When I first heard about the financial situation at Martin University, my mind went back to my family’s connection to the Brightwood neighborhood on Avondale Place. My brother Tom and I grew up in half a double with our parents until I was about 5, directly across the street from my mother’s parents.
Just a short walk from my grandparents’ home was St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church. My grandfather counted the collection money on Sundays, and my grandmother handled the cash at the parish’s fundraising bingo games—clear signs of how much the priests trusted them. Only a select few were asked to manage parish finances.
My grandmother also cooked meals, did laundry, and handled a variety of domestic tasks for the priests living at the parish. My mother graduated from the parish elementary school.
By the mid-1950s, my parents had saved enough to buy a house, and we moved out of the double. My grandparents stayed until construction of Interstate 70 forced the demolition of their home. St. Francis de Sales, however, survived the highway project and remained standing just yards away.
As manufacturing jobs disappeared, the working-class neighborhood changed, and St. Francis de Sales struggled. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis ultimately closed the church and school on June 30, 1983.
The church building itself is stunning, known for its German and French Gothic architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Today, it serves as the Father Boniface Hardin Gathertorium at Martin University.
Martin University began at 35th Street and College Avenue before moving in 1987 to the former St. Francis de Sales Church and school campus in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood, where it remains at 2171 N. Avondale Place/N. Sherman Drive. I was always pleased to see the church and school buildings put to meaningful use.
The university is named for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and St. Martin de Porres. It was founded by Reverend Father Boniface Hardin and Sister Jane Schilling to serve low-income, minority, and adult learners who faced barriers to traditional higher education.
That mission is why I was disheartened to learn from recent news reports that Martin University will be forced to “pause” operations at the end of the current semester. School leaders say the institution needs additional community and financial support to continue.
Martin University is Indiana’s only Predominantly Black Institution (PBI). It serves nontraditional students striving to improve their lives and their communities. The university has even provided day care services to ensure students have a safe place for their children while attending class.
I understand the Indianapolis metropolitan area has many pressing needs, and philanthropic dollars are stretched. Still, I hope the community can find a way to keep Martin University operating, serving those who rely on its mission and opportunities.
My family’s connection to this area dates to 1951. Now we will see whether Indianapolis responds.