University of Maryland Baltimore Dental School - Mirror Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS L LN attempting to understand why so many graduates have such a fond feeling in their heart for the University of Maryland, the old maxim the first impression makes the deepest impression, as much as any other factor, is the answer to that question. That feeling of being-at-home, which supplants that sense of utter helplessness experienced by every freshman entering college, is due to the merry smiles, wholesome handshake — itself a distinctive rarity — and the sincere words of greeting accorded by our Director of Admissions, known in the catalogue, and officially, as Willard McConkey Hillegeist, but to his friends, which means every student in the University, as Hille. With the exception of two years, Mr. Hillegeist has been in the service of the University since he completed his scholastic work at College Park in 1912. After leaving the old Maryland Agricul- ture College in 1912 he undertook practical agriculture work for a year and then returned to the M. A. C. to act as secretary to Dr. H. J. Patterson, President. He held this position until 1915, at which time he organized and became secretary of the Home Study Department. In 1917, during the War period, he left the University for another year to do special detail work for the United States Department of Agriculture. Late in 1918 Mr. Hillegeist returned to College Park to reorganize the Registrar ' s Office and to take charge of that department of the University. In 1920, after the consolidation of the University of Maryland and the Maryland Agriculture College, he organized the Registrar ' s Office for the Baltimore Schools and, in 1921, he moved to Baltimore to work with the professional schools. When Dr. H. C. Byrd, in the course of his reorganization program, created the office of Dir- ector of Admissions in June 1936, Mr. Hillegeist was called upon to organize and take charge of this new department. Since then his duties have included the evaluating of credentials of appli- cants, corresponding with and in- terviewing prospective students, and attending to other matters pertaining to pre-registration. Mr. Hillegeist ' s contributions to the scholastic world are not confined within our University, for he was a co-organizer and the first president of the Maryland Branch of the American Associa- tion of Collegiate Registrars. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the nation- al group from 1920 to 1927. He is also a charter member and first secretary of the Lions Club Inter- national of Baltimore. He is an active alumnus member of Kappa Alpha social fraternity and an honorary member of Pi Delta Epsilon, honorary journalistic fra- ternity. Each dental student knows Mr. Hillegeist and knows how pleasant and home-like the Uni- versity appeared to him after first meeting Willard M. Hillegeist, W. M. HILLEGEIST er — er. pardon— Hille. 16

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HARRY W. NICE Governor of Maryland 15

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KATHERINE TOOMEY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT iVIl S S Katherine Toomey, our greatly- respected administrative secretary, is endeared in many ways to the hearts of all our graduates. She is the first person with whom a student has close contact in our school and her friendly assistance in our affairs from our first visit until .we graduate is verily a tradition. We who graduate cannot fail to remember her many favors and her guidance. Blessed with a strong will for what is right, she will fight untiringly for what constitutes right, and as readily, she will do her utmost to aid any student in a just cause. When we are in the wrong we may expect her firm opposition, but a tempered opposition — a gifted guality of bringing out the best that is in us to meet the situation at hand. As we go forth in the world to practice our profession we shall meet many strange people, face many awkward situations, endure many temporary failures, along with our successes and forward strides. In all our affairs, be they large or trivial, failures or successes, if we do but qualify our minds and our hearts to follow a good human example we have practically won our battle. The truest statement that we can make concerning Miss Toomey is that she has furnished in herself a pattern for us that could not fail in any situation. • 17