The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-03-14
WESTERN MARYLAND COLLEGE

and OPPORTUNITIES Of Westminster and
Carroll county, the subject OF educa-
ton should not be overlooked, nor
given secondary consideration, fol
there il not a better criterion by
which to judge the standard of cit.
izenshiP than from an educational
standpoint No town or community
can claim the attention and receive
the respect Of the outside world un-
less IL maintains within it's bound
@lies educational institutions OF
character; where young minds are
drilled and the precepts OF life are
taught, making true and noble mer
and women-the finished product out
Of the raw material. 1t takes steam
to run an engine, cash to operate 3
bank, sunshine to make cotton, and
it likewise takes a good, moral char
acter to make a strong man and a
noble woman. "A painted fire has nc
heat; dead mocking bird cannot
sing; rotten timber will not build a
bridge, and corrupt moral character
makes weak men and women when
faced by temptation.
It has been said that the richest
man i'm the world is the one who pos
sesses the best wife; the happiest
person in the world is the one who
has the c1earest evidence that his, or
her, sins are forgiven, and the strong
est person in the world is the one who
has attained the best moral character.
The educational institution that
places special stress on this feature
of it's work, as we'll as imparting
knowledge, is a blessing to the COM
munity.
In this connection, The Democratic
Advocate desires to bring to the at
tention OF its readers the unsurpassed
facilities offered parents OF children
of school age, by the Western Mary
land College. It is one OF the Oldest
and most reliable institutions i'm the
country, and is deserving Of the
aphorism, 1.-The Character Builder.
The college is an old institution
and naturally has an interesting MS
tory attached to it. It may be said to
be the outgrowth OF a private Acad-
emy started i'm Westminster back in
the year 1860. The movement for en-
larging the Academy into College
began in 1865 when simple incident
that promoted this step, may be al
tributed to DIR. J. r. Ward, a member
OLE the Maryland Annual Conference
" the Methodist Protestant Church.
About this time he retired from the
active itinerancy and settled in West
minister. DR.. Ward possessed in a
marked degree the confidence and
affection of Mr.. Jno. Smith and Mt
Isaac c. Bale, both Of this city, and
men OF considerable wealth. These
gentlemen agreed to loan their friend
and former pastor enough money with
which to erect a building, the first one
on the campus, provided DR.. Ward
was placed in charge Of the College
as its president. III was also under
stood that the institution should be
called Western Maryland College,
and the corner stone Of the initial
building was laid September 9Th,
1866, and the first session of the col
lege was opened September 4th the
following year, with six professors
and seventy-three students This was
the beginning of the College which
seemed doomed to failure in less than
one year, but the interposition OF the
Maryland Annual Conference Of the
Methodist Protestant Church saved it.
TO this time the church was not
officially connected with the school,
in fact it was private concern, but
the members OF that church naturally
felt deep interest i'm its success and
financial aid was preferred. The Con-
ference determined to save the prop
erty from. PUBLIC sale, and accordingly
named thirty-three men as Board OF
Trustees, who were authorized to pur-
chase the property and assume all in
Gebtedness. The charter was obtain
ed March Goth 1868; the property bur-
chased August 18th or that year, and
On September 14th, 1868 the college
opened its second annual session I'M
der the new auspices and started on
Its new life and to establish reputa-
ton second to none in the country
In 1885 the College was declared out
oG debt and its finances in good condi-
ton. Dr. Ward remained in the
presidency until released, at his own
request in 1886, when he was succeed
ed by the present incumbent.
The college has been under The
fostering care of the Methodist Pro
testant Church from the beginning.
LINN this sense Id is % denominational
institution, but its charter forbids it
to be q sectarian institution.
!: III recognition Oh the College Odd one
of its important agencies for nigner
education, the General Assembly 10
1878 assigned to IL number Oh the
free scholarships, for the education OF
those intending to teach in the public
schools OF the State. For such stu
dents the College has established %
course in pedagogy, and those COM
pleting this course, in addition to the
regular college course, receive GER
tificate from the State Board of Educa-
ton, authorizing them to teach in any
OF the Elementary and High Schools
of the State I'm this sense, therefore,
the College may b. said to be State
institution, but its hospitality has been
extended ~ well To those who come
from other States.
Nh During the past 80 years the College
has maintained a. steady advance IN
aII directions UP to 1885 lt haa
erected nut three buildings, at % cost
mot exceeding $4,000. Since that
time IT has erected twenty buildings,
costing $500 900. Tic has led the way
OF co-edncation which is rapidly dis
placing both the absolute separation
w sexes and the education Of them I'm
tine same classes. It was the hrSt