February 11 is the anniversary of Vincent A. McQuade.

Vincent Augustine McQuade, son of Owen McQuade and Kathryn McCarthy, was born in Lawrence, MA, on June 16, 1909. His grammar school education was obtained at Saint Mary’s parochial school, Lawrence 91914-19122), and his high school education at Augustinian Academy, Staten Island (1922-1926). Received into the novitiate on August 15, 1926, he professed simple vows on August 16, 1927, and solemn vows on August 16, 1930. Following his philosophical studies at Villanova where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1931, he attended Augustinian College, Washington, DC, where he was ordained to the priesthood on June 12, 1934.

Father McQuade received a Master of Arts degree in sociology from Catholic University in 1935 and was assigned to continue graduate work there while serving as submaster of professed at Augustinian College (1935-1938). His doctorate in sociology was granted in 1938 and he was assigned to Villanova College as a teacher. While teaching at the College, Father McQuade served successively as counselor on Mendel Hall, registrar and director of admissions, dean of the College, director of the Veterans Guidance Bureau, and assistant to the president (194201946).

All this was a unique preparation for Father McQuade’s major apostolate to establish a new college at North Andover, MA, where he appointed the founding president of Merrimack College on December 18, 1946. From 1946 until his resignation in 1968 he labored tirelessly as president, to create a flourishing new college from the original family brick house and some wooded land to a 240 acre campus. The college grew from a Quonset hut gymnasium and a simple cinderblock classroom building to thirteen major building, including the monastery, the splendid Chapel of Christ the Teacher, laboratories, student union (Gildea Hall), dormitories, classroom buildings, and a magnificent library (now McQuade Library).

Father McQuade, who was in every sense of the term an indefatigable laborer in the Lord’s vineyard, was recalled to Villanova in 1968 to the position of treasurer of the Province and director of the Augustinian Educational Association. Active in the Catholic Sociological Association (president), Father McQuade served on a number of state and national educational commissions, and was honored with an LL. D. by Villanova in 1956.
Stricken suddenly by a heart attack in Saint Mary’s Hall, Father McQuade died at Villanova on February 11, 1971. He is buried in the Augustinian plot at Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Lawrence, MA.

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