Item 25 - Letter from W.M. Wooldridge to Bishop John B. Brondel

1 p.; typescript

Letter from W.M. Wooldridge to Bishop John B. Brondel of Helena, Montana, concerning the establishment of a Catholic mission, college, or industrial training school in Northern Montana. He shares that Mr. Henry O’Hanlon, a prominent merchant from Chinook, strongly supports the idea. Drawing a historical parallel to the humble beginnings of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, Wooldridge argues that current conditions in Montana are ideal for establishing a foundational institution that could grow into something highly creditable. He notes that within the next year, arrangements could likely be made to secure 160 acres of land near the town for this purpose, backed by the moral and financial support of the area's energetic Catholic business community.