An early Rockhurst baseball game, date unknown. The view looks east toward the Paseo, with 53rd Street and Virginia at the right of the photo. Courtesy of Ruth Reed and Pat Green.

The classes were all taught by Jesuits, students played baseball in a field near 53rd and Virginia, and Troost finally had a streetcar line all the way south to 55th Street, thanks to the persistence of the Rev. Michael P. Dowling, S.J., the first president of Rockhurst. Such was life during the early years of Rockhurst, chartered in 1910 by the state of Missouri to grant degrees.

Just in time for the University’s upcoming centennial celebration, Rockhurst University Press will publish a comprehensive hardback commemorative history of Rockhurst, complete with numerous photos, anecdotes and little-known facts. The book is scheduled to go to press in March 2009 and will be available for purchase online and at select Kansas City-area bookstores.

The price for the book will likely be in the range of $50–$60, according to Bill Stancil, Ph.D., director of Rockhurst University Press and professor of theology and religious studies.

“This will certainly be of interest to anyone affiliated with Rockhurst High School or University,” said Stancil, “and the quality of the published book will make it a splendid gift.” He is considering accepting pre-orders of the book at a slight discount in early spring with copies available for sale by early summer.

Stancil will present a lecture titled “Rockhurst University: The Early Years in Story and Pictures,” at 7 p.m. Monday, March 2. For details on the book or lecture, contact Stancil at bill.stancil@rockhurst.edu.

Look for more details about the University’s centennial celebration, scheduled for August 2009 through October 2010, after the first of the year.