There is the wonderful story of the very first day of classes in 1901, when ‘one of the instructors turned to Father E.P. Murphy [the first president] and said: “There are a few boys out there on the campus. Don’t you think we ought to start operation?” The president calmly replied: “Oh, I guess we should start. Ring the bell.’ (A Point of Pride, p.34).
That first building where our school began in 1901 was re-dedicated years later as Waldschmidt Hall. On that first day it was West Hall. It was the only building and housed the ENTIRE university: classrooms, library, labs, chapel, cafeteria, and DORMITORY.
A century later the University opened its Eighth Student Residence; the townhouses of University Court, later to be known as Haggerty & Tyson Halls, received students in September 2000; dedicated on March 8, 2001. Thought not perfect, and not the last word on UP residential life, compared to the amenities from 1904, quite the improvement.
Rev. David T. Tyson, C.S.C. is our 18th University President. Peggy Haggerty is a 1975 graduate and proud alumna, who served on the National Alumni Board 1991-1999, and the University Board of Regents, 1998-2010. Haggerty Hall is named in honor of her parents, Lawrence and Mary Ellen.
Margaret “Peggy” Haggerty died in December of 2010; her benefactions supported many aspects of student life (The Salzburg Center library). She also left a scattering of Lava Lamps around campus (produced by Haggerty Enterprises — a child of the 70’s, Peggy grew up to direct the company during the nostalgia revival of the 1990s).
