Allegany County Maryland--History

Ruth Franklin was in the first graduation class of the Frederick Street School, for blacks, in 1923. In 1927 she became the first local teacher hired at that school, which in 1941 became known as Carver High School.

Ruth Franklin was regarded by her supervisor at the Board of Education as one of the most outstanding teachers in Allegany County. Upon the complete integration of Allegany County public schools in 1959 Ruth Franklin relocated to Allegany High School until her retirement in 1966.

Her obituary from the Cumberland Times-News:

James Fanto Deetz, 1930 - 2000, and "Parting Ways", the Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts.

James Deetz was born in Cumberland and in 1948 graduated from Fort Hill High School. He was known around school and the community for his love of bird watching, butterfly collecting, and thespian pursuits. Dr. James Deetz received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Harvard, and in his own words was "an early case of affirmative action, providing for the admission of hillbillies to Ivy League institutions."

The Carver High's last graduating class, 1955

The upper photograph depicts the last class that graduated from Cumberland's Carver High School. The year was 1955 and the names are as follows:
Front row, left to right: Herman Washington, Genevieve Cole, Paul Washington, Ann Hunter and Frank Page.
Back row, left to right are: Lester Frazier, James "Sonny" Courtney, Robert Lewis and Wayne Stewart. Missing at the time the photograph was taken is Elizabeth Ann Lee.

---
Frederick Street School alumni, 1978

Depicted here in Carver High School's shop class are, from left to right, Leo Beckwith, John Cooper, Robert Redman, Mr. Charles Watermann (the teacher), and Joseph Lewis.

Carver School

It was in the year 1918 that Cumberland High School was opened. This was a high school for blacks located on Mechanic Street and was organized as a two-year curriculum, with a four-year course of study initiated the following year. Increasing enrollments resulted in the opening of a new school on Frederick Street in 1922. There was some controversy within the community that such a nice facility would be provided for black students. For this reason, publicity surrounding the new, "Frederick Street School" as it became known, was downplayed for some time.

Carver Prom

Carver High School Dance Band, 1954

When Carver High School opened, there were no music, chemistry, or foreign language classes offered. Classes were offered in English, Home Economics, shop, trigonometry, physics, social studies, algebra, and biology. The students were disciplined and worked hard to please the Carver teachers. Parents played a very active role and there was no partaking in alcohol, drugs, or violent behavior. School books and sports uniforms were "hand-me-downs" from the other local high schools.

Carver Elementary School Teachers

This photograph depicts the elementary teachers of Carver School in 1942, along with the school principal. By 1942, Carver was a twelve-year school for black children in the greater Cumberland area. With the coming of integration in the mid to late 1950's, the school would eventually close. In 1961 the Carver School became the first location of Allegany Community College, now Allegany College of Maryland.

Chester "Leroy" Carter

Chester Carter was among the early African-American graduates of Frostburg's Beall High School following integration. Chester, or "Chet" as he was known, graduated from Beall in 1960 along with fellow African-Americans Valentina Jane Ball and Frederick Hall.