The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-06-19
Western Maryland College.
A SKETCH.

A SKETCH.
Westminster, Nd has enjoyed reputa-
ton for excellent educational facilities.
For many years prior to 1866 private
academies of high grade had been sue
cessfully conducted under such superior
Instructors as Rey: IA. Monroe, DIR.
Jones, Mr.. Fayette r. Buell. and others,
whose reputation extended beyond the lin
its of the town, or even the county, and
brought from a distance large bodies of
students.
There was thus provided for this partic-
ular locality an atmosphere very favorable
to culture, and the boys and girls trained
in the old Westminster academies are now
scattered over the state and filling positions
of honor and trust.
But, twenty years ago, it occurred to
one man-rather it became his deep-rooted
conviction Westminster could and
should have college; and although 1t
happened that that one man was wrong In
many of the details of his plan, and made
lamentably insufficient provision for ex-
ecuting it, yet the college he attempted to
establish was established the idea he con-
ceived was executed, and no history of
Western Maryland College can be consid-
cred complete which omits the name and
services of Fayette R. Buell., Esq.
Mr.. Buell., native of the state of New
York, was engaged in teaching prior to
1865 in and about Westminster. In 1865
he was conducting an academy for boys
and girls at Westminster, when he con-
ceived the idea of enlarging his school into
a college To enable him to erect suitable
buildings he appealed to the community
for funds, and in February, 1866, called a
special meeting of the members and friends
of the Methodist Protestant Church in
Westminster, with which he was at that
time connected, to give the project favor
able recommendation to that denomination
at large, whose aid and support he was
anxious 10 secure, and, if possible, to iden-
tify them closely in the organization of the
college Resolutions were passed by this
meeting recommending the subject to the
favorable consideration of the Maryland
Annual Conference to assemble in March.
This Conference had already suffered
the experience of several mortifying fail
ures in efforts to establish college at some
point in its district, and was therefore dis
posed to move very cautiously; but they
gave what was asked, and recommended
Mr.. Buell. and his institution to the pa
tronage of the church.
On the 18th of April Mr.. Buell. called
together number of gentlemen, whom he
designated a board of directors, and to
whom he made known his plans, which
were to raise $4,000 by subscription on
loan, to be repaid out of the proceeds of
the college in five years. 1t must have
been time of infinite credit, when every
body was supposed to have become rich
and confdant with the close of the war !;
but one yet reads with amazement this as
founding proposition, as it was scattered
over the country by circulars. 1t is scarce
ly necessary to add that nothing came of
it, as had been surmised by those who con-
sented to it being tried.
But the project itself was not abandoned.
Rev. J. I. Ward, then just located in
Westminster, DIR. J. w. Herring, prom
inent physician, Mr.. John Smith of Wake
field, wealthy farmer, and others, still
believed in the thing itself, and gave ener-
getic assistance to accomplish it.
Mr.. Buell. finally succeeded in borrow
ing $4,000 with which to build, and the
first stone was laid August 9th; the cor
ner-stone laid with imposing ceremonies
September 9th, 1866, and the building
was carried rapidly forward.
The Maryland Conference, however, at
its meeting in March, 1867, still declined
to become financially involved in the en-
terprise, but Mr.. Buell. opened the first
session of the college September 4th, 1867,
with seventy-three students and six pro-
fessors. The first session closed very hap
PLY, and meeting of the "board of direc-
tors" was called for Wednesday, February
9th. At this meeting Mr. Buell. gave a
full statement of the financial condition of
the enterprise, which showed that large
amount of interest was due on the loan,
the property was covered by mechanics
liens and would be sold to meet those
claims, leaving very little to meet the orig
inal loan.
The Methodist Protestant Church was
not involved to the extent of one dollar,
but it had endorsed and patronized the
scheme and now felt it to be necessary to
retrieve disaster, ana, if possible, to save
Mr.. Buell. from loss. The Conference,
therefore, authorized thirty three men to
become Incorporated by the Legislature as
Board of Trustees; 10 purchase the prop
erty of Mr.. Buell., and Rev. j. T. Ward
was appointed Agent to raise funds to re-
lieve the most pressing claims. Mr.. Ward
entered at once upon the work and soon
secured from thirty men the money with
which the liens were taken up and distrib-
ted to the subscribers. The charter was
obtained March Both, 1868; the property
was purchased of Mr.. Buell. August 18th,
1868; and, although far from being in an
encouraging condition, the college had at
last got itself on foundation, and was in
the hands of men who were able and will
ing to undergo much hardships and wait
patiently through some years rather than
suffer their trust to be forsaken.
The Board of Trustees Immediately
made arrangements for conducting the col
lege through the financial crisis, and on
September 18th, 1868, the exercises of the
second year were begun, with Rev. ]. L.
Ward as President, and large communi-
ty, few hopeful, some suspicious, and all
uncertain, waited to see "whereunto this
thing would grow
1t will, perhaps, be more satisfactory to
complete the financial portion of our sketch
while we are upon the subject. There is
not much to tell, but there are some men
still living who know that if every word
and syllable of the story could grow vital
from this page and throb with deepest pain
they would not still be able to represent
the cost in years or in heart-aches to those
men who have by this price made such a
story possible.
When this Board began operations there
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