Western Maryland

At last week's dedication of the Clementine and Duane L. Peterson Hall on the Western Maryland College campus, several hundred people attended a beautiful wedding -- between aesthetics and historical preservation. The rehabilitation of the 86-year-old fine arts building showed vitality can be restored to a grand old building with adequate resources, architectural sensitivity and plenty of common sense.The building was designed as a library in 1909 by Jackson C. Gott, a Baltimore architect who also designed five other structures at the Western Maryland campus as well as the Maryland Penitentiary in Baltimore.

Western Maryland College has been the grateful recipient of three million-dollar gifts in recent years, an acknowledgment that large "lead donors" are necessary for the private liberal arts school to maintain its recognized quality of education and renovate its turn-of-the-century buildings.These gifts provide both impetus and example for the Westminster college's big fund-raising campaign scheduled to begin in 1996, the first ever in the 128-year history of the institution. The money is needed for planned renovations in six historic academic buildings, which average 80 years in age, and to build up the college's modest endowment fund of $24.2 million.

The proposed $300 million Warrior Run power plant in Western Maryland first was billed as a "win-win" situation. But after some large firms realized their utility bills would jump, in one case by $9 million, the proposal became a "win-lose" situation -- a win for the plant developer, a loss for the rate payers. Now that a compromise has been hammered out to delay the plant's opening, the parties involved are calling it "win-win" again.The Warrior Run co-generation plant near Cumberland has become one complex piece of public policy.

The Western Maryland College football team takes on Franklin & Marshall tomorrow during homecoming activities, which include awards and a field hockey game. Up for grabs this year is the Green Terror School Spirit Award. Prizes are available in two categories with a grand prize trophy going to the person or group that is judged as most spirited. The Body Spirit Award goes to whoever does the best job of using themselves as a Western Maryland College billboard. The Kinetic Sculpture Award is for the student or graduate who wants to show spirit by decorating anything with wheels.

Jazz Night, Western Maryland College's end-of-semester evening of live jazz performed by student musicians and vocalists, will be at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Decker College Center Forum.The evening will feature the WMC Jazz Ensemble, the Jazz Workshop, the Percussion Ensemble, a string section, guests and several vocalists. It is free, and refreshments will be provided. This semester's concert will feature big-band, reggae, rhythm and blues and Latin music. Performers will be led by Jazz Night organizer Steven "Bo" Eckard, a music lecturer at WMC.Tenor saxophonist Brian Beninghove, a junior at Westminster High School, and violinist Maggie Donahue, a senior at North Carroll High, will perform with the 24-member WMC Jazz Ensemble.

I WENT to the Ravens practice last week. Didn't pay $10 to park. Simply put the car in the Western Maryland College parking lot and followed the crowd toward Bair Stadium. Didn't pay $10 to enter the practice area. Easily found a seat in the bleachers - the practice field stands even had a shade awning - and watched the morning workout with hundreds of kids and adults. I didn't feel compelled to buy a $45 jersey or a $275 letterman jacket. The oppressive humidity of a Central Maryland August made them superfluous.

A low-budget independent film from one of the writer-directors of "The Blair Witch Project" will be shooting in Western Maryland next month, the state Department of Business and Economic Development announced Wednesday. "The Possession" will shoot for about four weeks in Hagerstown and other Washington County locations, writer-director Eduardo Sanchez said. He expects the movie to employ a crew of between 15 and 25 people, and hopes to hire many of them locally. "We're trying to hire as many local people as possible," said Sanchez, who lives in Urbana, near Frederick.

Author Al Feldstein (above) has written 26 books and videotapes on the history of the state's westernmost counties. [Page 8d]

Running back Lou Cristinziani scored two touchdowns and rushed for 162 yards to lead Dickinson past Western Maryland, 33-19, in a Centennial Conference game.Dickinson (5-1, 3-0) held Western Maryland (1-4-1, 0-4) to 177 yards rushing.Devils quarterback John Tice ran for 116 yards on 10 carries to help Dickinson accumulate 378 yards rushing and also ran for a touchdown.Western Maryland's Alan Pietkiewicz had nine receptions for 59 yards and added two touchdowns.Rob Johnson led the Green Terrors with 151 yards on 23 carries, including a 76-yard touchdown for a 6-0 first-quarter lead.