100 years ago in Spokane: Daily Chronicle touts city as “mecca” for education

The Spokane Daily Chronicle touted the advantages of Spokane as a potential college “mecca.”

It said the colleges in the city – Gonzaga University, Whitworth College, Spokane College and Spokane University – already showed a combined enrollment of 800, and that number was certain to grow.

“Spokane offers an ideal environment for these schools of higher learning,” said the paper. “The religious atmosphere, social and advantages and climatic conditions are such as all parents might desire for their children.”

Gonzaga and Whitworth did indeed grow. However, the other two institutions failed to pass the test of time.

From the parochial school beat: Father James M. Brogan, the president of Gonzaga University, announced two new Catholic school buildings for Spokane.

One was planned for Hillyard, where it would replace the existing St. Patrick’s school.

The other was planned in the Union Park area, for students in the St. Ann’s parish.

“The growth of all of the Catholic schools in the city during the last year has been most remarkable,” said Father Brogan.

The St. Aloysius school, which was designed for 150 students, had nearly 300 in the current school year.