1827

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAP. 119

to be chosen annually as their president, according to the
ordinance to be made for that purpose, have full power and
authority to direct the principal, vice-principal and professors
to hold public commencements, either on stated annual days,
or occasionally, as the future ordinances of the said semina-
ry shall direct, and at such commencements to admit any of
the students of the said college, or any other person meriting
the same (whose names shall be severally inserted in the same
mandate) to any degree or degrees in any of the faculties,
arts and sciences, and liberal professions, to which persons
are usually admitted in other colleges or universities in Ame-
rica. And it is hereby enacted, That the principal, or vice-
principal, or in case of his or their death or absence, the seni-
or professor who may be present, shall make out and sign with
his name, diploma's or certificates of the admission to such
degree or degrees, which shall be sealed with the public or
greater seal of the corporation or college and deliver to the
graduates, as honorable and perpetual testimonials of such
admission, which diploma, if thought necessary, for doing
greater honor to such graduates, shall also be signed with the
names of the different professors, or as many of them as can

Proviso.

conveniently sign the same: Provided always. That no stu-
dent oir students within the said seminary shall ever be admit-
ted to any such degree or degrees, or have their name insert-
ed in any mandate for a degree, until such student or students
have been first duly examined and thought worthy of the same
at a public examination of candidates, to be held one whole
month previous to the day of commencement in the said col-
lege, by and in the presence of the said trustees, or of such
number of them, not less than five, as the ordinances of the
college may authorise for that purpose, and in the presence
of any other persons choosing to attend the same: And pro-
vided further. That no person or persons, except the students
belonging to the said seminary, shall be ever admitted to any
honorary or other degree or degrees of the same, unless two
thirds of the trustees, the principal of the college being pre-
sent, by a mandate under the privy seal, and signed by the
hand of two thirds of the said trustees, to the principal vice-
principal and professors directed, have signified their appro-
bation and authority for the particular admission of said per-
sons to said degree or degrees

The principal ex-
officio a trustee

SEC, 13. And be it enacted, That the principal for the time
being, shall be considered ex officio a trustee, and is hereby
vested with all the right thereto appertaining.

Bel Air academy
invested with all
the foregoing pow-

ers

SEC, 14. And be it enacted, That from and after the pass»
age of this act, and until such time as funds can be raised,
and suitable buildings erected for the contemplated seminary,
the Belle Air academy, which has for some time past been
conducted by the Reverend R, H. Davis, in the town of Belie
Air, with distinguished reputation and greatly to the advan-
tage of the community, shall be constituted into the institu-
tion intended by this act, and the same is hereby so constitut-
ed, and the said Rev. R, H. Davis continued the principal