1870s: Resilience and Growth
Chrysostomian Debating Society, 1875
On September 5, 1870, while the country was still in the midst of Civil War Reconstruction, St. Ignatius College opened its doors for the first time. The small Jesuit college that would eventually become Loyola University Chicago started out with a faculty of seven and a class of just thirty-seven young men. One short year later, the school, still in its infancy, was threatened with destruction by the Great Chicago Fire. After their brush with destruction, the people of Chicago rallied and began to rebuild. The result was a new city that was representative of the rapidly changing world at the end of the 19th century. St. Ignatius was fortunate enough to be spared by the flames, and, like the city, bounced back from the tragedy and continued to grow in its wake. Throughout the rest of the decade, the leaders of St. Ignatius saw their student population steadily rise as they expanded both the physical structure of the school and the opportunities for learning offered within its walls.
- Click on underlined headlines to access further information.
- To view more information about the media, click on the text on the bottom right of the image. A new page will open up.
- Scroll to the bottom of the new page and click on the thumbnail for a close-up of the image.
- Click here to view all the media from this decade.