This memorial features 2 prominent men in the founding of the Orchard Lake Schools: Fr. Josef Dombrowski and Fr. Witold Buhaczkowski. Fr. Dabrowski is well known as the founder of the Schools, which began originally as a seminary for the Polish community in the US located in Detroit. Fr. Dabrowski worked tirelessly to establish this seminary, and served as the first Rector. (read more information on Fr. D at his Shrine statue) When Fr. Dabrowski died in February of 1903, his successor was Fr. Witold Buhaczkowski, who played an exceptional role in the history of the Schools. He was a professor, the second vice rector, and the second rector, but he is chiefly remembered as the person who relocated the Seminary to the Orchard Lake campus of the former Michigan Military Academy, which he purchased at auction in 1909 for $83,000, and to which he contributed his own life savings. He served as Rector for 16 years, and under his excellent governance, the institution, which contained a high school as well as a college seminary, flourished.