Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-04-29
ST. MARrS SEMINARY.

To the General Assembly of Mary
land The Trustees of "St. Mary's
Female Seminary" in submitting 20
your Honorable Body this Biennial
Report, as required by the 9th sec.
tion of the Act of Assembly. chapter
1913, approved March 2sth, ls6s, en-
titled, IAN Act to endow the Saint
Mary's Female Seminary. consider tie
recital Of some items in connection
with the history of the Institution,
interesting as well as necessary and
proper for your reflection. as also for
the information of the people of the
State; and do therefore most respect
fully refer e the.Aekef 1885. chapte,
l9o, when The Legislature. after recit-
ing chat the people of Maryland had
long entertained desire to commemo-
rate in some suitable manner the site
on which stood the Ancient Capital,
the City Of st. Mary's." where a few
mouldering bricks alone remained to
point out the spot where civilization
and Christianity were first introduced
into our State, and for other good and
sufficient reasons, power was given to
certain commissioners, therein named,
to raise by lottery a sum of money
for the purpose of building a large
and commodious school for the educa.
tion of young ladies to be considered
monumental in its character, to com.
memorate the site on which landed
our Pilgrim Fathers, that those whs
are destined to become the mothers
OF future generations may receive
their education and early impressions
at place SO well calculated to inspire
affection for our native State" In
pursuance of said trust, the said COM
missioners purchased the requisite
land, and caused to be erected thereon
buildings of the magnitude and char
acter suitable and convenient for the
purposes contemplated, and thereupon
selected or appointed ten other gen.
tlemen, who after having duly quail
fed in conjunction with themselves,
organized as the Board of Trustees"
in virtue Of the authority and require.
ments Of said Act, and after furnishing
the house and providing the necessary
teachers, opened the school for the
reception Of pupils in the early part
of the year 1916. Very soon the
high character Of the Institution was
established in public estimation, which
has continued through the munifcence
of the State to the present time. Yet,
notwithstanding its high character
and the earnest attention Of its Trus-
tees in the line OF economy, its receipts
without the aid of the State have
been found entirely inadequate to con-
duet the Institution in the manner
designed by its founders, and keep
and preserve the valuable buildings
from decay.
Owing, in part, to the sparseness Of
the population in the section in which
it is located and upon which it has
had mostly to rely, and to the num-
Der Of Female Schools in the more
populous localities-in view Of this
fact-the Legislature Of 1868. recog-
nizing the obligation OF the State and
willingness Of the people to contribute
to the advancement of female educa-
tion passed the Act of endowment"
in which it is provided that "in con-
sideration Of the fostering care and
support by the State, the Trustees
shall establish free scholarship, with
board, upon which one pupil from
each of the counties of the State, and
the city of Baltimore, each Legisla-
tive district of Baltimore city consid-
cred as a county, shall be admitted
to all the instructions given in the
Seminary and all necessary books with
out any charge whatever"
The Comptroller to select by ballot
the counties, &C., to the number Of
ten at a time, which shall be entitled
for the term Of three years, etc.
The specified County authorities to
designate the persons fiom time to
time to enjoy the privileges, SC.
All the requirements Of said "en-
dowment Act" have been faithfully
complied with on the part Of our
Board on behalf of said Seminary
from the time Of the passage OF the
same to the present and the educa-
tion received here will compare favor
ably with that of any similar institu-
tion. Many young ladies, here edu-
Gated, who are engaged in teaching
and otherwise employed in responsible
positions in several sections Of the
State can be referred to in proof Of the
usefulness Of the State appropriation,
The several counties and Legislative