the Jesuits in the eighteenth century, maintained a strong alliance with the Society of Jesus. over the course of fifty-six years, the ursulines loaned the Jesuits an additional $28,000. in total, the sisters loaned the Society of Jesus $30,000 completely without interest. all of the money went toward the betterment of the new orleans college and the Jesuit residence.4 Seated on a portion of the property once given by Sieur de bienville to the Society of Jesus for their new orleans plantation and later confiscated through the colonial Jesuit expulsion, the new college was founded in 1849. With the visitation of father John cambiaso, it was decided that the college should expand and that the architectural style of the college should match that of the Jesuit church, which was moresque, a form of moorish architecture. cambiaso was enthusiastic about the development of the college and added an additional plot of land valued at $10,000 to the maisounabe purchase on common Street.5 The Jesuits were not only pleased to return to an original piece of land once owned by the society, they were also excited about the arrival of several foreign Jesuits to aid in the progress of the college of the immaculate conception. These new Jesuit fathers, originally from european countries, marveled at new orleans with its features so like...

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