Worcester County Public Schools Update

 
January 8, 2021 - Responsible Return Update

Posted on 01/08/2021

Good evening, families,

As promised, I wanted to share with you some important information regarding our Responsible Return. Since my last message to you, we have been working diligently to further safeguard our schools to ensure your child and our faculty and staff are able to safely begin the transition to in-person learning. 

As I shared with you last week, all faculty and staff at our schools received a customized training last month. This week, we have put into place additional supports and precautions to bolster our already comprehensive safety protocols and procedures.

We have also had lengthy discussions with our local health officials, and with their full support, I am able to announce that our faculty and staff will return to our schools this Monday, January 11, and we will welcome our first small group of students back to our classrooms the following Tuesday, January 19. Schools have already made contact with the families of those students in that first wave. I also want you to understand that this timeline relies heavily on no unforeseen circumstances occurring and no major changes in our local COVID-19 metrics.

As we begin the transition to Stage Two of our Responsible Return plan, it is more important than ever that you – our families – commit to doing your part to help our students return to in-person learning. Please complete our screening tool honestly each day. Make sure your child is properly masked; remind them of the importance of keeping a physical distance of 6 feet or more from others; and please keep your child home when sick. I cannot stress to you how important your help is to making sure your child, our teachers, and staff can remain healthy and safe. 

Thank you for your continued support and understanding during these difficult times, and as always, may God continue to bless you and your family.

Sincerely,
Lou Taylor
Superintendent of Schools 

Time Machine Preview

 This Sunday here at The Pocomoke Public Eye:

1979  ..  (Picture) It's an icy ocean front at Ocean City.

1942  ..  (Ad) Word War II concerns are close to home and a Pocomoke City insurance agency is offering war damage insurance.

1883  ..  It's a traditional item on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and a sample (not a food item) is headed to the World's Fair in Chicago. 

2000  ..  A treasure of old documents found in the attic of a building reveals much about Crisfield's history.

January 6, 2021

 

Remembering a melody of life

 

Charles Bragg brought the gift of music to Worcester County students.

View obituary:

Charles Bragg Obituary (1928 - 2020) - The Daily Times (legacy.com)

Governor addresses Maryland Covid-19 vaccinations

 

View news story:

Gov. Hogan provides COVID-19 vaccine update in Maryland - 47abc (wmdt.com)

Back to school petition

 
        

At the request of the Worcester County Health Department the return to in-school classes in Worcester County public schools was extended from January 4th to January 11th.  A petition to the Worcester County Board Of Education is circulating on line stating support for the January 11th date and advocating that schools remain open after that date.  Aside from the pros and cons expressed by the public in this matter shouldn't the ultimate consideration be the Health Department's view of what is in the best interests of our students health?

Pocomoke City Council Meeting

 

The Pocomoke City Council met on Monday evening, 1/4/21.  Council member Troast announced she will file for re-election for one more term on the council.  A discussion arose towards the end of the meeting prompted by Council member Nock raising an issue of concern as to why he and Council member Downing had  not been included in receiving an email concerning a code of ethics ordinance that other council members had received.

Citizens comments regarding the meeting and the Zoom meeting replay can be viewed on the City Of Pocomoke Facebook page at this link:

(15) City of Pocomoke | Facebook

Online classes in Somerset County Public Schools extended to Jan 19

 (WBOC)

View news story:

Somerset County Public Schools Extending Online Learning to Janu - WBOC TV

Time Machine: One hundred years ago this week- Pocomoke at the start of 1921.

In the Worcester Democrat's first edition of the new year..

(excerpt)

(a few of the other headlines from the front page)

(a public meeting on expenses related to a new roadway from 6th St. to the Snow Hill Road)

      

(elsewhere in the newspaper)

(Reader comment)

 Anonymous said...

I actually remember when local loggers used teams of mules to haul logs out of the forest to trucks to be loaded for the mill. It was in the late '50s, only 3 miles from downtown Pocomoke City, and when the loggers had gone home for the evening my neighbor and I would climb into the corral and ride the mules.

(The Empire Theater preceded the Marva and Fox Theaters in Pocomoke City and was located on the southwest corner of Market and Front Streets.)

(Even $45 would seem an out of reach price for an average worker of this era, many whose salary in a small town area such as Pocomoke City might have been in the range of $20 to $35 weekly. In 1921 the highest percentage of income tax returns nationwide reported a yearly income of $1,000 to $2,000 annually. The next highest percentage of returns reported yearly income of $2,000 to $3,000. Obviously the above merchant appealed to higher income clientele. The graphic below would be more representative of clothing prices for the general public of the time.)  

ACROSS THE USA

 WEEKEND BREAKING NEWS: No in-school class attendance at Worcester County public schools week of Jan 4.

View news story:

Worcester Co. no longer returning in-person on Monday after health dept. advises otherwise - 47abc (wmdt.com)

View 1/2/21 statement from Superintendent Lou Taylor. 

http://worcesterk12.org/district_leadership/superintendent_of_schools/superintendent_messages/january_2__2021_-_responsible_return_update

A NEW YEAR!

One hundred years ago as the calendar year changed from 1920 to 1921 Pocomoke City's newspaper, The Worcester Democrat, had this reflection on the new year. Some similarities to our new year 2021?

On this Sunday's Time Machine here at The Pocomoke Public Eye we'll feature news and ads from the first week in January, 1921 edition of the Worcester Democrat.

Covid-19 numbers at year's end...

 (Worcester County Department Of Health)

            

More mask photos!

 Submit you mask pictures to the City of Pocomoke Facebook page.

Jan 11 is new back to classroom date in Somerset

 View article:

www.wmdt.com/2020/12/somerset-co-schools-extend-in-person-school-closure/

Time Machine: 1921, 1889, Circa 1940, 1883.

 

December, 1921

Worcester Democrat 

December, 1921

                                                                      Worcester Democrat 

Footnote:   Just a few months away (April 22, 1922) was the most devastating fire in Pocomoke City's history destroying much of the business section and homes in the downtown area. 

January, 1889

Peninsula Enterprise

Circa 1940

Excerpt- Social entertainment in New Town (now Pocomoke City) in the early to mid 1800's 

...the dance was a favorite source of social enter- 

tainment in the early history of New Town. There were 

three classes of characters, which I shall describe, partici- 

pating in this amusement. First, the first citizens ot the 

town engaged in it. Sometimes it was the result of a 

wedding, a cotton picking, quilting, or it may have been a 

special dancing party. I am not now describing the balls 

held at hotels where a gentleman and lady could enter by 

paying the entrance fee, but social dances held at private 

houses for amusement. The host and hostess would pro- 

vide such - things as wines, liquors, candies, cake and 

tropical fruit to make the entertainment as enjoyable as 

possible. The invited guests would assemble after candle 

light. They were composed chiefly of single persons, but 

sometimes there would be a small sprinkling of married 

ones also. An expert fiddler would be engaged. All 

things being ready and the parties on the floor, the fiddler 

having his fiddle well tuned, would draw his bow at full 

length, when a feeling of exhilaration would go through 

the room like electricity. The parties now engaged in a 

four or eight-handed reel. Oh! what a tine time there 

was. The cotillions, waltzing, capering, parties passing 

each other on the floor, crossing and around the room, 

cutting the pigeon wing, etc. After that reel was over the 

hat would be passed around to take a collection for the 

fiddler, for that was the way he was paid for his services. 

Then another party would be made up and after the dance 

the hat was passed around again, and so the night was 

spent till or near the break of day. When they would get 

weary and laint they would keep their spirits up by pouring 

spirits down. At such places of hilarity many a young 

lady's heart and hand has been wooed in marriage. 

Secondly. The lower class of society in the country, 

both of men and women, would attend the holidays in 

New Town. On those occasions they assembled at the 

hotels and engaged in the dance, and some of the same 

order of men in New Town would participate with them. 

It would be a novel sight at the present day to see such a 

gathering ol men and women at a hotel engaged in a 

regular hoe down, such as was practiced then. 

Thirdly. This class would be the colored people. They 

would assemble in town from all the surrounding country. 

They would construct booths on the hill or public square, 

in which they would have for sale cakes, candies, cider, 

beer and tropical fruits. They would have all sorts of 

jollity, boxing, wrestling, pitching quoits, dancing after the 

riddle and pattywhack. This word pattywhack of itself 

is unmeaning, hence I shall be under the necessity of 

explaining the process of the dance in this way. The 

company would be in the open air on the hill . The leader 

in this amusement would pat with his hands and stamp 

with his foot while the rest would dance. The leader 

would use some outlandish expression in song, such as the 

following : 

"Juber up and Juber down, 

Juber all around de town. 7 ' 

And when they would reach the climax, he would sing- 

out with an extended voice ■ 

" Jump over double trouble Juber." 

Then such antics and gymnastics as the dancers would 

perform with their hands and feet, keeping time with the 

leader, as would be truly diverting to the reader could he 

behold such a performance now. Another song which 

they would sing in their dances was: 

"Possum up de gum bush, 

Raccoon in de holler. 

Saddle on de gray mare, 

Martingil and collar." 

I have endeavored to spell their words as they would 

pronounce them, Late in the afternoon, they would be 

seen with their little bundle of cakes, getting ready to start 

for home. Thus the day closed with them.

PPE Footnote: "The Hill" (i.e. Public Square) was a high mound at the foot of Market Street.