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


n summing up the vast resources
and OPPORTUNITIES of Westminster ant
Carroll county. the subject OF educa
ton should not h overlooked, mol
given secondary consideration, fol
there Is not better criterion By
which to Judge the standard of cit
iZenship than from m edueationa
standpoint. No town or community
can claim the attention and receive
the respect OF the outside world I'M.
less L maintains within Its bound
aries educational institutions OF
character; where young minds are
drilled and the precepts Of life ar
taught, making true and noble meI
and women-the finished product OUT
of the raw material. Il takes steam
to run an engine, cash to operate 9
bank, sunshine TO make cotton, and
1t likewise takes good, moral char
scter to make strong man and a
noble woman. A painted fire has nc
heat; dead hooking bird cannot
sing; rotten timber will not build a
bridge, and a corrupt moral character
makes weak men and women wheI
adesu W lenlptatlOn.
Il. has been said that the richest
man in the world Ii the one who pos
sesaes the best wife; the happiest
person In the world Ia the one who
has the cearest evidence that his. or
her. sins are forgiven, and the strong
est person In the world Is the one who
has attained the beat mpral character
The educational institution that
places special stress on this feature
OF it's work. as we'll as imparting
knowledge Is a blessing 10 the COM
munity.
In this connection. The Democratic
. Advocate desires 10 bring TO the At
tentIon Of its readers the unsurpassed
facilities offered parents Of children
Of school age, by the Western May
land College II IL one of The Oldest
and most reliable institutions IN he
country, and Is deserving Of the
aphoFism, THE Character Builder"
The college Is an old institution,
and naturally has an interesting MS
tory attached 10 il. II may be said 10
be the outgrowIh Of a private Aead-
envy started in Westminster back in
The year 1860. The movement for en-
IargIng the Academy into n College
began IN 1866 when n simple incident
that promoted this step. may be a
trihnled to DR.. J. T Ward. n member
Of the Maryland Annual Conference
of the Methodist Protestant Church
About this lime 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 Mr.
Isaac &. Bale. both Of this city. and
men of considerable wealth. These
gentlemen agreed 20 loan their friend
and former pastor enough money with
which 10 erect building. the first one
On the campus. provided DR.. Ward
vas placed N charge ot the College
as its president. II Was also under
.aIood 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 q the col
iege 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 IL
To this time the church was not
oficially connected with ~ zshool
IN faat Il wa a private concern, hut
the members of that church naturally
Eelt = deap interest IN it SUCCESS and
financial aid was proffeTed. The Con
ference determined to save the prom
erty from public sale, and accordingly
named thIrty=thTee men IS . Board Of
Trustees. who were authorized to pur-
chase the property and assume all IN
debtednesB. The charter was obtain
ed March Both 1868; the property bur
chased August 18th Of that year, and
on September 18th, 1868 the college
opened Its second annual session IN
der the new auspices and started on
It's new life and to establish reputa-
ton second TO none In the country.
IN 1885 the College was declared out
o. debt and Its finances In good eondI-
ton. Or. Ward remained in the
presidency until released, aI his own
request IN 1886, when he was succeed
ed b. the present incumbent.
The college has been under the
fostering care OF the Methodist Pro
testant Church from the beginning.
IN this sense It is UNCONVENTIONAL
institution, but It's charter forblds Il
TO be sectarian institution.
In recognition Of the College as one
of it important agencies for higher
education. the General Assembly n
1878 assigned to 1t a number Of 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 q GER
tIficaIe from the State Beard of Eduea-
ton, authorizing them to teach in any
Of the Elementary and High Schools
Of the State. In this sense, therefore
the College may be said to be State
institution, but its hospitality has been
extended as well to those who come
from other States.
During the past 30 years the College
has maintained steady advance IN
all directions. Up to 1896 1t had
erected but three buildings, al cosi
not exceeding $4,000. Since thai
time Il has erected twenty buildings
costing 100000. 1t has led the wa
of co-edueatlon which i rapidly dis.
placing both the absolute separation
OF sexes and the education OF them Il