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Overlooked


 

Advance warning: this is going to be a bumpy ride. If you have ever wondered exactly what my thought process looks like, this may be educational. - - jam

*****

This morning I saw a post on Instagram from County Executive Calvin Ball about an elementary school anniversary. Oh, of course, that event yesterday at West Friendship, I thought.

But it wasn’t.

This weekend, we celebrated a momentous milestone for another beloved Howard County school. For 70 years, Guilford Elementary has been a beacon of learning and growth in Columbia—shaping generations of students to lead with empathy, responsibility, and kindness.

 With music from the chorus and orchestra, student speakers, heartfelt reflections from past and present educators, the celebration reflected the rich history and strong future of this school. Guilford’s mission to create a safe, collaborative environment and prepare students for a diverse and changing world is more important than ever.

 Thank you to Principal Stephanie Barber-Wehrman, the dedicated PTA, and all the staff, students, families, and alumni who make Guilford such a special place. You continue to be role models for every student that ROARS—with Respect, Ownership, Attitude, Responsibility, showing Empathy every single day.

 Here’s to the past 70 years, and to the next 70, and beyond, of growing, learning, and always being kind.

Images from Howard County Government social media 


I felt a pang of regret. Why hadn’t I noticed this event when I was doing my usual Saturday morning search? It felt thoughtless and sloppy to have elevated West Friendship’s celebration while omitting the one at Guilford. Is it possible that the Guilford event wasn’t posted in the places I usually look, or (worse) did my eyes just gloss over it without stopping to truly pay attention?

I don’t know.

I went to Facebook to see if I could find out more. I didn’t find any promotional post in advance of the event. But I did find the following by local historian Wayne Davis:

The First Public Schools in Guilford (and the Last), Wayne Davis, Friends of Guilford History, 2021

Davis’s post is on the long side but I’d encourage you to read it if you don’t know the history of Guilford Elementary. I didn’t. To pique your interest, I want you to understand that this is the kind of information that the current administration in Washington would like to suppress. 

Go ahead, check out the link. I’ll wait.

Did you know all that? I shouldn’t be surprised but I was disgusted. 

Now here’s where my brain took a left turn. I’ve been wondering about an upcoming event at Vantage Point that caught my eye. I saved the photo so I wouldn’t forget.

Image from Columbia Patch


Historians Reveal Howard County’s “Erased Past” in Vantage Point Show, Jean Moon 

And who are the historians? Nathan S. Davis and Wayne S. Davis, authors of Hidden History of Howard County. Of particular interest to me, Wayne Davis is the author of the piece about public schools in Guilford that I shared above. 

I’ve been trying to decide how to write about their event (Tuesday, April 8, 7-8 p.m., in the Vantage Point auditorium) because my brain got stuck on two terms:

  • erased past
  • hidden history 
Which is it? I wondered. Is is hidden or erased? They don’t mean the same thing, do they? We often talk about things which are “lost to history.” What I am seeing here is something different. Something done on purpose. 

And that’s where my brain got stuck. Until I went down a rabbit hole trying to find out why I completely overlooked the 70th anniversary of Guilford Elementary School. Now I feel that somehow it’s all connected.

Hmm.


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