University of Maryland Eastern Shore Campus - Hawk Yearbook (Princess Anne, MD)

Page 7 text:

4 |- -; ■ The first teachers of Olney were Benjamin O. Bird, who was prin- cipal, his wife Portia and an assis- tant, Jacob C. Dunn. For many years the Birds and Dunn worked faithfully for the school and the sur- rounding community. In 1897 Bird died and was buried on the campus after his funeral services, which were held at Metropolitan Methodist Church right in Princess Anne. In 1940 Crystal Bird Fauset, daughter of Benjamin Bird, and a former member of the Pennsylvania Legislature, dedicated a new mechanic arts building in memory of her father. That building still stands and is known as Bird Hall. The con- struction of this building and two other buildings was financed by Federal funds.

Page 6 text:

UMES, formally known as Maryland State College, was founded in 1886. Its first classes were held in a colonial type building called Olney. Built in 1 798 by Ezekial Haynie, the building stood in the center of the campus for many years. It was said to have been the oldest building on any campus for black students during that time. In 1886 the first thirty-seven students came to Olney. They brought with them not only an eagerness and enthusiasm to learn but a definite desire to improve the school and the surrounding grounds. From the time they arrived, they were immediately set to making repairs on Olney.

Page 8 text:

UMES has had several names throughout its histon;, all of which seem to reflect the types of programs offered at the school or the type of programs under which the school was run, names such as the Industrial Branch of Morgan College, Delaware Conference Academy, Princess Anne Academy and many others. During its early years of existence, most of the financial aid of the school came from various Methodist Conferences. However, most of the financial support after 1900 came from Federal land-grant funds under the Morrill Acts and the Nelson Amendments. By 1936 the school had transformed from high school to college. This major change was brought about by Frank J. Trigg and Thomas Kiah. Trigg served as principal from 1902 until 1910. He was successful at gaining the Academy high recognition and thus placing it among the better black schools of that time. A native of the Eastern Shore, Kiah served as Principal from 1910 until 1930. Dur- ing his years as principal, the role of the Academy as high school was eclisped by the development of public secondary education. However, due to the increase of free public education in Maryland the enrollment after World War I dropped tremendously and continued to decline in the years that followed.