One of the earliest menus recorded in the Archives is for the Christmas dinner served to students on Dec. 25, 1812. The diary of Fr. John McElroy, S.J., notes that: “On Christmas Day the students had for dinner – 1st dish, Corn’d pork and Cabbage, 2nd Smoaked Beef and Turnips, 3d Spare ribs Roasted & 4th Roast Geese. Toddy, Apples, Cakes and Crackers – there were six dishes of each kind served up. They had warm cakes, buttered, for Breakfast.”