T
he Brothers of Holy Cross have shaped the culture of
St. Edward’s University. Their labors built the university’s educational foundation, providing generations of students with an education based on moral instruction and ethical reasoning. To Terry Newton, professor of history, it seemed only fitting that
FARRAH GRAJ, ’03
Over the last four years, students in Newton’s Oral History class have been recording the biographies of Holy Cross Brothers. “The brothers are the heart and soul of St. Edward’s,” Newton said. “This project is critically important because our mission is to educate and broaden the horizon of our students, an outlook cultivated by the brothers.” Oral history, a method of gathering and preserving historical information through recorded interviews, is a vital tool for understanding the recent past, Newton says. With increasing academic and public interest in
firsthand accounts and personal perspectives on historical events, oral histories enable people who have been hidden from history to be heard and for those interested in preserving their past to record personal experiences. As part of the class, students interview three Holy Cross Brothers each semester. Students majoring in history are required to take this course, and they work in small groups researching and preparing questions for the videotaped conversations. Throughout the project they not only get to know each other but also better understand the university’s religious history. “New students are often only vaguely aware of the university’s Catholic history,” said Newton. “By the end of the class, they are proud of the St. Edward’s tradition of openness, inclusiveness, international perspectives and tolerance.” During Fall 2003, Aimee Brown, ’06, interviewed Brother Victor Monette, CSC (see story, page 23). “Before this class, I didn’t know the purpose or the objective of being a Holy Cross Brother,” Brown said. “Now, I’ve learned that the brothers are the very embodiment of the university. I am amazed how these men have given their whole lives to educating others. By
FARRAH GRAJ, ’03
their stories be preserved and documented.
Brother Edwin Reggio, CSC
preserving their history, we are preserving the philosophy that makes St. Edward’s such a wonderful place.” The collection of oral histories includes interviews with Brother Edmund Hunt, CSC; Brother James Hanson, HJD, ’66; Hanson’s mother, Alma, who retired to the Brother Vincent Pieau Residence; Brother Simon Scribner, CSC; Brother Romard Barthel, CSC (see story, page 20); Brother Patrick Sopher, CSC, ’65; and Brother Stephen Walsh, CSC. The latest additions to the collection, besides Brother Victor, are Brother Edwin Reggio, CSC (see story, page 27), and Brother Donard Steffes, CSC (see story, page 28), who were interviewed in Fall 2003. On Nov. 21, Newton and his students presented the newest short biographies in the Brother Vincent Pieau Residence. During the screening, the students shared experiences and lessons learned from the production and interviewing process. “The brothers show how to live a sharing and dedicated life simply by being a fine example themselves,” Newton said. “All of us influenced by the brothers’ teaching are given the tools to expand the minds and the opportunities of individuals around us.”
Terry Newton
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