Marching In Step: Patriotism and the Southern Catholic Cadet Movement

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-1-2016

Department

Educational Studies and Research

School

Education

Abstract

According to historians, nineteenth-century sons of American Southerners were willful and in need of discipline. For college administrators, the solution was strict military training. Existing college cadet literature includes examples of non-Catholic institutions but omits Catholic colleges altogether. Historically, several Southern Catholic colleges maintained cadet corps. As the authors illustrate, the assimilation of military cadet training in Southern Catholic higher education increased public support via mirrored practices at non-Catholic institutions and repudiated a perceived absence of patriotism. Through public cadet competitions, parades, and military band performances, Southern Catholic colleges created an image of being both "Catholic" and "American".

Publication Title

Catholic Historical Review

Volume

102

Issue

3

First Page

517

Last Page

544

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