Catlwlic Educational Endeavors
353
By 1950 twelve of its former students were in seminaries preparing for the Priesthood and four were studying to become Christian Brothers. 111 Benedictine Fatlzers, O.S.B., 1927. In 1926, Bishop E. B. Ledvina of Corpus Christi, anxious to establish a college for boys in his episcopal city, turned to the Benedictines, under whom he had studied in his sem- inary days. He tried St. Meinrad Abbey in Indiana first. On being turned down, he addressed himself to Abbey St. Bernard in Culman, Alabama, but his invitation was declined because of lack of men. Disappointed, he was about to give up, when Abbot Primate Right Rev. Fidelis von Stotzingen visited the Bishop in Corpus Christi while on tour of Benedic- tine monasteries in the United States. Bishop Ledvina, at the suggestion of the Abbot Primate, extended an invitation at the close of 1926 to the monks of the Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas to come to his dioces_e and help him form a college for boys. His proposal was considered at the Chapter meeting that winter and accepted by Abbot Edward Burgert and Father Paul M. Nahlen after a tour of inspection to Corpus Christi. When Bishop Ledvina was informed of the acceptance on April 2, 1927, he wrote Abbot .Burgert, "my Easter will certainly be a happier one this year." 119 The Benedictines returned to Texas from Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas to found Corpus Christi College Academy in July, 1927. Bishop Ledvina had written them on June IO, 1927, "I, as Bishop of Corpus Christi, pledge the Diocese to give your community, in the event it should develop into a Priory, or an Abbey, one or more parishes, near the Priory or Abbey and of sufficient importance to make possible some revenue from the Abbey." 120 Corpus Ckristi College Academy, 1928. The Bishop was much relieved by the acceptance, because early in 1926 John Dunn and his wife had given him a forty-acre tract for "any religious order of men that would erect and conduct a school for boys." No time was now lost in erecting a building for the proposed school. Corpus Christi College opened its doors to the public on September 11, 1928, under the presidency of Father Paul M. Nahlen, O.S.B., with an enrollment of forty-five boys the first day. The staff consisted of Father Paul M. Nahlen, President; Joseph E. Fuhrmann, Director of Studies; Luke Hess, Spiritual Director; and monks 118 The summary of the history of Price College, the benefactions of Countess Price, and the work of the Christian Brothers is based on data found in the Catholic Archives of Texas kept in Amarillo by Bishop Laurence J. FitzSimon, the Custodian. 119 Albert M. Schreiber, Wims tlt6 Bishop Blesus, 16-23. llO/bul., 25.
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