The 1950s
1950
Bishop Charles F. Buddy and Mother Rosalie Hill consider bids for the College for Women: two buildings, a chapel, a theater and a kitchen/dining room.
1951
Duchesne Hall and its chapel (later Founders Hall and Founders Chapel) nearly complete. Duchesne Hall contains classrooms, offices, dormitory rooms and the convent of the Religious of the Sacred Heart.
1952
College for Women registers 33 students and opens with a staff of nine who serve as faculty and/or administrators. Mother Rosalie Hill is honorary president. Mother Catherine Parks is president. Tuition is $600 per year for day students (including lunch) and $1,400 per year for resident students (all meals included). Rooms range from $100 per year for a quad room to $400 per year for a single room.
300-seat Camino Theatre opens.
Camino Library opens with 13,000 volumes.
1953
Therese Truitt Whitcomb is the first College for Women graduate.
1954
The sister's chapel in Duchesne Hall (later Founders Chapel) is dedicated and the altar is consecrated. Chapel features a white Botticino marble altar and matching altar rail from Italy, gold leaf on the ornamental wall – the reredos – behind the altar, 14 stained-glass nave windows and a rose-white Tennessee marble floor.
1955
Football field completed.
1956
Mother Frances Danz is named president of the College for Women.
The State of California grants the College for Women full accreditation.
1957
Thomas More Hall (now Warren Hall) completed. Named for the patron saint of jurists and lawyers. Houses the School of Law and serves as temporary home for College for Men.
1958
First law school graduating class awards eight diplomas.
1959
| 10th Anniversary Snapshot | |
| Enrollment | 993 |
| Faculty | 44 CW* 63 CM**, SOL*** |
| Annual Tuition & Board | $700 CW* day students $1600 CW* resident $980 CM* |
| Annual Room | $200- $500 CW* $270-$400 CM* |
| Degrees Awarded | 79 |
| Campus Buildings | 8 |
| Square footage | 597,000 |
*College for Women **College for Men ***School of Law