Garrett County Schools Of Yesteryear Is Published; Result Of 16-Year Effort

courtesy Republican News


Aug. 14, 2008

Book-Signing Slated Aug. 23

by Mary Sincell McEwen

After completing a history project about area schools some 16 years ago, two retired teachers, Jean Williams Grose and Alice Feather Eary (above left and right) shared a vision. "Let's compile a book about all the schools of Garrett County," said one. "Do you think we'll live long enough to get it finished?" asked the other.

The answer is yes, and decidedly so. Eary and Grose now are the accomplished authors of Garrett County Schools of Yesteryear, a 670-page tome of stories, pictures, and rich history of the education system of the area from its very beginning. The book was published by Schlabaugh Publishing in Sugar Creek, Ohio, and is now available at the Garrett County Museum in Oakland.

The two writers will be available for a book-signing at the museum on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The production of the hardback book, priced at about $40 each, was funded by the Garrett County Historical Society, and all the proceeds from its sale will benefit that organization.

Both writers are members of Delta Kappa Gamma, a teachers' society. That group was hosting an exhibit at Garrett College in about 1992, and Eary and Grose said they were appointed ("more like drafted," Grose said, smiling) to compile a history of area schools for one part of the display. They became so engaged in the research that they decided to embark on the journey of finding out all they could about the entire history, and doing their best to preserve it in book form.

Their trek was long and arduous, with a number of obstacles. For one thing, the decision was made in about 1943 by the school board at the time to get rid of most minutes and records of the school system, as there was apparently no known need to keep them. So precious documents were indeed destroyed. However, Eary and Grose remained steadfast and found other resources, such as the back issues of The Republican newspaper.

"There was a wealth of school information in the newspaper," Eary said. "We just had to take the time to find it."

Over the years, she combed through issue after issue, with the help of the Ruth Enlow Library and its microfilm collection of the paper.

"There have been so many letters-to-the-editor dealing with the school system; some complaining, some praising. That helped. And there were many stories about pageants and events, too, at the schools. It took a long time, but I found a lot in the papers over the years," Eary said.

The two asked for the public's assistance in gathering any school information out there. At first, they said, the response was very slow. But as word spread about the project, more and more information began to flow in. The book features multiple photographs of the many area facilities, both staged pictures and candid. There are 20 chapters, 14 of which are specifically about the schools from Finzel to Kitzmiller and all in between. At one time, every small community throughout the county had its own one-room or two-room school. The book includes photos and information of facilities, teachers, and students, now long gone, as well as data about more current schools and their administrations.

Both women had a passion about the topic, as both were longtime teachers in the community. Eary began her career in 1951, teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Preston County, W.Va. After one year there, she moved on to Garrett County and taught at the Oakland Elementary School (Center Street) for seven years. Later, after her son was born, she taught for seven more years at Loch Lynn, and then settled in for 25 years at Southern High School, teaching business education. In all, she was a teacher for 40 years.

Grose began as a substitute, and then enjoyed the position enough to complete her degree and take a full-time position at Northern High School, teaching math. She remained a math teacher for 33 years, working at Northern, Southern, and Southern Middle. Both women said they loved their careers. The odyssey of the book has enhanced their retirement years.

"I feel a deeper connection with Garrett County now," Grose said. "Even though I am a West Virginian (having grown up in Romney), Garrett County is the place I know and the place I love."

Eary said one of the best aspects of completing the project was the way people wanted to help.

"It has been very gratifying the way people have shared pictures and memories and so on," she said. "We have been so touched by the generosity and willingness to help, and we are so pleased with the reception of the book we've already witnessed."

The two women, who both reside in the Cranesville, W.Va., area, attended an Oakland High School allclass reunion last week. They were barraged with requests to see the book, and actually sold several at the event.

"That was a surprise," Grose said. "We were selling them left and right."

The two have even had requests for the book at their church.

"It felt rather odd, selling books out of my car after the church service. I don't think that's very appropriate," Eary said, laughing. "But all the proceeds do benefit the historical society."

"We so appreciate the cooperation of Garrett Countians," Grose said. "Their enthusiasm has been rewarding."

The book lists a large number of individuals who helped with the project, and contains a forward written by Dr. Jerome Ryscavage, former superintendent of schools.

"We had a lot of help, with everything from gathering information to assistance with the computer," Eary said. She especially appreciated the help of her son, Matthew Eary, who helped create a program to aid in the compilation.

Robert Boal, president of the historical society, said the women have outdone themselves on the book.

"They absolutely have done a beautiful job with this," Boal said. "It will be of great interest to so many people."

Both women noted that there are still opportunities for anyone who has information about the history of public (or private) education in Garrett County but who were not able to pass it along before the publication of the book.

"If there are pictures or stories or information out there still, people may submit the data to the historical society," Eary said. "It can then be published in the Glades Star." (The Glades Star is a quarterly publication of the historical society.)

For more information about the book, persons may contact the museum at 301-334-3226.


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