East New Market

Property Reports

40 Academy Street

New Market Academy

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.