1877:
April 5: Bishop Borgess transfers his cathedral church and residence at Jefferson and Antoine to the Jesuits, who in turn agree to found and maintain a college in Detroit. The cornerstone to this church was laid June 29, 1834.
June 3: Rev. John B. Miege, S.J., former bishop of Missouri and vicar apostolic of all the territory between the “United States and the Rocky Mountains” is appointed first president.
June 16: The first college building (the Trowbridge residence at 630 E. Jefferson) purchased for $21,500.
September 3: Sixty pupils enrolled. The first to register was W.J. St Aubin. The first faculty consisted of a president, vice-president, and three professors. The college began with high school classes only.
October 3: Acolythical Society founded.
November: Students library begun with one hundred volumes.
1878:
June 27: First commencement exercises were held at Merrill Hall.
August 17: The college building undergoes repairs and a third story is added.
September 5: 95 students are registered for the new academic year.
September 20: Philomathic Society established.
1879:
September 4: New academic year opens with 132 student registered.
1880:
June 26: Reverend G, Walsh, S.J. installed as first president.
September 11: 150 students are registered.
December 29: The first play “Elmo, the Druid Martyr” staged at the Detroit Opera House, George Parker in the leading role.
1881:
April 27: Detroit College incorporated under the laws of Michigan.
July: first extra-mural baseball game. Detroit College defeats Parke, Davis, and Co. 11-7 at Campeau and Fort St.
September: Enrollment is 186 students.
September 26: President Garfield assassinated. The day was declared a national holiday and classes were dismissed.
1882:
March 7: 148 students are in attendance.
August 19: The college is advertised in the all the local newspapers.
September 4: The college opened with an enrollment of 160 students.
1883:
January 16: Students were admonished not to go skating on the Detroit river because it was too dangerous.
June 28: First A.B. degrees awarded. Commencement exercises were held at the Detroit Opera House. The members of the first graduating class were: John A. Russell, Thomas C. McKeogh, James E. Lacroix, William H. Reaney, Conrad Sporer, Benjamin A. Nolan, James W. Kearns.
September 7: 228 students are registered.
December 16: Sodality organized. Rev. Edwin Kelly, S.J. first director.
1884:
September 7: 243 students are enrolled.
November 28: Purchase of Toll lot and residence on the north side of Jefferson.
1885:
February 12: John A. Russell files for a M. A. degree, the first in the history of the university.
May 5: The opening of a new College Museum was announced. It was situated in the new Collegiate department, the house on the north side of Jefferson, between the Moran and Griffin residences.
May 29: The physics and chemistry classes were transfered to the new Scientific-Collegiate department in a house on the north side of Jefferson Ave. west of Thomas Griffin's residence.
July 8: Father John P. Frieden S.J. becomes president of the university.
August 20: The reopening of the college is announced in the daily newspapers.
August 25: The parish priests of the city are requested to announce the opening of the college from their pulpits.
September: A course in penmanship is started.
September 7: 266 students registered.
1886:
March 3: A student was expelled for bringing a loaded revolver to class.
July 1: Purchase of Flatt lot on the north side of Jefferson.
October 29: Purchase of the Weir property and residence on the north side of Jefferson between Antoine and Hastings streets.
1887:
March: The Palms' residence is purchased by the college trustees.
September: Enrollment is 240 students.
September 13: A professor of bookkeeping was hired.
December 27: James D. Foley S.J. installed as the sixth president of the university.
1888:
November 20: Alumni Association organized by President Michael Dowling, S.J.
1889:
June: Announcement of a new, $100,000 building to be built on the north side of Jefferson.
August 9: Excavation begins for Dowling Hall.
October 17: Two students were caught forging notes of leave and were soundly whipped for it.
1889:
Faculty decide that scholastic reports should no longer be entrusted to the students, but should be mailed home to make certain that the reports reach the parents.
March 16: New president Rev. M.P. Dowling. S.J. arrives.
1890:
January: Epidemic of Russian Flu is in the parish and college.
June 24: Last assembly of students in the original building.
September 1: Classes open in newly completed building at 651 E. Jefferson.
September 21: A typewriting course is started.
October 13: 267 students enrolled.
1891:
October 1: 278 students enrolled.
November 24: A dramatic club is organized. 15 students are selected.
1892:
October: First public appearance of the newly adopted colors—red and white.
October 1: The number of students enrolled is 278.
November 14: A dramatic club was organized by Rev. Magivney.
1893:
June 9: It was found that some prize essays had been copied from books. All who were guilty of such practices where called on to withdraw their essays at once; 15 of the 25 essays were withdrawn, changing at least two of the gold metals awarded.
December 28: Reverend Henry A. Schaapman S.J. installed as president.
1884:
August 27: Entrance exams are inaugurated.
December 12: Professors are instructed to order students to set their books on the desks in the classrooms, for the Board of Health had decreed that fumigation of the building was necessary.
December 13: The building reeked of sulfur fumes and no one could remain in it.
1895:
April: Many students are absent because of the opening day of baseball season. Processions, brass bands, and general lunacy prevail. Requests to leave class early are flatly ignored.
1896:
First building torn down: Godfrey Hall was across the street.
November 26: First intercollegiate football game. St Ignatius College ( now Loyola University, Chicago) defeated Detroit College in Detroit on Thanksgiving.
1897:
January 16: Henry Whipple Skinner presented designs for a debating metal.
March 25: A committee of students is selected by the faculty to discuss plans for the founding of a campus magazine.
April 8: “The Tamarack” a literary magazine appears. Maurice Chawke, editor, Jos J. Murphy, S.J., faculty moderator. 89 copies of the first issue sold to students.
May 12: First Skinner Debate. Medal won by John A. Davis.
December 27: Reverend James G. Foley, S.J. installed as president.
1898:
April 25: War with Spain is declared. The Michigan National Guard is ordered to mobilize at once. A.B. Moran of the Philosophy dept. is escorted by students to the ship Yantic.
October: Students number 233.
1899:
March 17: Reverend Michael P. Dowling installed as president.
June 14: First Field Day at Bois Blanc.
