St Johns College - Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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McDowell Hall J HE first attempt to establish a college in Maryland was made by the A A General Assembly, convened in the city of St. Mary's, in the year 1671. In 1694, thethen governor, Sir Francis Nicholson, again revived the question and offered to give money for the maintenance of a college. No action was, taken at this time, but in 1696 an act was passed which resulted in the establishment of King William's School. This act recites that the school .vvas established for the propagation of the Gospel and education of youth in good letters and manners. T Kir1g'William's School was thus established. Governor Nicholson gave to the school a lot in the town of Annapolis, with the house thereon, and the Legislature appropriated money to it, but the schoolhouse was not finished until I7OI. It Was of brick, and stood on the south side of the State House. Q In 1730 proposals for founding a college at Annapolis were made, but no legislative effect was giventhem. The -project was again revived in 1763. A committee of the General Assembly recommended that the building in the city of Annapolis which was intended for the Governor-of the province be completely finished and used for the college proposed to be established, the money for the work to come out of the public treasury. I ' This building referred to by the committee of the General Assembly is now McDowell Hall. V In 1784 the charter of St. Iohn's College was granted. By act, in 1785, the property and funds andstudents of King William'.s School were conveyed to St. Iohn's College. I Cn November II, 1789, the. College was formally opened, and the dedication was performed with much solemnity, all the public bodies being in attendance and forming a long procession from the State House to McDowell Hall. C ' , McDowell Hall is situated at about the center of our college buildings, facing College avenue and looking directly down Prince George street. In the center, on the first floor, is the chapel. This chapel extends to theientire height of the building, and Roman-like, doors open into it from the surrounding rooms. The Faculty room andthe President's office are on its right, and the reading room directly above the President's office. The Philokalian Society. has its room in the Western corner on the third floor, and the Philomathean has its room in the eastern corner of the same floor. The other rooms of the building are used as recitation rooms., 2 IQ'

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Finknev Hall , Q25 lLLl RM PTNKNEY so the story goes, was a great orator, lawyer and statesman He 1S one of the men whose names occupv the Maryland Hall ' of Fame at Charleston Exhibition. a He is an Alumnus of St. john's Col- lege. - The hall to the left of McDowell Hall facing College Avenue is named after this ilustrious man. It is called Pinkney Hall. Volumes can be written about this great man and great hall. No doubt, you are quite well acquainted with the history of both from seeing so often the stereotyped phrases concerning them. We will not weary you with a painful repetition. There is great prob- ability that what you are about to read will not be as polished as some pleasant things that you have read concerning this famous hall, but bear in mind that this is our first attempt at writing history, and that we have not been able to obtain any previous formula that is satisafctory to us by which we may compound the facts. Pinkney Hall is a four-storied building. It was erected in 1855. Since its erection many anecdotes have been told about it and the persons who have lived in it. We are going to try to tell you a few things about the individuals who are now passing the time within its walls. Formerly it had been the custom fo-r the Fresh- men to room on the fourth floor, the Sophomores on the third. The Seniors always took their pick of the rooms on first and second and left the others for the juniors. Now it-is entirely different. There are Seniors, juniors, Sophomores and a few Freshmen on the fourth floor. The third floor is mostly occupied by Fresh- men, but a few Upper Classmen have the best rooms on it. The second floor is strictly a place of abode for.Seniors and Juniors, while the first floor has a few from each class. To one who knows all that goes on within, the windows seem to nod and beck as if trying to remind him of some plot or trick that he and olthers have planned or are planning. Sometimes' they even take such an appearance that he unconsciously associates with them the names of the students who live in the rooms of which they are a part. ' ' A better way to become acquainted with the inmates of the hall is not by relating what the windows seem to say, but by taking a little tour from floor to floor and back again. You will not see all on your first trip and there will be many things that you don't want to see. On turning to the left you stand at the end of the hall on the Hrst Hoor. Of the many things which deserve our notice is the first room on the left. In it, live an 2I