Hood College

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Hood College
Logo-hood2.png
Logo of Hood College
Motto Corde et Mente et Manu
Motto in English With Heart and Mind and Hand
Established 1893
Type Private
Religious affiliation United Church of Christ (historically related)
Endowment US $47 million
President Ronald J. Volpe
Academic staff 115 regular members
Students 2,435
Undergraduates 1,487
Location Frederick, Maryland, U.S.
Campus Urban
50 acres (20 ha)
Newspaper The Blue and Grey
Colors Blue and Grey          
Athletics 18 Varsity Teams
Capital Athletic Conference
NCAA Division III
Nickname Blazers
Website Hood.edu

Hood College is a co-educational liberal arts college located in Frederick, Maryland. The college serves 2,435 students, 1,487 of whom are undergraduates.[1] Founded in 1893 as the Woman's College of Frederick, Hood transitioned to coeducation beginning in 1971 with the admission of male commuter students. The college became fully coeducational with the admission of male resident students in 2003.

Contents

History and Traditions [edit]

Hood College Historic District
Hood College campus
Hood College is located in Maryland
Location: 401 Rosemont Ave., Frederick, Maryland
Coordinates: 39°25′21″N 77°25′7″W / 39.42250°N 77.41861°W / 39.42250; -77.41861Coordinates: 39°25′21″N 77°25′7″W / 39.42250°N 77.41861°W / 39.42250; -77.41861
Area: 50 acres (20 ha)
Built: 1868
Architect: Culler, Lloyd Clayton; et.al.
Architectural style: Greek Revival, Italianate
Governing body: Private
NRHP Reference#: 02001581[2]
Added to NRHP: December 30, 2002

Early History (1893 -1944) [edit]

The college was founded in 1893 as the Woman's College of Frederick by the Potomac Synod of the Reformed Church of the United States. Dr. Joseph Henry Apple, an educator from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was named as the first president. In this first year, eighty-three women enrolled, and were taught by eight faculty members in Winchester Hall located on East Church Street in Frederick. Classes were offered in the liberal arts and music, as well as secretarial trades. In 1898, the first class graduated, with fourteen women earning Bachelor of Arts degrees. Over the next several years, courses in biology, economics, sociology, political science, and domestic science were added.[3]

In 1893, the college received a 28-acre (110,000 m2) tract of land for its campus from Margaret Scholl Hood.[4] In 1913, the Trustees of the Woman’s College announced that the name of the Woman’s College would be changed to Hood College, in honor of Margaret Scholl Hood, who gave $25,000 to establish an endowment for the college, and who firmly believed in higher education for women. On January 18, 1913, Margaret Hood's will was filed for probate. In the will, she bequeathed an additional $30,000 to the Woman's College of Frederick provided that the college had changed its name to "Hood College".[5] Part of this bequest was used to fund the 1914 construction of Alumnae Hall. Today, except for Brodbeck Hall, which was built in the 1860s and stood on the campus at its founding, Alumnae Hall remains the oldest building on the college's campus and serves as the central location for the college's administration, and houses the social work department. In 1915, the College began its move from its former location in Frederick City to its current campus.[3]

In 1934, Joseph Henry Apple retired as the College’s president, serving for 41 years. At his retirement, he was the oldest college president in continuous active service at a single institution in the United States.[3]

In 1944, Hood College celebrated its 50th anniversary.[3]

The Hood College Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.[2] The campus is within close walking distance of downtown Frederick. In 2010, Forbes named downtown Frederick one of America's best neighborhoods.[6]

Transition to Co-education (1970 -2003) [edit]

In the early 1970s, Hood College began to consider becoming a co-educational institution.[7] In October of that year the Hood College Board of Trustees voted to begin enrollment of men as commuter students.[7] That same year Hood also decided to begin a graduate school program for both men and women. These changes were implemented in January 1971.[7]

Objections [edit]

There were mixed feelings on campus as Hood students worried about the type of male student Hood could potentially attract. Students feared that a residential women's college would attract only the "provincial townies" unable to go anywhere else, and the "lusty lovers" attracted by the high number of females.[7] This led to public debate in The Blue and Grey, the Hood College campus newspaper, and letters to the student body from then-president Randle Elliot.[8]

First Male Student [edit]

Beginning in January 1971, the College became open to men as commuters. The first male student, Aldan T. Weinberg, transferred to Hood after having spent one year at American University and three years in the army.[9] Weinberg now teaches journalism at Hood and serves as the director of the Communications Program.

Change to Co-Education [edit]

In the fall of 2001, the Hood executive committee was charged by the board of trustees with the task of studying the possible impact of male resident students.[9] This study considered the projected financial, cultural, residential, academic and enrollment impacts on the College.[10]

Based on this report, the Board of Trustee's ultimate decision was to admit men as residential students.

This decision was made based upon the reality that demand for single-sex education for women was on the decline. [11] Only three percent of college-bound female students preferred a single-gender institution.[11] This, and other factors, led to an overall decline in undergraduate enrollment over the years. Hood needed at least 300 new, enrolled students each year in order to have a balanced budget.[11] All in all, Hood's expenses were exceeding revenue.[11]

This led to the creation of a co-education task force composed of students, alumni, faculty and staff members. This taskforce ultimately decided where men were to be housed.[12]

Traditions [edit]

Hood College students participate in a number of long-standing traditions, some of which date back nearly 100 years, such as the "Hood Hello."

Class Banners [edit]

Each class decorates a banner to be displayed in the dining hall. The banners correspond to each class' assigned color. Those colors are red, green, blue and yellow. Every year, a new representative symbol is designed and painted on the banners. Following a class' graduation, the banners are hung in the atrium of the Whitaker Campus Center.[13]

Columns So Fair [edit]

Alumnae Hall's four Ionic columns are named Hope, Opportunity, Obligation and Democracy (HOOD). The columns were dedicated by the classes of 1915, 1916, 1917 and 1918. Many buildings on campus that were constructed after Alumnae Hall also have four columns,[3] but the inspiration for the columns themselves probably came from the six columns on each of the twin buildings that comprise Winchester Hall.

Dinks [edit]

Dinks (or colored beanie hats) have been a Hood College tradition since at least the 1950s.[3] According to some sources, the tradition may have started very early in the 20th century with colored armbands rather than beanies although the wearing of beanies is officially documented as beginning in the 1950s.[14] There is reason to believe this is true, as ceremonial colored beanies were also used by women’s colleges such as Wellesley during the early 1900s.[15] The members of each incoming class are given dinks with its class color, either blue, green, yellow or red, upon arriving at Hood. The four colors rotate so that the color of the previous year’s seniors is goes to the incoming freshmen. In the past, dinks were worn at special events such as Campus Day, and freshmen were previously required to wear their dinks continuously during their first few weeks on campus. Now, they are primarily worn during opening convocation, Policies for Dollars, and baccalaureate.[14]

Midnight Breakfast [edit]

Begun in the 1980s, Midnight Breakfast is held each semester the night before final exams begin and is served by College faculty and staff.[3]

The Pergola [edit]

Located in the center of Hood's residential quad since 1915, the Pergola is a wooden dome-like structure covered with wisteria.[3] Before 1915 a Pergola was located at the East Church Street campus and was the inspiration for the current structure. Several traditions are associated with the Pergola. Students are not to speak any harsh words under the Pergola or "split poles" with friends, as this might lead to a failed friendship after graduation.[13]

Policies for Dollars [edit]

Policies for Dollars is a competition in which the freshmen of each residence hall compete to raise money for their respective halls. The winning dorm also receives the "pink spoon," a giant wooden trophy. Typical activities in the competition include Hood trivia, dorm cheers and skits.[3]

Strawberry Breakfast [edit]

Originally held on the morning of May Day, Strawberry Breakfast now takes places on the morning of Commencement.[3]

Academics [edit]

View of Hood College's Brodbeck Hall.

Hood College offers twenty-eight undergraduate majors, fourteen master's degree programs and six certification programs, including certification programs in education. Hood College's ranking in the U.S. News & World Report 2011 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities (North), 23.[16]

Bachelor of Arts [edit]

  • Art & Archaeology * Biochemistry * Biology * Chemistry * Communication Arts * Early Childhood Education * Economics
  • Elementary/Special Education * Engineering Dual Degree, B.A./B.S. * English * Environmental Science and Policy * French
  • French-German * German * History * Latin American Studies * Law and Society * Management * Mathematics * Middle Eastern Studies * Music * Philosophy * Political Science * Psychology * Religion * Social Work * Sociology * Spanish

Bachelor of Science [edit]

  • Computer Science * Nursing

Departmental Honors Presentations [edit]

Each spring students selected by the academic departments make presentations of the year-long research projects that they have completed. The students who complete this year-long project are known as Tischer Scholars, in honor of Christine P. Tischer, alumnae and former member of the Hood College Board of Trustees. In the spring of 2013, twenty-two seniors gave presentations on topics that varied from "First Generation College Students: Challenges and Solutions" to "Effects of Stream Nutrients on Salamander Species Diversity and Abundance."

Graduate School History [edit]

The Graduate School at Hood College is the oldest graduate school in the region. The Graduate School opened in the summer of 1971 after approval of the program by the college faculty in the fall of 1970 and approval by the State of Maryland in December of 1970. The first graduate program was a Master of Arts in Human Sciences. Concentrations were available in Contemporary Government, Counseling & Guidance, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Science and Mathematics, Environmental Science, Public Affairs, Reading, and Special Education. Over the ensuing forty years, that single program has evolved into 14 master's degree programs and seven graduate certificates.

Master's Degree Programs [edit]

  • Biomedical Science * Business Administration (M.B.A.) * Computer Science * Information Technology * Curriculum and Instruction * Educational Leadership * Environmental Biology * Fine Arts in Ceramic Arts * Human Sciences * Humanities * Management of Information Technology * Mathematics Education * Reading Specialization * Thanatology

Post-baccalaureate Certificate and Certification Programs [edit]

  • Ceramic Arts
  • Gerontology
  • Information Security
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Secondary Mathematics Education
  • Thanatology
  • Educational Leadership Preparation

Athletics [edit]

Hood College athletics began in 1898 with the first basketball team. In the early 1900s, field hockey, tennis, archery and swimming were among the sports added to the athletics program. The College was the second college in the U.S. to have a field hockey team. Competitions then were intramural and teams were constituted based on graduating class or dorms. Gambrill Gymnasium was constructed in 1949 and served as the main athletic facility for the campus until the dedication of the new Athletic Center in November of 2011. In 1984, Hood College became a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and joined the Division III Chesapeake Women's Athletic Conference. When the CWAC disbanded, Hood joined the Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference in 1990.[17] In 2006, Hood joined the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC).

Hood presently offers intercollegiate varsity teams in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross-country, women's field hockey, men's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, women's softball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field, and women's volleyball. The College also offers club level equestrian, cheer-leading, and women's golf programs.[18] The men's teams began competition in the Capital Athletic Conference for the 2006-2007 academic year along with women's cross-country and track and field. All other women's sports remained in the AWCC for the 2006-2007 year and moved to the CAC in 2007-2008.[18]

The nickname for Hood athletics is the Blazers. This dates back to the 1920s when the campus elected a rising senior as the "White Sweater" girl as someone who possessed the most sportsmanship and school spirit. In 1928, the sweater was changed to a blazer.[17] Today, the nickname is represented by a thoroughbred horse with a "blaze" mark on its forehead.

Hood College student-athletes train in the new Fitness Center and Gymnasium which includes the BB&T arena.

Notable Alumni, Faculty, and Administrators [edit]

Alumni [edit]

  • Beverly Byron, US congresswoman
  • Marcia Coyle, 1973, Washington Bureau Chief, National Law Journal, panelist on the Jim Lehrer Hour[19]
  • David Gallaher, American author and writer
  • Gale L. Gamble, 1969, physician, renowned cancer specialist, Medical Director -Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago[19]
  • Heather Hamilton, 1995, executive director, Connect US Fund[19]
  • Sue Hecht, American politician, member of the Democratic Party, and the Maryland House of delegates.
  • Sophie Kerr, 1898, journalist, novelist, and playwright
  • Lois Jarman M.A. 2006, children's book author
  • Winifred R. King, 1979, physician, health reporter in major television markets, host of Ask the Doctor for America's Health Network
  • Bruce La Fleur MBA 2011,CEO, publisher, co-founder and executive vice president of TLF Publications, Inc.[20]
  • Claire McCardell,American fashion designer in the arena of ready-to-wear clothing in the 20th century
  • Halo Meadows, an American an actress, writer and burlesque dancer, also known by pseudonym Louise Howard
  • Beryl Pfizeer, 1949, producer, NBC News [19]
  • Laura Lee Miller, 1973 President Vera Wang Licensing [21]
  • Arlene Raven, a feminist art historian, author, critic, educator, and curator.
  • Dee Dee Reilly, chief executive officer of the Lamar Advertising Company, Representative in the Louisiana House of Representatives.
  • James N. Robey,member of the Maryland Senate,
  • Beverley Swain-Stanley, 1977, 1982, Maryland Transportation Secretary [22]
  • Kelly M. Schulz, American politician and member of the Maryland House of Delegates
  • Elena Maria Vidal, historical novelist and noted blogger
  • Tina Wells, 2002, CEO and founder of Buzz Marketing Group[19]
  • Patricia Wright PhD, 1966, Scientist, environmental activist

Faculty [edit]

Administrators [edit]

  • Katherine Conway-Turner PhD, Author, Educator, Scholar [23]
  • Barbara Hetrick, former Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs, currently Senior Vice President at the Council of Independent Colleges

References [edit]

  1. ^ http://www.hood.edu/about-hood/hood-at-a-glance/index.html
  2. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Derr, Joy Reese; Krista Schaffert (2008-04-01). People Behind the Names. Hood College. 
  4. ^ "A History of Hood College". Hood College. Retrieved 2012-02-25. 
  5. ^ did=171044662&sid=1&Fmt=1&clientId=4807&RQT=309&VName=HNP "$100,000 PUBLIC BEQUESTS.; Will of Mrs. Margaret E. Hood Is Filed for Probate". The Washington Post. 1913-01-19. p. 1. Retrieved 2006-12-22. [dead link]
  6. ^ Wingfield, Brian (2010-11-03). "America's Best Neighborhoods 2010". Forbes. Retrieved 2010-11-24. 
  7. ^ a b c d "Students Divided on Co-Education". The Blue and Grey. 1970-12-02. 
  8. ^ Larson, JoAnn (1970-10-08). "President Discusses". The Blue and Grey. 
  9. ^ a b Miller, Barbara (1971-02-11). "First Male Student Makes History". The Blue and Grey. 
  10. ^ Jones, Deborah (Winter 2002). "Message from the Chair of the Board of Trustees". Hood Magazine. 
  11. ^ a b c d "Special Report: A College in Transition". Hood Magazine. Winter 2002. 
  12. ^ White, Olivia (Summer 2003). "Message from the Dean". Hood Magazine. 
  13. ^ a b "Hood College Traditions". Hood College. Retrieved 2009-11-10. [dead link]
  14. ^ a b Neal, Marge (2009-08-29). "The beloved dink a big part of Hood's time-honored traditions=Frederick News-Post". 
  15. ^ "Wellesley College: 1875-1975, A Century of Women". Wellesley College. Retrieved 2009-11-10. 
  16. ^ "Hood College - Best Colleges 2011"
  17. ^ a b Walker, Alison; Bridgette Harwood (Winter 2004-2005). "History of Hood Athletics" (PDF). Hood Magazine 80 (1). Archived from the original on 2006-09-07. Retrieved 2006-12-22. 
  18. ^ a b "Hood College Athletics". Hood College. Archived from the original on 2006-08-21. Retrieved 2006-08-26. 
  19. ^ a b c d e "#425 Hood College". Forbes. 2010-08-11. 
  20. ^ http://www.terrapinn.com/2011/global-lotteries-executive-summit/SPK-bruce-LAFLEUR.stm
  21. ^ http://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ygs/G9855_HoodCollege/#/12
  22. ^ http://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ygs/g13246_hood_discoverhood/#/8
  23. ^ http://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/HoodCollege/g15434_hood_summer10/#/4

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