A Chronology of Goucher College 1881-1996_Page002

A CHRONOLOGY OF GOUCHER COLLEGE 1881 - 1983

1881
The Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church established a committee to consider founding a conference seminary; the Rev. John F. Goucher was a member.

1883
The Rev. John B. Van Meter became the chairman of the Committee to Devise a Plan for the Establishment of a Baltimore Conference Seminary.

1884
The Women's Educational Association of the Baltimore Conference was organized to aid in the founding of a seminary in Baltimore.

A plan to found and endow a women's college in observance of the centennial of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America was formulated.

John F. Goucher offered a building site on condition that funds be raised for the erection of the necessary buildings and as a nucleus of an endowment fund.

1885
A charter was granted by the State of Maryland on January 26, incorporating the college under the name "The Woman's College of Baltimore City."

March 5. Funds necessary to the founding of a college were judged to have been obtained.

March 12. The Committee of the Conference reported back to the Conference that the charter and funds were completed, and the Committee was dismissed. (This was Dr. Van Meter's preferred date of the founding of the College.

1886
William H. Hopkins became first president (1886-1890); late, professor of classics.

1888
Sept. 13. The College opened for the registration of students.

Sept. 17. Classes began in Goucher Hall, the gift of Dr. Goucher.

Nov. 13. President Daniel C. Gilman of the Johns Hopkins University delivered the inagural address in the First Methodist Church (now Lovely Lane): "What May Be Secured by a Liberal Education?"

1889
Home A opened; later called Alfheim Hall, it was turned over to the Girls' Latin School in 1893.

Bennett Hall, the gift of B.F. Bennett in memory of his wife, was opened on December 10, the first "College Day."

The gift of a collection of mineral samples was made as the first acquisition of a Goucher Museum.

The Glee Club was organized, the first student club.

1890
The charter was amended, enlarging the power of the corporation and changing the name to The Woman's College of Baltimore.

The U.S. Commissioner in his annual report for 1889/90 placed the Woman's College of Baltimore in Division A of colleges for women.