January 1970
A high school for Columbia
"March Is Target Date For Selection Of Wilde Lake High School Builder
"The builder of the Wilde Lake High School will be chosen in March, a spokesman for the Howard County Department of Education said last week — 'hopefully.'
"All bids — on the 'lump sum' of the contract — must be received by January 28. The education department began advertising for bidders January 5.
"Occupancy date of the new school is still targeted for September 1971, a date which requires a construction start in 'early spring,' according to Donald J. Begeny, supervisor of county school facilities and planning. It was Begeny who provided the $2.6 million figure, as the 'most current estimate' of the construction cost.
"'Rated capacity' of the school, for which plans were made final last summer, is a maximum 1,350 students, the school planner said."
January 1940
Fire hits newspaper office
"Midnight Fire Razes Offices In Times Building; Trio Escapes From Window As Staircase Blazes; Post Office Unharmed
"Prompt action of the local fire company saved The Times building, housing The Ellicott City Times, the post office and the offices of Melville Scott and Sons from complete destruction last Thursday night.
"The fire, which was attributed to a short circuit in the furnace room of the building, started shortly before midnight. Fortunately, P.G. Stromberg, publisher of The Times, Charles W. Meade, auditor, and Griffith Stromberg, were still in the building and discovered the blaze. A few minutes after they notified the fire department, the blaze was under control. Damages are estimated at $3,000, which is completely covered by insurance.
"Billows of smoke were rising from the staircase when Mr. Stromberg detected the blaze. By the time he had summoned the firemen, the stairs were in flames. He and his associates were forced to make their escape from a window in the rear of the building.
"Through somewhat hampered by an auto parked directly in front of the nearest fire hydrant, Chief Harry Shipley and his men had the fire under control within 20 minutes."
January 1915
A 'bad' outhouse
"Bad Conditions Quickly Remedied; Unsanitary Condition Of The High School As Reported To County Commissioners By Several Delegations Will Be Attended To At Once, Commissioners Having Found State Of Affairs As Reported.
"During the heavy rain last Tuesday morning, President Earp of the Board of County Commissioners, accompanied by Messrs. Louis T. Clark, Edgar Wamsley and Jacob Kirn, Sr., made a visit of inspection to the high school property in Ellicott City for the purpose of gaining firsthand knowledge of sanitary and lighting conditions.
"The day was certainly an ideal one for the trip and there is no doubt but that some of the conditions which were complained of will be quickly remedied. The gentlemen were met at the school by County Superintendent Phillips, who piloted them around.
"The closet in the yard was found to be in a decidedly bad condition and Mr. Kirn was called on to lead the use of his large experience to map out the most feasible plan for the disposal of the sewage. He will present his suggestions to the County Commissioners at their meeting."
They had those "closets," aka outhouses, around for a long time in rural county areas, even in some areas not so rural. I remember outhouses still being around the area in the 1970s; their eventual demise a flush of victory!