When Pocomoke Was Young- A continuing weekly feature.

 

(Chapter flow:)

ITS ORIGIN AND TOWN LIMITS

TOWN LIMITS

GROWTH, CHANGE OF NAME, ETC.

MERCANTILE ASPECT

MANUFACTURING

TRADES ETC.

SHIPPING INTERESTS

EASTERN SHORE STEAMBOAT CO.

SHIP BUILDING ETC.

HOTELS, LIVERY STABLES, ETC.

PHYSICIANS

LAWYERS

POST OFFICE

PRINTING OFFICES

SOCIAL ASPECT, ETC.

MORAL ASPECT

TEMPERANCE CAUSE

SCHOOLS

CHURCHES

Note:  In duplicating this material for publishing on The Pocomoke Public Eye we have made minor adjustments to correct some of the spelling, punctuation, etc. We believe the errors were not in Rev. Murray's original writing but occurred in the process of formatting the material to a digital format for viewing online.

SCHOOLS (CONTINUED.) 

Mrs. Nettie O'Daniel was a native of Wilmington, Del., 
where she received a liberal public school education, and 
taught in the public schools of that city and in Pocomoke 
City High School, in Wyoming College, Del, and in 
Colorado. Mrs. O'Daniel was a lady of fine accomplish- 
ments and showed herself to great advantage in the school 
room as an educator. 

Miss Mary M. Hearn was also one of the first assistants 
in the High School. She was born in New Town, Md., 
on the 16th day of July, 1848. She went to school until 
she was fifteen years of age, after that she was educated 
by her father, Dr. John L. Hearn, at home. She was well 
qualified as a teacher and taught in the High School for 
nine years, when her health compelled her, by incessant 
application, to resign her position. Indeed, her feeble 
constitution was so worn down that although she continued 
teaching until vacation, then she yielded shortly after to 
the inevitable and passed away. Her death occurred 
Aug. 24th, 1875. Miss Hearn had a fine mind and an 
amiable disposition. She was raised right and adorned 
her name with a life worthy of imitation. 

Charles H. Council, Esq., is a native of Southampton' 
County, Va. He was educated at Richmond College, 
Virginia, and at Columbian College, D. C, at which latter- 
place he graduated. At school ten years in Vir- 
ginia before he came to this county. After coming here 
he taught two years at McMaster's School-house, two 
years at Pitt's Creek School-house, and has been engaged 
in the High School for about nine years, in which he is 
still engaged teaching. 

Mrs. Millie Primrose, daughter of Thomas F. Stevenson,. 
Esq., was born at Snow Hill, Md., and was educated at 
the Academy of that place. In 1869, she entered the 
High School of Pocomoke City to teach a primary 
class, and continued in that capacity until 1873. when she 
succeeded Miss Eudora E. Hay in the grammar class, and. 
has continued teacher of that room until the present. 

Mrs. Primrose is a lady of fine accomplishments and 
an efficient teacher. As an evidence of her efficiency, I 
will mention the fact, that she has been teaching in the- 
High School in Pocomoke City for thirteen years, nine 
years of which she has been in charge of the Grammar 
School Department without a rival for the position. An 
interesting item of rare occurrence, in connection with 
Mrs. Primrose is here inserted. She is a member of a 
family of five persons, representing five generations, and 
each one being the first born of each generation; their 

ages aggregating 276 years, all living in the same 
house, and all enjoying good health. 

John W. Murray succeeded Mrs. O'Daniel as teacher of 
the grammar school department in the High School of 
Pocomoke City. He was born in New Town, Worcester 
County, Md., on the 13th day of November, 1848. From 
his infancy he was delicate in health. He was educated at 
the Academy and High School of Pocomoke City, and at 
Dickinson College, Carlisle, Penn. He had an ambition 
to excel; he was studious and with a close application, 
made great progress in learning. He not only studied at 
school, but at home; also, he was the last member of the 
family to retire at night, and the first to arise in the morn- 
ing poring over his books. John was also a lover of 
home, and never seemed happier than when in the society 
of his mother. Touching remembrances of him come up 
before me as I write this article, which brings the tear 
unbidden from its place. Frequently in the family we 
would be discussing the subject of the hard struggles for an 
honorable livelihood, and the various casualties to which 
we might be subjected, when John would exclaim : "Moth- 
er," said he, "I intend to take care of you." To illustrate 
his industry I will mention an incident which has always 
been a great satisfaction to me. 

At a certain commencement, the scholars as was always 
the case, had their pieces to get by heart against the day 
of exhibition. On the day appointed the large building 
was crowded. John's turn came to speak. The piece 
assigned him was a declamation of a Roman General 
before the Roman Senate. As he approached the rostrum 
the principal remarked to the large audience that "Mr. 
Murray had only two weeks to translate that speech into 
English and commit it to memory besides attending to his 
other regular studies. He made the speech successfully, 
and in leaving the stand and while walking down the aisle 
to his seat, I noticed the eyes of all were upon him. I 
felt prouder that day to be the father of such a young 
man than the possessor of millions of money. After 
teaching at Stockton and in the High School in Pocomoke 
City, he went to Dickinson College to finish his education 
for he was ambitious to graduate with nothing short of the 
highest honors conferred upon a completion of a college 
course; but here his strength failed him, and he had to 
give up the struggle. He went to Arkansas to regain his 
health, but the trip only helped to shorten his days. He 
came home to his native place and lingered for two years 
with that fatal disease, Consumption, when, like the 
evening zephyr that hushes into silence at nightfall, he 
passed away in hope of a blissful immortality on the 27th 
day of April, 1873, in the 25th year of his age. 

Eulogies have been heaped upon him. After he received 
his certificate from the School Board of the county the 
examiner was in Pocomoke City and said he was an honor 
to his parents and a credit to his native town. One who 
was associated with him in school and knew well his 
knowledge of Latin and Greek, said to me that John could 
read Latin as fluently as he could read English. The 
principal of the High School and the president of Dickin- 
son College both spoke to me in high terms of his intellect 
and his acquirements. His text books of English, Latin, 
Greek, French and German, which I still keep as remi- 
niscences of him, remind me of the long hours he would be 
poring over them. 

Continues next Saturday here at The Pocomoke Public Eye.