American Legion, Department of Maryland, Southern Maryland District Six

The founding and early history of Charlotte Hall School, extracted verbatim from the Charlotte Hall School 1939 Sentinel yearbook.......

At the first meeting of the trustees appointed by law for Charlotte Hall on the first day of July 1774, there were sixteen members present representing St. Mary’s, Charles, and Prince George’s counties. At the meeting, a committee of eight members was appointed for the

purpose of surveying the land grant of the said school and to report upon documents relating strictly to its foundation.

The trustees decreed the school and All Faith’s Parish should be closely alienated and that the first principal (headmaster) should be the Rector of that Parrish. On account of the Revolution, the school did not commence active work until 1796, but boasts an unbroken record of service from that time ‘til the present day.

First called "Charlotte-Hall" here in 1774, Hanson's Laws of Maryland; 1763-1784 (Maryland Assembly)

The first meeting of the Board of Trustees was held at Coole Springs on 1 July 1774. The next recorded meeting of the trustees was held on 7 July 1782, a lapse of eight years. Presumably the delay was due to the Revolutionary War. At their 12 September, 1782 meeting the trustees authorized the contracting of some person or persons for the "firing of 250,000 bricks and burning sufficient oyster shells for lime for the construction of Charlotte Hall's first building. Undoubtably when a hospital was first set up in Coole Springs prior to 1774

and what later became Charlotte Hall it was intended to be located alongside, near the cool, healing waters of [Ye] Coole Springs.

I am of the submission in everything I have read............that we know the name "Charlotte" came from honoring Queen Charlotte of England (1744-1818). The word "Hall" we find in the Maryland Archives as noted in Hanson's Law of Maryland (Maryland Assembly dated 1774+/-). The word, term "Hall" is given to a college or university, a large building for residence, instruction or other purposes at a college or university (school). Hence, connecting

Charlotte Hall School to the town of Charlotte Hall

originally incorporated in 1914, the "Villages" incorporation was then repealed in 1941. The Town of Charlotte Hall, Maryland received its name from Charlotte Hall School, replacing Coole Springs.

The progress of the school’s foundation, greatly retarded by the American War of Independence, became an important issue to the school’s forefathers: namely, the first trustees. With the signing of the treaty of peace between the warring factions the legislatures in the interest of the school lost no time in stimulating its growth. With the erection of the school’s first building the actual schooling began with the meeting of the board on July 18, 1796, at which time a “Resolved, that Charlotte School be open under the direction and management of two headmasters, and that the Latin, Greek, and French language, English grammar, and a complete system of mathematics shall be taught therein.” “Resolved, that the resolution of the last meeting declaring the salary of one

thousand dollars exclusive of the use of the lands, be given the masters be rescinded so far as relates to the use of the lands.” “Resolved, that the price of tuition at said school be six pounds current money for each boy per annum payable quarterly.”

“Resolved, that the Reverend Hatch Dent, of the State of North Carolina, be hereby appointed Principal of Charlotte Hall School and professor of languages in said school, and Henry Lyon Davies, A. B., late professor of languages in Dickinson College in the state of Pennsylvania be hereby appointed instructor of mathematics and the French language in said school, whose duty it shall be to aide and assist the professor of languages.” (Source: CHMA Alumni Association)

The social life at the school after its foundation and first days of progress revolved mainly around a certain inn of colonial days known to lovers of southern Maryland’s historic folklore as “Locke’s Tavern” – the most renown of these social events being the romantic June-Ball. This ball which ends the school year is a noted social event dating back to early years in the last century. Reverend Neal Hammil

Shaw, an officer of the school in 1799, has left records in which are mentioned payments to Mr. Locke, the keeper of the tavern for the use of the two long rooms in his inn for the Charlotte Hall School.

This house, now called the “Briscoe House,” where the early balls were held, has an interesting story. We read in the archives as early as 1699, that Captain John Dent of Charles County, petitions the Assembly for the right to keep an inn at “Ye Coole Springs.” The ancient archives and town traditions bear out the fact that this was a house or part of the house he erected. Later the inn was kept by Mr. Locke and still later by Mr. Kiljour.

The house which is of really fine and stately proportions became a residence when it was purchased by William Thomas Briscoe later principal of Charlotte Hall School. Mr. and Mrs. Briscoe made of this ancient house a home of comfort and beauty. The elms, box trees, eponymous, and lilacs planted by Mrs. Briscoe eighty-two years ago remain today in the lovely garden of Mrs. Wyche, the present owner of this house. This has been restored with all its quaint and charming details.

Color Guard 1939

While the balls in Mrs. Briscoe’s time were held in the school hall, Mrs. Briscoe delighted in filling her large halls with guests for this gala occasion. Exhibition day at Charlotte Hall School which consisted of commencement exercises in the morning and the ball at night was a yearly social event that Southern Maryland delighted to attend. Over a thousand people crowded into this little village each year for this festive occasion. Always a really fine band came from Baltimore and music took on added lure in the lovely rural setting of the school. It has been gallantly said that the musicians were always inspired to their best efforts the beauty of the Southern Maryland belles.

The Briscoe Family, noted above is one of the earliest families in St. Mary's County, Maryland and have considerable history as well from the 1700's to the present. Dr. Walter Hanson Stone Briscoe at Satterley/Sotterly Plantation ran a school for his children, friend's children, etc. For the education of his sons, Dr. Briscoe had an option located 22 miles north of Satterley, the Charlotte Hall School. For its first 198 years Charlotte Hall was school exclusively for young men. The history of Charlotte Hall is recounted by Maria Briscoe Crocker, a granddaughter of a former headmaster, Phillip Briscoe. She says:

A notable landmark of old St. Mary’s County is

Charlotte Hall School, founded in 1774 (Maryland Archives declare the location as Coole Springs) on account the Revolution which the school did not commence active work until 1796. This school was founded by the early Fathers of the colony (St. Mary’s County) for the liberal and pious education of the youth of the province to better fit them for their duties either in regard to church or state. The history of the school may be traced back directly to the Free Public Schools established in St. Mary’s County under the General Act of 1723: “For the encouragement of learning and erecting schools of St. Mary’s, Charles and Prince Georges Counties were united, their funds

merged and a school for the three counties was ordered to be erected at “Ye Coole Springs” to be known as Charlotte Hall School in honor of Queen Charlotte of England.

[April 1774, General Assembly ordered consolidation of free schools in Charles, Prince George's, and St. Mary's Counties into Charlotte Hall School (1774-1976), to be constructed at Coole Springs in St. Mary's County.]

Charlotte Hall has sent her sons to fight gallantly in all the wars in which our country has been engaged and many Statesmen of distinguished service claim this school as their alma mater (see Wikpedia link). When Admiral Cockburn’s fleet reached Benedict (1813/War of 1812) on the way home to burn the national capital a company of Charlotte Hall School students under the leadership of a young man named Thompson gave valiant battle to the British invaders and when overpowered still continued to attack the Red Coats from protecting boughs of overhanging trees. The Charlotte Hall Cadets were unsuccessful in their encounter, but gave a gallient effort. However, a gold braid fourragere was added to the Charlotte Hall uniform to commemorate the event.

Local residents relied on a militia of ill-trained and poorly equipped volunteers for protection against powerful veteran British troops. The grounds of Charlotte Hall School (later Charlotte Hall Military Academy), operating here from 1774 to 1976, served as a mustering site for the county’s militia. It is said that even young students from the school were called out to help. But the makeshift local militia was no match for the British, and the year-long campaign of terror continued.

The British also desecrated Christ Episcopal Church (built in 1736) in Chaptico, Maryland not far from Charlotte Hall in St. Mary’s County. They looted and desecrated not only the Church itself, but

the numerous graves, tombstones, coffins, eating overtop the graves, bones, some used as fire pits to cook their food, drinking, drunkenness and so on before leaving. During the summer of 1814, the British harassed U.S. citizens, raided tidewater towns and farms, largely overwhelmed the militia, and blockaded the U.S. Navy Chesapeake Flotilla—thus keeping it from carrying out its mission to protect American interests. From June through October 1814, the war raged through the Chesapeake Bay region, thus Charlotte Hall School was effected in as much as well with war so close to her doorsteps.

The school did not gain a military status until 1850. The school has ever been faithful to her ancient motto, In pace decus, in bello praesidium” (in peace an ornament, in war a defense). In connection to our noted Briscoe Family, a principal of the early days who is said to have been responsible for much of the school’s success was St. Mary’s County native Phillip Briscoe. He graduated from Charlotte Hall in 1805 under the Reverend George Ralph who had been selected by the government to preach General George Washington’s funeral sermons of/in Southern Maryland.

Philip Briscoe graduated at Charlotte Hall School, St. Mary’s County, Md., after five years study in 1805. This school was in charge of Rev. George Ralph, graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland and able associates. While a student at Charlotte Hall, the progress of young Briscoe was marked, and his standing as a classical scholar, brilliant and distinguished. “Mr. Briscoe after leaving Charlotte Hall entered as a student of law in the office of Francis Scott Key, author of the Star Spangled Banner, Georgetown, D.C., and upon completing his studies with Mr. Key, was admitted as an attorney at the Upper Marlboro bar, where he remained several years.

Although a promising member of the legal bar, an ardent temperament which grew impatient of the delays in business, and a taste for classical literature, led him into another pursuit. After a few years practice of law in Upper Marlboro, he decided to adopt the teacher’ profession, as at this time a prosperous school was offered him in Leonardtown, St. Mary’s County, Md. He was persuaded to remove there and established a school, which continued several years. “During his residence in Leonardtown the fine talents of Mr. Briscoe as a classical scholar were in demand as well out as in the class room. An historical incident illustrating his excellent classical genius which tradition has handed down is worthy of recital.

Mr. Briscoe completed a residence of nearly ten years in Leonardtown in 1817, having established the reputation of being an instructor of high excellence and an executive officer of distinguished ability.

The story of Phillip Briscoe’s life is best told by two who knew him: his pupil J. Edwin Coad of Cherryfields Manor in St. Mary’s County and Mr. Briscoe’s son Edward also a professor at Charlotte Hall School. Mr. Coad’s memoir of Phillip Briscoe follows, “In September 1837 my father took me to Forest Hall (near Chaptico, Maryland) where the most eminent preceptor in Southern Maryland, Phillip Briscoe was conducting a private academy. From 1817-1826 he had been principal of Charlotte Hall School, but on account of a disagreement with the trustees he had retired to his farm and conducted a school of his own. I was with him only a few months, after the Christmas holidays Mr. Briscoe returned to Charlotte Hall School at the urgent request of the trustees.

“I (Mr. Coad) was a boarder in Mr. Briscoe’s house now called the ‘White House’ and there were thirteen others, all of us in the large west room upstairs. Two of us slept in each of the seven beds. Every morning seven of us filed down to the big Spring (Ye Coole Springs) with a stone pitcher to bring up water for the morning wash; next evening a similar party of seven went on a similar mission. The Steward’s House, consumed by fire five years after I left, was a good large, square brick building. It had a hall that ran through it north and south, on the second floor was a very large lodging room for boys. The School House at that time was of the same model and structure as the present ‘White House’. The whole ground floor was in one room with a fireplace on the West and on the East. This apartment was for the Latin pupils. In the northeast corner was a high, boxed-up desk where the autocrat of the institution sat and held his scepter, a brush of hickory’s, held in a pretty plump hand, with which he could make boys see stars unknown before him when the militant spirit of the fascinating tyrant inspired him to deliver one of his artistic slaps. In the southeast corner of the large room the assistant classical teacher, Mr. William Barnes held sway. Mr. Barnes was a tall, well-formed man of polished manners.

The following account of Philip Briscoe was written by his son, Edward T. Briscoe in June of 1918: “Some Recollections of a Highly Honored and Gifted Teacher of the Past Century in Southern Maryland”.

So when a great man dies
For years beyond our ken,
The light he leaves behind him lies
Upon the paths of men

“He was the son of Dr. John Hanson Briscoe, surgeon major in the Revolution, 1776, (another article) nephew of John Hanson, President of Continental Congress 1781-1783. Laurentum was a pretty residence and farm overlooking Chaptico, being one of a series of farms entitled, “Briscoe’s Range,”of 1,440 acres, a colonial grant by Lord Baltimore to Colonel Philip Briscoe, great-grandfather of the subject of this notice. “Philip Briscoe graduated at Charlotte Hall School, St. Mary’s County, Maryland after five years study in 1805. This school was in charge of Rev. George Ralph, graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland and able associates. While a student at Charlotte Hall, the progress of young Briscoe was marked, and his standing as a classical scholar, brilliant and distinguished.

Charlotte Hall School was renamed as Charlotte Hall Military Academy in 1852 following the adoption of military training and curriculum. The military tradition is said to have grown out of an incident which occured during the War of 1812 (noted earler). Six years later the Town of Leonardtown was incorporated.

Per an unpublished novel written by Annie Chun Cann (born Birch Manor in Mechanicsville) on a beautiful sun drenched morning in early June during the Civil War...............on the day of graduation of Chatlotte Hall School men stood against the walls in the vestibule and under the portico. Cadets in their bluish gray uniforms were in their places. A clergyman offered a prayer, the headmaster, Mr. NFD Browne provided opening remarks. The band began to play and at the first bars a thrill swept through the audience. The Charlotte Hall School band was playing, "Maryland, My Maryland." All were familiar with the event that inspired that song, words written b

y James Ryder Randall (where I/author attended Elementatay School in the 1960's).

No one could mistake the folly of open opposition to the federal government, so when the audience began to sing the provacative words of "Maryland, My Maryland" the headmaster caught the eye of the bandleader and signaled that the playing stop. He had noted the presence of four strangers in civilian clothes who did not share the same enthusiasm of the participants in the ceremony. These four men were believed to be from the Union recruiting camp at Benedict- Camp Stanton. At the June Ball that evening the headmaster had ordered no martial airs. Music floated through the open doors and windows that might induce listeners to forget war and remember that it was a June night fragrant with honeysuckle and laurel.

At the height of the "Ball" Union soldiers were seen surrounding the hall. The graduating cadets had anticipated this and knew an effort would be made to draft the entire graduating class into the Union Army. Plans had been made to thwart the effort. At a signal every light in the hall went out. The band continued to play, nature cooperated as a rain squall disorganized the waiting soldiers. When the lights returned the entire graduating class was gone. They had exited through a rear door leading to a basement room with an outside entrance. Horses had been waiting and escapees were familiar with the area. The Union recruiters came up empty handed. The graduating class of Charlotte Hall headed en

masse for Richmond to join the Confederate Army.

A Union Colonel Dwight did however manage to carry off the schools arms, drums and any other military equipment. The incident was reported to the Secretary of War, but the arms were not recovered until 1868. Many of the local residents in St. Mary's County were pro south and their sympathies were to the Confederacy. Thus, possibly the motive behind Union soldiers removing Charlotte Hall School' arms?

On 28 June, 1883 the cornerston of Dent Chapel, the second oldest surviving building was laid. This chapel was erected by the descendants of Reverend Henry Hatch Dent as a memorial to their illustrious ancestor who was Charlotte Hall's first head-master. Then in February 1896 the main building of the school was destroyed by fire. Legislation was enacted which appropriated $5,000.00 for rebuilding. The 11 June, 1896 issue of the St. Mary's Beacon carried the news that the contract to rebuild Charlotte Hall School had been awarded to Elias C. Milburn of Leonardtown.

Traveling to and fro the Charlotte Hall School back in the 1800's-early 1900's was a feat in itself, quite unlike we will ever know today in 2021. An insight to local roads in St. Mary's County from the 1800's into the 1900's as written in the John Hanson Briscoe Historical Papers.....................the first roads were not

highways, but mere private roads leading from tobacco barns in the fields down the hill or across the bottoms to the landings. They were called “rolling -roads” as their reason for existence was to provide a clear way over which the huge tobacco containers were rolled from the curing and prizing barns to the ships which would carry them down the river and across the seas. The next type road was called the “wood road” from the plantation buildings into the forest as a way over which to haul out the firewood and building timbers which played so important in domestic life. Though called roads they

were only clearings.

They had a system of highway markings in Maryland, which survives in the name of the road which reaches from Point Lookout between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers It is still called “Three-Notch Road.” This was a road used (by the Briscoe boysas well) between as an example Sotterly Plantation (Sotterly Mansion- National Park Service) and Charlotte Hall. In 1704 an act was passed which required that any road leading to a ferry, court house or church should be marked on both sides of the road with two notches. The road leading to a court house had to have another “notch” at a distance above the other two and any road that led to a church had to be marked at the entrance into the same. Leaving any other road with a slice cut down the face of the tree near the ground and the road to a ferry had to be marked with three notches of equal distance at the entrance into the same.

In 1908 the first State Roads began for the construction to begin at the Charles County line to New Market and then onto Mechanicsville. On the the Mechanicsville-Helen Road layers of tar (pitch) and stone were placed on a surface of a gravel bed, which was rounded in the middle and drained to the each side. This road known as Route 5 today continued to Morganza, Loveville, Leonardtown, thence to Indian Bridge, to Great Mills, St. Inigoes, Scotland and ended at Point Lookout.

This initial pattern served Southern Maryland for 200 years until 1923. After that time, Maryland State Roads Commission transitioned to a modern gravel road, which was 15-feet wide from Mechanicsville to Oakville. The commission later extended road work south to Friendship School Road the next year.

Most people don’t realize or are unaware of the fact, from Maryland’s very beginning, its roadways were the waterways. Roads barely existed in colonial times. People got from Point A to Point B by boat or not at all. Travel could be stymied for days by inclement weather. A colonial path leading from St. Clements Manor, a huge tract owned by Thomas Gerard in the 17th century in St. Mary’s County’s Seventh District to Chaptico was known as the Chaptico Indian Path.

The Patuxent Main Road ran along the eastern crest of St. Mary’s County which led from Point Lookout to Cool Springs in Charlotte Hall.

This was known to exist in 1692 and when a reference is found in the Maryland Archives. It is possible, that this was also an Indian path. Eight years later in 1704, the Patuxent Main Road would receive a new name: Three Notch Road

In wet weather and in the winter the roads were fairly impassable. The creek heads were marshy and where the tide forced a channel and a crossing required a bridge. As time went on roads were built or rather were broadened from “Indian trails,” thus Three Notch Road (Trail) is one of these roads widened, constructed from an original Indian trail. It follows the height of the land south to

north, up from the backbone of St. Mary’s County and streams-creeks that drain to either side of the road to the Patuxent River one side, St. Mary’s River, Bretton Bay, St. Clements Bay and the Wicomico River on the other. The Indians probably traveled the height of land to avoid crossing streams while traveling up and down the steep hills and valleys.

For the most part the roads meandered through the woods, around the fields and creeks following the lazy path of least resistance. They usually went around farms and fields rather than crossing them as roads are built today. Consequently there were many sharp right angular curves where the road passed a rectangular field. These curves still remain in many of the secondary roads about St. Mary’s County (today 2021).

It is hard to not at least note that these rural backroads especially during the early 1900’s were well suited for St. Mary’s County renowned moonshine despite Prohibition (the Volstead Act) becoming l

aw in 1920. The county was ideally suited to its manufacture, the heavily wooded peninsula afforded seclusion and its many fresh water streams, springs provided the necessary abundance of clean, fresh water. Not sure how many of the students at Charlotte Hall Military Academy were able to sneak a snort, however literature and stories are chock-full of the illegal making, selling and consumption of the local hooch. Countless gallons of St. Mary’s County whiskey left the area not only by automobile, but by boat as the bottom layer in barrels of

crabs, fish and oysters in many of the Chesapeake Bay workboats of the period (this writer has first-second person accounts from family, friends to coo berate).

Steamboats out of the county being an important means of commerce in the 1920’s transported whiskey shipped aboard in trunks mixed along with luggage. Per Regina Combs Hammett, sources estimate that at least 50% of the population of St. Mary’s County were involved in some capacity in the bootleg industry.

To see a great video put together by St. Mary's own "Dickie Duke" on Prohibition, moonshine in St. Mary's County back in the day follow the link

Relating to my (the writer) own family I can easily recall my grandfather telling me about traveling on the old Leonardtown Road when it was just gravel back in the teens and 1920’s when he was a mere boy. To drive to Washington, DC in a Model T was quite the trip, a stayover returning the next day. In the winter months when it was cold, they would heat bricks, rocks up in the fire then wrap in a blanket and put on the floor of the automobile to stay warm. Kind of hard to adjust the thermostat I would reckon? In snowy, inclement weather, the horse and buggy were mostly the preferred way of travel locally as there were no markers on the roads showing where the edge of the gravel, dirt roads were? A horse and buggy did not get stuck like a Model T, etc. On hills sometimes a Model T could not make some of the steeper climbs where you would reverse the car or truck (gearing in reverse made more torque) and go up the hill opposite to make the climb. On long trips I was told they also took a can of gas, some oil and of course intertubes for the tires with them. Driving through Charlotte Hall it was recounted as always kind of dreary looking in the winter time, very rural back then.

During the teens, 1920’s my grandfather’s, father family were from (Hungary Neck- Mt. Vernon.........many of my family called it Starvation Point) Somerset County on the Eastern Shore (his mother was from Compton). Being waterman and my grandfathers mother being a St. Mary's Countian they would often visit my grandfather’s-grandfather, Harrison Ewell who had a large Boatyard, Railway (used to pull workboats-sailboats out of the water by winch and mule), etc. in Compton on Combs Creek off Breton Bay. Sailing over from the Tangier Sound in a Skipjack my great grandfather would oyster the Potomac River, especially Breton Bay (which locals did not like!). I was told that Harrison Ewell had the first powered or motorboat in the area back in the day. It would have been a Hubbard, same manufacture he sold and who started making, selling marine engines about 1900+/-. He had some old Palmer's as well that made a thump-thump, whistling noise.

An amusing tale I was told of some of my younger, single, male family members at the time who who lived in Compton would travel on

their horse and buggy (sometimes a gig) to Morganza on "route 5" Friday nights traveling to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church who had some of the best dances. Getting all cleaned, slicked up- a fresh shave, a little pomade, putting on your spats, to meet the girls was the place for a young man to be in the late teens, early 1920’s. Out front if I recollect him saying were the horse, buggies, a few scant automobiles and out back there was always a fire of some kind burning in a drum or keg of some sort where the boys would smoke their cigarettes, pipe and yes partake of some of St. Mary’s County local hooch, whiskey. There was always an ample supply and I reckon the nuns did not catch that one?

My grandfather enlightened by the story indicated his grandfather believed the horse knew his way home better than my uncle(s) who were usually not feeling any pain on the return trip to Compton. They would usually just sleep in the barn, which had cots, a stove and was quite cozy to sleep in anyway. If they were hungry there was a "store" my great-great grandmother ran not far down on the creek where they would sneak something good to eat. There were always cured hams, meat hanging, fresh cheese, fresh fruit and vegetables (in the summertime) and so on to eat. I can imagine a few of the older cadets from the

Charlotte Hall Military Academy scampering off on a summer evening-

night to the celebrated dances and being one of the boys trying a smoke and sipping some local whiskey? The church was only 10 miles from the school (also 10 miles from Combs Creek, Compton) and was not as distant as trekking off to Leonardtown, which for the area at the time was the most traveled place to mingle with the public, go catch a movie, ice cream, sodas, etc. boys meet girls and vice versa. There was no Lexington Park at that time.

Making a run with some local product across the Potomac River to Westmoreland County, Virginia one of my family members could make more in one night than oystering, crabbing, etc. in a month. I reckon we will never know how much from bootlegging, stills, etc. local countians prospered from income they earned to supplement their income?

Construction on Three Notch Road began in earnest in 1926, and by 1935 was linked as far south as Ridge.

Asphalt surfaces on roads in Southern Maryland did not emerge until the establishment of the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, during World War II. The new road surfaces were deemed necessary to transport traffic and supplies to the new base in support of the war efforts. It was during this period when original roads were altered, unnecessary curves removed to create a straight thoroughfare. Paving began in 1943 and continued through 1944, creating the first actual paved highways in St. Mary’s County.

Newspaper articles, etc. (February 1927) provided courtesy of "Charlotte Hall Military Academy Alumni Association"

For 198 years Charlotte Hall was a school exclusively for young (and might mention white) men. Beginning with the school year of 1972-1973 the school adopted a coeducational policy for day school students admitted to Charlotte Hall. In 1974 it was decided to phase out the mandatory military program. From 1974-1976 the military training program was made optional.

Regina Combs Hammett reflects on discipline at Charlotte Hall school in her book, History of Old St. Mary’s County, Maryland: “Discipline was strict. Good habits and gentlemanly behavior were insisted upon from the first”.

On a personal note…………I (author/site administrator) do recall my High School playing Charlotte Hall Military Academy in football. In 1975-1976 I was a sophomore at Gwynn Park High School in Brandywine, Maryland and in the 10^th, grade played on our Junior Varsity Football Team. I do remember our Varsity Team playing

Charlotte Hall Military Academy

, however seem to recall it as being a scrimmage more than an actual game? In the Charlotte Hall Military Academy, “The Sentinel Year Book” for 1976 they have Gwynn Park winning 27-0 in more of a game scenario? Either way if you take into account the size of the 2 schools Charlotte Hall Military

Academy played Gwynn Park, a much larger school respectable and tough.

I also vividly remember while working for my grandfather who was a Painting Contractor in Clinton, Maryland receiving contracts to paint misc. buildings, etc. at Charlotte Hall Military Academy when I was a kid. I can recollect one hot summer working there as a (kid) helper and watching Cadet’s march, play

sports, etc. When painting some of the older buildings I will never forget fighting bees. Up in the soffits of overhang in some buildings were huge bees’ nests. Climbing up a ladder, throwing Vara sol on them and then sliding down the ladder as fast as you could and run like crazy was one way we attempted to get rid of them. There were no aluminum ladders, they were all wood back then and coming down the ladder you would get wood splinters. Just remember it being hot as all get out, fighting bees’, having some of the Vara sol getting on my clothes and burn my skin like crazy in the hot sun. There were no places to go and get something to wash it off, McDonald’s, Wawa’s, etc. (one IGA grocery store in Mechanicsville) ………….. around Charlotte Hall Military Academy back then as Charlotte Hall was still very rural.

One building we were working on I can think of had years, probably over 100 years of layers and layers of paint (lead paint as well). You could not scrape or sand it off. Back then we (not me as I was only a helper in the early ‘70’s) would take small propane torches and burn it off. There were no heat guns in those days.

When applying fire, a flame the paint would heat up to where you would take a wide scraper, we called a broad knife and the old paint peeled off like butter. Of course, many a time the old wood lap siding, windows, soffits, doors, etc. would catch fire and there you are on an extension ladder with not only a torch, but a fire extinguisher putting out any part that caught fire. 95 degree plus heat, in the sun and your making fire on a 28' ladder with bees'

something wrong with that equation I would think? Maybe a little wind to blow the fire around? The windows I also recall were very old where the glass was over 100 years old, very fragile and only the old timers were allowed to paint and reglaze the glass. You didn’t want to break any of that old glass as new glass would not match and you could spot the difference immediately.

There were two ways to die back in the day and unlike today one of them was talk back, sas your parents. I was a rebellious young fella, teenager and easily remember my parents telling me if I did not straighten up, keep good grades they were going to enroll me into Charlotte Hall Military Academy? On one occasion I did something I

was not supposed to where my mother told me my father had went to

Charlotte Hall Military Academy

seeing to enroll me for the next semester year. By this time and in the 1970’s the school was home to both boys, girls and considering the time was now integrated. I thought having to paint for my father and grandfather in my summers off from school even before I became a teenager was punishment enough by itself and was never sent off to Military School. I joined the US Navy

after graduating from high school and everyone knows that sailors cannot march that well anyway, so I reckon life has its twists and turns.

In June 1976 Judge James Mitchell a member of the Charlotte Hall of Trustess announced the closing of the Charlotte Hall School. News of the closing was received with sadness. The St. Mary's Beacon so aptly headlined, "The End of an Era." Charlotte Hall School closed in June 1976 due to financial difficulties.

29 January, 1985, Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, first and only State facility of its kind in Maryland, opened at former Charlotte Hall Military Academy site.

Thank you to "Dickie Duke" (and others credited at end of the video) for putting together such a fantastic video!

Photos by John Douglas Parran at Charlotte Hall Military Academy who was a student there from 1966-1970.