Albinus Peter Graves
Encyclopedia
Brother Albinus Peter Graves FSC, born Arthur Jacob Graves, (October 15, 1887 - October 11, 1964) was an American
Lasallian Brother who was last posted to the De La Salle Brothers in the Philippines
and was a President of De La Salle College
in Manila
.
, Minnesota
as Arthur Jacob Graves. During his early years, he was educated in Catholic
schools and while he has expressed his desire to serve as a De La Salle Brother, his father did not allow him to do so. When he was 20 years old, he ran away from home and went to the Novitiate House in Pocantico Hills, New York
. By the time his father knew where he was he had already accepted his son's decision.
In 1907, he received the Holy Habit
and was given the religious name, Albinus Peter.
and New York
. In 1909 he was posted at the Christian Brothers school in Hartford
, Connecticut and in 1911, he was assigned to St. John's Academy in Utica, New York
, New York
. In 1913, he was then posted to St. James's Academy in Brooklyn.
in the Philippines
. He was 32 years old and was named Director of De La Salle College. In his first year of Directorship, he oversaw the construction of the new site of the College on Taft Avenue. Thus, in 1921, he transferred the school from Calle Nozaleda in Paco to Taft Avenue. It was also during this time that the title of President was used for the chief executive officer
of the College.
Br. Peter negotiated the sale of the Paco lot, which was bought from the Perez-Samanillo family, to Vicente Madrigal with the agreement that the sale included the wrought iron
gate of the compound. Br. Peter insisted that the gate cost extra and threatened to have it dismantled and brought to Taft Avenue if Madrigal did not pay extra for it. The gate now stands at Fort Santiago
in Intramuros
. Br. Peter also donated the marble
altar
of the new College's chapel, which he financed from the inheritance
that he received.
for rest; he was then assigned as Director of the Saint George School in Malaya, and then Director of the school at Mandalay
in Burma. After one year, he was reassigned to Penang
in Malaya
and was reappointed Director in 1925. In 1927, he was reassigned to Manila to teach Mathematics
in the high school
department and then back again to Penang as Sub-Director of the Junior Novitiate.
, he was interred by the Japanese Imperial Forces at the Internment Camp at Los Baños
together with other Allied
Brothers and Religious. He was rescued by American forces
in 1945 and went on an eight-month vacation. On December 16, 1945, Br. Peter returned to Manila to re-establish the College.
In 1951, the De La Salle Brothers in the Philippines opened a Novitiate
and Br. Peter was appointed Sub-Director and taught Theology
and Church History, among others.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Lasallian Brother who was last posted to the De La Salle Brothers in the Philippines
De La Salle Brothers in the Philippines
The De La Salle Brothers - Philippine District is part of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the largest congregation of Roman Catholic religious Brothers who are exclusively dedicated to education...
and was a President of De La Salle College
De La Salle University
De La Salle University is a private Lasallian university in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1911 by De La Salle Brothers as the De La Salle College in Paco, Manila with Blimond Pierre serving as its first director...
in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
Early life
Br. Albinus Peter FSC was born on October 15, 1887 in MinneapolisMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
as Arthur Jacob Graves. During his early years, he was educated in Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
schools and while he has expressed his desire to serve as a De La Salle Brother, his father did not allow him to do so. When he was 20 years old, he ran away from home and went to the Novitiate House in Pocantico Hills, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. By the time his father knew where he was he had already accepted his son's decision.
In 1907, he received the Holy Habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
and was given the religious name, Albinus Peter.
Early assignments
In the immediate years after his reception of the habit, Br. Peter was posted in ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In 1909 he was posted at the Christian Brothers school in Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Connecticut and in 1911, he was assigned to St. John's Academy in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In 1913, he was then posted to St. James's Academy in Brooklyn.
Assignment to the Philippines
In 1918, Br. Peter volunteered for the Christian Brothers' Mission to the Philippines and on January 1919, he arrived in ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He was 32 years old and was named Director of De La Salle College. In his first year of Directorship, he oversaw the construction of the new site of the College on Taft Avenue. Thus, in 1921, he transferred the school from Calle Nozaleda in Paco to Taft Avenue. It was also during this time that the title of President was used for the chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the College.
Br. Peter negotiated the sale of the Paco lot, which was bought from the Perez-Samanillo family, to Vicente Madrigal with the agreement that the sale included the wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
gate of the compound. Br. Peter insisted that the gate cost extra and threatened to have it dismantled and brought to Taft Avenue if Madrigal did not pay extra for it. The gate now stands at Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was imprisoned in the fort before his execution in 1896...
in Intramuros
Intramuros
Intramuros is the oldest district in the present day city of Manila, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines. Nicknamed the "Walled City", Intramuros is the historic fortified city of Manila, the seat ot the government during the Spanish Colonial Period. Its name in Latin, intramuros,...
. Br. Peter also donated the marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
of the new College's chapel, which he financed from the inheritance
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
that he received.
Assignment to Malaya
After his term as President, he was assigned to SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
for rest; he was then assigned as Director of the Saint George School in Malaya, and then Director of the school at Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
in Burma. After one year, he was reassigned to Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
in Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and was reappointed Director in 1925. In 1927, he was reassigned to Manila to teach Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
in the high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
department and then back again to Penang as Sub-Director of the Junior Novitiate.
Return to the Philippines
Br. Peter was reassigned to Manila in 1930 for good. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was interred by the Japanese Imperial Forces at the Internment Camp at Los Baños
Los Banos
Los Banos could refer to:*Los Banos, California, United States*Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines...
together with other Allied
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
Brothers and Religious. He was rescued by American forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
in 1945 and went on an eight-month vacation. On December 16, 1945, Br. Peter returned to Manila to re-establish the College.
In 1951, the De La Salle Brothers in the Philippines opened a Novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
and Br. Peter was appointed Sub-Director and taught Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and Church History, among others.