Year
Built: 1936
Capacity: 217
Male or female? Female since 1994
They Call Themselves: the Chaos
Named for: Father John William Cavanaugh, CSC,
president from 1905-19. An English professor from Ohio, he was
known for his ability to speak and write, and his eloquent speeches
and sermons were often printed as literature. Cavanaugh rubbed
elbows with politicians and authors he invited to campus, earning
him the title "Notre Dame's Ambassador." Rumor has it "Cavvy"
knew the name of every person on campus. He was strict in running
the University, but his wit and personal charm made him well-liked.
He opened the Lemonnier Library (present-day Bond Hall, School
of Architecture), introduced the equivalent of the current ROTC,
began the Glee Club and hired Knute Rockne. He
also owned Notre Dame's first automobile, a Cadillac he received
as a gift.
Distinguishing Features: Cavanaugh was the first
residence hall built on North Quad and is the only building there
with no door actually on the quad. Apparently the University built
it with no intention of expanding campus north or east of the
building. It was designed by Maginnis and Walsh of Boston, the
same architects of the Law School and Alumni and Dillon halls.
Cavanaugh's collegiate Gothic style blends with the architecture
of the South Quad. Its steep slate roofs and gables would become
a North Quad trademark. Maginnis and Walsh designed Cavanaugh's
neighbor to the north, Zahm Hall, built a year later, as a duplicate
of Cavanaugh.
History Made There: Cavanaugh, Alumni, Dillon,
Zahm and Breen-Phillips all hosted naval officers in training
during World War II. Cavanaugh was among the
residence halls converted to female housing to accommodate the
increasing female enrollment after the University began admitting
women undergrads in 1972. Cavanaugh residents were known as Crusaders
until the hall switched genders in 1994 and became the Cavaliers
before switching to Chaos more recently.
They Lived There: Michael J. Conlon '59, former
president of State University of New York-Binghamton; James Naughton
'60, former president of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies
and former executive editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer;
Tom Bettag '66, executive producer of ABC's Nightline; Dennis
Nigro '69, reconstructive surgeon in San Diego; the backfield
of the 1973 national championship football team (halfback Eric
Penick '75, halfback Art Best, fullback Wayne Bullock '75 and
halfback Al Samuel '75); Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown '88;
and Craig Counsell '92, infielder for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Lore: Before co-education and carpeted hallways,
a group of residents supposedly began rolling a bowling ball down
the hallways late at night to annoy their strict rector, who could
never catch the culprits. The taunting escalated when they began
leaving messages reading, "The ball rolls tonight" and later,
more specifically, "The ball rolls at midnight." Finally a note
specified when and where the prank would take place. Just before
the appointed hour, however, as they heard the priest climbing
the stairs, the mischief-makers set the ball in motion and then
disappeared into their rooms. The frustrated rector found the
ball, picked it up, and immediately dropped it. It was burning
hot. The pranksters had heated it in the base of a popcorn popper.
During the 1962-63 academic year, residents of Farley invaded
Cavanaugh through a steam tunnel. The Crusaders attempted to repel
them using fire hoses in the stairwells. Unfortunately, many of
the hoses had deteriorated from age and burst during the battle.
Later that decade residents sprayed hoses out the windows facing
Zahm, B-P and Farley. When campus police arrived, students surrounded
the chief. The stunt had been a trap; they wanted the fire chief's
hat. The rector at the time, Father Matthew "Black Matt" Miceli,
CSC, '47, shrewdly grabbed his camera and raced outside. When
students saw the camera's flash, they scattered. They didn't know
there was no film in it. Residents were not above terrorizing
Miceli, who still lives on campus, by occasionally lighting an
M-80 firecracker and lowering it on a fishing line to explode
just outside his window.
Traditions: Each winter Cavanaugh organizes
a formal dance called the Snowball. The preceding week is full
of activities like dress-up or dress-down day, Cavanaugh Women
Appreciation Day and yoga or meditation. Cavanaugh also hosts
a Winter Carnival featuring games and treats for local children.
The hall hosts mother-daughter and father-daughter weekends in
alternating years. On father-daughter weekend, the women enjoy
dinner with their dads before attending a formal dance at the
College Football Hall of Fame. Mother-daughter weekend activities
include watching movies together, doing each other's nails and
attending a retreat-like event. Grandmothers, sisters and the
like also are invited.
* * *
(April 2004)
