Mary Theresa Wiedefeld (known as M. Theresa) was born February 2, 1886 and raised in the Hamilton section of Baltimore County, Maryland. She is the daughter of William F. and Frances Johnston Wiedefeld and the sister or Elizabeth Wiedefeld, William J. Howard and Robert Weede, a noted baritone of the Metropolitan Opera Company. After graduating from the Maryland State Normal School in 1904, Wiedefeld joined the MSNS faculty in 1914 as a teacher in the Model School, and became the Principal for the Model School a year later, when MSNS moved to its Towson location. She remained in this position until 1919, when she resigned to become the Supervisor of Anne Arundel County schools. In 1924, Wiedefeld was appointed Assistant State Supervisor of Elementary Schools, and later became Supervisor. She held this position until returning to Towson as President of the State Teachers College in 1938. In the meantime, Wiedefeld earned a Bachelor of Science in 1925, and a Doctors of Education in 1937, both from Johns Hopkins University. Wiedefeld was president during World War II when enrollment was declining and employees difficult to obtain. Under her administration, the College developed a special program for cadet teachers to help alleviate the teacher shortage, inaugurated the junior college program for returning veterans, and took the first steps toward preparing teachers for junior high and kindergarten. The child study program, with its emphasis upon the importance of understanding the individual child, was given considerable impetus in Maryland because of Dr. Wiedefeld's initiative and enthusiasm. She encouraged the formation of faculty groups and helped establish a faculty salary scale which established the principle of regular increments. Wiedefeld also taught during summer sessions at Towson, Johns Hopkins and the University of Pittsburgh. After 1947, she taught at Loyola College and Mount Saint Agnes College. She also served as a teacher and consultant to the Training School of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, a Roman Catholic order dedicated towards education. Wiedefeld was the author of numerous significant publications in the field of Elementary Social Studies and co-author of a set of widely-used geography tests. She has been honored with membership in Pi Lambda Theta and Kappa Delta Pi. Wiedefeld also remained a strong supporter of the Towson Alumni Association. She was instrumental in having a gymnasium built on campus in 1941/42. In September, 1957, the gym was formally named Wiedefeld Gymnasium. Unfortunately, this building is no longer on campus. In January, 1968, it was demolished to make way for a new library building. At this time, there are no buildings, etc. on campus named after this president. Wiedefeld died on November 23, 1983 in Glenwood, Maryland.