Washington College - Pegasus Yearbook (Chestertown, MD)

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The campus began to take its shape as early as 1783. The first collegiate building was constructed on the site ot the lonner county school of 1723. vhich had burned to the groinid in 1827. Follcnving this misfor- tune classes vere held in Chestertown in private homes for nearly seventeen years. In 1844 what is now known as Middle Hall was erected, and in the following ten years East and West Halls were constructed from private donations from the citizens of Kent Coimt . The scholarship system was establislied in 1839 for worthy students of the state. In 1891) the Maryland Assembly established an annual allotment of funds for support of higher edu- cation. Bv an amendment of the charter in 1922 the state was allowed to appoint one half of the Board of Visitors and Governors. The people of Chestertown have always taken an active interest in the well-being of Wash- ington College. This interest of good faith was again demonstrated in 1892 when the people gathered funds for the erection of a new gymnasiinir. A normal school was estab- lished in 1896 but discontinued in 1910. The acception of girl students became a para- mount issue in 1890 when the President of the College, Charles W. Reid, sanctioned the admission of girls to Washington College. In 1906 an administration building was constructed and named after William Smith, who played such an imjjortant role in the establishment of the college on a grade A standing. It burned to the ground in 1916, but another striking likeness was built two years later. At the same time a separate power plant was established for heating all college buildings except Reid Hall. In 1912 a new gymnasium was constructed to take care of the ever increasing demand for further development in the athletic department. The gym was named in honor of James V. Cain, during whose administration it was erected. RcitI Hall, holding seventy women, was l)ui!i in IS ' .lii. but A as remodeled to copy the st lc ol Washington ' s home at Moiuit Vernon, in 1929. Hodson Hall first opened its doors to the student body in 1936. Before this time meals were eaten in the bottom of Cain Hall, Hodson Hall acts primarily as a dining place h)r the student body. Dining the winter of 1939 Dunning Science Hall and the George A. Bunting Library were opened. Dimning Hall houses the laboratories and lecture rooms of the Departments of Chemistry, Biology, and l ' h sics. The George A. Bunting Library is jirobably one of the finest of its size in Amer- ica. Housing over 40,000 volumes it has fur- nished the finest reference material to stu- dents majoring in all fields. It also contains the meeting places of many of the campus organizations, and an excellent museum- exhibit room. In 1944 the Ringgold House, one of Maryland ' s most famous and beautiful Eighteenth Centiny homes was presented to the College as a home for the President. A notable expansion of late has followed the close of the war. G.I. Hall housing fifty veterans grew out of the demand of the ex- servicemen for higher education. Waters and Ferguson Halls as temporary lecture quarters were constructed to accomodate the increased number of students. Thus we have seen Vashington College grow from one building in 1783 to a campus containing fifteen major buildings. Even on the campus today we have a blending of the modern with the old. Middle Hall in 1844 and G.I. Hall in 1946, a hiuidred year span in collegiate architecture. Washington Col- lege, born six years before the American Government, has survived every major critical period in . merican history and has always been able to hold its head high because of the tvpe and caliber of graduate it produces.

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VASiiiNr,TON College ,„ „■ i M. ■. M:4 iii i..t.. J). uuflSHincTon coLiece of the past Washington College is known throughout the United States as one of the ten oldest col- leges in the country. Its origin goes back to 1707 when a school was founded in Chester- town. In 1723 when the General Assembly of Maryland passed a law providing for a public school in each county the school in Chester- town was incorporated into the system. The school first gained inter-state recogni- tion in 1732 when it was given the title of college. This plan of colonial recognition was instituted by Rev. William Smith who solic- ited prominent men of the day to contribute toward the foundation of the college. In 1782 a charter was granted from the Maryland Assembly for the creation of a college. The charter provided that the Board of Visitors of the Kent County School could enlarge itself to twenty-four members and undertake the creation of a college. When it had gained five thousand pounds it was to be declared a body corporate with the powers to conduct examinations and to confer degrees. On May 14, 1783, the first collegiate graduation in the history of the state took place. Rev. Smith gained the required money by popular sub- scription and the leasing of lots that belonged to the college. One of the outstanding con- tributors was George Washington, who. be- side giving fifty guineas, granted the use of his name as the official title of the college. Past records have shown that Washington accepted one of the major positions on the Board of Visitors and Governors and attended at least two of the meetings.

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Freshman rat party in 1939 ujORLD uuflR II CHflnces THincs With tlie coming of V-J day, Washington College was faced with its largest enrollment in 166 years. By September 1947, the student body totaled 473. In less than one year the administration had done more than a lion ' s share in creating facilities for the heavy de- mand of a higher education. Through the cooperation of the War Assets Administration the college was able to construct what is now known as G.I. Hall, which is used solely for the housing of 50 veterans. Fraternity Row, which had formerly been the homes of. fac- ulty members were vacated to make room for the local chapters of the three national fra- ternities. Housing was not enough and tlie far sighted college planners saw this. William Smith Hall was overflowing with students and it was ne- cessary during the vacation months of 1947 to construct Ferguson and Waters Halls as tem- porary lecture halls and advisory quarters for the faculty. The business office was faced with numerous problems concerning the feeding of nearly five hundred students. A change of kitchen personnel and the initiation of a seating arrangement plan aided considerably in solving the problem. To accomodate the influx of students and still retain the feeling of personal student- professor relation the faculty has been in- creased by nine plus two new members to the athletic department to help place the neces- sary emphasis on intercollegiate sports. This is Washington College ' s answer to the state and nation during the educational crisis of 1948.