University of Maryland College Park - Terrapin / Reveille Yearbook (College Park, MD)

Page 22 text:

THE PROPOSED MECHANICAL BUILDING.

Page 21 text:

The Development of the M. A. C. By Frank Byers Bomberger, ' 94. EARLY a half century ago, certain wise and virtuous citizens of Maryland, being desirous of establishing an agricultural col- lege and model farm, in which those arts and sciences indispensable to successful agricultural pursuits may be taught, applied to the State Legislature for a charter incorporating the Mary- land Agricultural College. The Legislature, in 1S58, not only granted the charter as applied for, but actuated by a spirit of liberality in harmony with the motives of the advocates of the new educational movement, granted an annual appropriation of $6000 ' ' for such purposes as shall promote the welfare and success of the said College. This movement to establish a .school for instruction in the art and .science of agriculture in the State of Mary- land was, at that time, very popular ; and, under the charter granted by the legislature, stock to the amount of nearly $50,000 was sub.scribed and paid for by nearly four hundred persons residing in Marylaijd or the District of Columbia. The plan was especiallj ' popular among the agricultural population, which, at that time, exer- cised such complete control over legislation in this State. Hence the liberality in the provisions of the legislative grant. Land having been secured and proper buildings erected, the Maryland Agricultural College opened her doors to students on October 5, 1859. Then began the career of this new departure in educational work. Being a pioneer in this field (for only one other agricultural college — that of Michigan — takes precedence over the Maryland Col- lege in point of age ) the success of the institution was naturally problematical. But every circumstance seemed to point to a successful career. Her estate was ample ; her buildings were adequate for her immediate needs ; she was under the fostering care of a liberal le gislature ; her directors were men of broad mind and sterling integ- rity ; she was supported by a wide clientele of patriotic citizens ; while her aims and aspirations received the sympathy of the mo.st influential class of the people of the State. II

Page 23 text:

The College rejoiced as the young giant to run a race. Her loins were girded up for victory. Pros- perity smiled upon her ; no prophet could have predicted aught but a useful and successful future. But it was then, when all the present was secure and all the future .seemed bright, that the awful storm of civil war burst over this fair land. We shall not trace the vicissitudes of that dark and dreary period. But when, at length, the war-cloud lifted, and the light of peace shone over the land, it .showed the College crippled, burdened by debt, the fortunes of many of its founders wrecked bj ' the tide of war, and the great agricultural class of Maryland, upon whom it had depended mainly for its sympathj ' and support, impoverished and weakened in political power. But the need for such an institution in this State, ajiparent to the people before the ravages of war had left their mark upon our land, was now so urgent that again the State came to the aid of the struggling school. In iS66 the Legislature, in return for a half interest in the estate of the College, and on condition that the State should enjoy representation on the Board of Tru.stees, appropriated $45,000 for the u.se of the College, such sum representing approximately the value of the College estate at the time. This grant having lieen accepted by a majority of the stockholders, the career of the College as a private institution was ended ; and, instead of having onh ' a nominal interest in th.e school, the State came to be the main factor in the development of its destiny. Under the new regime, the College did not progress as its founders had hoped and expected. The Trustees having failed to carry out the main idea of its e.stablish- nient — the maintenance of a .school for instruction in agriculture — the Legislature refused to make the annual appropriation of $6000, which the College had hitherto enjoyed. The darkest period in the history of the insti- tution followed the withdrawal of the aid of the State ; and it was not until the )-ear 1888 that interest in the school began to revive. In that year the Congress of the United .States, by the so-called Hatch Act, established in each State and terri- tory of the Union an agricultural experiment station. That of Maryland was fixed upon the estate of the Mary- land Agricultural College. Two years later, under the provisions of the second Morrill Act, the Congress appro- priated $15,000, this sum to be increased by $1000 aiuuially until the sum of $25,000 should be reached, to provide for ' ' the salaries of instructors and facilities for instruction, in each of the agricultural colleges in the I ' nited States. ITnder the provisions of the first Morrill Act, the original Land Grant Act, by which the various agricultural colleges of the different States had been brought into existence, the laryland College had been a beneficiary since 1862. The lands donated by the Federal Government to the State, had been sold by the State, and the proceeds of the .sales had been invested as a permanent fund, the income from which, about $5,760 annually, can be used for no other purpose than for the support of the Agricultural College. 13