178                              Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 139

for and on behalf of Washington College at Chestertown, in the
State of Maryland on October 15, 1914.

Whereas, On October 15, 1914, a mortgage was executed by the
Visitors and Governors of Washington College to the State of Mary-
land to secure the repayment of an appropriation of $20,000 made
by the State for buildings erected upon the lands belonging to the
said Visitors and Governors of Washington College in the State of
Maryland, at Chestertown; and to be used and employed by said
body corporate for educational purposes in accordance with the
terms of its charter creating a college for the liberal education of
the youth of the State of Maryland, and of other States.

Whereas, Under the provisions of Article 19, Section 43 of the
then existing Code of Public General Laws of Maryland, enacted in
Chapter 42 of the Acts of 1914, a mortgage was required to be
executed covering appropriations for capital expenditures. This
section was repealed by Chapter 766 of the Acts of 1943 upon the
specific grounds that it was no longer the policy of the State to make
appropriations for capital expenditures by private institutions. In
the opinion of the Attorney General of Maryland, this repealing
act had no retroactive effect, said opinion being expressed by letter
dated March 27, 1952 upon request of the Attorney for Memorial
Hospital of Easton, Maryland, said letter expressly stating that the
Board of Public Works was without authority to release such mort-
gage as is considered herein. This opinion is so construed by Chapter
329 of the laws of 1944 (Senate Bill 531) whereby the Board of
Public Works is authorized and directed to release the mortgage of
the Memorial Hospital at Easton.

Whereas, Washington College has been in existence at the same
location since the investment of these funds in 1914 and more than
one hundred years prior thereto, having extensively expanded and
improved its facilities since said investment.

Whereas, The existence of the said mortgage is proving em-
barrassing in that the further growth and improvement of the said
Washington College is being impeded in that said College is under-
taking to take advantage of certain Federal Acts to improve its said
facilities but is unable to do so until the aforesaid mortgage is
released.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That the Board of Public Works of the State of Maryland be and it
is hereby authorized and directed to release the mortgage and to
discharge the debt received by said mortgage made by the Visitors
and Governors of Washington College on October 15, 1914, and
recorded among the Land Records of Kent County in Liber J.T.D.
No. 30, Folio 369, etc.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted. That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1957.

Approved March 11, 1957.