Baltimore City College

Baltimore City College
Baltimore City College
	File:Castle on the Hill.jpg
Address
	3220 The Alameda; Baltimore, Maryland 21218
Information
School type	Public, Secondary, Magnet
Motto	"Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat"; (Let the palm be carried by him who merits it)
Founded	1839
School district	Baltimore City Public School System
Superintendent	Charlene Cooper Boston (acting)
Principal	Timothy Dawson
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1,485 (2006)
Language	English
Area	Urban
Color(s)	Orange and Black
Mascot	Black Knight
Website	http://www.thebaltimorecitycollege.org/

Baltimore City College (BCC), also referred to as The Castle on the Hill and more commonly as City, is a public secondary school in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.. City is the third oldest, public high school in the United States. BCC is predated by the English High School of Boston (1829) and the Central High School of Philadelphia (1836).

City is a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, one of only two secondary schools in Baltimore City to receive the award. In the May 2007 Newsweek report of the nation's top 1200 schools, City ranked 246 ^[1]and was ranked 206 in the 2006 report.^[2]

Though not properly a college, since it lacks the authority to present its graduates with degrees, Baltimore City College was the first public secondary school in the state of Maryland. Since its creation, nearly 170 years ago, the school has maintained a strong academic tradition and boasts many notable alumni including a Nobel Laureate, a Wolf Prize recipient, famous authors, and leaders in state and national politics.

History

Early Years

The creation of a high school "in which the higher branches of English and classical literature only should be taught", was authorized unanimously by the City Council of Baltimore, on March 7, 1839.^[3] Accordingly, a building on what was then Courtland Street (now Preston Gardens at St. Paul Place) was acquired to serve as the new high school. The school opened it doors on October 20, 1839 with 46 students. Two academic tracks were offered to students, a classical literature track and an English track. Both tracks were instructed by Nathan C. Brooks, who was selected as principal and sole teacher of the pupils. Initially, to accommodate the two tracks the school day was split into two sections: one in the morning from 9-12 and another in the afternoon from 2-5. During the morning session, students studied either classics or English, depending on their academic track, however during the afternoon learning was devoted solely to the study of English.

The school was housed in three different locations in its first three years of existence before returning to the original building on Courtland Street. Finally, in 1843 the City Council allocated $23,000 to acquire a building for the school at the northwestern corner of Fayette and Holliday streets.^[4] The building was the former "Assembly Rooms", built in 1799 by architects Robert Cary Long and Nicholas Rogers. It had also been the site of the first private Library Company of Baltimore. In this location the school was next door to the Holliday Street Theatre, where the Star Spangled Banner was first performed in 1814 following the British attack on Baltimore. A few more doors to the north was the first home of what later became Loyola High School and College for young men in 1852 where a curriculum of the classics, literature and fine arts was taught. The school would occupy this building for 30 years, even though it was unsuitable to house an academic institution from the beginning.

Originally the school was known simply as the "High School", since no other public secondary education existed in the city. Nevertheless in 1844, following the establishment of two schools for females, Eastern and Western High Schools, the "High School" was renamed the "Male High School". In 1849, after a decade of service, Professor Brooks resigned as principal of the Male High School. At the time of Prof. Brooks' resignation, there were 232 students attending the school and 7 teachers in addition to Prof. Brooks.^[5] Rev. Dr. Francis G. Waters, who had been the president of Washington College, succeeded Prof. Brooks as principal. The following year the school was again renamed by act of the city council as "The Central High School". The same act of the city council granted the commissioners of the public schools the right to confer graduates of the Central High School with certificates. This act bolstered enrollment in the school, as students were drawn to the prospects of receiving a certificate attesting to their level of education. 156 students applied to the school the next year, which was an increase of 50 students.^[6] Having been granted the power to present its graduates with certificates, the school held its first commencement ceremony in 1851 with philosopher, author and civic leader Severn Teackle Wallis speaking.

The growing enrollment necessitated that the school reorganize itself. Under the direction of Dr. Waters, the school day was divided into 8 periods lasting 45 minutes. 4 sessions were held in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. In addition to reorganizing the schedule, Dr. Waters divided the courses into different departments. Seven departments total were established under Dr. Waters direction: Belles-letters and history, mathematics, natural sciences, moral, mental, and political science, ancient languages, modern languages, and music. Each of the seven instructors was assigned to a distinct department. It was at this time that instructors at the school began receiving the title of "professor". Despite the changes in the schedule the English track and the classics track remained intact. Though, the only difference that existed between the two tracks was that the students in the classics track studied Latin and Greek in addition to the courses offered in the English track.^[7]

In 1865, in accordance with a recommendation from the Board of Commissioners of the Baltimore City public schools, the school began offering a five year track. The addition of the five year track was the beginning of a process aimed at elevating the school to a college and allowing it to grant its graduates degrees. The following year on October 9, 1866, as a part of this process, the school was renamed "The Baltimore City College" (BCC) by act of the City Council of Baltimore. That same year the board of commissioners recommended that the City Council of Baltimore make a formal proposal to the Maryland General Assembly to grant Baltimore City College the authority to confer degrees to its graduates. According to the 38th Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Public Schools, the elevation of Baltimore City College was designed to "afford advantages to students...who may adopt the profession of teacher as a pursuit of life."^[8] Thus, the elevation was intended for largely pragmatic reasons. The school system desired to find ways to provide itself with qualified teachers. One such way was to confer academic honors to graduates of Baltimore City College. However, the City Council of Baltimore never acted on this recommendation and though the school changed nominally it was never truly granted the power of a college.

The end of the process points to an indifference on the part of the City Council towards education. Although the Board of Commissioners had asked the City Council to attempt to gain collegiate status for the flagship of the Baltimore school system no action was ever taken. While the stature of the Baltimore City College was ever increasing the City Council failed to adequately provide resources. Not only is this apparent in the City Council's indifference towards the elevation of Baltimore City College, but also in the Council's treatment of the facilities of Baltimore City College. In the 43rd Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Public Schools to the Mayor and City Council, the president of the board wrote:

The subject of chronic lamentation,—the Baltimore City College Building,—which for the past fifteen years has afforded annually such abundant matter for melancholy regrets, not withstanding all the fervent promises and eloquent professions of interest that have been made from time to time extended, still remains as a crumbling monument of our withered hopes and blasted expectations.^[9]

In the same report the president of the board once again requested that the City Council attempt to elevate the status of Baltimore City College, "so that it shall be placed on equal footing in all respects to that of a first class collegiate institution."^[10] Nevertheless, once again no action was taken by the City Council.

File:City College.jpg

Rendering of the Baltimore City College building on Howard Street opposite Centre Street circa 1875

Relocation

It was not until 1873, when a fire spread from the Holliday street theater to the "Assembly Rooms", that the City Council of Baltimore finally decide to expend the resources to erect a building for City College. A lot was acquired on Howard street opposite Centre street and the City Council allocated $150,000 for the construction of the new building.^[11] Construction began on the new building in January 1874. During the construction, City College was housed in a building of the Baltimore Female College. It remained in this location for a year and four months until the new English Gothic revival-styled building was dedicated on February 1, 1875 and the school moved the following week.^[12] It represented the first time that City College had a facility intended for its use. In 1876, ceremonies were held in the adjacent Academy of Music for the commencement of the new Johns Hopkins University, which had established several buildings alongside City College under its first president, Daniel Coit Gilman. Historically, City has been a top feeder school for Johns Hopkins University, and continues to this day to consistently send large numbers of students to Hopkins, recently averaging about fifteen students per year. Each of these students receive full tuition to Hopkins as a part of the Hopkins Baltimore Scholars Program.

Baltimore public schools were racially segregated then, and an African American High School was begun out of the Douglass Institute established in 1865. This was later renamed Frederick Douglass High School and became a prominent center for black education.

Reconstruction

File:City College3.jpg

Baltimore City College on Howard and Centre Streets after the reconstruction

City College's Tudor Gothic building lasted until 1892 when it was undermined by the construction of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad tunnel from Camden Station to Mount Royal Station, and collapsed. Several years of political in-fighting and the change to a reformist city administration delayed construction of a replacement structure on the same site. In 1895, the new structure, designed by the architects Baldwin and Pennington, was built facing north towards Centre Street.

The "Castle on the Hill"

File:DSCN2174.jpg

The Castle on the Hill, 2006

This new building became quickly overcrowded and an annex was established on 26th Street. This addition, however, did not help with the increase in school-aged youth beginning to attend school by World War I. During the 1920s, campaigning was begun by the school's alumni to provide a proper building, and in 1926 ground was broken for a massive Collegiate Gothic stone castle with a 40 acre (160,000 m²) campus, on a hill in the newly-annexed northeastern suburbs at 33rd Street and The Alameda. This new structure cost almost 3 million dollars (1926 dollars) and is one of the most expensive secondary schools ever constructed. It was built on a 38.88 acre site and was to accommodate 2,500 students.^[13] The four-level "Castle on the Hill" was surmounted by a 150-ft clock tower designed by architects Buckler and Fenhagen. The "castle" featured arched windows and cornices, gargoyles, stained glass, mahogany paneling, plaster arches, chandeliers and terra cotta tiles and terrazzo floors with two courtyards and plans for additional wings and buildings. Opened April 10, 1928, the Castle was designated a National Historic Landmark on its 75th birthday, and a Baltimore Landmark on April 23, 2007. [4] [5]

In 1939, City College celebrated its Centennial Anniversary with a year-long program of activities and events.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, blood donor projects, stamp and bond drives, and the dedication of service flags gave City a wartime air. More than three quarters of the students participated in the Victory Corps, which sponsored courses in communications, map-reading, judo, as well as a study of the poisonous and non-poisonous plants on Pacific islands. By the end of the World War II, 4,667 City College men had served in the armed forces, 204 of whom had lost their lives. 3 of those who lost their lives were awarded the Medal of Honor. The names of all of the fallen are inscribed on a bronze memorial, which sits today in the center of the school.^[14]

Integration

Beginning with its establishment in 1839, the school had remained an all male, all white high school. However, following the landmark ruling of Supreme Court in the case Brown v. Board of Education, the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners decided to desegregate the school system. As a result of that decision, ten African-American students entered City College in September of 1954.^[15] In the 1954-1955 academic year, African-Americans 0.5% of the student population. A decade later, in the 1964-1965 academic year, African-Americans students represented 30.2% of the student population.^[16]

Nevertheless, despite the increase in African-American enrollment, the transition from the segregated system was by no means seamless. Enrollment in the selective "A" Course, still had a disproportionate number of white students in 1964, despite the burgeoning enrollment of African-American students. Only 6 African-Americans were enrolled in the course in 1964 compared with 110 whites.^[17] Similarly, African-Americans were underrepresented in extracurricular activities.^[18]

Baltimore City College in the 21^st century

Into the 21st century, the four year course of study has become more comprehensive including modern languages, sciences and mathematics in addition to more traditional classica.

In 2001 the Toronto National Post reported on the two month long task of searching for the perfect high school—in Britain, the United States and across Canada. It “never found the perfect school . . . [however] we found a few outstanding ones,” the paper concluded. And one of these—the subject of a prominent feature article—was Baltimore City College, led then by principal Joseph Wilson. In 2000 Baltimore City College won a Blue Ribbon award from the U.S. Department of Education, recognition that places it among the best schools in the country. ^[19]

File:BCC07.jpg

Baltimore City College in 2007

In 2004 the Castle on the Hill was honored as a National Historic Landmark, this designation coincided with the 75th anniversary of the structure and campus as well as Baltimore City College's 165th year of existence. On April 24th, 2007 Baltimore City College earned designation as a Baltimore City Landmark. Mayor Sheila Dixon stated in honor of City that:

“The castle on the hill, as City College is known, is truly an historic landmark. It is worthy of preservation and acknowledgment.”^[20]

The landmark status bill was recently passed by the Baltimore City Council after the Council's staff recommendations. The staff found that the school dates from a particular period having a significant value as part of the heritage of Baltimore and was significant of the architectural period in which it was built. This new status means that the building’s exterior cannot be altered without approval of the city Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation.

On the weekend of August 13, 2006, City College was a victim of vandalism at the hands of "a group of children ranging in age from eight to 15." Students, both current and former, have expressed their disgust at this incident and five of the six children suspected of vandalizing the school were arrested, but they are still searching for the sixth. The irony in this incident, though, is that renovation of the school was just nearing its completion.

Academics

In addition to its standard college preparatory curriculum, City College boasts the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB Program) and a host of Advanced Placement courses. Both programs provide students with the opportunity to engage in rigorous learning so as to better prepare students for the challenges of colleges.

However, in 2007 opposition to the continuation of the IB Program arose. Several members of the Baltimore City College Alumni Association argued that the IB Program was diverting a significant amount of the school's resources, in order to benefit a fraction of the student population. Only approximately 30 students are in the IB Program at City College. The alumni association encouraged the school to replace the IB Program with the so called "A course", which had existed before the IB Program was started at City College in 1998, and expand the number of Advance Placement courses offered.^[21] The alumni association's recommendation, though not binding, was intended to persuade the school to allocate resources more equitably and provide students with greater flexibility in choosing courses.

Enrollment

City College Enrollment for specific years. ^[22]

Year	Number of students
1839	46
1840	63
1900	600
1928	2500
1937	3215
1945	1422
1964	3880
1967	3088
2006	1485

Extracurricular Activities

American football rivalry

File:CityCollegeStone.jpg

On the front of the school is a gargoyle beating up a parrot, the mascot of Poly.

During the late 1880s, inter-scholastic sports became a feature of school life and a number of teams were begun in various sports. In 1889, the first football game was played between the BCC and the new Manual Training School (1883), then located on Courtland Street just a short distance from City College's first building fifty years before. After the Manual Training School was renamed to the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (BPI), a scrimmage game continued to be played for almost 15 more years until the first victory by BPI in 1904. This led to the longest continuous public high school American football rivalry in the nation. On Thanksgiving Day 1965, at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, some 25,000 fans and alumni watched as City beat Poly 52-6, and complete a 10-0 season with the team being ranked eighth in the nation by a national sports poll.^[23] Former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke was the quarterback, Maryland Delegate Curt Anderson was the captain of that team. The game is no longer played on Thanksgiving or at the late Memorial Stadium but is now located at the home of the Baltimore Ravens (M&T Bank Stadium) in downtown Baltimore. With 2006's 44-8 win by City, the series total sits with Poly leading 58-53-6 (not counting the first 15 scrimmages won by City).

Also, on September 11, 2006, varsity head football coach George Petrides was honored as the Baltimore Ravens High School Coach of the Week, his third time receiving the award. [6]

City College forensics

City currently boasts one of the best Mock Trial teams in the State of Maryland representing Baltimore City in the State Championships 2 times in the last 4 years. In 2006 City defeated the 2005 State Champion Squad from Richard Montgomery High School, but was later defeated by local rival The Park School, who advanced to the final trial.

2002 2nd Place, MSBA CLREP State Championship
2006 3rd Place, MSBA CLREP State Championship

City College's Speech and Debate Program was originally established in 1876 as the Bancroft Literary Society, a second society was established in 1878 as the Carrollton-Literary Society, later called the Carrollton-Wight Society in honor of its sponsor, Prof. Charles C. Wight. In 1906 City held its first debate against rival Central High School of Philadelphia, and in 1908 against rival Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. Both societies provided forums at the school for the development of student debaters. The list of City’s Speech and Debate alumni is a long and distinguished one, and includes mayors, governors, leading academics and captains of business and industry.

In 1997, after a year of study and with funding from The Abell Foundation, City College revived its historic but long dormant Speech and Debate program and began earning for itself a reputation as a leading high school for forensic studies. City College is a charter member of the Chesapeake Region of the National Forensics League, and founding member of the Baltimore Catholic Forensic League, and of the Baltimore Urban Debate League. The team is currently under the direction of Patrick Daniels.

The Speech and Debate Teams most recent successes include:

2000 Finalist, Student Congress, Harvard University National Congress
2000 Finalist, Student Congress, National Forensics League National Speech and Debate Tournament
2005 Finalist, Extemporaneous Commentary, National Forensics League National Speech and Debate Tournament
2005 Quarterfinalist, Ted Turner Public Forum Debate, National Forensics League National Speech and Debate Tournament
2005, 2007 Double Octofinalist, Policy Debate, National Catholic Forensics League Grand National Tournament
2007 Quarterfinalist, Dramatic Interpretation, National Catholic Forensics League Grand National Tournament
2004, 1st Place School Baltimore Urban Debate League
2005, 1st Place School, Baltimore Urban Debate League
2006, 2nd Place School, Baltimore Urban Debate League
2007, 1st Place School, Baltimore Urban Debate League
2006 Semifinalist, Student Congress, Harvard University National Congress
2006, 2007 Double Octofinalist, Policy Debate, Harvard University National Invitational Tournament
2007, Quarterfinalist, Dramatic Interpretation, Harvard University National Invitational Tournament
2004, 2005, 2006 Metropolitan Champions, Student Congress Baltimore Catholic Forensics League

Speech and Debate College Matriculation

2006

2007

Notable Alumni and Faculty

No credible estimate can be given as to the number of men and now women who have graduated from City. Since 1839 the number is probably well over 100,000. Hundreds of Maryland business, civic and cultural leaders have graduated from BCC, including the man whose architectural firm designed its current historically preserved building.

Former Govorners that attended BCC

Harry Nice
50th Governor of Maryland
Theodore McKeldin 53rd Governor of Maryland

Theodore McKeldin
53rd Governor of Maryland
Donald Schaefer
60th Governor of Maryland

Principals of the Baltimore City College

Nathan C. Brooks 1839-1849
Rev. Dr. Francis G. Waters 1849-1853
John A. Getty 1853
George Morrison 1853-1857
Dr. Thomas D. Baird 1857-1873
William Elliott, Jr. 1873-1890
Francis A. Soper 1890-1911
Wilbur F. Smith 1911-1926
Frank R. Blake 1926-1932
Dr. Phillip H. Edwards 1932-1948
Chester H. Katenkamp 1948-1956
Henry T. Yost 1956-1963

Dr. Julius G. Hlubb 1963-1966
Dr. Jerome Denaburg 1966-1969
Pierre A. Davis 1970-1974
Maurice Wills 1974-1976
Isaiah E. White1976-1977
Gordon Stills 1977-1978
Solomon Lausch 1978-1988
Dr. Joseph Antenson
Jean Johnson
Joseph L. Wilson, J.D. 1994-2004
Tim Dawson 2004-present

Alma Maters

Fight Song

"City Forever"

City, forever, we'll praise her to the skies.

We'll fight for ole City until we do or die!

rah! rah! rah!

Dear alma mater, loyal we'll always be.

City forever and for victory!

School Song

"The Castle On The Hill" (version prior to the admission of women)

How firm she stands with tower high

the Castle on the Hill.

Her sons have pledged their faith to her,

to ever do her will.

Forever let us praise her name,

forever let us be.

The stalwart men of City College;

dear ole BCC.

"The Castle On The Hill" (current version)

How firm you stand with tower high