Dr. Lin's Instructional Web - Barry University

JOHN GRAVES THOMPSON
Mr. Thompson was born in Bement, Illinois is 1906. He moved to Miami as a
young boy, studied at the University of Florida, and led an active social and civic life in
Miami. As a young lawyer, Mr. Thompson helped Monsignor Barry select the site for Barry
and at this time his long friendship began with the founders of the College. Mr. Thompson,
friend and legal guide, was fifty-five years old when he died April 12, 1961.
PRESIDENTS...
In 1940 the first buildings of Barry College were blessed by Bishop Barry. These
include Cor Jesu Chapel, a gift of Mrs. Margaret Brady Farrell, Calaroga Hall (now LaVoie),
the classroom-administration unit, Angelicus (now Adrian Hall), and two residence halls, Rosa
Mystica (now Kelley House) and Maris Stella (now Farrell House). During the presidency of
Mother Mary Gerald Barry (1940-1961) most of the existing campus buildings were
completed. In 1946 Stella Matutina (now Weber House) opened and additions to Adrian Hall
were completed.
With the dual responsibilities of Mother General of the Adrian Dominican
community and the Presidency of Barry College, Mother Mary Gerald Barry was not in
residence at Barry College. The day to day operation of the college was in the capable hands
of Sister Gonzaga Greene, Vice President and Business Manager from 1939 to 1946 and Sister
DeLellis Rafftry, Academic Dean from 1940 to 1946. These women were responsible for the
on site building of the college. Sister Gonzaga for the supervision of the construction of the
physical plant and Sister DeLellis for the construction of the quality academic programs.
The decade of the 1950’s brought considerable change to the campus. A science
unit and temporary library were added to the Adrian Hall complex in 1950 and the Fine Arts
Quadrangle, dedicated in 1955, brought music and art studios, lecture rooms and an auditorium
to the campus. The changes that occurred during this time were not limited to the completion
of new buildings. In 1953 the nursing program was instituted and in 1954 graduate degree
programs were initiated. With the beginning of graduate study, degree-seeking male students
were enrolled at Barry for the first time. Further additions to the campus came with the
purchase of the Villa in 1956. Mother Gerald Barry’s presidency ended with her death in
1961. The following year saw the dedication of Regina Mundi (now Dalton House) and
Regina Caeli (now Dunspaugh House) and Thompson Hall.
With the election of Mother Genevieve Weber to the position of Mother General of
the Adrian Dominican Community, she also assumed the presidency of Barry College. During
her brief term as president (1962-63), Mother Genevieve separated the duties of the presidency
from those of Mother General and Sister M. Dorothy Browne was named president in 1963.
As the first president in residence Sister M. Dorothy Browne (1963-1974)
established the School of Social Work in 1966. Sister Dorothy was not a stranger to the
campus in that she served as academic dean from 1946 to 1957 and guided a development
program that saw the creation of the nursing program in 1953 and the graduate degree
programs in 1954. Two excellent additions to the campus physical plant were completed
during her tenure as president with the opening of the Monsignor William Barry Memorial
Library in 1967 and the Wiegand Center in 1970.
In 1974 Sister M. Trinita Flood assumed the presidency of the college, having
served as a faculty member and administrator at Barry for eighteen years. During her
presidency the College was reorganized into six instructional units, The School of Arts &
Sciences, The School of Business, The School of Education, The School of Nursing, The
School of Social Work. The Continuing Education Department was established in 1974,
became The School of Adult and Continuing Education in 1982, and serves over 2000 adult
students through day and evening classes.
The university became officially co-educational in 1975 with male students admitted
to all majors and living on the campus for the first time.
Today Barry University enrolls more than 6000 students in both undergraduate and
graduate programs. While maintaining a strong liberal arts tradition and an unusually large
number of liberal arts majors, Barry also provides exceptionally strong professional programs.
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