The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-12-16
WHOLE No. GgS.

higher grade, but from further inauiv do
not find that opinion confirmed 1t is certain
| bclicfc that both parts OF the late building
were standing at the date OF Col. Hollings-
worth's grant in 1897. 1t also certain that
they stood there at the time Of the Revoli,-
tlonary war, as have it rom gentleman
now present, member of the present Board
that lie has often heard his mother say they
were used by tire British army rs q Hospital
while they were enca,npcd at this place.
During their encampncnt some of the soldiers
aied and were buried in dercnts parts of the
lot no" used by the scholars as play ground
The grant Of the lot ny Col. Ilollngswortli
as expressed in bis decd, WAS in considera-
ton of promoting and encouraging a good
school, and place Of Dime Worship: and
the let vas TO be held by the parties named
in the deed, in trust for the use of the inhab-
itants OF the sahd village, the grant being to
them .nd their succcssors to be thereafter an
nuslly elected on Easter Monday by the house
holders inhabitants OF said village and resid-
ing within Inie ofthc said school house. III
this decd there was ;roviso to this effect,
that if the said inhab should neglect to
choose such trustees, or should cease to use
the said property, so that there should be
"ncither school Of literature, nor the public
worship Of Almighty God, .sreeably to the
! Christian faith, tbcrcupon for the space of
two years, then the trust estate should deter
innc and the property revert to the grantor
and his heirs.
This deed, as before stated, bears date on
tie 18th day of May, 1887. On the 9th
day Of the same month in the same year, an
act '"'!s passed "for the establishment ola
Market and the advancement and regulation
| of the town. providing in its 18th section,
| that the Town should thenceforth he called
, F.liton. in that act the grant of the lot and
tue Trust created by the deed OF Col IIol-
lirg5 vorth, were expressly recitad; and it's
10Th section provided for the election Of seven
pcr:ons annually Oh Easter Monday who
should be commissioners of the Town. and
trustees Of the school in said TOXIN, called
The Town School.
AS the persons thus to be chosen annually
under the authority of this act, were not only
Trustees Of the School, but also Commission
crs Of the Town, their proceedings and trans
actions i'll both capacities, were doubtless
entered upon one and the same record, which
has long since disappeared; at least have
not been able to meet with it. The Records
and papers in the possession e the "Prcs,-
dent and Commissioners Of tie Town of Elk
ton" are those only that have accumulated
since the incorporation of the Town in 1921.
All the information I haze been enabled to
Obtain therefore in regard to the old Towns
School and the different teachers employed in
it. is such, and such only, rs could gather
from the few friends have met with, whose
mcnCry carries them back to the days of
their childhood and to scenes and circum-
stances that are rarely forgotten by us even
to the latest day of our lives. One of the
teachers who is well remembered, was an old
gentleman by the name of Polk, an uncle by
marriage to several of the present citizens Of
the town. This gentleman was said to
be very good teacher, in his way, but ex-
cCedingly free with the rod. Several stories
are told of the old gcnteman's pcculiaritics,
which it would be improper to incorporate
in this statement Or history. Another of the
teachers in this old school was William Hum
phreys, the old county surveyor and the
father of Ned Humphreys, whom every body
knows. A gentleman by the name of Eli
Bennett, one named Campbell, one named
Latta, and another whose person is we'll re-
mcmbcrcd, but whose name could not be re-
called had successfully charge of this school.
MIR. Thompson Randolph who published an
arithmetic, and who is said to have been a
very good teacher, is well remembered. This
gentleman is also said to have been very free
with the rod, as some of the members of tho
present Board of Trustees, understand, can
testify.
The upper or two story part of the build.
ing was only occasionally occupied for school
purposes. gentleman named Williams,
said to have been an excellent teacher, at one
time had charge of a school in this part of
the building. During his administration the
young ladies were taught in the rooms above
and the boys below, but my informant docs
not remember that any preceptrcss was en-
ployed Miss Nancy Clark, lady well re-
membered by many ofus, once kept what she
called a sewing school in one of the upper
rooms But the greater part of the time it
was either unoccupied at all, or used for
other purposes. A gentleman by the name
of Pearce, who married daughter of old Mr..
Baxter, the clerk of the county, lived for
some time in this part of the building and
died in the back room up stairs. This
circumstance invested the premises with
mysterious interest to the pupils, and va
rious stories of ghosts and other supcrnat-
ural appearances grew out of it. There is
also tradition well authenticated, believe,
of stranger who being attacked with tbs
yellow fever, was lodged in this building.
died, and was buried in the lot. During the
late war it was used as place ofdeposit for
the arms and ammuntions of the military
force stationed at this place. For many