Friends of the Ellicott City Colored School Restored is establishing a variety of programs
for all age groups and for all who seek to know themselves and to bring balance to the history
of the development of Howard County. These programs are designed to be both entertaining
and educational.
A major initiative of the ECCSR will be the dissemination of information to those who seek to
research family and local history. The Central Maryland Chapter of the Afro-American
Historical and Genealogical will hold its monthly meetings at the ECCSR on the second
Saturday of each month. A variety of subjects will be covered and speakers on a myriad of
research subjects will be present. The meetings will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. (Unless
otherwise announced), and the topics will be published and disseminated
throughout Howard County.
In addition, the ECCSR will provide information on genealogical research through its
growing genealogical library and on Tuesday and Saturdays when a genealogist will be
available to provide one- on-one assistance to anyone seeking assistance.
Periodically, beginning and advanced workshops will be held.
Exhibits and seminar series will focus on the African-American contributions to the
development of Howard County and our nation. Exhibits will feature the US Colored
Troops of the Civil War, families of Howard County, The Black Baseball Leagues and a
myriad of other topics. A special focus on education in Howard County is on the horizon.
Students in the public school will be welcomed to a day at the ECCSR where they will
have hands on experiences at old desks. Elementary students will be able to take their
spelling lessons on individual chalk boards, have recess playing games played by former
students of the school, and use items from "Grandma's Trunk". Middle School students
will be able to write with ink using straight pens, view old photographs and discuss life
at the turn of the century with an elder.
In addition, the ECCSR will be open for visits by the general public on Tuesday from
11 am until 1pm, on Saturday from 11 am to 2pm and by appointment.
Tours of spotlighting the African American experience in Howard County will be offered to
the general population. Tour guides will be trained to discuss slavery, industry and the
development of the railroad, Blacks in the Civil War, the history of Black churches. Stops
may include the Banneker Park and Museum in Oella, the Howard County Center of
African American History and Culture, the Harriet Tubman High School, and other
places of interest.
Tours will be offered to other historical places in Maryland , Virginia , and Pennsylvania.
These may include Sotterley in Southern Maryland, Monticello and Mt. Vernon in Virginia,
and tours of Baltimore, and Philadelphia. These tours will serve as fund raisers.
College students throughout Maryland will be invited to serve as interns. Assignments
would include research on African Americans in Maryland and especially Howard County,
developing and implementing oral history projects, and preparing publications. The
develop of computerized data useful to the researcher on Howard County is greatly
needed and could be performed by a student well versed in computer usage. Such data
would include introductions to accessing data from major institutions such as the National
Archives and the Library of Congress, Howard County vital statistics, introductions to
court records and abstracts of genealogical articles.
The Institute named for a Howard Countian who was awarded the Congressional Medal
of Honor for his service during the Civil War, will provide seminars, lectures, videos, and
demonstrations relevant to periods of history: The Colonial Period, the Revolutionary War
Period, The Civil War and Aftermath, The Jim Crow Era, The Civil Rights Era, and Howard
County before Columbia. Another objective is to provide an introduction to the geography
and history of Africa.
Another initiative is to offer the crafts mastered by African women and which sustained
African Americans as they raised their families. Doll-making, quilting, basic sewing
techniques, crochet and knitting lessons will be offered on demand.
Beginning with oral history interviews with former teachers and students of the Ellicott
City Colored School, we will seek to develop oral histories relating to education in Howard
County. Training for interviewers will take place periodically. This project could be a long
lasting one depending on funding. The tapes should be valuable to historians, public libraries
and historical societies.
Plans for a variety of programs continue as volunteers emerge. Among these are Oldies
But Goodies Night, storytelling sessions, and listening to and discussing the works
of African American musicians. |
