SUSTAINABLE TRADITIONS
A walk across the Dell Family Pathway from the Caves
Sports and Wellness Center brings Stevenson University
students, faculty, and staff over the Gwynns Falls—
which burbles cheerfully below—
and through a protected wetland that is home to a variety primarily used for farming and agriculture. The front lawn was
of local flora and fauna. At the top of the pathway on the planted with corn; the property around the Cuvilly Exchange
Owings Mills North section of campus, walkers pass Steven- was home to livestock, including pigs, cows, and sheep; and
son University’s Native Plant Garden. The garden features the tennis courts were an open meadow. Much of the farm
more than 25 species of native plants and trees, including was kept intact and integrated with the activities of the new
Black-Eyed Susans and Coneflowers, Dogwood and Red Bud school. For instance, the annual fashion show, for which
Trees, and Spice Bush. A Certified Wildlife Habitat, the Na- students made and modeled their own creations, was held
tive Plant Garden is also home to bats, birds, snapping turtles, on catwalks built outside the barns, and the sisters generated
and numerous insects. Prior to 2017, this 6,600-square-foot income from the sale of eggs and other farm produce. Indeed,
space was a sloping hillside of grass, rocks, and dirt. Now, it the monthly receipts from these sales—on average $20 per
is a beautiful and useful feature of Stevenson’s campus. How month—appear in the institution’s accounting ledger through
did the Native Plant Garden transform from dirt and rocks the middle of the 1950s. Since its days as Villa Julie College,
to birds and flowers? With a little grit, a lot of sweat, support Stevenson University has always had a strong connection to
from some friends, and characteristic SU community spirit. its environment, and that tradition continues today.
Sustainability and stewardship are not new concepts for While the front lawn is no longer planted with corn,
Stevenson. According to University Archivist and Chair of Stevenson does have two Community Gardens—one
History and Humanities, Glenn Johnston, Ph.D., in 1947, on Greenspring and one on Owings Mills North. The
when the sisters of Notre Dame de Namur purchased the Community Gardens began in 2012 as an initiative to
estate that would become Villa Julie College, the property was support a healthy campus environment by promoting
LEFT: In August 1947, the
Sisters of Notre Dame de
Namur drew this rough map
of their new acquisition
to help in launching Villa
Julie, their new educational
enterprise.
RIGHT: Villa Julie’s
administrators kept careful
account of expenses. Here
they recorded the original
setting up expense of
"Farm" on August 15, 1947,
for $270.00
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VENTURES/WINTER 2019-20