Column One: Numbers 1 to 24

Poor record-keeping in the older days does not reveal when Dr. Doernenburg began teaching at La Salle; it was certainly by the 1920s, when the school was at 1240 North Broad Street. A noted scholar and poet, Dr. Doernenburg authored a well-regarded book about German-American ballads. He specialized in the teaching of German at La Salle, but also branched into Spanish and French instruction. Dr. Doernenburg received an honorary degree from La Salle in 1933. After his death, the school’s German Club was renamed the Doernenburg Society.

2. F. John Hetherington, F.S.C. (Brother Felician John) (1880 – 1940)

Although many early records are ambiguous and unclear, it is safe to assert that Brother John taught at the college level of La Salle in 1918-1925 (physics and chemistry) and in 1938-1940 (mathematics and ethics). He also served as the Sub-Director of the Christian Brothers’ Community (1921-1925). The catalogs of La Salle during the early 1920s were published sporadically and are not easily dated with precision, but one catalog published between 1922 and 1925 identified Brother John as the Vice-President of La Salle. Earlier in time, Brother John taught at La Salle (1902-1906 and 1914-1915), but these years were probably at the high school level.

3. F. Andrew Collins, F.S.C. (Brother Fidelis Andrew) (1912 – 1941)

Brother Andrew taught English at La Salle, 1936-1941. Equally important, however, he became synonymous with the student publications all during that time. He moderated the Collegian (1936-1941) and inaugurated the Explorer (yearbook), becoming its moderator for the 1940 and 1941 issues. The 1942 Explorer was dedicated to his memory. In 1939, Brother Andrew began the annual La Salle Press Conference for high school and collegiate students in the Philadelphia area; literary leaders were showcased and given an opportunity to share insights with journalism-minded youth. He promoted La Salle’s social events, notably the Harvest Dance, the Diamond Jubilee (1863-1938) Ball, and the annual Blue and Gold Ball. Brother Andrew served as the moderator of the La Salle Alumni in 1940 and re-energized it.

4. Felician P. McLaughlin, F.S.C. (Brother Felician Patrick) (1874 – 1945)

Brother Felician taught three different times at La Salle (1916-1921, 1932-1937, and 1941-1945), but the first of these definitely involved his teaching at the high school level. [The catalog of 1932-33 did not list him in the College faculty section, but his name does appear in the catalogs from 1933-34 onward.] A teacher of English literature and composition, he was remembered as a “profound Shakespearian scholar” by an obituary writer. Brother Felician was one of the first Christian Brothers of the Baltimore Province to earn a Ph.D. degree.* His fame as a writer and educator brought him honorary degrees from both Villanova and Niagara. During the 1930s he regularly wrote a column in the Collegian.

5. E. Charles McInerney, F.S.C. (Brother Eadbert Charles) (1880 – 1947)

Brother Charles taught four different times at La Salle:1902-1903, 1911-1912, 1921-1928, and 1932-1947. Of these times, he was definitely teaching at the college level during 1911-1912, 1925-28, and 1933-1947. The early catalogs did not identify chairmen of academic departments, but a catalog published between 1926 and 1928 noted that Brother Charles headed the Chemistry Department. Whether working with high schoolers or collegians, his mastery of chemistry profoundly impacted the students from La Salle who entered into medical professions.

6. Gervald Leonard Ring, F.S.C. (Brother Gervald Leonard) (1882 – 1948)

A native of Ireland, Brother Leonard was one of three siblings who became Christian Brothers. He was as comfortable in a classroom as he was on the athletic fields of La Salle. At the collegiate level, Brother Leonard taught sociology and “political economy” (later renamed political science) from 1931-1945. [Two catalogs (1933-34 and 1934-35) additionally identified him as the “Dean of the School of Business Administration” before it was officially established in 1955.] He was the founding moderator of Sigma Phi Lambda, La Salle’s oldest fraternity, in 1935. He enjoyed sporting events at La Salle, especially football and basketball, and displayed a keen interest in clubs and activities. Leonard Hall, a building which was part of the campus from 1947 until the mid-1970s, was named in his honor. At the Alumni Reunion Weekend in May 2005, Sigma Phi Lambda conducted a brief, informal ceremony to remember Brother Leonard’s legacy in the small quadrangle where this structure stood. At the same event in 2006, a memorial plaque to Brother Leonard was placed into the quadrangle’s soil.

7. Francis de S. O’Neill, F.S.C. (Brother Francis de Sales) (1882 – 1949)

Brother Francis de Sales served as the Dean of the College (1930-1931), but returned to La Salle several years later to teach education courses (1935-1938). The catalog of 1937-38 indicated that he additionally served as the “Director of Religious Instruction.” During his career, he was the director and principal in a number of schools conducted by the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

8. Herbert S. Weber (? - 1950)

Available records indicate that Herbert Weber was a faculty member at La Salle for only three years (1947-1950), but his impact ran deeply. He taught history during that first year, but English was his specialty during the next two years. Not long after his death, the teachers of English and their students inaugurated the Herbert S. Weber Society in autumn 1950 to discuss pertinent issues regarding literature and writing. A lengthy nine-paragraph obituary appeared in the Collegian of February 28, 1951.

9. Joseph M. Crowley (1868 – 1952)

A large metal plaque entitled “Crowley Hill” stands near the south end of McCarthy Stadium—and for good reason. Beginning in 1926, Joseph Michael Crowley, a Germantown quarryman and landscaping engineer, was associated with La Salle when it located at 1240 North Broad Street. When the first three buildings of the new 20th and Olney campus were completed by 1930, Crowley supervised improvements to the ambiance of the new campus, such as tree-lined walks on the quadrangle, new trees and shrubbery, and the original Sacred Heart statue in the center of the quadrangle. He also designed the original football field (arranged just beyond the rear door of Wister Hall, perpendicular to today’s configuration), the original track (later replaced by today’s modern Wetzler Track), and the leveling of the original baseball field (today’s Hank DeVincent Field). Around 1933 he began the transformation of the football field into the new McCarthy Stadium by way of a landfill, placing 150,000 cubic yards of earth using only his eye, a line of string, and horse-drawn equipment. On November 11, 2000, a flagpole at McCarthy Stadium and the aforementioned plaque were dedicated to his memory. His son, Michael Edward Crowley, was an active student during his years at La Salle and later taught business courses at the College.

10. William E. Howe (? - 1953)

A Certified Public Accountant, William E. Howe joined the La Salle faculty in autumn 1931, and that year was teaching “Money, Credit and Accounting.” The catalogs indicate that he taught accounting through the 1943-1944 academic year. Identification of the chairs of academic departments was spotty at best in the old records, but the 1942 Explorer yearbook identified him as the chair of the Accounting Department. In the same yearbook, Mr. Howe contributed a quarter-page advertisement which stated that his CPA business was at “308 Finance Building” in Philadelphia. The 1942-1943 catalog, in addition to mentioning his accounting instruction, cited his directorship of La Salle’s Students’ Placement Bureau. Today, the William E. Howe and Co. (established in 1918) is a Philadelphia-based Certified Public Accountant firm which serves a diverse range of clients.

11. George Thomas Halton, F.S.C. (Brother George Thomas) (1911 - 1955)

During his six years at La Salle College (1947-1953), Brother George Thomas combined teaching English and public speaking with his duties as Dean of Freshmen. He also moderated the college chapter of the National Federation of Catholic College Students.

12. Felix Patrick Murphy, F.S.C. (Brother Felix Patrick) (1893 - 1955)

Brother Felix Patrick taught at two different times at La Salle High School (1915-1918 and 1943-1946), but did not work at La Salle’s College until the final half-year of his life. An obituary writer (Brother Edward Patrick) noted that Brother Felix Patrick was the “Director of Student Housing” during the fall of 1955 and died during the Christmas season.

13. E. Abdon Popp, F.S.C. (Brother Elesbaan Abdon) (1879 - 1956)

Bavarian-born Brother Abdon taught German at La Salle during three different times:1931-1932, 1935-1937, and 1938-1952. The earlier years were most likely at the high school level; while collegiate catalogs listed him as a regular faculty member in 1936-37, 1940-41, and from 1942-43 onward. La Salle College conferred an honorary degree on Brother Abdon in 1950 in recognition of his academic dedication.

14. E. Alfred Kelly, F.S.C. (Brother Elzear Alfred) (1872 - 1957)

With his distinguished Vandyke beard, Brother Alfred held the presidency (1928-1932) during an eventful time. He oversaw La Salle’s long-awaited move from 1240 North Broad Street to 20th and Olney (the High School in September 1929, the College in February 1930). He landscaped the original campus into what we know today, and steered La Salle through its first Middle Atlantic States evaluation. As the Great Depression cast a lengthy shadow, Brother Alfred held La Salle together until his own health showed signs of stress. He remained at the campus after the presidency, teaching public speaking and directing intercollegiate debate. Before leaving La Salle in 1944, he founded a series of seminars and classes for the training of labor leaders, which was known as the La Salle College Civic and Social Congress. A framed portrait of Brother Alfred is positioned on the landing between the first and second floors of the Connelly Library.

15. Emilian J. Fitzpatrick, F.S.C. (Brother Emilian of Jesus) (1902-1957)

Known as a voracious reader and a universal scholar, Brother Emilian could seemingly converse with anyone regarding any topic. His teaching of philosophy at La Salle College covered the years 1925-1927, 1941-1944, and 1956-1957.

16. G. Lucian McGurk, F.S.C. (Brother Galbert Lucian) (1878 – 1959)

Although his religious name was Brother Galbert Lucian, he was familiarly known to confreres as “Gabby Lucian” because he was a great source of fun and amusement. A gifted science teacher, his specialty was biology. His rise through La Salle’s ranks was rapid, from instructing high school seniors (1918-1919), to teaching college students (1919-1922), to the presidency (1922-1925). During the latter period he articulated La Salle’s great need to expand 1240 North Broad Street or to move to a new site. Although the Latin Question was resolved in 1923 (it allowed the Christian Brothers to study and teach Latin),accommodations at this time for the increased number of applicants were lacking at La Salle's cramped location. Brother Lucian later returned to La Salle in 1931 and served as the Dean of the College (1931-1934); he held the additional title of “Secretary” from 1932 to 1934. He returned to La Salle one last time (1948-1950), during which he was essentially retired.

17. George Lewis Matthews, F.S.C. (Brother George Lewis) (1888 – 1960)

Nearly half (34 years) of Brother George Lewis’ life was lived at La Salle. He taught mathematics and physics at the college level during most of his first two times there:1913-1918 and 1919-1922. Returning as a college mathematics teacher in 1934, Brother Lewis became the Dean in 1938 until 1944. His next role was to serve as La Salle’s Vice President (1944-1952 although the catalogs indicate that he still taught some college math while holding these two positions. He then closed out his career with college math instruction. Honorary degrees from La Salle and from the University of Scranton (1954) accentuated a most productive career. A biographer described him as a pioneer “University Brother” at a time when a lengthy college assignment was a sign of special talent.

18. E. Clementian Brennan, F.S.C. (Brother Ephrem Clementian) (1897 – 1961)

Although the wartime records are somewhat vague, Brother Clementian appears to have taught English at La Salle College for three years:1942-1945. During part of this time (1943-1944), however, he served as “Supervisor of Classes” (probably monitoring the progress of the young teaching Brothers) and from 1944 to 1945 as Pro-Director of the Brothers’ Community. In 1947 Brother Clementian began teaching college English and some theology continuously until his death in 1961. During his last year at La Salle (1960-1961) he was the Sub-Director of the Brothers’ Community. One of the clubs for donations administered by University Advancement has been the Brother Clementian Club.

19. Edward Luke McCusker, F.S.C. (Brother Edward Luke) (1901 – 1961)

Brother Luke taught English at La Salle College at two different time:1934-1936 and 1940-1947. He moderated the Collegian during most of these years.

20. E. Felix Blankemeyer, F.S.C. (Brother Elesbaan Felix) (1877 – 1962)

Brother Felix served in many roles during his two decades (1928-1948) at La Salle. For 16 of those years (1928-1944), he served as both Vice-President and as Sub-Director of the Brothers’ Community. He twice served as Dean of the College (1928-1930 and 1934-1938). Brother Felix also held the position of Director of Religious Instruction (1939-1945). During most of his time at La Salle, he taught education courses, but also taught philosophy, German, and religion classes, as needed. He received a honorary degree from La Salle (1928) and later moderated the inaugural issues of the Collegian in 1931. As one writer observed, Brother Felix achieved his distinction of scholar and teacher by sheer determination in an era of no scholasticates, grants, or fellowships to smooth the path to learning.

21. D. Augustine McCaffrey, F.S.C. (Brother Dominic Augustine) (1900 – 1963)

Brother Augustine was ahead of his time. He not only taught sociology for two decades (1942-1963), but also served as a role model to his students with clarity and dedication. He taught about marriage and family for the benefit of his students. An advocate for interracial harmony and justice before the mainstream civil rights movement was articulated, Brother Augustine was a major participant of several advocacy councils. He enjoyed a high-profile image with the National Federation of Catholic College Students. Earlier (1944-1948), he served as either the Sub-Director or the Pro-Director of the Christian Brothers’ Community at La Salle. The appearance of Dorothy Day and other significant speakers at La Salle over the decades was likely attributable in part to his influence. In September 2001, La Salle University remembered his social-minded contributions by establishing the Brother Augustine Center (5632 Uber Street) to help commuters and off-campus students increase their campus involvement.

22. John F. McGlynn (1921? - 1963)

John F. McGlynn came to La Salle in 1950 and taught English until his premature death at the age of 42. He was an editorial staff member of La Salle’s Four Quarters magazine in its early days, contributing some literary pieces to it. Mr. McGlynn co-authored a high school teacher’s manual published shortly before his passing.

23. F. Azarias King, F.S.C. (Brother Francis Azarias) (1897 – 1965)

Not many faculty have been synonymous with a single letter (“Brother A,” or “The Great A,”), but Brother Azarias definitely came the closest. He was the consummate educator, teaching at La Salle’s collegiate level on three occasions:1939-1940, 1942-1944, and 1947-1965. His specialty was education, and his impact helped the reputation of La Salle College to soar. Brother Azarias was a one-man employment bureau, with many graduates well-placed within the Philadelphia public school system alone; he was even dubbed “the Pope of the Public Schools.” Brother Azarias was equally active in Catholic circles, being a major figure in the National Catholic Educational Association.

24. Edwin W. Adams (unknown dates)

Edwin W. Adams joined the Education Department at La Salle in 1951. He had been the associate superintendent of the Philadelphia Public School District and also president of the Philadelphia Teachers College. It is not currently known when he stopped teaching at La Salle, but it was probably late 1964, 1965, or 1966, because his name does not appear in the 1966-1967 catalog. Similarly, his date of death is not currently known.