“Maryland Collegiate Institute”
Carroll County Times article for 6 May 2001
By Jay A. Graybeal

Throughout Carroll’s history, there have been a number of private schools, academies and institutes that offered secondary education for local students.  The Maryland Collegiate Institute opened in Union Bridge in November 1899 and quickly attracted a sizable student body.  Following an auspicious start, the school decided to build two buildings, for male and female students, and to add additional faculty.  The April 28, 1900 issue of the Westminster Democratic Advocate newspaper published highly detailed descriptions, accompanied by illustrations, of two proposed new school buildings:

“The Maryland Collegiate Institute, which was opened at Union Bridge last November, under the auspices of the German Baptists, has proven such a success that its scope is to be enlarged.  A tract of five acres, just without the corporate limits of the town, has been purchased, fronting on Main street, extended, and also bordering on Benedum street.  The sight is elevated and the prospective enchanting.  Upon this land the erection of two buildings has been begun, cuts of which accompany this sketch. The first, which is for boys’ dormitories, recitation rooms, library, &c, is to be 58 feet front and 40 feet deep.  The front has a tower, 22 by 9 ½ feet, and 52 feet high.   The building is to be of brick, with mansard roof, covered with slate, and steel girders and columns.  On the first floor will be a chapel, 30 by 37.8 feet, reading room, 15 by 17 feet, primary department room 15 by 20 feet, and vestibule and office in the tower.  On the second floor there will be five recitation rooms.   Two of these will be 18 ½ by 21.8 feet, and the others of the following dimensions, 15 by 24, 15 by 13, 13 by 17.9.  There will be two music rooms in the tower.  In the third story there will be 12 dormitory rooms and bath.   The laundry and boiler room will be in the basement.

The second building will be the female department, and will be of brick, with hip roof, covered with slate and tin.  It will be 35 feet by 43 feet, with enclosed portico.  The basement story will contain kitchen, dining-room, cellar and boiler room.  On the first floor a hall extends through.  Then there is a parlor, 12 by 16, a library, 11 by 12, and four sleeping-apartments.  There are six bed-rooms and bath on the second floor and four bed-rooms on the third.

The buildings are to be completed in time for re-opening the Institute in the fall.  The contractors are Wolfe & Rakestraw.  The plans and specifications were drawn by Mr. Rakestraw.  The drawings are much better than the pictures indicate, and are a very creditable piece of work.  The ADVOCATE’s artist was not up to his work.

Although the Institute has been in operation six months, opening after all other schools and colleges, there are 57 students on the rolls.   It is expected the number of students will exceed 100 when the Institute opens next September in the new building.

The principal of the Institute is Prof. W. M. Wine, who is assisted by Prof. S. D. Zeigler, Prof. E. C. Crumbacker and Miss Bettie Ensor.   Next year there will be three additions to the faculty – I. S. Long, Charlottesville, Va, higher mathematics, latin and greek; Grace Lee Rinehart, Union Bridge, art and literature; William Roller, New Market, Va, vocal and instrumental music.

The Institute is under the auspices of the German Baptists, but students of all denominations are welcomed.  The school board consists of Amos Wampler of Medford, W. E. Roop of Westminster, Ephraim Stouffer of New Windsor, John S. Weybright of Double Pipe Creek, and John E. Senseney of Linwood.  W. E. Roop is President.”