The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-03-24
GOUCHER WOMEN WANT
NON SECTARIAN RULE
MARYLAND Girls From Outside of
Baltimore Represent Fifteen
Different Denominations.
TRYING TO GET NEW CHARTER

Baltimore.-Efforts by the gradu-
stes and officials of GCucher College
to secure a new charter from the
Maryland legislature, which will make
elections to the board nf trustees in
dependent of church control. were Civ
en- new impetus by the analysis, just
completed. of the religious affiliations
of the seventy-eight Goucher students
now attending the college from fifty
three Maryland towns and cities out
side of Baltimore. The analysis shows
that the girls are members of fifteen
different churches or denominations,
and that only twenty-five are men,
bers of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. certain members of which are
fighting the new charter in an attempt
to gain control of the college.
From Nineteen Counties
G0ucher draws students from nine
teen Maryland counties: Allegheny,
Anne Arundel, Baltimore. Caroline,
Carroll, Dorchester. Frederick, Gar
rett, Hartford, Howard, Kent. Mont
gomery. Prince Georges. Queen Annes,
Somerset. Talbot. Washington. WicO-
mico and Worcester The undenOmi-
national character Of the undergradu-
ates is shown by the fact that the
girls who attend the college from these
counties represent the following
churches: Protestant Episcopal. Meth
odiSt Episcopal. Presbyterian. Jew
ish. Lutheran, Methodist Protestant,
Friends, Roman Catholic, Baptist,
Christian Science, United Brethren,
Church of Jesus Christ, Disciples of
Christ, Congregationalist and Reform
ed.
RIGHTS of Graduates
"Sectarian control has its place."
said Mrs. William V. Hayes. president
of the Goucher Alumnae Council, in
commenting on the survey, "particu-
larly when the students of a college
are all of the same faith. But when
fifteen different faiths are represent
ed as is the case at Goucher, then the
students and alumnae have a right to
independent control, without regard
to creed or denomination"
Goucher College. founded in 1885,
is one Of the six colleges for women
placed in Glass by the United States
Bureau of Education. OF the five
others, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke,
Smith, Wellesley and Vassar, the
records show that not one Is, or
ever has been, under sectarian or de-
nominational control. Such control.
in the Judgment of the secretary of
Princeton University, as expressed in
recent statement. tends ito throttle
administrative independence"
Statements indorsing Goucher's eff
fort to retain its non-seCtarian char
acter. said President William W. Guth,
himself a Methodist minister, have
been received from dozens of cCllege
presidents and educators OF national
repute.
New York Leads Opposition
Objection to Goucher's position in
the controversy was inspired not by
the Maryland Conference of the Meth
odist Church, but by the Beard of
Education. in New York, according to
Judge Morris A. Soper. one of the
trustees. The stand taken by this
Board of Education, after many long
years of Indifference toward the col
lege, is proving very embarrassing,
said Mr. Soper in view Of the fact
that many thousands of dollars have
been given the college on the ground
that it is independent of any church
control.
Though GOucher was Incorporated
strictly as a non-sectaran institution.
the amended charter in 1914 gave GER
tain conferences of the Methodist EpiS-
cOpal Church the right to nominate
trustees, in exchange for certain
pledges of financial support.
Old Arrangement Failed
That this arrangement failed in both
respects. say the college officials, is
shown by the fact that the confer
ences have neither exercised their
rights of nomination nor fulfilled their
pledges Of support. The Baltimore
Conference paid 90 per cent of its
pledge, one of the Pennsylvania Cen
ferenceS 40 per cent two conferences
paid about II per cent, and one con-
ference nothing at all. None of the
conferences nominated trustees be-
tween 1914 and 1921, until the New
York body made its effort to put the
college under church discipline 1t is
this narrowing outside control, says
Judge Soper. that the trustees wish
to deny, aiming to preserve, as in the
past, the most cordial relations with
the proper church authorities in Mary
land.