Chronicles of Notre Dame du Lac
Edward Sorin, CSC -- Translated by John M. Toohey, CSC, 1895

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1845

pg 89                          6.  Completion of the Novitiate

                  Until the autumn of this year (1845), the Brothers' novitiate 
             had remained incomplete; that is to say, it consisted of the 
             chapel and the central house, in which the novices, to the number 
             of sixteen, had been lodged.  Mr. Badin, seeing the inconvenience 
             occasioned by the want of room, and the beauty that would belong 
             to the establishment on its completion, offered 300fr. towards 
             finishing it; and in consequence of this offer it was resolved to 
             complete the part corresponding to the chapel.  However, the 
             inside could not be finished until the following spring, and this 
             was taken by Mr. Badin as a sufficient reason to withdraw his 
             subscription.
                  The original intention was to dedicate this third part to St. 
             Joseph and to have a chapel in his honor there--which is deferred 
             for the present, but not entirely given up.  If the administration 
             of Notre Dame du Lac succeeds some day in lowering the waters of 
             the Lake and in drying the marshes that separate the novitiate 
             from the college, this dwelling-place will be unquestionably one 
             of the most agreeable that could be desired.