ABSTRACT
Catholic higher education in the United States has undergone a dramatic sea change. Some fear that the change is at the cost of the loss of Catholic identity. Others embrace the new-found status of Catholic colleges and universities as a sign that Catholics have been assimilated into American culture. John Carroll addressed Father Ferdinand Farmer, a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, on the possibility of the school and other institutions being potential sources for future clergymen. In the early days of the republic, Carroll saw the advantages of Catholics being fully integrated into American society. The years after World War II witnessed increasing numbers of Catholics attending college. One reason was the GI Bill of Rights, which gave educational benefits to returning veterans. Catholics had the same access to higher education as their non-Catholic counterparts.
