Monks and Students Meet the Monks - St. John's Abbey

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COVER STORY Leo Bettendorf, OSB, relaxes with students. photo from Abbey Archives page 8 The Abbey Banner Fall 2003 When a penalty is called against a visiting athletic team, Johnny fans in the stands often shout, “You gotta play by the rules!” For 146 years the students on the Collegeville campus have been reminded that this same principle applies to the larger game of life. But student life has changed and so have the rules as this article describes. In 1898 Alexius Hoffman, OSB, vice president of Saint John’s University, wrote College Life: A Manual for Students. Explaining the intent of the manual, he wrote, “The precepts of religion will impart the requisites for citizenship in the visible kingdom of God on earth; it is our task to speak of the requirements of college life.” Those words echo that classic work on education, “The Idea of a University” by John Henry Newman who wrote, “It is more correct to speak of a University as a place of education, than of instruction. Instruction has to do with A century of student rule books photo by Daniel Durken, OSB “You Gotta Play by the Rules!” by Wilfred Theisen, OSB A comparison of Saint John’s student disciplinary rules in 1898, 1955 and 1997 externals and mechanical rules; education implies an action on our mental nature and the foundation of character. Liberal education makes not the Christian, not the Catholic, but the gentleman.” Such were the thoughts of two educators in the nineteenth century. Still engaged in the work of educating young men, the monks of Saint John’s Abbey have to adapt to the students of the twenty-fi rst century. No longer do the students need to be reminded to change their underwear regularly or to refrain from tripping others or pulling their chairs away from them when they are about to sit down. On the other hand, the advice of Alexius “not to disturb others who are studying” has a timeless value. It is in regard to the use of tobacco and alcohol that one notices the greatest evolution of concerns about student behavior. In the 1898 College Life manual, smoking and drinking are given scant attention: “Avoid intoxicants as much
Peter Engel, OSB, fourth abbot of Saint John’s Abbey (1894-1921), and a class of well dressed Johnnies photo from Abbey Archives as possible. If you know they will cause you to do anything for which you would disclaim responsibility, avoid them altogether. Smoking is deemed a genteel habit—very many men are addicted to it. It is injurious to the system—especially to the voice and nerves of young people. If you cannot, or are unwilling to abandon the habit entirely, practice it moderately.” In the current book of rules, the J-Book, the regulations concerning the use of tobacco and alcohol occupy seven full pages, a total of more than 4000 words! Other substances like cocaine, marijuana and steroids—unheard of on college campuses in the nineteenth century—require specifi c attention for the student of the twenty-fi rst century. Had you asked the Johnny of 1898 his views on DWIs and AIDS he would undoubtedly have been speechless and violated Alexius’ admonition “not to stare at strangers impertinently.” In the manner of dress the current Johnny would fi nd the rules laid down in College Life too restricting. While the 1997 J-Book does not even mention how students should dress, College Life offers a great deal of advice on this matter such as the following: “Brush your hat frequently and wear it properly. Do not distort its shape or slouch the rim. Wear the hat on the top of the head, not tilted into the neck or perched over one ear. Always appear in full dress publicly.” The 1955 J-Book continued the concern for appropriate wearing apparel with its rule that “the wearing of T-shirts, sweatshirts and dungarees is not permitted in the chapel, dining room, classroom, auditorium and library.” When Bermuda shorts (or “Bemidji shorts” as a Benedictine brother called them) became popular, the effort to prohibit them was energy wasted. When the reader asks, “Has the Benedictine character of Saint John’s changed The halls were alive with the sound of music when monks and students struck up the Saint John’s band. photo from Abbey Archives COVER STORY in the last 146 years?” you will fi nd that both the nineteenth century manual and the current J-Book stress that a good Johnny is a good member of the Saint John’s family. The early Johnny was told, “Man is not an isolated being; he is part of a great community; he must have regard for his fellowmen.” The Johnny of the twenty-fi rst century is greeted with, “What we do, what we say, how we respect one another impacts on the lives of each person here, just as the same is true of our relationship throughout the world.” Wilfred Theisen, OSB, is professor of physics at Saint John’s University and occasionally plays golf. More well dressed Johnnies after the 2003 graduation photo by Daniel Durken, OSB The Abbey Banner Fall 2003 page 9
Page 1 and 2: Monks and Students ✙ Eight monks
Page 3 and 4: Kudos for Collegeville by Daniel Du
Page 5 and 6: and CDs—was his gift to Saint Joh
Page 7: John Patrick Earls, OSB, associate
Page 11 and 12: Cyprian Seitz served in Liverpool a
Page 13 and 14: The 1961 yearbook of Melrose (MN) H
Page 15 and 16: Graphoanalysis to aid them in round
Page 17 and 18: When I was growing up in northern W
Page 19 and 20: New college oblates: l. to r., Kath
Page 21 and 22: Aelred examines an early musical ma
Page 23 and 24: Missionaries must learn to speak th
Page 25 and 26: Three New Master Monks The followin
Page 27 and 28: When Saint Benedict wrote his Rule,

Monks and Students Meet the Monks - St. John's Abbey

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