CHAPTER III. THE FIRST MARYLAND UNIVERSITY (1785-1805).' In the earlier chapters we have seen how colonial attempts to found a college in Maryland failed. It was not until Dr. William Smith, formerly president of the University of Pennsylvania, took the posi tion of principal of the Kent County School that Maryland had a great educator as a citizen. The Revolutionary war was just closing, and taking advantage of favorable circumstances Dr. Smith secured the chartering of Washington College at Chestertown in 1782. Into this institution the Kent County School was erected. The Western Shore could not long endure that the Eastern Shore should possess better educational advantages, and in the legislature of 1784 its representatives procured the chartering of a college to be known as St. John's College. The history of these two colleges is given in this chapter. Grants of public money were made to these colleges, and by the provisions of the same act' by which St. John's College was chartered, the two were united as the "University of Maryland." The provisions of the act relating to the university are as follows: Whereas a college hath been founded on the Eastern Shore of this State, by the name of Washington College, in honour and perpetual memory of the late illustrious and virtuous commander-in-chief of the armies of the United States; and whereas it appears to this general assembly that the connection between the two shores will be greatly increased, by uniformity of manners and joint efforts for the advancement of literature, under one supreme legislative and visitatorial jurisdiction: Beit enacted, That the said two colleges, viz, Washington College on the Eastern Shore and St. John's College on the Western Shore, shall be, and they are hereby, declared to be one university by the name of the University of Maryland, whereof the governor of the State for the time being shall be chancellor, and the principal of one of the said colleges shall be vice-chancellor, either by seniority or election, according to such rule or by-law of the university as may afterwards be made in that case. The university was to be governed by the "convocation of the University of Maryland." Its duties were to "establish a body of by-laws or ordinances for the general government and well ordering of the affairs 'See History of University Education in Maryland, by Bernard C. Steiner, published in Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Political Science for 1891. Laws of Maryland, 1784, ch. 37, §§ 33-5. This bill was drafted by Gen. John Cadwalader, who removed from Philadelphia to Maryland after the Revolution.—(Cordell, p. 23.) of the said university, with the mutual consent, advice, and authority of the two colleges." It was to come into being "as soon as conveniently may be, after thirteen visitors and governors shall be chosen for St. John's College and shall have duly taken upon them the discharge of their trust." Then "the chancellor shall call a meeting of the visitors and governors of the said two colleges, or a representation of at least seven visitors and governors from each of them and two members of the faculty of each of them (the principal, when there is any, being one)." The field of action of the convocation is stated to be: To make rules concerning "the general government of the university, so far as may relate to uniformity of manners and literature in the said colleges; the receiving, hearing, and determining appeals from any of the members, students, or scholars of either of them, and the conferring the higher degrees and honors of the university," provided that the rules so enacted be not contrary to the laws of the Union or the rights of the several colleges. The convocation was to meet annually, "alternately, on commence. ment day at each college," and special meetings were to be called by the chancellor, likewise alternately, at each college. The chancellor was to preside; in his absence the vice-chancellor, and in his absence, whoever is so directed by law. Apparently no attempt to profit by these provisions was made until November 10, 1790, when "a convocation composed of representatives from Washington and St. John's colleges was held at Annapolis' before the governor of the State as chancellor ex officio of The University of Maryland' as provided in the section of the charter already quoted, the purpose in view being the union of both colleges under the title of said university. The union was not then consummated and” in May, 1791, representatives from St. John's appeared at another convocation at Annapolis, at which Washington College was not represented. The chancellor thereupon adjourned the convocation to "the second Wednesday in November next," and no more convocations seem to have been held. The causes which prevented this union can only be guessed at; but the lack of facilities for travel and the mutual jealousy of the colleges, combined with a want of interest in the university plan, probably had much to do with the failure of this scheme. The University of Maryland preserved a nominal existence until the State withdrew its grants to the colleges in 1805. This act is often stated to have also abolished the university, but this is incorrect. What it really did was to cause the suspension of St. John's College, by withdrawing the State grant. This caused the death of the old university, and in 1812, though the old charter had never been repealed, the old institution was so thoroughly extinct that the legislature chartered a new University of Maryland. P. R. Voorhees, Centennial address, p. 83. It is probable that the idea of this first University of Maryland is due to Dr. William Smith, president of Washington College, for it is first mentioned in the preamble to the charter of that college, which act reflects Dr. Smith's idea, if not in his very words. The preamble to the act is as follows: Whereas institutions for the liberal education of youth in the principles of virtue, knowledge, and useful literature are of the highest benefit to society, in order to raise up and perpetuate a succession of able and honest men for discharging the various offices and duties of the community, both civil and religious, with usefulness and reputation, and such institutions of learning have accordingly merited and received the attention and encouragement of the wisest and best regulated States; and Whereas former legislatures have, according to their best abilities, laid a considerable foundation in this work, in sundry laws for the establishment and encouragement of county schools, for the study of "Latin, Greek, writing, and the like," intending, as their future circumstances might permit, to engraft or raise, on the foundation of said schools, more extensive seminaries of learning, by erecting one or more colleges or places of universal study, not only in the learned languages but in philosophy, divinity, law, physic, and other useful and ornamental arts and sciences; and Whereas this great and laudable undertaking hath been retarded by sundry incidents of a public nature, but chiefly by the great difficulty of fixing a situation on either shore of the State, for a seminary of universal learning, which might be of equal benefit and convenience to the youth of both shores, and it having been represented to this general assembly that it would probably tend most to the immediate advancement of literature in this State, if the inhabitants of each shore should be left to consult their own convenience, in founding and freely endowing a college or seminary of general learning each for themselves, under the sanction of law, which two colleges or seminaries, if thought most conducive to the advancement of learning, religion, and good government, may afterwards, by common consent, when duly founded and endowed, be united under one supreme legislative and visitatorial jurisdiction as distinct branches or members of the same State university, notwithstanding their distance of situation.' The idea of admitting that Washington College should be only for the Eastern Shore may have been advanced by Dr. Smith to disarm opposition, and we must bear in mind the difficulty of communication in those days and the jealousy of the two shores of the Chesapeake Bay, then nearly equal in population. WASHINGTON COLLEGE (1782-1894). By ROWLAND WATTS, A. M., formerly professor in the college. Upon a beautiful natural eminence, one-fourth of a mile north of Chestertown, is situated that venerable institution known as Washington College. From its observatory may be had a magnificent view of the beautiful town of Chester, the windings of the romantic river of the same name, and, to the north and west, a stretch of fertile and well improved agricultural country. The Rev. Dr. William Smith was president of the College of Phila 1 Smith's Smith, 11, p. 68. delphia from its foundation until its charter was revoked. He came to Chestertown in 1780 and took charge of the parish, for which he received 600 bushels of wheat per annum in payment. Some conception of the discouraging prospects may be gathered from the fact that it took 122 persons to agree to contribute, before the desired amount of wheat could be promised. He preached his first sermon July 4, 1780, in the Chestertown church, from Isaiah LII, 10.' So vigorously did Dr. Smith work and so favorable an impression did he make upon the people, that before the year closed he was given charge of the Kent County School, which he combined with his own private class to form quite a respectable academy, with a competent corps of instructors. From this academy, in two years, sprang Washington College, the subject of this sketch. Within two years the number of students had grown to 140, with prospects of still greater increase. In 1782 the visitors of the Kent County School asked the legislature to incorporate the school as a college. This was done.2 The college was at once organized with Dr. Smith as president; Colin Ferguson, A.M., vice president; and Samuel Armor, A.M., professor of natural philosophy and logic. There were also, we are informed, 2 tutors and a French teacher; but of the occupants of those positions no names can be found, except that Mr. Joseph Condon, the former principal, or head master of the Kent School, was one of them. Some of Mr. Condon's descendants live in Cecil County. The Kent free school was one of the county free schools, having been established by the act of 1723, and treated in an earlier chapter of this work. It was situated upon the eminence which overlooks the Free School spring, still so called, and the ravine or valley bordering the town of Chester. The depression of the foundation was plainly visible until June, 1890, when Marion DeK. Smith, esq., commenced to erect a residence upon the same site. Opposite is the residence of Horace Brown, where tradition says Washington slept while visiting the college in 1784. In Dr. Smith's account of the founding of the college he says: In that extent of territory which, through the providence of God, is now the sovereign domain of the United States of America, an attentive observer can not but behold the foundation of an empire laid, which promises to enlarge itself to vast dimensions, and to become the happy means of diffusing knowledge, liberty, and happiness through every part of this American continent.3 This statement seems almost prophetic, and is all the more remarkable when we remember that at that time the State had not yet recovered from the effects of the Revolutionary war, and money was very scarce, it being estimated that not more than £200,000, say $500,000, was in circulation in the State. To see, in this war-desolated country, such 'Smith's Life of William Smith, Vol. II, p. 34. Ibid, p. 65. brilliant prospects for the future speaks well for the wisdom and patriotism of Dr. Smith. After speaking of the vast commercial advantage possessed by our country and of its richness in soil and climate, he hopes for the time when the States may "beat their swords into plow shares and their spears into pruning hooks," and when" violence shall no more be heard in the earth, when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." In his address to the people of the peninsula, he says: The distance of the town of Chester from alarms in time of war, its healthful situation and convenience for the accommodation of youth, have, by general agreement, pointed it out as the best place for a seminary of universal learning upon this shore.' All the recommendations of Dr. Smith still hold good. No more beautiful or healthful place could have been selected on the shore, and, we think, not many in the State. It is still far removed from the "alarms of war;" but railroad improvement and steamboats are bring. ing it into close connection with all parts of the country. In the account of the founding of the college, Dr. Smith says: Civil liberty, the parent of every other social blessing, will not be forgotten; but every true citizen will consider himself a chosen instrument for supporting her cause in the new world, at a time when drooping or decaying in the old, and will rejoice to water the tender plant that hath taken root among us, and to rear and shelter it from the storm till it shoots up into a great tree. To accomplish this we must attend the rising generation. The souls of our youth must be nursed up to love liberty, and knowledge, and everything that can bless or dignify their species. In short, lasting provision must be made, by good education, for training up a succession of patriots, lawgivers, sages, and divines; for Liberty will not dwell but where her fair companion, Knowledge, flourishes by her side; nor can government be duly administered but where the principles of religion, justice, virtue, sobriety, and obedience, for conscience sake, are upheld.2 Such were the reasons urged by the first principal of Washington College why the people of the peninsula should give it their support, and we shall see that he was not disappointed in receiving that support. The school under Dr. Smith flourished, and "upon the representation of the 7 trustees or visitors of the school (Rev. Dr. Wm. Smith, Benjamin Chambers, Joseph Nicholson, James Anderson, John Scott, Wm. Bordley, and Perigrine Letherbury, esqs.), the general assembly proposed that the eastern shore counties should, in five years, contribute to the existing funds of the school a sufficient amount to raise the total endowment to £5,000 currency, to be paid in Spanish milled dollars, or the value thereof in merchantable wheat or tobacco." When such a sum had been raised the said school should be incorporated as a college, with an enlarged course of studies and suitable professors, and should be denominated Washington College, "in honorable and 2 Smith's Smith, 11, p. 67. 'Smith's Smith, II, p. 77. |