Ask Anne

Q: I was recently back on campus and noted that the top-of-the-hour chime from Memorial Chapel is no longer the opening bars of “Maryland, My Maryland” as it was during my undergrad days. Do you know when and why this change was made?—THOMAS R. PHELPS ’88

A: The switch to our alma mater occurred in the ’80s, sometime after 1982. In the last four years, we have updated the carillon and have retained the alma mater as the primary song, although we do have the capability to play hundreds of other selections and to program other music.

Q: Both my parents come from Maryland families, with my mother’s family going back to The Ark and The Dove. In fact, many of my uncles are UMD graduates. My grandmother, Florence Duke, made news when she earned her Maryland degree after having eight kids. Would your archive have anything on her?—JAMES L. GATES JR.

A: Your grandmother (right) was quite a remarkable lady. I found a Washington Post article from June 1950 on how the 51-year-old mother of eight was about to graduate with honors while “keeping up with housework and giving music lessons” to help pay for her education. One of our student publications, Old Line, also featured a story about her and your aunt Katherine, and she appears several times in the 1950 yearbook. She eventually served as a member of the alumni association board.

Q: I’m from Campus Recreation Services, and I am trying to determine when intramural sports first started on campus. Can you help us out? —ALISON WHITTY

A: Before 1931, most intramural sports activities were unstructured, with the exception of interclass games and interfraternity leagues. That year, the Student Government Association created a more formalized intramural program, open to all male students (women played in a league sponsored by the Women’s Athletic Association). Intramurals continued during World War II as a mandatory activity for male students. After the war, intramurals fell under the auspices of the new College of Military Science, Physical Education and Recreation. The first intramural handbook was published for the 1947–48 school year.

Questions may be emailed to Terp Magazine or tweet @UMDarchives

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