COMMENCEMENT
"At eleven o'clock the Boarders shall go to the study room and prepare some pieces for the distribution (Commencement), which shall take place on the fifteenth of August . . . " Council of Professors, July 29, 1844
Premiums awarded students from Detroit; Chicago; Niles, Michigan; Buffalo, New York; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Terre Haute; Lockport, New York; South Bend; Michigan City; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Ireland, France, Philadelphia, Pa. St. Louis, Mo. August 4, 1846
"Mr. Bergeron shall be requested to sell cakes to strangers on the day of the distribution, but no drink shall be sold" Minor Chapter
" . . . .largest crowd ever, but the crowd filling up the house day and night for three days, sleeping even on the floor of the study hall, etc., eating and drinking our goods, annoying our poor Brothers and demoralizing every one."
"In early commencements on July 4, began with reading of the Declaration of Independence." SCHOLASTIC, 19:18, p. 294, 1848
"Program: Salutatory; Five Orations; Valedictory; Salutatory in Latin, and one oration in Irish. In evening, fireworks on campus. Students number 80 during year." July 4, 1852, 8th Annual Commencement
"Notice of annual Commencement, July 3, 1850. Honorable David L. Gregg, Secretary of State, Illinois, will deliver address before St. Aloysius Society. A free collation will be furnished the audience at the close of business." "By order of the President." June 10, 1850
"Council decides that refreshments shall be offered to visitors on the exhibition day, and accordingly tables shall be prepared in the garden . . . . A Brother shall be appointed to collect free offerings of the guests for our apprentices, on the exhibition day." 1858
"Brother Stephen will prevent children from entering the garden for the first table." 1858
"Common beer, two barrels, from Chicago will be procured for the dinner of the students and distributed with great caution to the actors of the play. The exhibition will take place on the last day of June." Local Council, June 3, 1861
July 1 . . . . Attendance of friends of the college and education generally, respectfully requested. June 7, 1859
Beer shall be provided for the exhibition and rowdies shall be prevented from partaking of the public collation. 1859
Next year exhibition takes place at 4:00 p.m. and shall not last over four hours, also that no refreshments besides dinner shall be offered to strangers by the Community, but some Catholics for the neighborhood shall be invited to sell refreshments to our guests on their own account.
"Our exhibition will take place on the last Wednesday in June (1861) at 3:00 p.m., but the play only after supper.
"Common beer, two barrels from Chicago, will be procured for the dinner of the students and distributed with great caution to the actors of the play." July 4, 1859
"From what we know of the Faculty and saw of the Institution on that day we are sure of what we long have heard: that this college is second to none in the West, at least." Editor of Mishawaka "Enterprise" after attending Commencement, June 25, 1862
"Beer will be distributed by Brother Isidore to students acting in the play. Brothers Maximus and Gabriel will keep the door. Brothers Caesarius and Nazareus will attend the horses and be all around.
"Provisions to be sold by two or three women of the neighborhood for the benefit of Notre Dame." June 23, 1862
Twentieth Annual Convention. See Scrapbook University Archives. A honey of a write-up." 1864
1865 . . . . Tickets 50 cents
1866 . . . . 4 M.A.'s; 4 A.B.'s; 24 M. Accts. -- Commercial Diplomas. 600 students attending during the year.
1868 . . . .Visitors from all parts of the United States.
1873 . . . .Notre Dame system of graduation, June 10
SCHOLASTIC, 6:10, p.316
"It was decided that sheep, calves, fish, ham, etc., apples, raisins, and white meats should be procured for the 31st of May. Wine and beer also for the guests." Local Council, May 21, 1866
"It was decided that tickets should be issued for the various Exhibitions, and that a charge of 50 cents should be made for each in order to do away with the noisy fellows who whistle and annoy the audience." Local Council, January 3, 1873
"Very Rev. Father General stated that for the future he wished that at all our annual Commencements (first mention of the word in the minutes) no person should expect to receive board and lodging for some days at the College, and that the number of invitations be limited to a few . . . ." "36 graduates . . . . dinner served to about 2,000 people."