DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST (Historic Sites Survey) var.d., MSA SE16-1, Image No: se16-1-0007

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST
(Historic Sites Survey) var.d.
MSA SE16-1

Image No: se16-1-0007 Enlarge and print image (79K)

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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST
(Historic Sites Survey) var.d.
MSA SE16-1

Image No: se16-1-0007 Enlarge and print image (79K)

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NFS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-66) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Hampstead School (CARR-1267) National Register of Historic Places _ _ . . —, , Name of Property Continuation Sheet Carroll County, MD Section 8 Page _J_ County and State SUMMARY SIGNIFICANCE The Hampstead School, constructed in 1919 and 1939, is a good example of centralized schools that Maryland's early 20 century school consolidation created. Until 1956, it housed students from first grade through high school. Designed and constructed by local builder N. Claud Erb, the school illustrates the importance of public education in the first half of the 20* century. The Hampstead School meets National Register Criterion A because of its association with early 20* century education in rural Carroll County. Its period of significance ends in 1951, the year Black and Decker opened its nearby plant, resulting in population growth that quickly overwhelmed the school's capacity. HISTORICAL NARRATIVE Evolution of Education in Maryland and Carroll County Carroll County was created in 1837 from portions of Frederick and Baltimore Counties. Although the first white settlers were English and Scottish, the Pennsylvania Germans quickly arrived in large numbers and established a strong cultural presence.2 Throughout most of its history, Carroll County's economy depended on agriculture and agriculture-related milling: grain production during the early 19 century, grain and dairy production during the late 19 century, and dairy, poultry and feed crop production during the 20 century.3 The village of Hampstead was laid out in 1786 but did not grow significantly until the Hanover Railroad came through in 1879.4 The village was the largest settlement in the Hampstead voting and school districts. Although the Maryland General Assembly made numerous attempts to establish a system of free public education, Carroll County and other counties subsisted on a decentralized system of private and parochial schools and a handful of small public schools until after the Civil War.5 In 1849, Carroll County passed an act establishing public primary schools and dividing the limited state funds among the districts according to school-age population. The results, however, were largely inadequate.6 In 1864, however, Article 8 of the new state Constitution mandated "a uniform, centralized system of tax-supported public schools".7 This led to the Public School Law of 1865, which established the State Board of 2 Scharf, J. Thomas. History of Western Maryland, 891. 3 Historical Society of Carroll County. The First 150 Years: A Pictorial History of Carroll County, Maryland, 2. 4 Scharf, 892. 5 The colonial assembly passed acts in 1694, 1719, 1720, and 1723 encouraging counties to establish free public schools and allowing very limited taxation for that purpose. The first state appropriations for schools were approved by the Maryland General Assembly in 1812, and the first direct taxations for education as well as the appointment of county school commissioners began in 1816. In 1826, a general school law advocating the Lancasterian system passed the General Assembly but required ratification by the counties. Carroll County did not adopt the system. Throughout this entire period, funds were never sufficient to establish a widespread system of public schools in the state. (Brugger, Robert J. Maryland, A Middle Temperament, 76; Maryland State Normal School at Towson. A History of Education in Maryland, 18-19; Maryland Writers' Project. Maryland: A Guide to the Old Line State (1940), 99-102; Warner. Carroll County Maryland, 61-62). b Maryland State Normal School at Towson, 22. 7 Brugger. 307-308.