Long ago: What was happening in Parkville
By Celeste Breitenbach
news@timesheraldnews.com
During the first week of 1940, a fire that started in the kitchen destroyed the house on Taylor Avenue just behind the southwest corner of Harford Road.
This house had been given to Sam Matthews by Simon J. Martenet, who gave Parkville its name.
Sam, born a slave on the Cole Estate (where Woodcroft now stands) served as a servant-caretaker on Martenet’s Parkville property after the Civil War.
His descendants continued to live in the house until the fire.
Here are some other important dates in Parkville history:
January 1955 – Woodcroft Civic Association held its first election of officers.
January 10, 1971 – The Parkville-Carney Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library system opened at 9509 Harford Rd. in a new split-level structure with a ramp entrance for people in wheelchairs – the first for the county’s library system.
The new library boasted a total book stock of 49,000 volumes and 175 different magazines and newspapers. During its first year of operation it reported a 13.4-percent increase in circulation, the largest increase in the county.
January 1974 – Parkville-Carney Library added audio cassettes to its collection as part of an experiment to test the feasibility of circulating this type of media. The cassettes included recordings of popular rock, folk and classical music, instructional courses, children’s stories, plays, Broadway and old-time radio shows.
January 23, 1974 – Parkville Library Association’s president, Marilyn Ryan, was appointed to the Board of Library Trustees for Baltimore County.
January 1978 – In a survey conducted by the Board of Education throughout Baltimore County, Parkville Junior High School students voted against a breakfast program at the school.
Only 7 percent responded they would always be interested in buying breakfast; 12 percent said they would buy most of the time; 36 percent said sometimes and 45 percent never.
February 10, 1895 – The new (second building) Hiss Methodist Church was dedicated. The minister was the Rev. Joseph P. Wilson.
February 4, 1911 – Permission was granted to have St. John’s Lutheran Church wired for electric lights.
February 1926 – The new 12-room Parkville Elementary School on the southeast corner of Harford Road and Hiss Avenue was dedicated with much festivity. Because it was soon overcrowded, 12 more rooms were added in 1929.
February 6, 1945 – A meeting was held at Harford Park Community Association to organize Boy Scout Troop 98.
February 1954 – The first issue of Parkville Senior High School’s publication, The Pioneer, was handed out.
February 1971 – People for Community Action Inc. began with a group of students from Parkville Senior High School seeking a constructive response to the needs of youth in the community. The students focused on the growing drug crisis. A program was begun with recreational activities, drug education and counseling services to close the gap in communication between youth and parents.
February 1974 – The Pope Paul VI award was initiated for outstanding Catholic Archdiocesan Boy Scout troops. The new award was brought to Parkville by St. Ursula Troop 26.
February 11-16, 1978 – Parkville Senior High celebrated Silver Anniversary Week with a full week of festivities and special activities.