The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-03-24
Statement BY DR.. Goucher-The
Founding OF The College.

Founding OF The College.
The Woman's College of Baltimore,
afterWard named Goucher College, was
proposed. recommended, approved, au-
thorized, founded and developed by the
Methodist Episcopal Church, to be
UNCONVENTIONAL institution OF con-
structive Christian influence and high
est academic grade.
The College was created to be liv-
ing memorial to the women of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, whose I'M
stinted devotion contributed so largely
to the success of the Church during
the first century of its history, and TO
make provision for the daughters OF
our Church and others to crafty their
passion for thorough training where
1.-THE highest ideal of Christian culture
for Christian service may be realized.
The promoters OF this memorial in
stitution have made no appeal to any
other church to assist in its founding
or development. While some valuable
contributions have been received from
other than Methodist Episcopal Church
sources, they were not made until aft
er the academic standing OF the Col
lege had been thoroughly established
and its absolute freedom from sec
tartan Determinations OF any kind had
been fully demonstrated.
High Standing AS A Methodist
Institution.
AS a Methodist institution, within
less than a decade of its opening, lead
ing universities of the world and AS
sociations for advancing higher educa-
ton had accorded to Goucher College
an academic standing of the highest
grade-second to none in the nation.
I have a complete file of the Jour
nails of the General Conferences" and
of the Minutes of the Baltimore An
nual Conferences" of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, file of all official
publications of the College for the first
quarter of century of its active work,
and OF its propa ganda-literature from
1888, when the proposition was first
made that the Baltimore Annual Con-
ference" should establish an institution
OF higher learning to 1883, when the
first class was received for instruction,
and can show documentary proof OF
the above facts.
Church Relation Under Charters.
In the Charter under the General
Laws of the State of Maryland. 1885,
and in the enlarged Charter granted
by the Legislature OF the State OF
Maryland in 1890 the Baltimore An
nual Conference. which created the
! College. reserved no power 10 inter
/ fere with its management. but the
supervisory relation of the Methodist
T,x;a ~,
reserving q veto power as to the selec-
I ton of its Trustees.
AS the College broadened in its infiu.
/ ence and was being recosnizrd Us 4
general Church enterprise. it was
thought desirable that th!S y-cto p0Tcr
should be transferred to the Board o!
Education OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church" and this was provided for in
an amendment to the Charter of 1910
/ In 1914 President Guth appeared in
person before the Board of Education
/ Of the Methodist Episcopal Church"
I and requested that they release this
/ veto power as to the election of the
! Trustees of the College. AS a result
the Charter was amended, and In lieu
OF the right of veto eleven Trustees
/ We're to be nominated by the Baltimore
Annual Conference and other specified
nearby Conferences. This request was
consented to as continuing to repre-
sent the official supervisory relation Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church to the
College, and the Charter was amended
accordingly.
Neglect And Refusal.
! The present administration OF
! Goucher College has neglected and re-
| fused to conform to the provisions of
the Charter as amended in 1914, con-
| corning the eleven representatives of
the Methodist Episcopal Church to be
chosen from the Baltimore Annual
Conference and other nearby Confer
ences, and has ignored the right OF
said Church to be thus represented
This raises serious question as to
whether THE Board of Trustees of
Goucher College" is legally constituted
or capable to officially represent the
institution.
Conscientious Protest.
It is to be deplored that the present
administration has inaugurated this move
ment to sever and destroy all official rela-
tiOn between Goucher College and the
Methodist Episcopal Church. whose sacri-
ncial generosity and persistent devotion
have secured the existence and exceptional
growth of the College. Those Of us who
are thoroughly eonversant with all the
facts are compelled, conscientiously, to
protest against and resist such an act of
injustice.
If the Legislature should grant this petit
ton 1t might make easy the perversion, or
a. least enGanger the stability Of every
---~ " JNo. F. GoUCHER.