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

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W Vi MAINLAND A MILITARY SCHOOL 20 YEARS AGO Twenty

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History of the University of Maryland IN presenting the historical sketch of the University of Maryland, it is neces- sary to trace the history of two institutions. These were the old University of Maryland in Baltimore, and the Maryland State College, formerly the Maryland Agricultural College, in College Park. The beginning of the present university was in 1807, when a charter was granted to the College of Medicine of Maryland. A permanent home, estab- lished in 1814-15 by the erection of a building at Lombard and Greene Streets in Baltimore, is the oldest structure in America devoted to medical teaching. In 1812, the General Assembly of Maryland authorized the College of Medi- cine of Maryland to annex or constitute faculties of divinity, law, and arts and sciences , these to constitute an university under the title of the Uni- versity of Maryland. By authority of this act, a move was made in 1813 to establish a faculty of law , and in 1823, a school of law was opened. Sub- sequently, there were added a college of dentistry, a school of pharmacy, and a school of nursing. No significant change in the University occurred until 1920, more than a hundred years after its establishment. In 1856, prominent planters in the southern part of Maryland became interested in Von Liebig, the eminent German scientist. Thereupon, they determined to establish a school, where the sons of Maryland farmers could receive instruction along lines of scientific agriculture. In that year, an act to establish and endow an agricultural college in the state of Maryland was passed by the legislature, and the Maryland Agricultural College was chartered. At that time, no other institution of similar character existed in the United States, and it was the second agricultural college in the Western Hemisphere. The express purpose was defined to be to instruct the youthful students in those arts and sciences indispensible to successful agricultural pursuit. Under the charter thus granted to a party of public-spirited private individuals, the original college building was erected, and the doors opened to students in 1859. For several years the school was conducted as a private institution, but the financial disasters and general depression of the Civil War caused the college to appeal for aid to the State Legislature in 1866. This appeal was conceded after the acceptance of the terms of a grant under the Land Grant Act of 1862 , and thus the college was brought under the partial control of the State. The Maryland Agricultural College was a military school, and continued as such until 1914. The original barracks for the housing of students was completed in 1859, but other structures came slowly. In 1894, a new building was provided for library and gymnasium purposes. An administration build- ing was finished in 1904, and joined with the barracks by a covered bridge. On the night of November 29, 1912, these two buildings were completely de- stroyed by fire. Fortunately, the laboratories, shops, and greenhouses escaped the conflagration, and as only two recitation rooms were demolished, the in- stitution continued, comparatively uninterrupted. Following the fire, efforts Nineteen

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were made to change the location of the college, but, after some discussion, the present site was retained. In the Fall of 1914, control was taken over entirely by the State. The General Assembly of Maryland granted a new charter to the institution in 1916, and made it the Maryland State College. This charter was carefully composed with a view toward preventing political interference, and placing the school on an equal footing with the State Colleges of the other states. In 1920, by an act of the State Legislature, the University of Maryland in Baltimore was merged with the Maryland State College at College Park, and the name of the latter was changed to the University of Maryland. The history of athletics at Maryland is just as romantic as the story of the growth of the institution. Although getting authenticated data on the genesis of sports is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, the fact is practically established that baseball was the first form of athletics instituted on the Old Line campus. Baseball is the first sport mentioned in any of the publications of the in- stitution and in newspaper accounts. However, while some of the teams were rather informal, they performed in the name of the Maryland Agricultural College as early as 1886, and had considerable success. In fact, the team of 1887, traveled to Annapolis, beat St. John ' s in the morning, and Navy on the afternoon of the same day. Football was put on an established basis at College Park in the Fall of 1892 ; the school meeting St. John ' s, Western Maryland, and Johns Hopkins in that year. Maryland Agricultural College beat Western Maryland, but lost to the other State foes. However, it was not until 1889, when George Hoblitzell organized a team, that the real foundation for football at College Park was laid. The informal outfit, formed in that year, continued to func- tion in 1890 and 1891, and played several games with teams from nearby towns. Track, with Nesbitt as captain and Eyster as manager, and tennis are mentioned in the 1897-98 term, but, evidently, neither acquired a firm foot- hold until the following year. In 1928-29, a track team of considerable ability seems to have been produced, with J. Bernard Robb as manager and Matthew H. Gait, an all-around performer, as captain. E. E. Powell, in the Spring of 1910, appears to have been the man to give lacrosse its impetus at College Park. A picture, with no names beneath it, and mention of two games against Baltimore City College, with no scores recorded, are in the annual of that year. However, it was not until 1911 that the first regular schedule was played. Basketball was mentioned as far back as 1905, but no results were given. Although other teams represented the Maryland Agricultural College in the years following, the sport was not established on a firm basis until the gym- nasium was made available in the Fall of 1923. The lack of talent for teams in the late ' 80 ' s and early ' 90 ' s greatly hindered Maryland ' s athletic prowess. This is illustrated very readily by the fact that there were only 40 students in 1888, and 32 in 1890. It was in the Fall of 1912, just 20 years ago, that H. C. (Curley) Byrd, an alumnus and now assistant to the president, came to College Park. Through his excellent coaching, athletics at Maryland began their great uphill climb. Now the Old Line teams meet the best in the leading sports, and score their share of victories, many of which are very notable. Maryland ' s teams have Twenty-one