William J. Collins

William J. Collins (1896–1981) was a 20th-century Catholic priest who served as the ninth president of St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa from 1956 to 1963.

Biography

He was born and raised in Millersburg,Iowa^[1] and was educated at St. Ambrose College. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Davenport at Sacred Heart Cathedral in 1929. ^[2]

He was referred to as "Sailor Bill" since he had served in the Navy. He was assigned to the faculty of St. Ambrose College and served as chairman of the business and economics departments on campus before becoming president. From 1953-1959 he was the moderator of the Te Deum, a lecture program that provided adult education in the diocese.^[3] He was named the president of St. Ambrose in 1956, the same year that Pope Pius XII named him a Domestic Prelate upon the nomination of Bishop Ralph Hayes.^[4] Hoping to get the school back on track financially, Collins raised tuition and temporarily dropped the football program. During his term, East Hall (Rohlman Hall) was constructed. Collins was active in the American Legion and helped found the Council of World Affairs. After he served as president of the college he was assigned as the chaplain at the Kahl Home for the Aged and Infirmed in Davenport.

References

1. ↑ "Past Presidents". St. Ambrose University. Retrieved 2007-03-05. 
2. ↑ Schmidt, Madeleine M. (1981). Seasons of Growth: History of the Diocese of Davenport. Davenport, Iowa: Diocese of Davenport. p. 374. 
3. ↑ Schmidt, 242-43
4. ↑ Schmidt, 352

Diocese of Davenport Bishops Ordinaries John McMullen Henry Cosgrove James J. Davis Henry P. Rohlman Ralph L. Hayes Gerald F. O’Keefe William E. Franklin Martin J. Amos Auxiliary Edward Howard Churches Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral Parishes Church of St. John the Baptist, Burlington St. Paul's Church, Burlington St. Anthony’s Church, Davenport St. Mary’s Church, Davenport Holy Family Parish, Fort Madison St. Patrick's Church, Georgetown St. Mary’s Church, Iowa City St. Patrick's Church, Iowa City Church of All Saints, Keokuk St. Mary of the Visitation Church, Ottumwa St. Mary's Church, Riverside Former Parishes St. Boniface Church, Clinton St. Irenaeus Church, Clinton St. Joseph's Church, Davenport St. Joseph's Church, Fort Madison St. Joseph's Church, Bauer St. Michael's Church, Holbrook Saints Peter and Paul Church, Clear Creek Saints Peter and Paul Church, Solon Education Higher Education St. Ambrose University High Schools Assumption High School, Davenport Holy Trinity High School, Fort Madison Notre Dame High School, Burlington Prince of Peace Preparatory, Clinton Regina High School, Iowa City Former Immaculate Conception Academy, Davenport Marycrest College St. Mary’s Academy Priests William Lawrence Adrian John George Alleman Ambrose Burke Edward Catich William J. Collins Martin Cone Maurice John Dingman John Flannagan Robert Dwayne Gruss William Hannon Ulrich Hauber Cletus Madsen Carl Meinberg Sebastian Menke Marvin Mottet J. A. M. Pelamourgues Aloysius Schulte William Shannahan Lawrence Donald Soens Miscellany Ambrose Hall Henry Kahl House Antoine LeClaire House F.H. Miller House Regina Coeli Monastery Mercy Hospital, Iowa, City Mount Calvary Cemetery, Davenport Old St. Mary's Rectory, Iowa City Pacem in Terris Award Selma Schricker House Catholicism Portal