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

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