The Newman Center
This historic property was
built in 1896 for the family of John T. Stone.
He and his family used this as their country home from 1896-1911. In 1911 the
house became a boarding house. In 1914 the McCabe family purchased it and lived
in it until 1966 when it was sold to the Archdiocese of Baltimore for use as
a campus ministry center for the Towson State College Campus Community. It was
named “The Newman Center” in 1966.
The gingko trees on both sides of the driveway were given as seedlings to Dr. Stone at the beginning of this century as a gift for his contribution to the Methodist Missions in China. The trees were a gift of the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S.A. These trees are the oldest-known tree on the earth. They are biologically pre-historic. Originally, numbering 40, we are now left with 39 of them, having lost one to the expansion of the driveway in 1984. As far as we know, we have the largest collection of these trees in any one place. They are an unique breed and rarely found in the U.S.A. except in recent years. The female tree gives off a berry that the Chinese and Japanese use for cooking and baking. That berry also gives off a pungent odor when crushed and decaying on the ground in the late autumn. On the other hand, the fanshaped leaves turn a golden yellow unmatched in color and brilliance by any other autumn tree. Our 39 gingkoes offer each visitor to the Newman Center a welcome usually reserved in the past for monarchs and dignitaries. We relish in the glory of these works of creation.
In 1981, Mrs. Isabelle Taylor-Stone along with her daughter, Isabelle, visited us here at the Center. She was born here in 1902 in what is now the secretary’s office. Her candid recollection gave us a history of the house we have treasured ever since. Mrs. Taylor-Stone died in 1988, and at the request of her family her ashes were spread on our property. May she rest in peace! Most of what we have written in this essay is due to our contact with Isabelle and her family. We are thankful to them all even to this day. Isabelle’s favorite flower is the Iris. Wherever and whenever you see one growing at the Center, may you remember her.
Very little is known about the property from 1911-1914 except that it was used as a boarding house. In 1914 the McCabe family purchased the house and kept it until they sold it to the Archdiocese in 1966. Mr. James McCabe worked for the Archdiocese in the Marriage Tribunal and filled us in with more history. The present priest residence was a laundry house from 1896-1914. It was originally located behind the large house where the parking lot is today. The McCabe family had it moved to its present location to make room for tennis courts. This small house, unused for many years, became the priest’s residence in 1969 when Father Joseph McManus, the second Towson University campus minister, renovated it.
The newest of the three buildings on the Newman Center property is the Chapel. Built in 1983-84 by the Schott Construction Company, it seats 100 persons for church services, dramatic productions and educational programs. Its design is all-purpose, filling the needs of the campus ministry in many of its aspects. Designed by Mr. Michael Murphy, AIA, this building has enhanced both the liturgical and ministerial facets of the Catholic Campus Ministry at Towson University. The Chapel opened its doors on the first Sunday of Advent, December 2, 1984 and was dedicated by Bishop P. Francis Murphy on April 30, 1985 with numerous persons of the T.U. academic and interfaith communities in attendance. Since its construction, the Chapel has served as a place for baptisms, eucharists, confirmations, weddings, ecumenical services, funerals, Bible classes, concerts, Agapes, lectures, dramas, fraternity and sorority initiations, and a resting-place for pilgrims on journey. Funds to build this beautiful building came partly from the generosity of students, parents, alumni and friends of campus ministry, and partly from the goodness of Archbishop William Donald Borders, 13th Archbishop of Baltimore.
In the academic year 1989-1990, we were proud to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of 7909 York Road as The Newman Center serving the Catholic Community at Towson University.
In the academic year 1989-1990, we were proud to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of 7909 York Road as The Newman Center serving the Catholic Community at Towson State University.