Charles O'Donnell (1884-1934). Courtesy Hickey Family History.
| Charles O'Donnell | |
|---|---|
President of University of Notre Dame
| |
| In office 1928–1934 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 15, 1884 Greenfield, Indiana |
| Died | June 4, 1934 Notre Dame, Indiana |
| Alma mater | Catholic University of America, University of Notre Dame |
| Religion | Catholic] |
Rev. Charles Leo O'Donnell C.S.C. (November 15, 1884 - June 4, 1934) was an American poet and academic, Catholic priest, military chaplain of the U.S. Army, and president of the University of Notre Dame.[1]
Life[]
O'Donnell was born in Greenfield, Indiana, the son of Irish immigrants Mary (Gallagher) and Neil O'Donnell. He attended Notre Dame, where he won medals for best classics student and best English poem, and wrote and delivered the graduating class poem. He then studied Anglo-Saxon literature at Harvard University, then earned a doctorate at Catholic University. He became a professor of English literature at Notre Dame, where he was ordained on June 24, 1910.[2]
He served as a U.S. Army military chaplain in France during World War I, from February 1918 to April 1919.[1] After the war he returned to Notre Dame, where he resumed teaching English literature and writing poetry. He served for a time as president of the Catholic Poet's Society. From 1920 to 1926 he served as provincial for the United States province of the the Congregation of the Holy Cross. In 1928 he was appointed first assistant to the congregation's superior general.[2]
O'Donnell became president of the University of Notre Dame in 1928. Although serving during the onset of the Great Depression, he continued the ambitious expansion of the campus begun by his predecessor, Fr. Matthew Walsh, to accommodate increasing enrollment. Buildings constructed during his presidency include Alumni Hall, Dillon Hall, Notre Dame Stadium, and the law, commerce, and engineering buildings. As well, Sacred Heart Church (now Sacred Heart Basilica) was restored.[1]
As remarkably, given the Depression, O'Donnell refused to have the university's professors' salaries cut at all.[1]
He died at Notre Dame, after a year of battling a streptococcus infection. He is buried in Notre Dame's Holy Cross Cemetery.[1]
Writing[]
O'Donnell's "poetry is largely liturgical, often following the Catholic church calendar, including meditations on specific Saint’s days," notes Notre Dame English professor Jacqueline Vaught Brogan. "In addition to the clearly religious focus of his poetry, his work bears unmistakable signs of his heritage and study. Traces of Gerard Manley Hopkins and Francis Thompson (about whom O’Donnell had written his dissertation) can be found in many, but most especially there is the voice and concerns of W.B. Yeats. Occasionally O’Donnell would write an almost surprising poem of convincing passion and desire, especially as spoken from the position of a woman and unrequited love."[1]
Recognition[]
O'Donnell's Collected Poems were issued by Notre Dame Press in 1942, in a volume edited by his nephew.[2]
Publications[]
Poetry[]
- The Dead Musician, and other poems. New York: L.J. Gomme, 1916.
- Cloister, and other poems. New York: Macmillan, 1922.
- A Time of the Rood, and other poems.New York: Longmans Green, 1928.
- Collected Poems (edited by Charles M. Carey). Notre Dame, IN: Notre Dame University Press, 1942.
- The Poems of Charles O'Donnell, CSC (edited by George Klawitter). New York & Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, 2010.
Non-fiction[]
- Francis Thompson: A critical essay. Notre Dame, IN: Notre Dame University Press, 1906.
- Dawn on Eternal Hills (sermons). New York: Brevuer Press, 1930.
- The Philosophy of Catholic Education. Washington, DC: National Council of Catholic Men, 1930.
Edited[]
- Notre Dame Verse (edited with Speer Strahan). Notre Dame, IN: Notre Dame University Press, 1917.
Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.[3]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Rev Charles Leo O'Donnell, Find a Grave. Web, July 23, 2015.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Jacqueline Vaught Broom, "Time and Again: An appreciation of Charles L. O'Donnell, CSC," Notre Dame Magazine, Autumn 2003, Notre Dame University. Web, July 23, 2015.
- ↑ Search results = au:Charles L. O'Donnell, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, July 23, 2015.
External Links[]
- Poems
- "After Christmas"
- O'Donnell in Poetry: A magazine of verse, 1912-1922: "Forgiveness," "Martin of Tours," "A Road of France," "On Indian Lake"
- About
- Chapter XXVIII of The Story of Notre Dame
- "Time and Again: An appreciation of Charles L. O'Donnell, CSC"
- Rev Charles Leo O'Donnell at Find a Grave.
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