Dates

• Existence: 1816 - 1897

Biographical Note

Father Nicholas Congiato, S.J. was the second president of Santa Clara College serving from 1856-1857. Father Congiato had been vice-president of the College of Nobles in Rome and then vice-president of the College of Fribourg in Switzerland. Before Father Congiato came to Santa Clara he had presided over the small Jesuit college at Bardstown in Kentucky. Congiato would be the second Italian president of the school in a succession of Italian presidents that would span thirty-two years. Congiato was instrumental in bringing several more Italian professors with him to Santa Clara, making for a staff of nearly all Italian professors. The changes in Santa Clara after Nobili centered on questions of money and buildings. During his direction the slow conversion of the mission to a school continued. The brick chapel was completed, and construction of a new study hall begun. A popular addition was a swimming pool which was scooped out of the old mission orchard in 1856. Congiato struggled to balance his attention to Santa Clara as president while also being responsible as the superior of all Jesuit activities on the Pacific Coast. Father Congiato resigned his post at Santa Clara in 1857 to focus his efforts on the difficulties arising in Oregon.

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