Smithsburg High School - Leopard Yearbook (Smithsburg, MD)

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3? I ma ma fer K In the early years of the nineteenth century, a group of pupils assembled in a small stone building located where the Western Maryland Railroad crosses Main Street. The site of the building had been deeded for a school by Frederick Unger, one of the progressive citizens of Smithsburg. The people built the school and paid tuition so their children could attend. In this pioneer fashion the education svstem of Smithsburg began. For a time the school was conducted by Mr. Unagst, and after his resignation Mr. George Pearson was appointed to the position. Mr. Pear- son was one of the most successful teachers. His discipline was severe, but his subjects were thoroughly taught. His superior instruction en- abled many of his pupils to enter college as juniors, skipping both fresh- man and sophomore years, The subjects taught included the familiar reading, writing, and arithmetic, as wellas more advanced work such as Latin, Greek, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. The first railroad was built through Smithsburg in 1869, and the school was torn down. Until the construction of a new building, school was continued in rooms rented in the town. The new building was erected along the Cavetown Pike. After sev- eral years, with this building in need of extensive repairs and with a greatly increased attendance, it was decided that a new and larger school was needed. In the latter part of the l800's, afour room, two storybrickbuilding was constructed on the site of the present high school, and Mr. Pearson continued as principal until his retirement in 1884. W 1 I