The Reverend
James A. Ward
3rd President of Saint Joseph's College
In office
1857–1860
Preceded byJames A. Ryder
Succeeded byFelix-Joseph Barbelin
Personal details
Born(1813-09-01)September 1, 1813
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedApril 29, 1891(1891-04-29) (aged 77)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Alma materWashington Seminary
Georgetown College
Orders
OrdinationJuly 4, 1843
by Samuel Eccleston

James A. Ward (September 1, 1813 – April 29, 1891) was an American Catholic priest and Jesuit. He taught for many years at Georgetown and at the novitiate in Frederick, Maryland, of which he twice served as rector. He then became the vice president of Georgetown and was influential in the early years of Loyola College in Maryland. From 1857 to 1860, he was the President of Saint Joseph's College. He spent his later years as socius (assistant) to the Jesuit provincial superior in New York City, and teaching.

Early life

James A. Ward was born on September 1, 1813, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At a young age, he moved to Washington, D.C., to live with his uncle, near the Capitol building.[1] His uncle enrolled him in Washington Seminary (later known as Gonzaga College High School)[2] and he enrolled in Georgetown College in 1829. While there, he entered the Society of Jesus on August 6, 1832, and proceeded to the Jesuit novitiate at White Marsh Manor in Maryland.[3] He became the second to last surviving Jesuit educated at the novitiate in White Marsh, which had moved to Frederick, Maryland, in 1834.[4]

Teaching

In 1833, he returned to Georgetown, where he taught and remained for the rest of his scholasticate.[4] At Georgetown, Ward was ordained a priest of the Catholic Church by Archbishop Samuel Eccleston on July 4, 1843.[5] As a professor, he taught higher mathematics and classics.[6] Around this time, he developed health problems that left him temporarily unable to speak and later with impaired speech, which prevented him from preaching.[7] Ward completed his theological studies and continued teaching at Georgetown for another six years. From 1845 to 1846, he taught rhetoric, before becoming minister and prefect of schools. In 1850, while still prefect, he was appointed vice president of Georgetown.[8] On one occasion, while the President of Georgetown College, James A. Ryder, was away from the school, a student rebellion broke out, which Ward was able to quell.[9]

In September 1850, he returned to the novitiate in Frederick, where he taught mathematics. The following year, he was put in charge of classes at the Washington Seminary. Ward played a key role in the early years of Loyola College in Maryland, which was founded in 1852.[10] For a time, he served as its prefect of studies.[11] In 1857, he became President of Saint Joseph's College in Philadelphia, succeeding James A. Ryder. His term ended in 1860, when he was succeeded by Felix-Joseph Barbelin.[12] He is depicted as a gargoyle on Barbelin Hall at Saint Joseph's University.[13]

Later years

On August 15, 1861, Ward succeeded Bernardin F. Wiget as the master of novices of the Jesuits' Maryland Province and Angelo M. Paresce as the rector of the St. Stanislaus Novitiate in Frederick.[14] He would remain in those offices until September 4, 1863, when he was succeeded by Joseph O'Callaghan.[15] With the start of the American Civil War, Ward made publicly known his fervent support of the Confederacy.[16]

Following the war, he returned to Georgetown in 1865 as vice president, prefect of studies, and professor of rhetoric, where he remained until August 15, 1869, when he again became the rector of the St. Stanislaus Novitiate, succeeding Joseph O'Callaghan. He concurrently resumed the role of master of novices on February 23, 1872, succeeding Felix Cicaterri.[15] Ward also taught as a professor at the novitiate.[17] Ward remained as rector until October 1, 1877, when he was succeeded by Archibald J. Tisdall.[15] For many years, Ward was also the socius (assistant) to the provincial superior, which required him to live near St. Francis Xavier College in New York City.[18]

For ten years, Ward was the prefect of studies at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts and at Loyola College in Maryland, and then returned to the Frederick novitiate as the master of novices and vice rector from September 14, 1889, to December 17, 1891, succeeding Michael O'Kane and being succeeded by John H. O'Rourke.[19] Finally, he returned to Georgetown, where he served as spiritual father.[20] Ward died at Georgetown University on April 29, 1891.[21]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Woodstock Letters 1896, p. 406
  2. ^ Woodstock Letters 1896, p. 407
  3. ^ Woodstock Letters 1896, p. 412
  4. ^ a b Woodstock Letters 1896, p. 419
  5. ^ Woodstock Letters 1896, p. 420
  6. ^ Woodstock Letters 1896, p. 421
  7. ^ Woodstock Letters 1896, p. 423
  8. ^ Woodstock Letters 1897, p. 201
  9. ^ Woodstock Letters 1897, pp. 201–202
  10. ^ Woodstock Letters 1897, p. 202
  11. ^ Woodstock Letters 1897, p. 203
  12. ^ "Presidents of Saint Joseph's University" (PDF). Saint Joseph's University. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 11, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  13. ^ "Gargoyles, Grotesques and Jesuits: The Statuary Carvings of Barbelin Hall". Saint Joseph's University. Archived from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  14. ^ "From Mission to Social Justice: Four Centuries of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus". Georgetown University Library. February 24, 2023. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  15. ^ a b c Devitt 1934, p. 419
  16. ^ Woodstock Letters 1897, p. 205
  17. ^ Woodstock Letters 1897, p. 206
  18. ^ Woodstock Letters 1897, p. 209
  19. ^ Devitt 1934, p. 420
  20. ^ Woodstock Letters 1897, p. 210
  21. ^ Woodstock Letters 1897, pp. 210–211

Sources

Academic offices Preceded byJames A. Ryder 3rd President of Saint Joseph's College 1857–1860 Succeeded byFelix-Joseph Barbelin Preceded byAngelo M. Paresce 4th Rector of St. Stanislaus Novitiate 1861–1863 Succeeded byJoseph O'Callaghan Preceded byJoseph O'Callaghan 6th Rector of St. Stanislaus Novitiate 1869–1877 Succeeded byArchibald J. Tisdall Catholic Church titles Preceded byBernardin F. Wiget 14th Master of Novices of the Jesuit Province of Maryland 1861–1863 Succeeded byJoseph O'Callaghan Preceded byFelix Cicaterri 17th Master of Novices of the Jesuit Province of Maryland 1872–1877 Succeeded byArchibald J. Tisdall Preceded byMichael O'Kane 20th Master of Novices of the Jesuit Province of Maryland 1889–1891 Succeeded byJohn H. O'Rourke
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