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    University of Maryland
    University of Maryland
    University of Maryland
    Ebook193 pages56 minutes

    University of Maryland

    By Jason G. Speck

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    Begun 5 years rior t the start of the Civil Way, from a "cow college" to an internationally recognized academic, artistic, and athletic powerhouse in the 21st century, this is the story of the University of Maryland.


    Only 5 years before the start of the Civil War, the State of Maryland granted a charter for the creation of Maryland Agricultural College in 1856 and opened its doors to 34 eager young men in 1859. The college survived a disastrous fire in 1912, becoming the University of Maryland in 1920. Today the school is a top-ranked, public research land-grant university with over 100 undergraduate majors, 120 graduate programs, and 35,000 students. Campus History Series: University of Maryland honors the history of the university and all who have contributed to its progress: faculty, staff, students, and alumni. From its earliest years, their labors and love for the institution have led to the creation of an intellectually vibrant and culturally diverse university that serves proudly as the flagship campus of the University System of Maryland. Images in this collection have been obtained from the University of Maryland Archives and other campus sources, many never before published.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateOct 11, 2010
    ISBN9781439641460
    University of Maryland
    Author

    Jason G. Speck

    Author Jason G. Speck is the assistant university archivist at the University of Maryland. A proud alumnus of the university's iSchool, Speck is the father of two future Terps.

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      Book preview

      University of Maryland - Jason G. Speck

      Archives.

      INTRODUCTION

      Capturing the history of the University of Maryland is a daunting task. This venerable 154-year-old institution has been the subject of numerous books, with most focusing on a single topic: perhaps a particular sport, an individual, or a department. Why would anyone try to tell the story of the entire campus in only 127 pages?

      The answer is simple: you cannot, so you have to decide what you can reasonably achieve. This book highlights historical events and moments in time—some long remembered, others long forgotten. Mostly the book is the story of people—those who spent their college years here, those who served the campus, and those who gave of themselves so that the university could become what it is today.

      Some of the people captured in this book are only names to many, and some are entirely unrecognized. Why was the student union renamed for Adele Stamp or the recreation center for Geary Eppley? Who was Thomas White, and what happened to his children? What about Charlie Dory and his family’s contributions? Why should the names Elaine Johnson, Hiram Whittle, Pyon Su, Elizabeth Hook, Darryl Hill, Charlotte Vaux, and C. C. Chen matter to the students of today?

      They matter because their pursuit of an education opened doors for thousands of students who came after them. Each generation of students, faculty, staff, and administrators benefits from and builds upon the efforts of preceding generations. From the original 34 cadets in 1859 to the 35,000-strong student body of today, people have come to the University of Maryland to change their lives and have gone on to improve the lives of others. Some made their mark on the world outside Maryland: the stories of Judith Resnik, Charlie Keller, and Jim Henson represent the many Maryland students who used their time on campus as a launching pad toward history. Many others returned to the campus and repaid the university for what they received as undergraduates—alumni like William P. Cole, Harry Clifton Byrd, and Ralph Friedgen represent those who came back to serve their beloved alma mater.

      The idea of giving back was critical in the genesis of this book as well. In 2006, I entered the University of Maryland’s iSchool, seeking to change my career path. Returning to an academic environment after many years away was intimidating and panic inducing, but the faculty, staff, and students I encountered could not have been more welcoming and more gracious. Having since received my master’s degree in library science, and having been fortunate enough to have earned a position in the university archives, I greatly enjoy helping members of the Maryland community reconnect with their history and understand their place in time. Campus History Series: University of Maryland is another way of giving back to an institution that has provided me with a wonderful education and tremendous opportunities.

      This book is divided into sections that I felt offered the best chance of telling a cohesive story in the space allotted. The first deals with the earliest years of the campus, the period from 1856 to 1916, when the school was known as Maryland Agricultural College, and from 1916 to 1920, as Maryland State College of Agriculture. These are the cadet years, starting with the vision of planter Charles Benedict Calvert and other supporters of scientific agriculture to create a college that would benefit the farmers of the state. The dream almost died in the horrific fire of 1912, but the campus would rise stronger for the experience.

      The second section concentrates on student life through the years. Many of today’s students would be surprised to learn how previous generations of students acted and were treated. Many facets of students’ lives were far more controlled than today, from pocket money, to leaving campus, to spending time with the opposite sex. Yet students still achieved academically and athletically and enjoyed themselves, whether it was by winning the class tug-of-war, grabbing breakfast at Bill White’s store, or celebrating May Day on the mall. Later generations of students would have the freedom to build a homecoming float, steal a moment of romance in the kissing tunnel, or do a lap at the ’Vous.

      The third and fourth sections cover academics, research, and the arts. In its earliest years, Maryland instructed students, farmers, and rural housewives in how best to survive in an agrarian society. Events like the Corn-Special Train and the World Expositions of St. Louis and Jamestown brought this message to audiences far and wide. Some of these activities from long ago still reverberate today; the annual planting of trees on Arbor Day by classes of Maryland Agricultural College cadets in the early 1900s foreshadowed the university’s designation as an arboretum in 2008. From the earliest engineering classes to the Terrapin Rocket of the 1950s and the solar-powered Pride of Maryland in 1990, students and faculty have constantly challenged what is possible and forged new paths that others still follow. Artistic endeavors abound as well, from the early years of the Footlight Club and the Interfraternity Sing to the Mighty Sound of Maryland Marching Band, University Theater, and Gymkana. The recent additions of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora serve notice that the university continues as a leader in arts and culture in the 21st century.

      No book on the university’s history would be complete without mentioning achievements in intercollegiate athletics. The recent triumphs of the men’s and women’s basketball teams have been well-documented, as have the accomplishments of the football program. They are joined here by other truly special teams, from the James Kehoe–led

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