Baltimore City College - Green Bag Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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One structure collapsed while workers for the Balti- more and Ohio Railroad were excavating its tun- nel under Howard Street in 1892. Thereupon, classes were held in public schools at Fayette and Greene Streets and at Dolphin Street and Pennsyl- vania Avenue. While reconstruction of the Howard Street building was proceeding on the same site, the walls collapsed because of quicksand under the foundation. The whole structure had to be started anew, and the building was not occupied until 1899. The beginning of the twentieth century brought a tremendous thirst for education to Baltimore. From 1910 to 1920, there was an increase of 300 percent in high school enrollment. Baltimore City College was packed with students. A store on Eutaw Street in the rear of the school was re- quisitioned in 1908, and this annex was connected with the main school building by a runway. In 1914, the annex was transferred to the old Front Building of the Johns Hopkins University. Next, a second Hopkins building near the Front struc- ture was added. In 1924, part of the school was Pumie H. Epwarps G. WarrieLtp Hosss Hundredth Anniversary moved to an annex in Public School No. 74, at Homewood Avenue and Twenty-second Street. At last, the Baltim ore City College was rescued from its deplorable condition by the Alumni of the school. This organization is the second oldest of its kind in the country, having been formed in 1866. As far back as 1915, the Alumni Associa- tion had started a movement for a new and ade- quate City College building. The Public Improve- ment Commission endorsed the demand and ap- proved a loan for such a building. In January, 1923, the 36.4 acre Gilman-Cate estate, a suburban tract, was decided upon as the best location. Com- petitive plans were drawn up for a building of collegiate-gothic design. The cornerstone was laid November 24, 1926, by Mayor Howard W. Jackson. Rabbi William Rosenau of the Eutaw Place Temple delivered the invocation. Dr. Fred- erick B. Robinson of the College of the City of New York made the principal address. Arthur E. Hungerford, ’o03, president of the Alumni Associa- tion, presided. The building was completed early in 1928,—the Faculty and student body taking Harry G. Roesuck Presenting —The Jllustrated distor.

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‘Doc’ Cuts The Cake— In the years to come, thousands of Baltimore City College Alumni will look back upon the glorious Centennial Celebration with exultant pride. Reminiscing will bring back the impressive assemblies, the huge birthday cake, the magnificent pageant, the exciting football game, the publish- ing of the book, “One Hundred Years of the Baltimore City College,” an illustrated history, by James Chancellor Leonhart, co-author and general editor, upon which the writer of this article has leaned heavily and about which there will be more later herein; the glorious banquet—all memorable events, never to be forgotten. The early history of the Baltimore City College is rather that of a “gypsy nomad”. In March, 1839, Mayor S. C. Leakin signed City Ordinance No. 39, which provided for the establishment of a male high school, “in which the higher branches of an English and classical education may be taught exclusively.” Seven months later, October 20, 1839, classes first convened at “The High School” in a rented building on Courtland Street, and thus was bestowed upon Baltimore the third such educational institution in the United States. This ee { 4 4 es ' Dr. Pxirre H. Epwarps first enrollment of 46 pupils, with Dr. Nathan C. Brooks as Principal and the only teacher, was destined to become what is now the Baltimore City College. The Courtland Street quarters soon proved in- adequate; therefore, in 1840 the school was moved to the second floor of a building at the northeast corner of South and Second (now Water) Streets. In 1841, it moved to the northeast corner of Han- over and Lombard Streets, but in 1842 circum- stances compelled it to return to the Courtland Street quarters. On March 11, 1844, the school was removed to the “Old Assembly Rooms and Theatre Tavern” at Holliday and Fayette Streets which had been purchased for $23,000. The Old Assembly Rooms were destroyed by fire on Octo- ber 6, 1873, and again the school, had to move— this time to rooms in Dr. Brook’s Female Acad- emy building on Courtland Street, near the sight of the original location. It remained there until 1875, when a new school building at Howard and Centre Streets was completed. Even this INS building was the permanent home of the Balti- A Former Student Reminisces— more City College boys only until 1890. The Epwarp Everrr Horton 14

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| | One Hundredth Anniversary ALUMNI FACULTY Second Row: Cohen, Helm, Palmer, McDorman, Calder, Foard First Row: Kaufman, McQuade, Morrison, Dorn, Kalb, Hyde, Wimmer, Schmehl Seated: Blair, Green, G. Owens, Yost, Linthicum, Johnson, Harris Thayne City College —through and through possession on April ro—and has since been the permanent residence of the Baltimore City College. Total cost of the new building and ground was about $3,000,000. Now that the writer has reviewed the history of the Baltimore City College from its humble be- ginning to its magnificient present, he will at- tempt a resume of the events during the Centenary celebration. The Alumni Association began planning the Centenary Celebration 10 years ago. Its members urged the Board of School Commissioners of Balti- more to recognize the value of such a celebration —-the one hundredth anniversary of the oldest high school in the South. First official recognition of the anniversary was given March 7, 1939, at a huge assembly marking the one hundredth anni- versary of the date that the City Council of Balti- more passed a resolution authorizing the charter of the (Baltimore Male) High School, which is now known as the Baltimore City College. The Rev. Dr. G. Warfield Hobbs ’96 of New York City was the featured speaker on the program, which included addresses by the Mayor, the Hon. Howard W. Jackson; Dr. David E. Weglein 94, superintendent of public instruction; the Hon. Morris A. Soper ‘90, Judge of the U. S. Court of Appeals; and the Hon. John B. Gontrum ’08, Secretary of the State of Maryland at the time, but now State Insurance Commissioner. The second observance of the Centenary was the Birth- day Ball, held at the Maryland Casualty and spon- sored by students and Alumni. “The Centennial Varieties,” a show produced by the Parent-Teacher Association. with the assistance of Faculty mem- bers, and students of City and of Eastern High School on March 21, was the next Centennial event. On October 17, a spe ctacular, two-hour assembly started the ball rolling for Centennial Week, October 16 to 21; the guest speaker was the Rey. Dr. G. Warfield Hobbs °96. Dr. Philip H. Edwards, Principal, introduced Mr. H. G. Roe- buck, founder of H. G. Roebuck and Son, pub- lishers; members of the School Board, State officials, and other notables who were present for the oc- casion. During this assembly, Dr. Edwards cut the birthday cake. This confection, six feet by two feet, was moulded in the form of the present building and campus and was surrounded by 100