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Return to Maps (East New Market
Academy, P. 108, Church)
From "Souvenir Book, Dorchester Tercentenary Bay Country Festival
1669-1969", Thomas Flowers Editor
The first school in East New Market was the old East
New Market Academy. Incorporated in 1818, the school was, for
many years, considered to be one of the finest schools of this type.
From a report made to the state by Dr. James L. Bryan in 1885, this
statement is found: "The Cambridge, East New Market, and
Vienna Academies for both sexes are true high schools, well located
and having courses of study much higher than the schedule adopted
for the general public schools. Latin, Greek, German, and
French, higher mathematics, philosophy, physiology, etc. are taught
and pupils are prepared to enter college in some cases, in the
sophomore and junior years." In 1904 the Academy was
officially listed as the East New Market High School. However,
in 1912 it was replaced by the present structure. In 1954 the
(new) school became and elementary school and in 1961 it was decided
that only grades 4-6 would attend.
From New Revised History of Dorchester County, Maryland by Elias Jones,
Tidewater Publishers, Cambridge, Maryland - 1966, Chapter X, East New Market, by
Miss Emma Edmondson Jacobs 1925
The old new Market Academy, which was
incorporated in 1829, has since become a part of the State
Public School System, and is now known as the East New Market
High School. Its reputation is of the best, and its
graduates during the time when Dr. James L. Bryan was
Superintendent of the County Schools, were placed on the roll of
eligible teachers without further examination.
In place of the old wooden structure known as
East New Market High School, there stands a bright new brick
building which was built in 1912. It has all the latest
conveniences and equipments used in modern methods of teaching;
its exterior and surroundings add beauty to the town.
 1928 - Daily Banner - East New Market Items
The text of a very interesting newspaper article that
details the history of this property and school was written in 1928 by a
teacher and her 9th grade class. It can be found at
History of Our School Grounds.
Notes from Kirk Hurley
In a series of articles published in the weekly newspaper
“Democrat and News” (D. & N.) the basic origins of
the third school built in East New Market can be followed. The
articles are in effect the minutes if the Dorchester County School
Board that were published subsequent to the board’s meetings and
appear to be reprinted in whole without comment or editing by the
newspaper itself.At the February 14, 1912 meeting of the board
(as reported in the minutes published on the 16th in the
“D. & N.”) two residents of the town identified in the
minutes only as Messers Demott, and Clifton appeared complaining of
sanitary conditions. They urged the construction of a new
school for the “accommodation and comfort” of the community.
It appears that at the time the board appointed from the
respective communities members of the local citizenry to positions
that oversaw the schools within the community in the event there
were needs or problems. These appointees were referred to as
trustees and reported to the members of the board. It is not
entirely clear whether Messers and Demott and Clifton were in fact
the referenced trustees. As the Secretary to the board was
instructed to interview the trustees and report back it seems
reasonable to infer that they were not. At the same meeting it
is made clear that should a new school be in fact needed that a bond
would have to be authorized by the state legislature as the board
itself had no independent funds for such an undertaking.
By the April 23rd, 1912 meting the state legislature
had in fact passed the authorization for a $10,000.too bond but the Board had not issued them. “A delegation
composed of Messers William E. Johnson, Frederick Wright, Charles
Meyers, Samuel J. T. Smith, and Otis Bramble from East New Market
was present and requested the Board take action…” which they
proceeded to do per the May 3rd issue of the “D. & N.”
in that very session. The 21st of May was set for the
deadline for bids.
Six bids were received and opened by the building committee as
reported in the June 14th issue in the “D. & N.”
with bids ranging from a high bid of $12,990.too from Daniel
Harding, Baltimore to a low of $9,996.too from A. O. German,
of Hurlock. The building committee did not award the contracts
deciding instead to consult with the project architect one Mr.
Charles G. Fisher of Milford, Delaware.
Two very interesting items appear in the “D.& N.’s” July 19th’s
report of the July 16th meeting. First, the final award
of the contract was announced apparently after some negotiating to
A. O. German, the successful bid being some $526.00
less than the original bid reported in the June 14th
issue.
Second, the school board approved the payment to S. J. T. Smith
of $150.00 for having Mr. LeRoy Lankford move the old East New
Market School. Payment of $150.00 to W. E. Johnson, president of
the building committee, to the order of the project architect was
also ordered.
A point of confusion arises here per a conversation with the late
Reuben Clauser back in the 1960’s. In that conversation with Kirk
L. Hurley he recalled being chased around the old school building in
a game of tag during which he ran into the scaffolding surrounding
the new brick structure. The question arises as to whether there was
a delay in the moving of the school or some other explanation.
It remains unanswered at this point.
The East New Market Academy appears to be situated on the lot
labeled "Church" on the 1877 map. The structure appears to abut the west
property line of the lot labeled "School No. 2" on the 1877 map.
16 CL 333 - 10 February 1892 - Samuel L. Webster to the Board of
the County School Commissioners of Dorchester County
From the Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites
Inventory Form
The village of East New Market emerged
during the last quarter of the eighteenth century as a
crossroads community serving central and eastern Dorchester
County. The crossroads village experienced
significant growth between 1790 and 1820, evidenced by the
construction of several prominent dwellings along its two
streets. These substantial houses were built by a notable group of
Dorchester families who evidently viewed education as an
important element of community life. During this period of
prosperous construction, an academy was established in the
village, incorporated in 1818 or 1819.
Not much is known about
East New Market Academy in its early years. Like many private
schools of its time, it served the wealthiest families in the
area with enrollment largely male. The size, shape and
construction of the first building has not been established, but
it was more than likely a modest sized frame structure. In any
event, it was in need of replacement by the mid 1850s. A letter
written from the President of the Board of School Commissioners,
Kendal M. Jacobs, is dated January 21, 1857, and relates,
"It has occur'd to me since our adjournment
on Saturday last, that the "Building Committee” selected &
appointed by us, for the new school house intended to be
erected in or near New Market, had not placed before them
sufficient or reliable data in order to act understandably.
During the late N. E. Snow-storm I have had necessarily to
be much within doors, and have prepar'd the following
statement for their information. Of course the idea has, or
will suggest itself, that the amount of funds will have more
or less to do with the selection of "a lot or site" to say
nothing of the kind of house, cost etc. etc. to be built."
The letter goes on to give an accounting of the
funds currently available to be placed as a credit towards the
new school building. Although the new school was built
shortly afterwards, little is known of its actual appearance. In
1865 the East New Market Academy was consolidated into the
county school system. In the wake of the county-wide school
consolidation, a survey was made of the property, which
identified it as "a piece of land on which the New Academy
Building of E. N. Market stands." The Lake, Griffing, and
Stevenson atlas, published in 1877, identifies it as "School No.
1." It was one of three school buildings that stood in
East New Market at the time.
Fifteen years later, in February 1892, the Board of County
School Commissioners acquired additional land for the East New
Market school from Samuel L. Webster. On the plat of survey,
prepared by James M. Robertson. he delineated the newly
purchased three-acre parcel as well as the existing school
property, on which he drew a tee-shaped school building.
The mid nineteenth century building remained in use until 1912 when the two-and-
a-half story brick school was erected.
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East
New Market Academy