Western Maryland College - Aloha Yearbook (Westminster, MD)

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additional space was provided by erecting at a cost of seven thousand dollars a wing at present known as Uwingsl Hall, after the capable and beloved pre- ceptress who devoted the prime of her life to the interests of this Institution. In 1882, through the great faith and patient efforts of the president, another building made necessary by the increasing popularity of the school was com- pleted and most appropriately called Ward Hall. By this time the widely increas- ing usefulness of the College had caused it to make such an impression on the V f' .f W ' fi if ' PROF. SIMPSONS RESIDENC E. State of Maryland that in 1878 the Legislature established twenty-six free scholar- ships. Dr. Thomas H. Lewis was made president of the College in 1886, and his first efforts were devoted to bringing the school out from under the financial embarrassment which was greatly obstructing its usefulness. Under his skillful! management the debt which had been in existence from the foundation of they College was wiped out to the last cent before the close of the year I889.H 26

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by his WZll'ilL'1'lS. and in the presence ol seventy-tive of his brethren, laid the cornerstone of the building, which. wlicn finished, was to be known as Wfestern Maryland College. Not many years after the completion of this building it became evident that without some cxtrziordiimry change, or very good luclc, the whole enterprise would be :1 failure. 'l'hrough the patience, thewremarlcable popu- larity. and the incorruptible integrity of character of Dr. James Thomas Wfard, BAKER CHAPEL. two citizens of Westminster agreed to furnish the money to place the College on a sound basis, provided Dr. NVard would become its president. The first cata- logue, issued in 1868-69, showed a faculty of six instructors, including the prin- cipal, and an enrollment of seventy students, one-half from Westmiinstei' and the rest mostly from Carroll County. ' 1 In the year 1871, on account of the steadily increasing number of students, 25

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In 1886 XYard llall was enlarged, in 1887 Smith Hall wasuadded, in 1888 the main front was greatly improved, the same year steam heating apparatus was introduced through the entire College, and in 1889 a steam laundry was put in and four acres of ground were added to the premises. All these improvements which had been badly needed for many years, and which followed each other in extraordinarily rapid succession, greatly increased the comfort, convenience and etliciency of the College and proved the wisdom of the trustees in placing Dr. WARD MEMORIAL. Lewis at the helm., To accomplish so much, in so short a time, under such unfavorable surroundings, seemed to be almost amiracle. ' Through the generosity of the Baker brothers, of Buckeystown, a very hand- some residence for the president was erected on the campus in. 1889. The same year was signalized by a most timely gift from Miss Anna R. Yinglmg, a member of the first class graduated from the College. She presented to hC1' Alma Mater 27