Bing Crosby and the Jesuits

Today marks the death of America’s favorite crooner (and movie priest), Bing Crosby (1903-1977). Born Harry Lillis Crosby in Tacoma, Washington, he grew up in Spokane. There he received eight years of Jesuit education, at Gonzaga High School and Conzaga University. As Crosby himself put it: “Eight years with the Jesuits… yeah, pretty well indoctrinated.” It was at Gonzaga that Bing got involved in theater and singing, staple products of a classical Jesuit education. One historian notes that it was here that his singing qualities were first noticed, singing Panis Angelicus and O. Lord, I an not Worthy in the college chapel. He was majoring in pre-law when the lure of music became too much for him, and he left just before graduation from the university. However, Bing always considered himself (and was considered) an alumnus. (In this photo he is seen at the college reunion in 1951 with the university president.) In 1956, the occasion of his first life television appearance was to raise money for a new university library. In October 1957, the Bing Crosby Library at Gonzaga University was dedicated, and Bing received an honorary doctoral degree. As he accepted this honor, he said: “Oh, I wish Bob Hope could see me now.”