PREFACE. In 1'865, the Catholic clergy of Central Illinois, feeling the dearth of CatlwHc -institutioNs, anxiously sought th·e me~ns of alleviatin •.!· th i-s so in uch requ.ired _necessity. In oh<fo'Sing guardians, their selection fell u ,w ,1 Llle ord(:)r of St.·Viator, a society whose. only ()_bjf<;tis in unison with the prime m o tive of their Divin,e Lord: . "Sinite parvulos venire ad me .." _. _ They -w .te therefore called from their mother countrv, and althou,g h tendereri the direction of a large institution in Chicago, they prefeJ"red a more healthy lqca!i0·H,t~~t they might,stimulate their future charge to more ~tretltHHlS exe1:Hon _wid10-qt nnpaumg hea.lt1L . 'I hey settled themselves at Bourbonnais Grove, a quiet and handscme little Catholic village, whose age has cradled the gFeat Chicago, wht)se;retil'ing shades lrnve hunterl from tb·e.ir midst the busy and eraterprising hero of tlrn day, so that nmv it remains a grand and quiet seat for a Uatlwhe schqo1, a magnificent and shady retreat; in a word 1 a tit bower for the muses. · It is situated about f;,Q mi Jes .south: of Chicago, and two miles north-west of Kankakee city, fotming a _ plea~~nt and colilveni~,t connectiqn with the Illinois Central railroad. ;To speak . and expatiate t'lpon its healthy and salubrious qualities, it is but necesRary to; be in, formed that it is built upon the grand prairies of Illinois, where nothing obs.t/u(?ts the· yiew till ·it i:s lost in unison of eMth and sky, save tlfe irilmediate gro,ies · and scenery of the colleg.e· grounds, and that 0f the 11eigltboring;·convent of N ot1:e)Jame: We are blessed-, al,so, with that whjoh affords· the student an· iflimit.ab!(\ fu,nq of cnJoyn'lent; the ·Kankakewriver; furnis,hi:rig gob~1 b~t.l1in,g .in $lipii;nfr, and skating in, :winter .., In a word, a fi.ner retreat fo1· a Cathohc school is seklm11 found. - • - · , Although eomme11cing so late ou~ undertaking, a cloud hright ancl yn·osperous dawns upon us ; we have alteady finished tl1C main building of un· _institution that, we trust, is destined to take its rank amongst the grandest ,in the Strate. We have st;rnggled ·ttnd ·toiled ; but God has se"en fit to bless us. . · _ · · ., : The study ban, do-rmitory, refectory, drnpel, and various class· rooms, are con. structed with the I-a-test modern improvements; in view of securing the comfo1:t and progress of the students. , · · . In the study ·hall en·ch has a desk and separate arm chair, tl.nJs a,voiding co~'h tractio11. of the chest. · . T.he c.IonnH.ory i.s fu·r nished with first-class !11aterials, securing clc~ijn liness ~nd comfort. · ' · · · · · -- · · .. Iii our Chapel the sacrifice of'the Mass is offered up,da_i1y--:--a 9omm~1nhy .Mass. 111 the refectory we fui·nish a ·good substaritjaJ'food, ~µcl of snch c1, €JR~lity that • our diet l'las b..ecome proverbial with s-tudenfa, · · Our class rooms present a "nee phis ultra " appearence, fitted up with the latest improvements. This institution posse·sses one advantage o'9'er others, the facility affmrded . Us• ·stt!dents .o f .a_cciuirine,- the ~rcnch h~ngu age; a portion of the free term is exp.~ssl~ ; a-Uotted to conversatrnn with French boys, many of whom frequent the scl~ohls as; visitors, and many as scholars. ·
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