Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-04-18
"SOME BY-PRODUCTS
OF LIFE"
BY EBEN HEARNE
No. 3

vantages arising from the courteSleS
and Inequalities extended to me in
the home in which / boarded by the
cultured and refined family of faith
er, a mother and three interesting,
husky little sons, the eldest of the
three being of school age.
had access to the current news
papers and periodicals and a library
of the best literature. The memory
of this charming family is saddened
by the fact that, after the lapse of
over fifty years, not single one of
the five members is living and to
prove the change that time brings,
the farm has been sold after being in
possession of one of my former pupils
of the Academy for several years. 1t
is a matter of history that Col. VIM.
Stevens, one of the first Lord Com
missioners of Somerset County, lived
on this farm and died there in 1857
and was buried near his residence
there; his grave being marked by a
large granite slab suitably inscribed.
The ruins of the brick foundation of
his home was still discernible over
fifty years ago.
Another by-product was the estab-
lishment of Sunday School of which
] had charge. The sessions were
held in the Principals room of the
Academy on Sunday afternoons. The
Bibles that were used were donated
by the Maryland Bible Society thru
its then representative, the late Rev.
Aeneas English. The surviving pu-
pills still remember those Sunday
School sessions.
Another by-product was a Public
Debating Society that was organized
by the School Trustees and several
of the leading citizens of the neigh
borhood. The meetings were held in
the Principals room of the Academy
on stated evenings, quite a number
of people attended, and great interest
was manifested by the audiences.
Some of the debates were exciting
and inspirational. 1 will cite only
two subjects that were proposed for
discussion. One was: "Were the
Southern States justified in seced-
ing?" Speakers on the affirmative
and on the negative were selected.
The respective contestants presented
their arguments and the discussion be
came quite animated and exciting.
At that particular time, only about
thirteen years had elapsed since the
close of the Civil War and of course
many of the events of those trying
years were still vivid in the minds of
the debaters and their hearers; hence,
the question was a very familiar one.
Many stirring memories were recalled
and the discussion of slavery and
abolition became quite interesting.
Another title was: (Which affords
more pleasure to the eye of man.
kind, the works of nature or the
works of art ?" That was a deep sub
ject for a group of farmers that long
ago time, but the two sides tackled
the subject courageously. Some very
amusing and far-fetched statements
were some times made by the debat-
ers. On the side of Art, the negative
side of the question, young farmer
was selected and though he was not
well educated, he warmed up to his
subject. While dissenting upon the
attractiveness of the great architec-
tural buildings of the world as beau
tiful specimens of Art, he exclaimed
why, take, for instance, the Temple
of Solomon at Jerusalem. 1t was
one of the greatest Arteries in the
World"
Another by-produdt that should
not be omitted was a custom that
was followed each year. After Jan
uary LIST, and continuing as time suit
ed until about the last of March,
was invited by the parents of the pu-
pills to visit their respective homes
and to spend the night. l would &C
company the pupil or pupils to their
homes from school and would return
with them the following morning.
The fine meals-supper and break
fact, prepared for me and family, con
sisting of the best products of the
farm and the pantry and served in
the best style of the culinary art
were repasts fit for king and even
at this distant day call to mind the
most pleasant recollections.
After the children had been sent
off to bed and to pleasant dreams,
would spend the evening around the
fireside in company with the parents,
In pleasant conversation and reminis-
cences and discussing the progress of