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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper October 2018 Page 29
Catoctin High School — Continued from page 28
filed suit against the county started rising. The lowest bid that the school, costs continued to rise. interest that may have in a specific
commissioners and the county board came in was still $1 million more Board of Education President Mary branch of mathematics,” the News
of education. The complainants than the projected $2.4 million. Condon Hodgson presented a $2.7 reported.
included Emmitsburg Commissioner Officials began discussing how to million plan that was “stripped of Some of the resources in the lab
J. Norman Flax, Jr.; Chamber of bring the costs down. Wall-to-wall all frills” to the commissioners in for student use included computers,
Commerce Leader Bernard Boyle; carpeting and the pool topped the list February, only to have it rejected a film strips, and records.
and Chronicle publisher C. Arthur of things that could be eliminated, if second time. The school was also in a scenic
Elder. They wanted a site for the need be. Another suggestion was to The commissioners even location. “The school is being built
school closer to Emmitsburg and make the auditorium smaller. suggested that perhaps a new site to take advantage of the view—
were charging that an incorrect By 1967, the county should be chosen and the whole mounds of the Catoctin range on
decision had been made on purpose, commissioners still wouldn’t approve process started over. Forty acres two sides, the sprawling valley on
ignoring things that would have the budget. More cuts were asked for. southeast of Thurmont were another side, and a forested area on
made the midway location just as The Emmitsburg Town Council offered for free, but the Board of the fourth side. Even the trees of the
attractive as the Staub site. The state unanimously objected to the Education turned down the site, orchard that once covered the school
board of education heard the case in inclusion of a pool in the school. stating the two high schools needed property have been left within a few
May but still favored the Staub site, However, even if the pool were to to be consolidated and the new site yards of the school door,” the News
despite Emmitsburg’s arguments. be cut, it wouldn’t save the entire would take more time to develop, reported.
The planning for the new school $118,000 cost. thus opening old wounds between When students returned to
began, and in February 1966, the “The controversial swimming Emmitsburg and Thurmont that had Frederick County schools in the fall
plans were released. Catoctin High pool was accepted by the board started to heal. of 1968, students were still attending
would educate up to 1,000 students after they were informed that the “Mayor Guy A. Baker, Jr. of Emmitsburg High and Thurmont
in 122,000 square feet. It would pool would serve double duty as a Emmitsburg said the citizens of High. The organizations and sports
have an auditorium that seated 1,060 reserve water supply for the school’s that town would erupt in “open teams were starting to combine as
people, 41 teaching stations, a large sprinkler system as a swimming rebellion” if consideration is given Catoctin High, although Catoctin
gymnasium, an auxiliary gym, and pool,” the Frederick News reported. to changing the site for the school,” High was not yet operating.
cafeteria. Catoctin High was also to Without a pool serving that the Frederick News reported. When students began attending
be the first high school in the county purpose, a pond would need to be A $2.6 million plan was finally the new school on February 10,
to have a heated indoor pool. built to hold a water supply, and that agreed upon, and construction began 1969, Catoctin High’s history
The Hagerstown Morning Herald would cost $50,000 to $75,000. A in July 1967. “Ground-breaking was already starting to form. The
proclaimed, “The 1,000 student compromise was reached to move the ceremonies were held on July 28, Frederick News noted that Catoctin
capacity high school will be designed pool outside. 1967, and the first shovelful of earth High’s history “is a malleable piece
with futuristic educational facilities, Things seemed to be getting to the was turned over by Ross V. Smith, of clay that can be molded in to a
enabling students to receive lessons point that not much more could be a local citizen who is a member fine and finished product of beauty
and research material at home via cut from the plans without making of the Frederick County Board of and grace.”
microwave to television unit.” the school’s student capacity smaller. Education,” according to the first Now fifty years later, that clay has
The expected cost for all of this North County residents blamed Catoctin High School yearbook. been formed into a school of which
was projected to be $2.4 million. Thomas Johnson High School for Although much was stripped Northern Frederick County can be
The county board of education using up construction funds. out of the approved Catoctin High proud.
approved the preliminary plans in “We are being punished in School, it was noted that it would
March 1965, with a few—mostly Thurmont for the money spent have the first mathematics lab in the Advertise
cosmetic—changes. For instance, in Frederick. We are being taken county.
the slanted roof changed to a flat advantage of,” stated Thurmont “A portion of the mathematics in The Catoctin Banner
roof, redwood trim on the exterior Mayor Ray Weddle. laboratory will be devoted to
was eliminated, and oversized brick Even as the board of education individual study areas where the
instead of split rock was used on was trying to strip down plans for student may pursue on his own an Get Results! Full Color
the exterior. The Morning Herald Affordable
reported that the Town of Thurmont Effective
had to raise its sewer rates to • 301-447-2804 •
accommodate the increased needs of • [email protected] •
the school. The Catoctin Banner, serving Northern
The costs of the school soon Frederick County, Maryland, since 1995
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