The Influence of James Hubert Blenk on Catholic Education in the

Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1964 The Influence of James Hubert Blenk on Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, 1885-1917 Mary Bernardine Hill Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Hill, Mary Bernardine, "The Influence of James Hubert Blenk on Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, 1885-1917." (1964) LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses 928 https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/928 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons For more information, please contact gradetd@lsu.edu T his d isse r ta tio n has been m icro film ed e x a ctly a s r e c e iv e d -1 ,4 HILL, M S.C , S is te r M ary B e m a rd in e, 1924THE INFLUENCE OF JAMES HUBERT BLENK ON CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW ORLEANS, 1885-1917 L ou isian a State U n iv ersity , E d D , 1964 E ducation, adm in istration University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan THE INFLUENCE OF JAMES HUBERT BLENK ON CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW ORLEANS, 1885-1917 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in The Department of Education by Sister Mary Bernardine Hill, M.S.C B.A., Our Lady of Holy Cross College, 1946 M.A., Notre Dame University, 1956 January, 1964 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer gratefully acknowledges the assistance received from many persons in the writing of her dissertation Most especially must she mention Dr Rodney Cline, her major professor, under whose immediate direction the research was conducted; the other members of her committee— Dr Ralph Schmidt, Dr Thomas R Landry, Dr Lee M Harrison, and Dr John Pettisjs; Rt Rev Msgr Henry C Bezou for his advice in the selection of a topic and the permission to use the New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives; the Marist Fathers who allowed the use of their archives in Washington, D C.; the members of the various Religious Communities; and Sister Mary John Berchmans who generously gave of her time to type the first draft of this study Special appreciation and gratitude are due to Mother Mary Hilary to whom the writer owes the opportunity to pursue higher graduate study TABLE OP CONTENTS PAGE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii AB STRACT xi CHAPTER I EDUCATION IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OP NEW ORLEANS PRIOR TO Highlights in the Development of Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of New Orleans Between 1725 and 1860 Catholic Education in New Orleans under French R u l e The Capuchin s c h o o l Concern for girls' education The Ursulines’ school Catholic Education under Spanish Rule Creation of the Diocese of New O r l e a n s Educational efforts of the Spanish • Conditions between 1801-1815 Educational Conditions during Early Statehood Father Martial's s c h o o l Father Portier's s c h o o l Financial difficulties Madames of the Sacred Heart The Sisters of Loretto Catholic Education Between 1829-1833 The Poydras Asylum St Patrick's Orphanage and St Simeon's s c h o o l Sisters of Mount C a r m e l Diocesan Education under Bishop Antoine Blanc iii 1 9 10 11 12 12 14 15 16 18 19 19 20 21 23 PAGE CHAPTER First pastoral l e t t e r Jesuits re-established Work of other R e l i gious Concern for the c o l o r e d Statue of Catholic Education from 1860-1906 Conditions Immediately Following the Civil W a r Jefferson College reopened Pronouncements of Archbishop Napoleon Joseph Perche Response of the clergy and r elig i o u s Archdiocese faced with bankruptcy Financial crisis averted The Work of Archbishop Francis Janssens Independent incorporation of p a r i s h e s Preparatory seminary opened Provisions for Negro education Facilities provided for deaf-mutes Organization of Catholic Winter School Decrease of the Archdiocesan debt Louis Placide Chapelle, Archbishop and Diplomat Interest in education Rejection of Faribault P l a n Educational picture in the Archdiocese in 1906 II JAMES HUBERT BLENK— THE MAN AND THE EDUCATOR Early Life and Schooling Higher Educational Background • Redemptorist College Jefferson College Education for the priesthood Father Blenk Returns to Jefferson C o l l e g e iv 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 29 31 33 33 34 35 35 36 37 38 39 41 41 42 44 46 46 48 48 48 49 51 PAGE CHAPTER Early Growth of the College Incorporation by the state Jefferson given to the Marists Blenk the T e a c h e r Moderator of d e b a t e Teacher of literature and language Interest in the sciences Vice-president of Jefferson Blenk the President of Jefferson C o l l e g e Blenk's election to the presidency First changes initiated Guidance activities Physical education introduced into curriculum Interest in m u s i c Curricula defined Expansion of science curriculum Father Blenk1s Philosophy of Education Belief in the mental discipline theory Practical knowledge stressed Interest in vocational education Advocacy of the principle of self-activity Interest in teacher-preparation Devotion to classroom duties Building Program under Father Blenk Financing the p r o g r a m Alumni H a l l Pastor in A l g i e r s Auditor of the Apostolic Delegation to Cuba and Porto Rico Bishop of Porto Rico Back to Louisiana III 51 52 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 58 59 60 60 62 63 65 65 66 66 67 68 69 70 72 72 73 74 75 76 82 FROM PRIVATE TO PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS 83 Problems Awaiting the New Archbishop Need for Reorganization of the School S y s t e m 84 v 84 PAGE CHAPTER Blenk's earliest statement concerniny the schools 85 Recommendations of the Baltimore Councils 86 Catholic schools prior to 1906 87 Importance of private institutions 88 Beginning of Parochial Schools 90 Lack of unity in conduct of schools 91 Recommendations of Archbishop Blenk concerning the establishment of parochial schools 94 Cooperation of pastors 94 Private schools not abandoned 96 Financing the Schools of the Archdiocese 96 of New Orleans Prior to 1906 Finances in the Colonial Period 97 Effects of Statehood on Catholic School Finances 97 Means of support 98 Maintenance of schools after 99 the Civil W a r Private school maintenance 100 Financing school personnel 100 Growth and maintenance of Negro s c h o o l s 101 School Finances Subsequent to the Episcopate of Archbishop James Hubert Blenk 103 Financial Organization of 103 Parochial Schools Capital outlay revenues 103 Revenues for operational costs 104 Financial resources for Negro parochial s c h o o l s 105 Archbishop Blenk's Evaluation of the Parochial School System 105 IV THE FIRST ARCHDIOCESAN SCHOOL BOARD 107 Early Efforts to Coordinate Catholic Schools in New Orleans 107 Attempts at Organization before 1906 108 vi PAGE CHAPTER New Orleans Free School Association 108 Second petition to the legislature 109 Efforts of Archbishop Janssens 109 Archbishop Blenk, Organizer of Catholic Schools Ill Creation of the Catholic School Board 112 Objectives of the Board 112 Opposition encountered .113 Superintendent named 114 Selection of a school board 115 First board m e e t i n g 116 Duties of the School Board 117 Committee on statistics 117 119 School population Local school boards proposed 120 Textbook selection 120 Curriculum development .123 Primary syllabus submitted 124 Music in the s c h o o l 125 Interest in physical fitness p r o g r a m 127 Tentative Curriculum Presented 128 Importance of reading stressed 129 Financing the School Board 130 V TEACHER EDUCATION PROVIDED IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW ORLEANS 133 The Need for Teacher-Training Institutions in New O r l e a n s 134 Teacher Education Prior to 1906 134 Teacher-Education under Archbishop B l e n k .135 Teacher institutes 136 Dominican College, Archdiocesan training school 140 Development of Teacher-Training Facilities 142 Jefferson College 142 Ursuline College 143 Academy of the Holy Angels, College Department 143 Other summer normal courses arranged 145 vii 200 Encouraged by this great prelate they expanded their educa­ tional facilities and opened an orphanage for Negro boys after having received a very generous contribution from Thorny Lafon In addition to this, a free school for boys was established in connection with the Motherhouse of these Sisters Other Educational Interests of Archbishop Blenk Not satisfied with the flourishing parochial school system, Archbishop Blenk became instrumental in the estab­ lishment of Loyola University for higher education with Catholic auspices He exerted his influence on behalf of foreign students who sought admittance into the institutions of higher learning in the State He graciously acquiesced when asked to use his educational prestige to obtain jobs for deserving teachers in the public school system His interest in higher education did not, however, stifle his efforts to expand the educational facilities on the lower levels He invited new Religious Communities to take up the work of Catholic education in his Archdiocese, and saw to it that school plants were renewed or improved where the need existed Archbishop Blenk*s sympathies were always with the underprivileged This is manifested in the interest he showed 201 in the deaf-mutes at Chinchuba He brought this institute under Archdiocesan control to insure its continued existence When parents of children in the parochial schools were unable to provide medical care, the Archbishop organized the Catholic doctors of the city into St Luke's Guild to provide the necessary services He fought the evils of child labor by word and example, and strove to have every child of school age in the classroom Death of Archbishop When death claimed the Archbishop in 1917, it could be said he had worn himself out in the interests of his flock True, all that was accomplished by him was not untouched by his predecessors; but it was necessary that a man of his courageous and adamant character be the instrument for welding all efforts into a unified whole BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY A PRIMARY SOURCES Act of Louisiana State Legislature, March 5, 1861 College Library, Washington, D C Marist Act of Louisiana State Legislature, July 2, 1906 College Library, Washington, D C Marist Act of Louisiana State Legislature, July 6, 1916 Archives, New Orleans, Louisiana Marianite Acta et Decreta Concilii Plenarii Baltimorensis Tertii, A.D MDCCCLXXXIV Baltimorae: Typis Joannis Murphy et Socioriem, MDCCCLXXXVI Annals of the Sisters Marianites of Holy Cross Louisiana, n.d Annals of the Sisters of Charity n.d New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, Annals of the Sisters of Mount Carmel ana, n.d Annals of the Sisters of St Joseph n.d New Orleans, Louisi­ New Orleans, Louisiana, Annual Report of the Superintendent of Catholic Schools, 1909, New Orleans, Louisiana Archbishops' Appointments New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives Baudier's Historical Collection Archives New Orleans Archdiocesan Catalogue of St Marv1s Jefferson College, 1872-1873 Orleans: T Fitzwilliam and Company, 1873 203 New 204 Catalogue of St Mary's Jefferson College, 1874-1875 Orleans: T Fitzwilliam and Company, 1875 New Catalogue of St Mary's Jefferson College, 1875-1876 Orleans: T Fitzwilliam and Company, 1876 New Catalogue of St Mary's Jefferson College, 1886-1887 Orleans: T Fitzwilliam and Company, 1887 New Catalogue of St Mary's Jefferson College, 1891-1892 Orleans: T Fitzwilliam and Company, 1892 New Catalogue of St Mary's Jefferson College, 1892-1893 Orleans: T Fitzwilliam and Company, 1893 New Catalogue of St Mary's Jefferson College, 1893-1894 Orleans: T Fitzwilliam and Company, 1894 New Catalogue of St Mary's Jefferson College, 1906-1907 Orleans: T Fitzwilliam and Company, 1907 New Catalogue of St Mary's Jefferson College, 1910-1911 Orleans: T Fitzwilliam and Company, 1911 New Catholic Winter School Records Archives, n.d New Orleans Archdiocesan Chronicles of the Convent of Saints Peter and Paul, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1889 Chronicles of the Sisters Marianites of Holy Cross, 1841-1852 New Orleans, Louisiana Concilii Plenarii Baltimorensis II, In Ecclesia Metropolitana Baltimorensi, A Die VII ad Diem XXI Octobris, A.D MDCCCLXVI, Habita et a Sede Apostolica Recogniti, Decreta Baltimorae: Joannes Murphy, MDCCCLXVIII Contract for Seminary at St Benedict, Louisiana, June 22, 1911 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives Correspondence between Archbishop Blenk and the Superiors General of Religious Communities, 1913 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives 205 Correspondence between Archbishop Blenk and the Bishops of the Province of New Orleans, 1913 New Orleans Arch­ diocesan Archives Correspondence between Officials of the National Catholic Educational Association and Archbishop Blenk, 1913 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives Course of Studies for Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, 1915 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives "Documents, Resolutions, etc., of the Congregation of St Louis Roman Catholic Cathedral." St Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, Louisiana Eulogy given by Bishop Gunn of Natchez, Mississippi, at Arch­ bishop Blenk's Funeral, April 28, 1917 Marist College Library, Washington, D C Letter from Archbishop Blenk to the Superior of the Dominican Convent, December 8, 1909 Dominican College Archives, New Orleans, Louisiana Letter from Archbishop Blenk to the Ursuline Nuns, 1911 Ursuline Convent Archives, New Orleans, Louisiana Letter from Archbishop Francis Janssens to the Superior of the Dominican Convent, 1893 Dominican College Archives, New Orleans, Louisiana Letter from Louis XV of France to Ursuline Nuns, September 18, 1726 Ursuline Convent Archives, New Orleans, Louisiana Letter from Reverend Leslie Kavanagh to Archbishop Blenk, May 29, 1908 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives Letter from Roger Baudier to Reverend Robert Laplace, O.S.B New Orleans, Archdiocesan Archives Letter from T H Harris to Father P H Dagneau, S.M Marist Seminary Archives, Washington, D C Letters from Thomas D Boyd to Archbishop Blenk, March 25, 1907 and September 16, 1911 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives 206 Lettre Circulaire au Clerge du Diocese de la Nouvelle Orleans, Octobre, Fete Sts-Anges Gardiens, 1872 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives Lettre Pastorale et Mandements de Mgr l'Archeveque de la Nouvelle Orleans pour le Careme de 1872 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, January, 1907." New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, September 5, 1907." New Orleans Arch­ diocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, October 6, 1907." New Orleans Arch­ diocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Arch­ diocese of New Orleans, October 16, 1907." New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Arch­ diocese of New Orleans, December 9, 1907." New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Arch­ diocese of New Orleans, Spring, 1908." New Orleans Arch­ diocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, May, 1908." New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, September 8, 1908." New Orleans Arch­ diocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, April 5, 1909." New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, September 13, 1909." New Orleans Arch­ diocesan Archives 207 "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Spring, 1913." New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives "Minutes of the Catholic Board of Education of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, October 24, 1914." New Orleans Arch­ diocesan Archives Minutes of the Meeting of Marguilliers of St Louis Cathedral, 1825 St Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, Louisi­ ana Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Directors of St Louis Cathedral, 1914 St Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, Louisiana Notes from the Academy of the Sacred Heart Archives, Convent, Louisiana n.d Notes written by Marie Louise Points, a personal friend of Archbishop Blenk, New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives, n.d Pastoral Letter of Archbishop Antoine Blanc, 1853 Archdiocesan Archives New Orleans Pastoral Letter of Archbishop James Hubert Blenk, December, 1907 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives Pastoral Letter of Archbishop James Hubert Blenk, August, 1915, New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives Pastoral Letter of Archbishop John Marie Odin, 1861 Orleans Archdiocesan Archives New Pastoral Letter of Archbishop Louis Placide Chapelle, 1899 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives Pastoral Letter of Archbishop Napoleon Joseph Perche, 1872 New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives Personal interview with Mother Mary Agatha, S.B.S., a con­ temporary and close friend of Mother Katherine Drexel Personal interview with Sister Mary Basil, M.S.C., who taught under the superintendency of Reverend Leslie Kavanagh 208 Personal interview with Sister Mary Ligouri, M.S.C., who taught under the superintendency of Reverend Leslie Kavanagh Personal scrapbook of Archbishop James Hubert Blenk Orleans Archdiocesan Archives New Records in Archives of Holy Family Motherhouse, New Orleans, Louisiana Records in Archives of Sisters Marianites of Holy Cross, New Orleans, Louisiana Records in Holy Name of Mary Parish Rectory, Algiers, Louisiana Records in Marist College Library, Washington, D C Records in Marist Seminary Archives, Washington, D C Records of Corpus Christi School, New Orleans, Louisiana Records of Holy Rosary Institute, Lafayette, Louisiana Records of Sacred Heart High School, Lake Charles, Louisiana Records of St Edward School, New Iberia, Louisiana Records of St Paul School, Lafayette, Louisiana Register of the Church of the Assumption, Plattenville, Louisiana Report of the Education Committee of the Sisters Marianites of Holy Cross, New Orleans, Louisiana "Report on Congregations of Religious Women, July 1913— June 1918." New Orleans Archdiocesan Archives Schedule of Jefferson College Wa shing ton, D C Marist Seminary Archives, Scrapbook of Reverend Leslie Kavanagh diocesan Archives New Orleans Arch­ Xavier University Bulletin, 1943-1944 New Orleans, Louisiana 209 Xavier University Yearbook, 1916-1917 ana B New Orleans, Louisi­ BOOKS "Address of the Most Reverend James Hubert Blenk, D.D." The National Catholic Educational Association Bulletin, IV, 1907 Baudier, Roger The Catholic Church in Louisiana New Orleans: A W Hyatt Stationery Manufacturing Company, 1939 _ The Eighth National Eucharist Congress, New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans: Hope Haven Press, 1941 Burns, James A., and Bernard J Kohlbrenner Catholic Education in the United States Benziger Brothers, 1937 Fortier, Alcee (ed.) Louisiana torical Association, 1909 Atlanta: A History of New York: Southern His­ Garraghan, Gilbert Joseph, S.J The Jesuits of the Middle United States New York: America Press, 1938 Gayarrfe, Charles History of Louisiana, the French Domination New Orleans: Jonas A Gresham, 1879 Georgelin, J Francis, S.M The Marist Fathers and the Holy Name of Mary Church Privately printed, 1949 Golden Jubilee 1891-1941, Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indian and Colored People Cornwells Heights, Pennsylvania: Motherhouse, 1941 Guildey, Peter A History of the Councils of Baltimore York: The Macmillan Company, 1932 New Janssens, Archbishop Francis Report to the Commission on Mission Work Among the Negroes and Indians Baltimore: Fahey Brothers, 1889 210 Krieger, Byron, C.SS.R Seventy-Five Years of Service Orleans: Redemptorist Fathers, 1923 Marianite Centennial in Louisiana, 1848-1948 Hope Haven Press, 1948 New New Orleans: The National Pastorals of the American Hierarchy Washington, D C.: National Catholic Welfare Council, 1923 Rightor, Henry Standard History of New Orleans, Louisiana Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1900 Roemer, Theodore The Catholic Church in the United States St Louis: B Herder Book Company, 1950 Shea, John Gilmary A History of the Catholic Church Within the Limits of the United States New York: John G O'Shea, 1892 Weber, Nicholas A E Marist Hierarchy n.d A Brief Biographical Dictionary of the Washington: North Washington Press, Wilson, Samuel, Jr The Capuchin School in New Orleans, 1725 New Orleans: A F Laborde, 1961 C PERIODICALS "Jefferson College," Editorial in The St Jamesian, I (Winter, 1944), Mailer, Rev Bede "Educational Work for the Deaf in the Archdiocese of New Orleans," The Catholic Education Association Bulletin, VIII (November, 1911), 434 D UNPUBLISHED MATERIALS Condon, Sister Mary Andre "The Development of the Financial Procedures for the Establishment and Maintenance of Cath­ olic Schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, 17271958." Unpublished Doctor's dissertation, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 1959 211 Lee, Sister Mary Florita, C.C.V.I "The Efforts of the Arch­ bishops of New Orleans to Put into Effect the Recommenda­ tions of the Second and Third Plenary Councils of Baltimore with Regard to Catholic Education." Unpublished Master's thesis, Catholic University of America, Washington, D C., 1945 Prendergast, Rev Edward "Catholic Education." Archdiocesan Archives, n.d (Typewritten.) New Orleans: "A Short History of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception." New Orleans: St Vincent de Paul Convent, n.d (Manuscript.) Sister Mary Catherine, H.F "An Analytical Study of the Institutional Child Welfare Activities of the Sisters of the Holy Family." Unpublished Bachelor's thesis, Xavier University, New Orleans, 1941 Sister Mary Francis Borgia "History of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family, 1842-1931." New Orleans: Holy Family Motherhouse, n.d (Manuscript.) Young, Sister Mary David "A History of the Development of Catholic Education for the Negro in Louisiana." Unpub­ lished Master's thesis, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 1944 E NEWSPAPERS Catholic Standard and Times [Philadelphia], August 11, 1900 The Daily Picayune [New Orleans], July 8, 1900; August 5, 1900; July 2, 1906; January, 1907; March 21, 1907; August 24, 1908; December 12, 1910 The Item Tribune [New Orleans], May 12, 1935 La Opinion [San Juan, Porto Rico], June 30, 1900 The Morning Star [New Orleans], October 4, 1868; April 22, 1906; August 11, 1906; February 16, 1907; March 23, 1907; April 25, 1907; January 13, 1912; March 9, 1912; July 27, 212 1912? September 28, 1912? March 21, 1914? January 23, 1915? April 3, 1915? June 5, 1915? July 24, 1915? September 30, 1916? April 28, 1917? May 17, 1917 The Times Democrat [New Orleans], August 10, 1905 The Times Picayune [New Orleans], April 27, 1917 VITA The writer was born in Plaquemine, Louisiana, on January 27, 1924 After receiving her elementary and high school training at St Basil Academy and St John High School, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters Marianites of Holy Cross in 1941 During the subsequent years she taught in the elementary and high schools conducted by the Congrega­ tion throughout southern Louisiana She took her Baccalaureate degree at Our Lady of Holy Cross College (formerly Holy Angels College), New Orleans, in 1946, and her Master of Arts degree at Notre Dame Univer­ sity, South Bend, Indiana, in 1956 She did post graduate work at Loyola University, New Orleans, and at Our Lady of the Lake College, San Antonio, Texas The year immediately preceding the beginning of study in the doctoral program was spent in supervisory work in the Catholic parochial schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans At present the writer is on the faculty of Our Lady of Holy Cross College and is a candidate for the Doctor of Educa­ tion degree at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 213 EXAMINATION AND THESIS REPORT Candidate: Major Field: Sister Mary Bernadine Hill Education Title of Thesis: The Influences of James Hubert Blenk on Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of New Orleans Approved: essor and Chairman Dean of the Graduate School EXAMINING COMMITTEE: Date of Examination: January 8, 1964 ... Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan THE INFLUENCE OF JAMES HUBERT BLENK ON CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW ORLEANS, 1885-1917 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the. .. pertinent information Furthermore, the writer did research in the archives of the Marist Seminary in Washington, D C., and held interviews with acquaintances of the Archbishop to determine the. .. Cardenas was appointed the first bishop 7' Educational efforts of the Spanish One of the Bishop's chief concerns was that of providing education for the youth of the colony He, therefore, gave