The History of University Education in Maryland Part 2

_The Baltimore Female College_, so long presided over by Dr. N.C.

Brooks, was the pioneer inst.i.tution in Maryland for the higher education of women. Founded in 1849, it long had a prosperous existence; but finally was obliged to close its doors in June, 1890, on account of the withdrawal of the grant formerly given by the State.

Besides this inst.i.tution there was no successful attempt in Maryland to found a college for female education, until the _Woman's College of Baltimore_ was chartered in 1884.[52] It was founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church, in honor of the centenary of its organized existence in this country, and is "denominational but not sectarian."

For it beautiful buildings, adjoining the First Methodist Church, have been erected on St. Paul Street. Much of the money for its endowment was given by the present President, the Rev. J.F. Goucher, D.D., and, largely through his influence, was it able to open its doors to students on September 13, 1888. It has determined, very sensibly, to grant no degrees, save to those thoroughly fitted to receive them, and so has had no graduates up to the present. Its growth under the care of W.H.

Hopkins, Ph.D., its first President, was great in numbers and endowment and the prospects are now fair for this Baltimore Woman's College taking high rank among similar inst.i.tutions.

CONCLUSION.

To a superficial observer from a distance, it sometimes seems as if University education in Maryland began with the foundation of the Johns Hopkins University, a sketch of which follows from the pen of its honored President. Our study into the history of education in the State, however, has shown us that Maryland, instead of being one of the latest of the United States to conceive the University idea, was, in fact, one of the very earliest, and that her inst.i.tutions have a history of which they need not be ashamed; though their work has not been so widely known as some others and though the bright promise of morning, in many cases, has not been followed by the full development of noontide.

The patient labors of William Smith, of Hector Humphreys, of Francis Asbury, of John Dubois, and of many others, have been far from lost.

Wherein they failed, they gained valuable experience for their successors, and wherein they succeeded, they helped to instil "into the minds and hearts of the citizens, the principles of science and good morals."

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: _Md. Archives_; a.s.sembly Proceedings, 1666-1676, pp.

262-264.]

[Footnote 2: Scharf, _Hist. of Md._, II, p. 510.]

[Footnote 3: Sharpe, _Correspondence_, Vol. II, pp. 523-5 and 545.]

[Footnote 4: Scharf, _Hist, of Md_., II, p.511.]

[Footnote 5: Eddis, _Letters from Maryland_, 1769-1776.]

[Footnote 6: MS. sketch of Prof. Rowland Watts.]

[Footnote 7: Act of 1784, ch. 37.]

[Footnote 8: Act of 1805, ch. 85. The appropriation had already been diminished by Act of 1798, ch. 107.]

[Footnote 9: _Centennial of St. John's._ Address of P.R. Voorhees, Esq.]

[Footnote 10: Resolutions of 1832, No. 41.]

[Footnote 11: MS. Sketch of Dr. E.F. Cordell.]

[Footnote 12: Act of 1807, ch. 53.]

[Footnote 13: Act of 1807, ch. 111.]

[Footnote 14: Act of 1812, ch. 159.]

[Footnote 15: _Records of Univ. of Md_., Vol. A.]

[Footnote 16: In 1815 he was succeeded by the Rt. Rev. James Kemp, D.D.]

[Footnote 17: Acts of 1813, ch. 125; 1814, ch. 78.]

[Footnote 18: Act of 1821, ch. 88.]

[Footnote 19: Act of 1825, ch. 190.]

[Footnote 20: Act of 1803, ch. 74.]

[Footnote 21: Scharf, _Chron. of Baltimore_, p. 294.]

[Footnote 22: Act of 1830, ch. 50.]

[Footnote 23: Lucas, _Picture of Baltimore_, p. 170.]

[Footnote 24: Act of 1882, ch. 88.]

[Footnote 25: Stevens' _History of Methodism_, II, 253.]

[Footnote 26: Some account of c.o.kesbury. MSS. of Rev. Wm. Hamilton.]

[Footnote 27: _Early Schools of Methodism_, p. 21.]

[Footnote 28: MSS. of Rev. I.P. Cook.]

[Footnote 29: Strickland's _Asbury_, p. 163.]

[Footnote 30: Methodist Discipline, 1789, p. 40.]

[Footnote 31: _Asbury's Journal_, Vol. I, p. 523.]

[Footnote 32: II Kings, 4: 40.]

[Footnote 33: _Journal_, December 5, 1791.]

[Footnote 34: _Early Schools of Methodism_, p. 31.]

[Footnote 35: _Journal_, November 21, 1794.]

[Footnote 36: Act of 1794, ch. 21.]

[Footnote 37: Rev. Mr. Hamilton's MSS.]

[Footnote 38: _Journal_, January 5, 1796.]

[Footnote 39: _Journal_, 1796.]

[Footnote 40: Act of 1817, ch. 144.]