Catalog, 1931 - Hoover Library

16 SIXTY-FOURTH ANNUAL CATALOGUE [1930CONNECTION WITH THE CHURCHThe College has from the beginning been under the fostering care of theMethodist Protestant Church. Members of that church have given largely oftheir time and 'effort and means to establish it, and its success is attributable,more than to any other factor, to the interest thus manifested. The Charterrequires that twelve of the thirty-three trustees shall always be chosen fromamong the members of the Maryland Annual Conference of the MethodistProtestant Church. In this sense it is a denominational institution. But itsCharter forbids it to be a sectarian institution, declaring that,"the youth of every religious denomination shall be freely admitted to equalprivileges and advantages of education and to all the literary honors of theCoUege without requiring or enforcing any religious or civil test norshall any preference be given in the choice of a President, Master, Tutor, orTeacher in the said College on account of his or her particular religious profession.',CONNECTION WITH THE STATEThe General Assembly of Maryland granted a Charter to the College in1868, giving the trustees power to hold property, to elect a faculty, and to conferdegrees" in any of the arts, sciences, and liberal professions to which personsare usually admitted in other Colleges or Universities in America." TheState further recognized the College as one of its important institutions ofhigher education when the General Assembly, in 1878, assigned to it a numberof the free scholarships which had been founded some years before, for theeducation of those intending to teach in the Public Schools of the State. Forthe better preparation of such students, the College has established a course inEducation, and those completing this course, in addition to the regular collegecourse, receive a Certificate from the State Board of Education, authorizingthem to teach in any of the high schools of the State. In this sense, therefore,the College is a State institution, but its hospitality has been extendedas well to those who come from many other states.PROGRESSDuring the past thirty years the College has steadily advanced. Thisperiod may be called the "Building Era." Whereas, before 1886, it haderected but three buildings, costing altogether less than $30,000, it has sincethat time erected twenty-one buildings, valued at $1,500,000, including equipmentand apparatus.Western Maryland College led the way in that form of co-education inwhich the sexes are taught separately so far as is practicable. Men and womenare accepted as students on equal terms, are taught the same courses ofstudy by the same Faculty, and receive the same degree.It was the first college in the State to employ a Physical Director and tobuild a Gymnasium.For a number of years the College has been accumulating an endowmentfund. In a campaign which was completed two years ago, funds weresecured which increased the endowment to approximately $9'00,000.