Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-01

history occupied by ST Johns College
and responded
Old st. Johns.
1T is difficult to crowd the history
of two hundred years into a few words.
ST Johns, as you know. was formerly
King Williams School, and King VIII
liam's School was the first public free
school on this continent. I cannot say
with certainty that King Williams was
influential in the establishment OF other
schools of similar character which &C.
Cured within the next few years.
THE idea of public education was In
mems minds at that time. King VIII
liam's had chronological precedence. but
to say more than that would be depending
upon tradition. 1t was Established as q
result of the visit of the Rev. Dr. InomaS
Bray to the colonies. and 1t Is very proba-
BILE that the establishment of other schools
was similarly due to his visit. 1t was the
time Immediately after the English revo-
luton. a time productive OF great changes
in views of popular rights and privileges:
when popular education. always fostered
in England by the established church, re-
ceived new impetus because the estab-
lished church and the crown were again in
sympathy. King Williams was Chnrch
of England school and remained 80 untii
lisa Religious instructionwa part OF It's
scope The Archbishop of Canterbury was
its chancellor. Church and state beini,
united, the expenses of education Were
borne by the taxpayers as part of the
church rates, as is the case In England
today.
The American revolution effected q
radical change. King Williams was d.
. vested of it's sectarian character ana con-
stituted a collegiate institution under the
charter name of st. Johns College. men
of all denominations cooperating in the
movement Charles Carroll of Cafrollton
was one of the incorporators. 1t was In
tended. moreover. as part Of the proposed
University of Maryland Owing to va
rious vicissitudes the university idea was
never carried into effect until recently.
The founding of Johns Hopkins University
in Baltimore, with it's splendid endow-
ment, helped to retard the fulhllment or
the design of a state university. Now by
affiliation with schools OF medicine, law,
pharmacy and dentistry in Baltimore the
long deferred object has been attained.
and the college has become the depart
ment of arts and sciences of the Uni
yersity of Maryland. having greater OPP
portunities than ever. Its graduates were
prominent in the foundation of the schools
of special instruction with which 1t has
become affiliated and many of them have
attained distinction.
Could the shade OF some fine gentleman
of the revolutionary period return to earth
and revisit Annapolis he would be amazed
at the progress of the old town and the
old school. but he would find much that
would appear familiar Mcdowell Hall.
the first building used for college pur-
poses was the mansion Of Gov. Bladen In
pre-revolutionary days, and all the other
buildings on the campus have grown up
since its erection in the early part Of the
eighteenth century.
The Treaty Elm.
On the campus of ST. Johns College ~
mains the old elm tree known as the
treaty tree" 1t was under its branches
that the early settlers of Maryland made
a treaty with the Indians before Lord Bal
timores colonists moved their capital to
the banks of the Severn, when the settle-
ment there was known as Providence.
The statehouse. from one point of view
would have the same appearance. though
the church structure of today belongs tn
n later era A colonial gallant would find
many residences just as he knew them
when he paid his round of calls. He would
that has never had to ride rOughshod
over the relics of the past But should
he go down to the Enclosure containing
the Naval Academy buildings all his pro-
vinciai notions that the Annapolis of 1714
marked the acme of magnificence would
vanish Here are the splendid edifices of
rich nation-BancrOft Hall, and other
stately buildings. the pride of new An
napolis. Here also Is the mortuary chapel
wherein. rest the supposed remains OF
John Paul Jones. He would find also many
landmarks of history written since his
time Nevertheless. he would be able to
come to the conclusion that old Annapolis
stands amid some modern environments
unchanged, and defying change that
would in any respect be an improvement.
Old Annapolis acknowledgement An
napolis. and new Annapolis. blend haP.
moniously and form one of the most de.
lightful and interesting little cities - -
found anywhere.