August 4

In ceremonies rivaling any that had gone before on the campus of Hood College, the cornerstone was laid on October 12, 1940, for the Joseph Apple, Jr., Library. Dr. Henry Stahr, who had succeeded Dr. Apple as the college's president, gave the principal address, in which he outlined the project which led to the laying of the cornerstone.

But who was Dr. Apple, this man who served the college for 41 years. The Civil War, which had such a great impact on Frederick County, had been concluded just months before his birth on August 4, 1865. He was to have as significant an influence on the future of Frederick as did that war.

Apple, the first president of Hood, was born in Rimersburg, PA., the fifth son of prominent educators. He was to follow in his parents' footsteps, but attain far greater success and renown.

After graduating from college first in his class at Franklin and Marshall, he became a high school administrator. In 1893, the Potomac Synod of The Reformed Church selected the 32-year-old Apple to be the president of the fledgling Women's College of Frederick. He would remain in that position until July 1, 1934, completing 41 years of continuous service.

He began his presidency on East Church Street, at what is today Winchester Hall. In 1913 the college changed its name to Hood and made plans to move to the 28-acre Groff Park property on Rosemont Avenue. From then until 1930, the college constructed 14 buildings while continuing to use Winchester Hall as dormitories.

Apple also established the college's academic reputation in rapid fashion. Through his leadership Hood College received accreditation.

In 1933 he was ordained and frequently was the guest preacher at local churches. He was a mason and a charter member of the local Rotary Club.

He died January 17, 1948, and, after elaborate services at Brodbeck Hall on the college campus, was buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.

August 11

For some reason doctors and dentists in Frederick seem to practice for a long time. There was Dr. B. O. Thomas, who remained as county medical examiner well into his 80s. And there was Dr. George Joseph Snowball who practiced dentistry from 1913 to 1970 and who retired at age 92.

However, both men were surpassed by Dr. Thomas Eader. He set up his dental practice in the Etchison Building on South Market Street in 1882. He remained there until 1907 when he moved to 40 North Market Street, where he remained until his retirement at age 92. On August 11, 1952, he announced he would retire at the end of the month.

Dr. Eader was a Frederick native. After graduation from The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery in 1882, he opened his practice here and never looked back. His friendship with Dr. Edward McSherry, he often said, led him to the dental profession.

He was active in the community and kept up with the advances in the practice of dentistry. He was the organist and choir director at Evangelical Lutheran Church for a generation. He was a charter member and charter president of the Frederick County Dental Society, and he headed the Free Dental Clinic from 1925-1930. The latter organization provided free dentistry to everyone who couldn't afford to go to a dentist otherwise.

Throughout his career he missed only two days in the office because of illness. He prided himself on that, and even bragged about it.

Dr. Eader was born April 4, 1860, the son of Augustus and Ann Eader. He was married in 1884 to Catherine Ebert, and was the father of five children.

On December 8, 1952, just over three months after his retirement, he fell at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Helen Johnson, on Clarke Place, and was hospitalized. He died the following Sunday, December 14.

August 18

On August 18, 1940, four young men who would later become prominent Fredericktonians, narrowly escaped death in a boating accident on the Potomac River at Seneca.

W. Clinton McSherry, Jr., his brother James McSherry, John Motter, and Charles Price were like so many other rambunctious youngsters in 1940. One Sunday they decided to borrow the motor boat of Dr. Ridgeley Baer and do some aquaplaning on the Potomac near Seneca in Montgomery County.

Late in the afternoon the motor sputtered and quit. None of the boys could restart the motor, and for some unknown reason they had failed to bring an anchor.

Above the rapids they lost complete control of the boat and it began to take on water. Just below the rapids they managed to pull the boat toward a midstream island and grab a clump of bushes.

Clint McSherry was of slight build and Charlie Price was unable to swim. Motter and Jim McSherry told Clint and Charlie to hold onto a sturdy bush while they went for help. They were aware that the river was rising as a result of recent thunderstorms.

Raymond Riley and Lorenza Sager, Jr., of Seneca, observed the plight of the boys and set out in a rowboat from the Maryland shore. They reached Clint McSherry and Price and pulled them into their boat.

But Motter and Jim McSherry had disappeared downstream, but were rescued by two men from Virginia.

The next day future Delegate to the General Assembly Julian Delphey and Raymond Riley of Seneca recovered the sunken boat and motor about 150 yards below the rapids.

All four rescued young men later became prominent in the Frederick community. Clint McSherry became a banker, but was murdered after he retired by two young men he befriended. Jim McSherry became a lawyer, as did Charlie Price, who served as legal council to the Frederick County Board of Education for a generation. John Motter was actively involved in the daily operations of The Credit Bureau of Frederick well into the 21st Century.

August 25

We usually think of Nor'easter storms striking the New England area. In August 1933, such a storm wreaked havoc in Frederick County, destroying buildings and crops alike.

For nearly two days (the 24 and 25th) in late August of 1933, the storm raged in and around Frederick. More than 5 inches of rain fell. Winds howled, blowing down farm buildings and carrying straw bundles several miles.

The Monocacy River rose to the floor of most of its bridges. Fortunately none were so severely damaged as to make them impassable. But the loss of farm crops was devastating in the middle of the Depression.

Near Ceresville, three Washingtonians nearly lost their lives when their car was swept away by the waters of Israel Creek. Paul Sample, a secretary to Indiana Senator Frederick Van Nuys, Will G. Beardslee, special assistant to the U. S. Attorney General, and O. T. Englehart, had passed through town earlier in the day to have a "Frederick County chicken dinner" at Libertytown.

On the way back their car was flooded by rising waters. The trio managed to climb onto a willow tree and hang on. Later in the night Beardslee swam to safety and called city police and a rescue commenced.

Officers Ralph Kline and Robert Nicodemus broke into the city's bathhouse and obtained a canoe. They drove to Ceresville where they then paddled against the current of the rising Monocacy to rescue the pair still clinging to the tree.

This storm also created a huge backwash of the Monocacy into the Carroll Creek and flooded Frederick’s downtown area.