Spring/Summer 2018
Cecil County Life
Magazine
Life to Lens:
The photography of John Dixon - Page 28
• A memoir of Sassafras Neck • Stepping back in time at Perry Point • Photo essay: Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center Complimentary Copy
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Spring/Summer 2018
Cecil County Life Table of Contents 8 20 28 36
Saluting a rich history
44 52 60
Pop’s book
70 79
A career in clay
Profile of Dr. D’ette Devine Life to Lens 70
Preventing, detecting, treating, and healing
79
En Garde! Photo essay Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center
The architecture of a very long and incredible dream
52 8 Cover design by Tricia Hoadley Cover photograph by Jie Deng
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Exploring many different facets of Cecil County life
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Letter from the Editor: Welcome to the summer 2018 issue of Cecil County Life. In this issue, many different facets of life in Cecil County are explored. We talk to Cecil County resident John Dixon about his photography, his company, Life to Lens Photography, and his work with the Cecil County Arts Council. So much of Dixon’s work is focused on the people and the world around him, and Cecil County is well-represented in his body of work. We also explore how Vincent Taylor, a long-time resident of Sassafras Neck, spent years documenting the life of a small town. After his passing, his children worked with book coach Michele Chynoweth to bring Taylor’s words to completion, and the result is an informative tale of life the way it used to be. At Perry Point, the distant past meets a bright future, and the broad sweep of history is everywhere. The VA Maryland Health Care System at Perry Point has opened a museum dedicated to the history of the area in the old grist mill on the property. The mill and mansion house on the property date back to the mid-1700s. Brenda Dedrick’s dream to build a tasting room at Chateau Bu-De Winery in Chesapeake City began years ago. Writer Richard Gaw talks to the owner about how that dream became a reality last October, and how the tasting room became a stunning centerpiece for a vision to bring wine lovers to the banks of the Bohemia. We visited the Modern Duelists Fencing Academy in Elkton, where pupils learn the finer points of competitive fencing. Fencing is currently growing in popularity. In this issue, we also profile superintendent of schools Dr. D’ette Devine, who is retiring from the Cecil County public school system after 42 years in education. In the story, “Preventing, detecting, treating and healing,” we talk to officials from the Union Hospital about how the hospital provides world-class cancer treatment close to home. This issue’s photo essay focuses on the Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center. We hope that you enjoy the stories as much as our writers and photographers enjoyed preparing them. We’re already hard at work on the next issue of Cecil County Life, which will arrive in the fall. As always, we look forward to hearing from you regarding any comments and suggestions for future stories.
Sincerely, Randy Lieberman, Publisher randyl@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553 Steve Hoffman, Editor editor@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553, ext. 13 Cover design by: Tricia Hoadley Cover photo: John Dixon www.cecilcountylife.com | Spring/Summer 2018 | Cecil County Life
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|Cecil County History|
Saluting a ric A grist mill at Perry Point holds a museum dedicated to veterans and the history of a remarkable property By John Chambless Staff Writer
A
t Perry Point, the distant past meets a bright future, and the broad sweep of history is everywhere. The VA Maryland Health Care System is busily adding new homes on the property, which has been a hospital and home for veterans since just after World War I. The complex covers some 397 acres, with modern medical facilities, its own bank and a post office, but the long history of the property is reflected in a stone grist mill that overlooks the open water, and a magnificent manor house, both of which were built in the 1700s. During a recent tour, Ming Vincenti, the community outreach coordinator for the VA Maryland Health Care System, showed off the museum inside the restored mill. “I’ve been here two and a half years, but we used to have a museum in one of the village houses that’s being redone now,” she said. “It was maybe a third of the size of this mill. In the 1970s, the mill and the mansion were put on Continued on Page 10
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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2018 | www.cecilcountylife.com
All photos by John Chambless unless otherwise noted
A restored mill is now a museum dedicated to the history of Perry Point.
ch history History is everywhere at Perry Point. This marker stands on the edge of the VA Center property.
Continued on Page 9
Ming Vincenti, the community outreach coordinator for the VA Medical Center, also oversees the museum at the site. www.cecilcountylife.com | Spring/Summer 2018 | Cecil County Life
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History Continued from Page 8
the National Register of Historic Places, so that means the government must maintain the property’s historic integrity and provide upkeep. The plan to renovate the building was in the works for years, and finally came to fruition, which thankfully prevented the mill from tumbling into the water. “On my first trip here in February 2016, work was still being done, and the stairwell and elevator were not in. Once renovations were complete, we opened on Veterans Day 2017.” The restoration of the building included replacing some perilously deteriorated beams – some of which are on display – and installing modern systems in the stone shell of the building. Visitors start on the lower level, which documents fascinating tidbits of the site’s earliest history. The first known inhabitants of the Perry Point peninsula were the Susquehannock Indians, who left stone arrow and spear points on the land as they hunted and fished there for untold centuries. In a display case are a few
Stone arrowheads found on the property may date back more than 2,000 years.
The Stumps were the last family to own the Perry Point property.
Perry Point Village was a self-sustaining community that housed generations of veterans.
Courtesy photo
A visit from a celebrity in the 1940s.
Courtesy photo The Stump family, seen here on the porch of the Perry Point mansion on the Fourth of July.
The mansion today, with the back porch enclosed.
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An elaborate ship model made by a VA Medical Center resident.
arrowheads, two of which were singled out by a recent visitor as possibly being about 2,000 years old, Vincenti said, so the occupation of Perry Point apparently goes back into prehistory. In about 1680, Lord Baltimore granted some 32,000 acres of land, including what was then called Susquehanna Point, to his cousin, George Talbot. Talbot discovered that John Bateman was already living on the Point, having acquired the land in 1658 by a patent from Lord Baltimore. In 1710, Captain Richard Perry acquired the land, but the Perry Point name predated him, and is mentioned in
Courtesy photo
Perry Point had all the amenities of a small town, including a library.
the land grant to John Bateman, earlier than 1658. A succession of families owned the land through the 1700s. The Thomas family built the mansion house, and also the mill, around 1750, using bricks that had been brought from England as ship ballast. The fact that a mill was constructed indicates that other families lived on the Point, but no trace of their homes has Continued on Page 12
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History Continued from Page 11
been found. Wheat and corn were grown on the sprawling property, and a stream – now gone – powered the mill wheel. During this era, Gen. George Washington was a frequent visitor, staying in the mansion house or at the nearby Rodgers Tavern, which still stands outside the VA Medical Center gate in Perryville. Legend has it that Washington was partial to the inn, which was the birthplace of John Rodgers, the founder of the American Navy. In 1800, John Stump
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Above: This child’s shoe was found during renovation work. Right: The Rodgers Tavern stands just outside the entrance to the Perry Point VA Medical Center.
purchased Perry Point, which at that time covered about 1,800 acres. During Stump’s ownership, British troops came up the Chesapeake Bay in the War of 1812, burning Havre de Grace, the Principio Iron Works, and a grist mill owned by Stump’s cousin, but for some reason they spared the mill and mansion at Perry Point. By that time, the grist mill had been overtaken by progress, and was probably used more for storage than milling grain. In the museum display case is a carved block with the Stump name, as well as handforged iron nails, a gnarled shoe and other objects recovered during an archeological dig. During the Civil War, the U.S. Government took over Perry Point and used it as a
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Continued on Page 14
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History Continued from Page 12
training station for military mules. The officers who lived in the mansion shared space for a time with the Stump family, a situation that became impossible. The family moved to Harford County until the end of the war, returning to find the mansion ransacked, the ornate railing ripped out for firewood, and the farm neglected. Many of the family’s slaves, however, stayed on the property and became hired workers on the restored farm. A rail line was put
The mansion has been meticulously restored for modern use.
through the property in around 1854, and the line is still vital, carrying commuters across the Susquehanna and through Perryville. In 1918, the U.S. Government purchased the estate – now 516 acres – from the Stump heirs for $150,000 and set up a manufacturing plant for ammonium nitrate, used as an explosive in World War I. The Atlas Powder Company built a huge facility and 300 homes to house its employees. Soon after the plant began operating, however, the war ended and explosives Continued on Page 16
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History Continued from Page 14
were no longer needed. Perry Point was repurposed by the U.S. Public Health Service as a hospital for veterans and others. In the 1920s, the U.S. Above: The steps on the first two floors have inlaid diamond shapes as decorations. Veterans Bureau took over Perry Point, and the complex Right: The railing in the mansion stairway had to be replaced after the original was has expanded ever since as a used for firewood by Union soldiers. VA Medical Center. But the history of the property is a fascinating lure for visitors, and the new museum is open to the public. Visitors can see some of the original mill beams, which have faint writing on them, including a legible name, J. Wills, and other markings that may be colonial graffiti. Young visitors can touch some of the objects, including a partial wooden gear from the mill. On the first floor of the museum, the focus shifts to the years when the Atlas Powder Company was in business, with photos and text panels about the site. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a claw-foot bathtub from one of the 1900s homes on display, and a large iron light that Vincenti initially thought was some sort of cooking pot. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was on its side in the
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old museum,” she said. “Finally someone picked it up and saw the glass underneath and realized it was some sort of spotlight. I did some research, and found out it’s the No. 90, ‘The Mogul’ model, a lamp that was used to allow workers to keep working at night.” On the second floor, the focus is on 1919 to the present, as Perry Point provided health and rehabilitation services to generations of veterans. There’s a large typesetter’s desk that’s still filled with metal type used to print the in-house newspaper, The Bulletin. A display of uniforms, helmets and medals shows the long history of service represented at Perry Point, but a record player/radio unit and games show that daily life was filled with activities as well. There’s a bowling pin from the now-demolished bowling alley, as well as wood crafts that were made by veterans as work therapy. Standing in a place of honor is a surveyor’s compass and tripod, as well as its wooden storage case. It may have been used to lay out the streets at Perry Point. The free museum is staffed by volunteers who can tailor their information to children, veterans groups or the general public, Vincenti said. It is currently open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the first and third Saturdays of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to call before their visit, and group tours can be arranged by calling in advance. While the mansion house is not currently open to the public, it Continued on Page 18
One of the original doors in the mill opens to a view of the Susquehanna.
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History Continued from Page 17
is a spectacular reminder of the past. Fully restored, it is used as office and meeting space, but retains its period details, including the original wooden plank floors, stairs carefully inlaid with diamond shapes of a lighter wood, fireplaces in every room, and a sprawling porch (now enclosed), where past generations could sit and catch the breeze from the Susquehanna and admire the gardens that filled the terraces below. Vincenti said the building has been opened for infrequent events, and it has been open at least once in years past as a A metal wheel was placed on the opposite side of the mill from Halloween attraction due to the rumored spirits that may wander where the original stood, but the view of the Susquehanna River remains spectacular. its halls. In a building with this much history, imaginations will wander, and there have been reports of children’s laughter being heard in the empty building. In the upper floor of the mill, Vincenti said, there’s a wide window where some people have said they’ve seen the ghost of a young boy, gazing out at the river. While she’s not going to voice an opinion about the hauntings, Vincenti is proud of the way Perry Point’s history has been spotlighted, and she is looking forward to sharing the story with others. “We would love for more people to see what we have here,” she said. “It’s really a remarkable place.” For more information, visit www.maryland.va.gov/veteransmuseum.asp or call 410-642-2411, ext. 6071. To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.
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|Around Cecil County|
Retiring superintendent has shifted student focus to ‘real world’ Goal is to connect kids to life opportunities
All photos courtesy photo
Devine addresses the Board of Public Works.
By Drewe Phinny Staff Writer
A
fter 42 years of service, Dr. D’ette Devine is proud of what she and her co-workers have done to advance education in the Cecil County public school system. In announcing her retirement as Superintendent of Schools, Devine characterized her career as meaningful and rewarding. “We have an exceptional school system because its people are exceptional,” she said. “Our teachers, leaders and support professionals place the interests of the student first.” In a recent interview, Devine stressed the importance of engaging each student according to his or her individual
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needs and strengths. “What we’re trying to do here is to develop students, assess their skills and their interests and connect them to that next level,” she said. “So whether that’s going through your regular high school STEM, highly rigorous science and math program … and advanced placement courses with your eye on that four-year degree at a prestigious university, or maybe you’ve decided you might want to pursue a certain type of technical program and you want to hone your skills to the next step at a two-year program or tech school, or you might want to graduate with your certification and then apprentice somewhere in the trades. “We’re pretty good at getting them out of high school on time, giving them opportunities to earn industry certifications and get credit for college while in high school, but
we have to take that next step and really try to connect the dots for them.” That’s where the specialized attention comes into play. “I’m talking about students who aren’t necessarily two- or four-year college bound, but more a trade or tech school, or into the world of work or military. Where is their next step so they don’t get out of high school and say, ‘Now what?’” Devine cited a group of students between 18 and 22 who remain unconnected to the process, and that can result in unemployment. They haven’t finished school, or they did finish without developing real skills. That’s one of the priorities for Devine. The Cecil County public school system is partnering with Cecil College, and that relationship is one that Devine feels is most important to educational development. “We’re opening our first cohort,” she said. “We refurbished a research design facility on Appleton Road. We bought it and renovated it. The college program we’re getting ready to start is called ‘Early College.’ It will take a cohort of freshmen next fall, at Elkton High School. At the end of their four years, they will achieve a
Dr. D’ette Devine, the Cecil County Public Schools superintendent, will retire, effective June 30.
Continued on Page 22
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Dr. D’ette Devine Continued from Page 21
high school diploma and an associate degree from the college in general studies. So it’s an entire program designed to capture a certain type of student, maybe a first-time college-goer, or someone who opts for something other than Ivy League or service academies. There’s a niche of students for whom this will be very helpful. Then, after the associate degree, they can make the next steps to completion of their bachelor’s.” In praise of Cecil College, and community colleges in general, Devine cited affordability, as well as a solid education, and collaborative opportunities toward a four-year degree. “We have about 21 percent to 24 percent of graduates from each high school headed to Cecil,” she said. “I have a niece who started at Cecil on a scholarship, finished at Salisbury and is currently teaching.” Devine added one more Cecil County family
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Devine with asssociate superintendents Dr. Carolyn Tiegland and Dr. Jeffrey Dawson.
tidbit – the president of Cecil College, Dr. Mary Way Bolt, is her second cousin. One of the ongoing challenges for educational facilities is to address the ever-changing job market. Devine pointed to what she called the elimination of the middleman. “Think about toll-takers,” she said. “With the advent of EZ Pass, all kinds of people lost their jobs. Even insurance agents now -- there are so many things you can do online. The big-box stores are slowly being squeezed out by all the online shopping.” She said a futurist, about 15 years ago, predicted the demise of the middleman. Fewer people will be needed to broker services, because consumers
Devine with a former student at Veteran’s Day ceremony at Holly Hall Elementary.
Continued on Page 24
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Dr. D’ette Devine Continued from Page 23
will get them directly. “And now we’re living that today,” Devine said. “So what we have to do is to figure out what jobs are out there and how we train out kids. We have connections with Mary [Bolt] at the college, and they can either go straight into the workforce or get more training.” As far as an approach to discipline, Devine said, “We teach critical thinking. So a teacher should be able to present two sides of an issue and have students try to figure out where they are on that continuum.” Against the background of recent school violence on a national scale, CCPS started with a student dialogue. The social studies coordinator prepared a lesson which was given to all high schoolers. The exercise addressed both sides of the gun issue in a broader context of school safety. “We allowed kids to debate it, read about it, study it and confront it, but teachers took no position,” Devine said. “You can’t, because Cecil County is a very divided place on both sides of that issue. We teach you how to
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think and draw your own conclusions … That’s our role.” In Cecil County, there is a comprehensive safe schools policy that has been in place since the middle 1990s. “We enjoy another great partnership with Scott Adams and the Sherriff’s Department here,” Devine said. “We are prepared to the extent we can be. Our schools have been locked for over 12 years. About a third of the schools have a secured entrance with a double lock system, so you have to go through the office. That’s in nine schools, and we’re doing four more this spring. Eventually, all schools will have that double lock.” That comes with a price tag of $250,000. A comprehensive steering committee of all the county agencies has met three times since the Parkland, Fla., tragedy to assess any vulnerabilities. “We’re going to replace all security cameras in high schools,” Devine said. “We’ve gone to the active shooter drill, whereby, if you get into a situation like Parkland, Continued on Page 26
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Dr. D’ette Devine Continued from Page 24
you run, you disrupt. It’s a very different thing than the old lockdown, hide under your desk kind of thing we used to do. So we’re very progressive and we continue to monitor and make changes when necessary.” On a different note, Devine praised today’s students for their altruism. “I would say this particular generation has a very big heart for service, in a way that perhaps my generation did not as effectively do, or maybe some of the in-between generations did not,” she said. “But we’re finding that in our schools, there are a lot of students who are very interested in helping others and they really want to give back to their community. They’re interested maybe in politics and in things they believe might change the world.” As retirement draws near, Devine displays a humility about her career, and she is quick to give credit to coworkers who were instrumental in her accomplishments. “I think we’ve done tremendous things,” she said. “I
would credit my staff, our principals, supervisors and coordinators, and our teachers. We have a dedicated workforce here. I’m also proud of our leadership and our support services teams who do the other things, such as transportation, food and nutrition.” Devine spoke fondly of “that close family kind of culture. We all work together for the greater good. We care about one another. I hope one of the legacies I leave is that this is a system that cares about children at its core, but we also care about everybody as a team of folks who are our CCPS family.” So what’s next? “Well, after 42 years, I’ve done pretty much everything,” Devine said. “I taught college courses. I’m currently president of the Public School Superintendents of Maryland. And it is really time to focus on re-reading my classics. My sister gave me all the Jane Austen books, so I’ll start with some of those … Just sort of doing some things I enjoy.”
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|Cecil County Arts|
Life to Lens: The photography of John Dixon
The Roberto Clemente Bridge.
Courtesy photo
A self-portrait of John Dixon taken during the first day of photography class that he teaches as part of the recreational therapy program at the Perry Point VA. 28
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A sunrise in Cecil County.
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
I
f you see a beautiful landscape photograph that John Dixon has taken, there’s a good chance that he hiked or biked his way to the site, stopping along the way whenever his highly trained photographer’s eye landed on something that was captivating. Maybe documenting life one stunning image at a time is Dixon’s way of slowing down, just for a minute,
before he resumes his fast-paced life. Even by modern-day-renaissanceman standards, Dixon is an extremely busy man. Some people might know Dixon because he serves on the board of the Cecil County Arts Council. Others might recognize him because he’s the gentleman often seen wearing a suit while riding a really nice bike through the streets of Elkton. Others know him from his work. Dixon has been a photographer for
about 25 years. His Life to Lens Photography features the work of a team of talented photographers. At various times, Dixon has also worked in a bike shop, served as a construction superintendent, and he’s more than fair at carpentry. He’s also an IT guy, and few information technology specialists can match his ability to fill a website with interesting images. Dixon builds and maintains the website for CASA of Cecil County and
Continued on Page 30
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John Dixon Continued from Page 29
for the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. So the only time that Dixon stops, seemingly, is when he is photographing an image—documenting a moment in time that caught his eye. “I wear a lot of different hats,” Dixon said of all his activities. Everything that he does, he does following a simple mantra that he learned growing up: “Anything worth doing,” he said, “is worth doing well.” Like any good artist, there’s no separating the art from the person. Dixon’s photography is intertwined with his life— it is enhanced by his variety of activities not hindered by them. And just as Dixon is multi-talented as a person, he has many different skills and interests as a photographer. He might shoot portraits during the week, and then photograph a wedding on the weekend. He loves being outside in nature, so he might do landscape work one day, and then shoot a birthday party the next. He’s always shooting sports, whether it’s soccer games and track & field events at Cecil County schools for a local newspaper or triathlons throughout the region. “Most photographers have a niche,” Dixon explained. “They are good at portraits. They are good at landscapes. Or they photograph weddings. Or they photograph sports.”
Dixon’s work includes portraits.
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Proof that Dixon is skilled at photographing all of them can be found on the website, lifetolens.com. Dixon has always been artistic. He grew up in Cecil County always doing sketches, drawing, or painting. He liked taking pictures from a young age, too, but he didn’t start focusing on photography as a way to document the world around him until he realized that the black community, as a whole, was under-represented in photographs. One of his initial goals in learning photography was to change that. Dixon photographs a wide variety of subjects, and the pictures will often intersect with another part of his life. His adventures on a bike, for example, will frequently take
Dixon at work photographing a triathlon.
Dixon captured this stunning image of dragonflies.
him to new, interesting places. Just as he was always an artist, Dixon has always been riding bikes. His mother is a teacher, and Dixon recalls that sometimes she would be driving home from work and would see him riding his bike in the opposite direction, heading off in search of worlds to explore. His enthusiasm for riding only increased as he got older, and he moved on to ride BMX bikes and mountain bikes. It’s nothing for him to take a 20-mile bike ride. As a cycling enthusiast, he eventually ended up working at the Wooden Wheels bike shop in Newark, Del. It was another way for him to spend a few hours of the day involved in a pursuit that he is passionate about. “I’ve always been a tech guy,” he said. “Most guys who work in bike shops are tech guys.” He is skilled at carpentry, and even put the floors down in the bike shop. His love of cycling also led him to travel extensively to photograph triathlons. Sometimes, he was asked to show up hours before the race started to help set up the course for the race because of his experience as a cyclist. All of his interests eventually are reflected in his work as a photographer. A few years ago, Dixon collected some of his images in a hardcover book. In describing the book, Dixon wrote:
A captivating image of a barn.
“I believe every photo either has or portrays a personality, mood, or an emotion to be discovered. The image should stir some emotion through detail, complexity, simplicity, or possibly desire. Every individual will view my work and react to it differently. Whatever viewing brings about, just be willing to take the time to look.” In his fast-paced life, stopping to take a photograph is a Continued on Page 32
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John Dixon Continued from Page 31
way for Dixon himself to stop and take the time to look at the world around him. Dixon’s stunning photographs have earned numerous awards and honors. He was the recipient of the Merita McMillian Best In Nature Award. He won first place in the Cecil County Arts Council Focus on Cecil County photography contest. His images have been displayed in the new County Administration Building, and his work has been showcased at the Oxford Arts Alliance. When the Cecil County Arts Council partnered with the Cecil County Public Library to set up a gallery of artwork in the Elkton library, Dixon’s work was the first to be exhibited. His work has been featured in many different places throughout Cecil County, where he is very involved in the community. His involvement with the Cecil County
A Penny Farthing ride.
Arts Council dates back about ten years. He’s served on the Arts Council board for about four years, and has served as the board treasurer for two years. Dixon loves his work with the Cecil County Arts Council because part Continued on Page 34
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John Dixon Continued from Page 32
of the mission is supporting the work of local artists. Each month, there’s a new art show featured in the gallery. Each of the shows has a different theme, and Dixon is enthusiastic about all of them. He particularly enjoys when the work of students from Cecil County’s public schools is exhibited. “When we have these shows, the work of the students will amaze you,” he said. “The students’ work is incredible.” For more information about John Dixon’s photography, visit his website at www.lifetolens.com. The Cecil County Arts Council is located at 135 East Main Street in Elkton. To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@ chestercounty.com.
“Between the rocks” 34
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|Cecil County Health|
Preventing, detecting, treating and healing Union Hospital keeps world-class cancer treatment close to home By Drewe Phinny Staff Writer
H Dr. Manuj Agarwal, with the linear accelerator, a device most commonly used for external beam radiation treatments for patients with cancer. 36
Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2018 | www.cecilcountylife.com
earing the “C word” is a lifeshattering shock that forces people to make major decisions under immense pressure. During cancer treatment, proximity to home and family is a major concern. Manuj Agarwal, M.D., knows this, and that’s why he is so enthusiastic about one of the strongest advantages to cancer treatment at Union Hospital. Agarwal, an assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University
of Maryland School of Medicine, to connect with someone in addiis the medical director at the tion to properly treating them, it’s University of Maryland Radiation exponential healing, not just taking Oncology Center at Union Hospital. care of a cancer.” “We keep Cecil in Cecil,” Agarwal Jodi Goane, operations manager said, meaning that patients can be of the radiation oncology center treated from start to finish at Union, at Union, has witnessed the effect with the whole process taking place that such attention can have. The Union Hospital radiation oncology building. within the county. “When the patients come in, they “We can keep about 96 percent know he’s listening,” Goane said of Cecil County cancer patients in of Agarwal. “And if they leave and Cecil County, which is good because previously, a lot of call back in an hour, he will talk to them. It’s not like they’re cases left because there wasn’t enough technology here to number 100 of the day and he’s not going to see you again keep them,” he said. The few patients who require addi- for three months. People can call or come back anytime.” tional technology can also stay in the system. “What’s nice What oncology patients have in common, Agarwal added, about that,” Agarwal explained, “is that on each of our is vulnerability. “They’re scared, apprehensive, concerned, community sites, we have one person who is credentialed and they want help. So you’re in this unique position where to do the advanced radiation modalities.” That would you can offer help. The patient is not just a housing that has include heat therapy and proton therapy, among others. “So a tumor. It’s the whole body -- experience and taking care if I see a patient here who needs something a little special, of the emotional component and the spiritual component I’ll still be their treating doctor, as opposed to referring them some patients bring.” out and having things lost in translation,” Agarwal said. Providing hope must necessarily be balanced with honThe aforementioned proton therapy was the chosen alter- esty. “In the environment of healing, you must also be native for Bob Rowe, who was diagnosed with esophageal realistic. It doesn’t just come from me; it comes from the cancer brought on by acid reflux. In Rowe’s case, a weak entire team,” Agarwal said. “Patients tell me, ‘Doc, you heart ruled out surgery as an option. “We were able to do have such a great team, and everyone is so kind … you something special for him,” Agarwal said. “I saw him for his have a winning team.’ And that’s because we only hire winthree- or four-month follow-up and he’s doing great.” ners. We want that feeling to happen as soon as they walk Agarwal is especially proud of the state-of the-art equip- in and not end when they walk out. They have that feeling ment at Union. “We have the latest and greatest here. It’s that this is a place of healing and things will get better by called a true-beam linear accelerator. It’s the best you can coming here.” get on the market, and essentially it can do every single “The majority of patients come here five days a week, function you can think of.” so they get to know these girls and they tell us everything, In describing his areas of expertise, Agarwal said, “I kind whether we want to hear it or not,” Goane explained. “They of work at both ends of the body … head and neck, and usually connect with our people. They see the therapists prostate and GYN cancers as well. I also do brachytherapy, and the nurses every day. You’re lying on this table, alone, a type of therapy that puts radiation near or inside a tumor. not knowing what this machine does, and how it works. Union’s been doing that for prostate cancer, where we put They trust us that we’re operating this thing and not making radiation directly inside the prostate. At other places we can any mistakes.” also do the same for cervical cancer, uterine cancer, etc. Both Agarwal and Goane agree that good people skills are Most radiation is done by x-ray, and most places will have essential in oncology. “I think somehow, we’ve all chosen a unit that uses x-ray therapy. That therapy has advanced in this path,” Goane said, “with our innate ability to help recent years and is very fine-tuned, very precise.” people. You have to know how to listen.” Medical expertise and technological advancements are There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about positive of huge importance in cancer services, but just as critical outcomes. “The majority of patients we see here,” Agarwal to successful treatment is the ability to relate to the patient said, “are treated for cure purposes. Patients are presenting in a personal way. “Being able to do that is what separates earlier and earlier stage diseases because they’re choosing the good from the great,” said Agarwal. “So if you’re able Continued on Page 38 www.cecilcountylife.com | Spring/Summer 2018 | Cecil County Life
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to get screened to bring attention to their symptoms, and on top of getting things earlier, our technology is improving, along with medications. Our cure rates are improving. People are given realistic expectations, but also know that things can evolve and get better over time.” Another encouraging aspect of this difficult process is financial help. “There are a lot of resources in Cecil County for underinsured patients,” Goane said. “Union has a community assistance plan. The cancer program raises thousands of dollars to help people with prescriptions and other expenses.” Goane said some people in Cecil County are reluctant to schedule checkups, missing the chance of early detection. “Our goal is to make people aware and get screened early and come here for your test. Our marketing goal is to bring awareness to this community, young and old. There are options here now.” There are three primary caregivers involved in the process of treating cancer: The surgeon, the medical oncologist and the radiation oncologist. Where Dr. Agarwal is a radiation oncologist, Dr. Fahd Rahman is a medical oncologist. Rahman also works in the hematology (blood-related disorders) center. Rahman, who trained at the National Institutes of Health Continued on Page 40
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Fahd Rahman, MD, medical oncologist.
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Union Hospital Continued from Page 38
in Bethesda, Md., said, “That research background is very helpful. We can essentially open any clinical trial here for patients. Almost all of the new medicines come through clinical trials. So if a patient is sick and there are no good treatment options, they can be enrolled in clinical trials and they could have access to a medicine that is not an approved medicine, but it may be the best thing under the sun.” Rahman agreed with Agarwal in his assessment of patient cancer concerns and the attention given to them by the Union staff. “It’s anxiety about something you haven’t done before,” Rahman said. “So when you inform people and educate them better, it makes it a lot easier. That’s what happens in the infusion center, where you get your treatments. Those nurses specialize in providing cancer care. So they spend time with the patients and go over what to expect.” Fifteen years ago, Rahman wasn’t particularly interested in oncology. Then, things got personal. “My mother was diagnosed with cancer. So that kind of helped me learn
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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2018 | www.cecilcountylife.com
Union Hospital oncology techs with Linear Accelerator.
about it. My perception was when you get it, you’re just done. Well, my mother has been disease-free for almost 18 years. She had breast cancer; she got chemotherapy and she’s doing awesome.” That kind of private experience led to Rahman’s dedication to cancer treatment as a member of the Union Hospital team. When Rahman came to Union Hospital three years ago, that’s when the medical oncology center was started. Then Continued on Page 42
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Union Hospital Continued from Page 40
the second phase was the radiation unit. “The cancer center has a lot more moving parts to it than just the medical oncologist – receptionist, medical assistants, to our social workers to our palliative care team. There are so many pieces,” Rahman said. That’s the kind of comprehensive care that enables patients to stay close to home for the entire process. The three most prevalent cancer types for men are lung, colon and prostate. For women, it’s breast, lung and colon. Historically, lung cancer hasn’t had effective screening, so when it was discovered, it was usually at an advanced stage. However, that has changed for the better. Union Hospital has screening CAT scans to detect lung cancer, and these annual screenings have led to an increase in surgery that removes the problem and cures the cancer. Despite the fact that cancer is still a scary proposition, Rahman, Agarwal, Goane and the other members of the team are very optimistic about recent advancements and future possibilities. “Science has advanced a lot and, in the next 15 or 20 years, I think it’s going to go by leaps and bounds. Cancer is going to be a very manageable problem. Not all of it, but the majority of it,” Rahman said.
Jodi Goane, RT, the operations manager, Radiation Oncology Center, Union Hospital and Manuj Agarwal, MD, Medical Director at the center.
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|Cecil County People| Vincent Taylor, a long-time resident of Sassafras Neck, spent years documenting the life of a small town. After his passing, his children worked with book coach Michele Chynoweth to bring Taylor’s words to completion, and the result is an informative tale of life the way it used to be
Pop’s book By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
V
incent Walmsley “Vince” Taylor was born June 5, 1912 in Earleville, and for nearly the entirety of his 91 years, he was a copious taker of notes, a habit that he somehow managed to wedge in between the duties of an extraordinarily busy and purposeful life. Born and raised in the Sassafras Neck area of Cecil County, Taylor explored the fields, woods, waters and marshes of Sassafras Neck as a young boy, and later worked on several farms, and for a local blacksmith. After graduating high school, he was a boatman with the U.S. Engineer Department in Baltimore, where he worked on hydro-graphic surveys in the Chesapeake Bay Area.
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Courtesy art
“Sassafras Neck: A Special Place in Time,” was written by Vincent Taylor, a lifelong resident of Cecil County.
Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2018 | www.cecilcountylife.com
All photo by Richard L. Gaw unless otherwise noted
Over several years, author Vincent Taylor wrote meticulous notes about life in Sassafras Neck, which were later transcribed and edited in the making of the book.
He was later a welder in the Posey & Jones shipyard in Wilmington, where he helped build liberty ships for World War II. In the 1940s, Taylor joined the U.S. Navy, where he became a quartermaster in piloting and navigation, and went overseas during World War II to work on a destroyer escort ship for convoy duty to New Guinea, the Philippines and Okinawa. For the next 28 years after coming home, he did construction work on bridges, tunnels, turnpikes and dams along the Mid-Atlantic coastal area from Connecticut to Cape Fear, N.C. After his retirement, he was a carpenter and painter in Sassafras Neck. Taylor married his bride Susie in 1935 and together they had three children, four granddaughters, and numerous great-grandchildren. He loved hiking, trapping and wild duck and rabbit hunting in the woods and marshes. He carved many old style decoys, miniature geese and marsh birds and made small Chesapeake Bay model boats. He loved music, especially the accordion, on which he played
various hymns and ballads, which he sang often to his wife. And toward the end of his life, in the 1980s, Taylor would sit in an armchair beside an old library table on winter evenings, open a large red notebook and, with the clearest of penmanship, conjure up the sweet, rich history of a world he once lived in and loved. The results of Taylor’s memories have been published in “Sassafras Neck: A Special Place in Time,” (CreateSpace, 2017), a 176-page memoir that was produced by his children Vincent L. Taylor, Ron Taylor and Susan Lynn Taylor-Reed, under the guidance of author, teacher and book coach Michele Chynoweth, who has taught for the past several years at Cecil College. “We knew Pop was noting his past history and at some point, he decided, because the old-time life that he loved and the land and the water was disappearing, he wanted to document that for his grandchildren,” said his youngest son, Ron. “That was his thought process. He would recall all of Continued on Page 46 www.cecilcountylife.com | Spring/Summer 2018 | Cecil County Life
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his experiences of growing up, especially the ones that were disappearing, like farming, going to church suppers, the one-room schoolhouse and the country doctor. That whole way of life had disappeared, or was disappearing. “It was a time of cooperation and simplicity, and he relished that time.” Over the course of hundreds of pages, Taylor spun stories that eventually became chapters in the book: “Hunting, Fishing and Trapping,” “Education in Sassafras Neck,” “Occupations in Sassafras Neck,” and even a chapter entitled, “Hog Killing Time.” Understanding why someone who would never define himself as a writer would spend several years of his life carefully writing in a notebook was made more plausible, Ron said, by the fact that during his father’s career, Vincent documented everything. When he was a resident engineer on a bridge project, he wrote down the names of the contractors, the daily temperature and humidity – all of the scenarios and elements of the project, on a daily basis. Taylor never instructed anyone in his family to publish
The book was largely developed through a collaboration between novelist and book coach Michele Chynoweth and the author’s son, Ron.
the book, but several of his friends who knew he was writing had encouraged him to finish the book and publish it. While he was writing, several local historians consulted Taylor for answers on farming in the Sassafras Neck area during the 1930s and 1940s. Continued on Page 48
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After Taylor passed in 2003, the manuscript sat idle for several years before it continued its journey toward publication. Although it was eventually transcribed by Taylor’s niece Michele Reed Cole and typewritten copies were made, the disk on which the book was stored became obsolete after several years. Ron then had the original manuscript transferred to a new disk via optical character recognition process. “Everybody had an eight-and-a-half-by eleven stack of papers called “Sassafras Neck,” and it was still in the back of our minds that we really should publish this for Pop,” Ron said. “Eventually, I told my sister that I was going to try and publish it.” After spending several months searching for a publisher, Ron Taylor picked up a Cecil College course catalog, and in the Spring of 2015, he walked into Michele Chynoweth’s “Getting Your Book Published” class, carrying the manuscript of his father’s unpublished book. The class syllabus read: Are you writing – or maybe have
written – a book (novel, memoir, non-fiction book, children’s book, etc.) and want to get it published but aren’t sure how to go about it? Unsure if you need an agent, whether to self-publish or try to get a traditional publisher or even how to begin? Wondering how to write a good query letter or synopsis? Award-winning author Michele Chynoweth will share her experience – the do’s and dont’s – that can get your work “out there!” Everyone else in Chynoweth’s class was a writer, but with each class, Taylor’s confidence and knowledge grew. When he learned that Chynoweth was not only a published author but a book coach who could help in turning pages into a book, he asked her if she would be interested in working with him. It wouldn’t be the first manuscript-tobook project Chynoweth would be involved in; in addition to publishing three novels of her own, she has served as a book coach on “Cecilia’s Satchel,” by Norman L. Gaither, and “God’s Hand in My ‘One’” by Gigi Williams. “I thought, ‘This is going to be a labor of love,’ Chynoweth said. “I have always enjoyed helping writers see their work come to fruition. When I saw the manuscript, I thought that this is a cool story about Cecil County, but it’s a bit out of my wheelhouse, because I tend to work with fiction writers.” Continued on Page 50
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Pop's Book Continued from Page 48
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Chynoweth agreed to join the Taylor children, and the year-long project began. While she helped carve the book into the shape it needed to be in, Ron helped verify the facts of the book with visits to the Cecil County Historical Society, the Elkton Library and several other resources. Together, they embarked on a mission to make the book readable to the public, but also keep the integrity of the original manuscript intact. “I wanted to rewrite the whole thing at first, so I told Ron, Vincent and Susan, ‘Let’s take it and really add some zing,’” Chynoweth said. “I was met with some resistance from the family, who said they wanted to keep their father’s writing in his voice. We ended up marrying the two goals together, and hopefully, we have come up with a book that is universally marketable, but also stays authentic.” “This book is very close to what my father wrote,” Ron confirmed. During the editing process, Chynoweth gained a true appreciation of Taylor’s surroundings, and his place in the culture of Cecil County and Sassafras Neck. She called Taylor “a real American at heart.” “There were times when I was editing the book that I could actually hear Vincent and got to know him,” she said. “I became immersed in it, and it took me back to my grandparents’ and parents’ time. His words confirmed to me that life was simpler, and even better and easier back then. “It took me back to the days of simply going out to play in the schoolyard, or having cake parties, versus everybody being on their cell phones. This book makes us remember that we need to preserve some of that.” The book was published just before Christmas last year, and individual copies were given to members of the Taylor family. On the last page of “Sassafras Neck: A Special Place in Time,” Ron convinced Chynoweth to include the following send off to the book’s author: “Dear Pop...We finally got it done!” It was signed, “The Kids.” To order “Sassafras Neck: A Special Place in Time,” by Vincent Taylor, visit www.amazon.com. Cecil County resident Michele Chynoweth is the author of the novels “The Faithful One,” “The Peace Maker” and “The Runaway Prophet,” and is currently at work on new novels. To learn more about Chynoweth and purchase her books online, visit www.michelechynoweth.com. To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com.
The Tome School The Tome School sets high standards in academics and personal behavior with a rigorous academic program and a dedicated, caring faculty that helps students reach their potential and acquire the skills that they will need to lead successful lives. “Tome is unique,” said head of school Christine Szymanski. “We put a big emphasis on respect, personal responsibility, and academic rigor. We talk about doing things the ‘Tome Way.’” The ‘Tome Way’ has always been to provide a top-quality education to students at an affordable cost—that was what Jacob Tome envisioned when he founded the school in 1889. Jacob Tome, a banker, politician, and philanthropist, built one of the largest fortunes in the U.S. at the time while he was living in Cecil County. He wanted to create a school in the area that would offer the finest education for students willing to undergo its challenging regimen, regardless of their families’ ability to pay the cost for that education. With its long tradition of excellence, the Tome School continues to be true to that mission today, focusing on academics, character, and community. The school
educates approximately 455 K-12 students each year. With small class sizes—the maximum number of students is 14 in kindergarten, 20 in grades 1-8, and 25 in grades 9-12—the faculty members offer the personal attention that students need. Tome graduates are well-prepared for the future. In two recent graduating classes, the school’s seniors exceeded the state average SAT scores in reading, math, and writing by more than 100 points. When a graduate of The Tome School arrives on a college campus, he or she is typically ready for the new academic challenge. “We are very academically driven,” explained Szymanski. “So when students get to their next schools, they are very well-prepared.” Tome School keeps tuition significantly lower than other independent schools, partly because of the substantial funding from The Jacob Tome Institute and partly because of parental assistance. Volunteer efforts by Tome families help keep tuition increases to a minimum. The Tome School is proud to be a part of the Cecil County Community, and has been an active member of the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce for 30 years. The Tome School is located at 581 S. Maryland Avenue in North East, Maryland. The telephone number is 410-2872050. For more information, visit www.tomeschool.org.
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|Cecil County Recreation|
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En Garde!
At the Modern Duelists Fencing Academy in Elkton, pupils learn the finer points of competitive fencing, which is one of the oldest sports in the world By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
J
eff Safko and Rob Conway opened the Modern Duelists Fencing Academy five years ago after Safko taught fencing as a continuing education sport at Cecil College, and found out that there were a number of people in the area who wanted to advance further in the sport than what could be achieved through a non-credit college class that was offered periodically. “There was a demand for an ongoing fencing class in the area,” Safko explained during an interview in April. So Safko and Conway teamed up to open their own academy, offering lessons in competitive fencing to people like Ryleigh Johnson, who was one of the original members of the Modern Duelists Fencing Academy. She is such a fencing enthusiast, in fact, that she now helps Safko and Conway—she serves as an instructor, and plays a prominent role in the youth program, helping to plan lessons and to lead during drills. She is also one of the academy’s USA Fencing-certified referees. Competitive fencing is one of the oldest sports in the world. It also has the distinction of being among only a handful of sports that have been featured in every modern Olympic Games. According to Safko and Conway, fencing is a sport that is growing in popularity, and they see more people in Cecil County and the surrounding areas who, like Johnson, are interested in learning the sport. When they first opened the Modern Duelists Fencing Academy, classes took place in a smaller space. They moved into their current home in Building 205 of the Triumph Industrial Park on Blue Ball Road in Elkton about four years ago. Because its location is in close
proximity to Chester County in Pennsylvania and New Castle County in Delaware, the academy draws participants from all three states. Between 65 and 85 people are taking fencing classes, depending on the time of year, and they range in age from around 8 years old to 75 years old. Safko explained that fencing is not a sport that is dominated by strength or by speed—people of all sizes and all ages can find success at it. As evidence of that, there’s an 8-year-old in one of the classes who enthusiastically takes on one of the taller students each week. “Fencing is very much a sport and not a martial art,” Safko said. “In modern fencing, the focus is more on the modern scoring rules, rather than technical study and the general application of swordfighting. Fencing has a specific set of rules. It’s an individual sport.” It’s the individual nature of the sport that attracts people who want to be a part of the action and maybe don’t want to be a part of a team where the actual participation is limited. “For some folks, this is the first sport that really sticks with them,” Safko explained. Lotte Bowie took up fencing because her son, George Bowie, signed up for fencing and really enjoyed it. She wanted to understand more about the sport, and more about what her son was learning. “It’s an interesting sport that is challenging,” she said. Participants start out in beginner’s classes and then, after some training, advance to intermediate classes at their own pace. At any given time, most of the students at Modern Duelists Fencing Academy are at the intermediate level. They then progress to advanced classes when Continued on Page 54
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En Garde! Continued from Page 53
they have accumulated enough knowledge and experience. A participant’s level of experience is what really determines the level that they train at, and there are lots of options for private lessons and extra work. Safko said that he likes having students with different levels of experience to compete against each other because it’s a good way to learn—the more experienced participant learns by teaching and explaining, and the younger participant learns by working with someone who is more advanced. Conway, who previously studied martial arts, said that anyone can succeed at learning fencing—it’s an activity for anyone who is willing to put in some work to learn the basics. The épée is a lightweight thrusting weapon that fencing participants use. The entire body is a valid target during competitions, but all hits must be with the tip of the blade—hits with the side of the blade do not register on the electronic scoring systems that are used. The area where the athletes compete—the strip—is long and narrow, so quickness is more important than speed. “You have a fast-paced set of rules,” Conway explained. “There’s also a lot of strategy involved.”
Photo by Steven Hoffman
Safko likes to have students of different abilities and experience work with each other.
Conway said that many people, including himself, like the mental aspect of the sport, and they like being able to out-think the opponent in the moment.
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Safko, who has been teaching fencing for more than 16 years, emphasized that the sport is very safe. Participants wear protective clothing, and the blade itself is flexible to soften the impact. “It’s a ‘combat sport,’ but it’s very safe,” he explained. “Nobody is going to get hurt out there. It’s fast and fun.” Safko is a certified moniteur d’épée with the United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA). He has extensive personal fencing experience that includes college and national-level competitive experience. He helps the fencing students improve their tactical and technical skills. Conway, meanwhile, also has extensive competitive experience in fencing and other sports, which allows him to be a valuable resource for participants like Justin Tirrell, who is very focused on local and regional competitions. Tirrell, like Johnson, is one of the instructors at the academy. The West Grove, Pa. resident joined Modern Duelists in 2015 after fencing with the University of Delaware. This summer, Tirrell will be taking part in nationals in St. Louis after qualifying in several regional events, an impressive accomplishment for someone who has been fencing for the last six or seven years. Continued on Page 56
Photo by Steven Hoffman
Students begin each class with a series of exercises.
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When asked what he likes about the sport, Tirrell responded, “everything.” He also enjoys sharing his competitive know-how with other fencers at the academy. He is a certified referee with USA Fencing. While some of the people who take classes at Modern Duelists Fencing Academy are very focused on competitions and advancing as far in the sport as they possibly can, others simply want a good workout or want to spend time doing a fun activity with a friend or family member. Frank Boyko, a resident of Elkton, took up the sport because his son was fencing and he thought he would enjoy it, too. “It’s a sport that parents and kids can do together,” Boyko explained. “It’s a physical challenge. It’s really one of the best workouts that you can have.” There is no real off-season in fencing, but each Aug. 1 starts a new competitive season. Most of the competitions take place during the school year, and June and July are typically slower months before the activities ramp up again
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Photo by Steven Hoffman
Jeff Safko, the owner and head coach at Modern Duelists Fencing Academy, offers a pointer to one of the students.
for the next season. Each year, the Modern Duelists Fencing Academy pairs off all of its participants into two teams for what they call the “War of the Room” that gives everybody the opportunity to take part in a friendly competition. One of the reasons that the academy has attracted a growing number of students is the emphasis on having the students enjoy themselves while they are safely learning the sport. Continued on Page 58
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Whenever fencing is featured in the Olympics, Safko said, an uptick in interest can be expected in the U.S. While there hasn’t been a Michael Jordan or a Tiger Woods—a true national sensation—to lift the sport up to a new level for a wider audience yet, it’s only a matter of time because the U.S. is producing better athletes who are achieving more success on the world stage. “The U.S. has gotten a lot stronger,” Safko explained. So for now the Modern Duelists Fencing Academy will continue to focus on building its reputation one student at a time. Conway said that the academy has very much become like a family over the last five years. It’s a very supportive environment, and the coaches make sure that each person advances at his or her own pace. “We have a great group,” Conway said. “They are all always helping each other and rooting for each other.” To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
Modern Duelists Fencing Academy 505 Blue Ball Road Building 205 Elkton, Md.
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|Cecil County Life Photo Essay|
To ride like the th Helping horses return to their gallop at the Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center Photos by Jim Coarse
Located at the Fair Hill Training Center, the Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center is a state-of-the-art facility that promotes a safe and rapid advancement for horses recovering from injury. Through the use of state-of-the-art technology, Bruce Jackson’s skilled staff uses the latest physical therapy options that allows a horse to get on its feet again. The Center’s facilities include a one-mile conventional dirt track, a 7/8ths-mile Tapeta track and turf track, 3,500 acres of trails, and the services of a professional starting gate crew. The testimony from trainers, jockeys and racing professionals runs as long as the rehabilitated horses do at the Center. Graham Motion, Kentucky Derby & Dubai World Cup winner, said, “We have found the Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center to be an invaluable asset to our operation. We utilize all of the available therapies every day. Bruce and his staff are what makes it a success, the care and attention they give to our horses is reflected in the results they have which corresponds to success on the track for us.” – Richard L. Gaw
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he wind again
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Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center
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Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center
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|Cecil County Arts|
A career in c
Elkton artist Marijke van Buchem pursues a wide range of styles in her lifelong creative quest By John Chambless Staff Writer
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urrounded by her art, Marijke van Buchem can look back on a richly rewarding life. Her home near Elkton is impeccably decorated with her own creations in sculpture and pottery, reflecting a wide range of styles that could represent five or six different artists, but actually all spring from her boundlessly creative mind. The Cape Cod home she shares with her husband, Evert, has a studio in the converted garage that is a happy jumble of supplies and little sculptures she has created over the past decades. They are tucked here and there on shelves, keeping her company as she works. Speaking softly with an accent that reflects her Dutch upbringing, van Buchem laid out three self-published photo books. One details the three years she spent in a detainment camp in Indonesia as a child. Another details her return to the country for a journey of rediscovery. But first, her childhood. “My father, when he graduated from college, it was during the Depression,” she said. “So people said he should go to the colonies, to the Dutch East Indies. All photos by John Chambless
Artist Marijke van Buchem with her ‘sun totem’ sculpture in her backyard garden. She credits the Cecil County Arts Council as supporting her artwork by offering classes and groups throughout the year. 70
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clay There were lots of jobs there, so he did. He got a good job making sugar bags for This illustration shows what a typical barracks living space the sugar industry. He was a mechani- was like. cal engineer. While there, he met my An artist in one of the prison camps mother, who had also gone to Indonesia drew this portrait of a young Marijke. as a governess for a Dutch family. They were married in 1936. I was born in Indonesia.” When World War II began four years later, Japanese troops invaded the Dutch East Indies and rounded up Dutch citizens into detainment camps. At the age of 3, barely able to know what was going on, Marijke was imprisoned and spent the next three years under the control of Japanese soldiers at two different camps. One of the camp prisoners wrote this “My mother, my sister and I were sent children’s story as a comfort for children. to a women’s camp. My father went to a A drawing shows the beginning and ending dates men’s camp. That was very hard, of course, for my parents,” of the Japanese occupation, van Buchem’s years in prison. she said. “They could send cards, but those were censored. And you could only send positive news – ‘We are fine,’ ‘The kids are doing well.’ Of course, we weren’t fine, but you had to read between the lines.” “Of course, the leadership was harsh,” she said softly. “You had to stand at attention, and if you didn’t behave, you would get slapped. The punishments for people who were misbehaving were given to the whole camp. You would not get your rations, or you would have to stand at attention for a long time in the sun. As a child, I could hide behind my mother’s skirt. But yes, that was hard.” Eventually, the number of Dutch prisoners decreased due to deaths in the camps, and Marijke and her family were moved to a second camp, much farther from their first. “We were put on trucks and buses and dropped off at the train station, then we had to walk to the camp. When we walked into that camp, it turned out to be the camp where my mother’s sister was, with her daughter. She moved us Self-published books detail van Buchem’s three years in an internment into the goat shed in back of where she lived.” In the barracks, detainees got one square meter of space camp, as well as her return to Indonesia as an adult. per person. “Luckily, my sister and I were small,” Marijke said, smiling, “so my mother had room to lie down. In the Continued on Page 72 www.cecilcountylife.com | Spring/Summer 2018 | Cecil County Life
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second camp, we ate mostly corn starch. I contracted something that they thought was tuberculosis, so I got rations of sugar. After the war, when I was checked, it wasn’t tuberculosis. But I got nice treatment in the camp because of that.” She and her family somehow survived. “My parents could not forgive the Japanese,” van Buchem said. “My father had nightmares the rest of his life. My parents never talked about it. When I went to Japan to visit friends in the 1980s, my parents were surprised. But it is my art that got me there. You cannot hold the whole Japanese society to blame. It’s not the people.” The book van Buchem published about her years in the camps has a cover photo of a trunk that her father kept throughout the war. It’s painted with the family name, Phlippeau. Inside the book are her recollections of the camps, and illustrations made by other prisoners. They show the grim reality of daily life, including cooking in huge iron kettles, trying to keep clean, and bowing whenever a soldier walked by. It also contains photos of the few identification papers her father kept.
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In her studio, van Buchem works on a new portrait bust.
On the wall of van Buchem’s living room is another memento -- a pencil sketch of her as a child that was done by an artist who was in one of the camps. It’s a strikingly beautiful portrait. When the war ended in 1945, van Buchem’s family went by troop transport ship to Holland. She was 6 years old. “On the boat we had American food,” she recalled, smiling at the memory. “The apples they had, you couldn’t believe
This is how van Buchem sculpted herself in a recent self-portrait.
your eyes. They were so big and red! We had a party when we passed the Equator, and the drink and cookies the kids got, well, years later I found out it was a Coke. And the cookies were ginger snaps.” The boat stopped in Suez, where there were tents full of donated clothing from the Red Cross that the refugees could take, van Buchem recalled. “We didn’t have anything but the clothes on our backs, and there was almost nothing left of them,” she said. The culture of Japan is reflected in some of van Buchem’s
The vessels made by van Buchem have become a distinctive aspect of her work.
cups and bowls, which have a distinctly Asian influence. “Isn’t that strange?” she said of the way the past is reflected in her art. “I think I’ve left it behind totally, but amazingly enough, my pots have a Japanese influence.” As a child, van Buchem enjoyed drawing and had teenage plans to be a fashion designer, but her family advised her that she would be working for someone else and could be limited in her career, so she became a physical education teacher in Holland. Continued on Page 74
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Then fate took a hand. “I was invited by a friend to come to a sculpture class with her. That’s when I started sculpting clay,” she said. “That really got me going. I was hooked.” She met and eventually married Evert, who later got a job offer from St. Andrew’s School in Middletown. “My last sculpture teacher, Johan van Zweeden, said, ‘Oh, don’t go to the U.S. There are no sculptors there,’” van Buchem said, laughing. But the couple did move to America, where they spent a happy period of 30 years at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown. “It is a great place,” she said. While living in the Middletown area, van Buchem took pottery classes at the Delaware Art Museum and continued pursuing her art. She taught physical education at a private day school in the Middletown area. After her son,Victor, was born, she took a break from the hard work of making pots and took up weaving because it was less stressful on her back and elbows. After 12 years, she had healed up enough to return to clay. When a new headmaster, John O’Brien, came to St. Andrew’s School, “he asked what I thought of the art
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department. I told him it was OK, but limited,” she said. “Teaching only drawing and painting is not for everybody. There are kids who would like to play with clay, for instance. He asked if I wanted to start a program. So that’s how I became the pottery teacher there. I could make my own pots and run my own program.” Across van Buchem’s long career, her work is admirably diverse. Her figural pieces are technically very fine and capture fleeting expressions or postures that make them come alive. If she has a trademark, it may be the sinuous vessels shaped like female torsos. They are, in a word, sexy, but are even more exceptional because they are hollow. The shape is defined by the clothing, not by the solidity of the body. She calls them “Empty Vessels.” “The funny thing about my work is that it’s always me,” she said of her variety of styles. “Sometimes I wonder, ‘How did I do that?’” In 1994, Evert retired and the couple moved to the Elkton area, where she built her studio and occasionally teaches Continued on Page 76
Marijke van Buchem Continued from Page 74
private lessons in her home. She hasn’t promoted her work, or worked with an agent, “because I feel I could not have been innovative or spontaneous if I had commissions,” she said. “I don’t want to make a sculpture of somebody, and then they don’t like it. To me, my husband is always number one. I want him to be the most important part of my life -- being with him, not the job. Evert has always been a big supporter of what I want to pursue, and he is my most ardent admirer. “To be among like-minded souls, I have been taking classes with Lauren Vanni in the ceramics program at Cecil College. I like her classes. They are lively and inspirational. I’ve had exhibits at Bookplace in Oxford, at the Cecil County Arts Alliance, and at St. Andrew’s School. And I have participated in group shows.” She has avoided art fairs because people feel free to haggle about the prices. “I tell them, ‘Oh, you would like me to work for less than $5 an hour?’” van Buchem said, sighing. “‘You think that’s too much?’ And then they walk away. So I am low on the totem pole, but I love what I’m doing.”
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Although her hands aren’t as agile as they once were, she still keeps busy, and is working to re-dedicate herself to a daily schedule of studio time. “I’m not as busy now, but I told Evert I want to keep sculpting on a schedule now,” she said. “I did it as a job in my early retirement years, but it’s very hard to do. It’s funny how you’re so busy with all kinds of other things.” She is working on a new idea – sculpting portrait masks and adding them to a plaque that would contain sculpted details tailored to each sitter. But this is still mostly an idea. “Oh, I’d do them every week if I can find time,” she said. And out back behind the house is an abstract sculpture made up of blocks with varying incised patterns. It’s the first of its kind – yet another new direction for the artist. “I like how the sun can play with the surfaces,” van Buchem said. “It’s a kind of totem, but a friend said I should call it a ‘sun post,’ so that’s what it is. A sun post. Of course, now I’m working on another one.” To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.
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|Cecil County Places| The dream to build a tasting room at Chateau Bu-De Winery in Chesapeake City began years ago as winery owner Brenda Dedrick’s dream, and since it opened last October, Chateau Bu-De’s tasting room has become the stunning centerpiece for a vision to bring wine lovers – and recognition – to the banks of the Bohemia
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The architecture of a very long and incredible dream By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
and then another 10,000 vines in 2015. During that same year, the Dedricks he creation, formation worked with Newark-based and realization of a Nowland Associates, Inc. dream – much like the on the design and construclayers of mastery that go into tion of a new processing the making of a single glass center. of wine – takes time. Row by row, vine by vine, For Brenda Dedrick, the dream that Brenda had who has owned the when she was 18 years old Chateau Bu-De Winery in was blooming on the banks Chesapeake City with her of the Bohemia River, and husband Warren since 2013, by 2016, under the direcher dream to own a vineyard Photos by Richard L. Gaw, unless otherwise noted tion of Winemaker Jacques began when she was in col- Winemaker Jacques van der Vyver, Owner Brenda Dedrick and Marketing van der Vyver, Chateau lege. The dream took them Director Abigail Miller at Chateau Bu-De Winery’s new tasting room. Bu-De Winery began proto many countries around ducing 10 varieties of reds the world – the French Bordeaux Region, Chile and South and whites, while earning one gold medal, four silver Africa, among them – and at nearly every one of the thou- medals and three bronze medals at the Finger Lakes Wine sands of vineyards they visited, Brenda took photographs, Competition in New York. capturing the many architectural styles of vineyards and Brenda never got rid of the notes and the photographs, tasting rooms. In between, she took copious notes, writing however. Over the past 15 years, she had accumulated down everything she saw. them as a way to formulate ideas for a modern, air“I became enamored with wine making and the vineyard climate controlled tasting room that would offer visitors experience back when I was 18 years old and I thought the opportunity to enjoy the vistas of the Bohemia River, that maybe someday, I would do this,” Dedrick said. “All and accommodate a variety of special events. Again, she during our journey, I began doodling, tearing out pages reached out to Nowland Associates, Inc. from magazines, keeping notes on every vineyard we visit“I shared them all with Nowland, and said, ‘This is in ed. I described the architectural features of every vineyard, my mind. Now it is time to get it on paper,’” Brenda said. and every tasting room. I witnessed and how each flowed “I would doodle, and then the architects would doodle.” and operated, and they way customers came and went.” The resulting doodles between winery owner and archiIn July 2013, the Dedricks purchased the 440-acre man- tects have created a visually stunning masterpiece that sion and property of the historical Bohemia Manor Farm opens its doors to a variety of unique experiences, but also once owned by Augustine Herrman, and soon after, work- recognizes the man who helped forge Maryland history on ing with vineyard manager Brian Dickerson, the Dedricks the property. Continued on Page 80 oversaw the transplanting of 14,000 vines in 2014,
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Officially opened to the public last Fall, the new tasting room at Chateau Bu-De Winery is a 15,000 square-foot showplace of Old World design and refinement. Overlooking the Bohemia River on the Upper Chesapeake Bay, the tasting room has sweeping views of the vineyard and waterfront, while the 200-seat banquet room can be divided into three separate event spaces. In addition, the interior of the building boasts a large tasting room area that also includes a wine library, private tasting room, barrel The tasting room features Chateau Buroom, meeting space and administrative offices. De’s award-winning There are special design features at nearly every turn: The tasting wines. room bar was made from recycled glass, and the wooden wall near the bar is made from reclaimed and re-purposed wood taken from the former tasting room, which is now used as an additional tasting room space. Soldier bricks reclaimed from the ruins near the tasting room have been reclaimed and were used in the construction of the fireplace and are also seen in the building’s foyer area. And, in a nod toward Herrman’s Czech roots, the winery also features a clock tower that is reminiscent of 19th-Century Prague. “The goal in designing the tasting room was to have it open year round, so our guests would be able to utilize the climate-control features in the winter, and the air conditioning capability in the summer,” Brenda said. “I also wanted the tasting room to accommodate small and large events, whether it’s a wedding reception, a baby shower, a corporate event, or a birthday event.” Join the The tasting room officially opened in early October 2017, and since then, it’s Chateau Bu-De Wine Club drawn rave reviews. Throughout the year, Chateau Bu-De “Our guests have been pretty awestruck,” Wine Club members will receive wines said Marketing Director Abigail Miller, handpicked by Winemaker Jacques Van who regularly welcomes visitors from Cecil der Vyer, including reserve wines. PickCounty, Delaware, Annapolis, Baltimore up days are held three times a year at and Washington, D.C. to the tasting room. Chateau Bu-De Winery, and members “When they first arrive, they step in and will receive wine tastings of the varietals just stand still for a moment, taking it all in. they will soon take home with them. I don’t think that many people who have There is no membership fee, and all been to tasting rooms at wineries have ever members will received 10 percent off all seen anything like this on the Maryland Chateau Bu-De wines they purchase at Eastern Shore or the East Coast. It’s really the winery during their membership. In a beauty and a gem to be able to find in addition, they will receive an invitation this area.” to attend a private event at the tasting The tasting room not only serves as an Courtesy photo room, annually. The wine tasting room provides architectural and aesthetic compliment to For more information about becoming evening vistas. the adjacent processing room, but reflects a Wine Club member at Chateau Bu-De Winery, contact Marketing Director Continued on Page 82 Abigail Miller at 410-885-3500, or email at abigail@chateaubude.com. 80
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the initiative to make Chateau Bu-De Winery more than just a local destination, but to create a winery with regional – and national – recognition. “From a wine making standpoint, having scenery like this and being able to enjoy a simple glass of wine in a tasting room of this quality elevates how one perceives the wine,” van der Vyver said. “It’s always a great pearl to have. As much as we’re proud to be a part of the Maryland wine industry, our goals at Chateau Bu-De Winery are to become a premier regional destination, with the hopes that all can come and enjoy the beauty of the Eastern Shore, and what we have to offer.” On most evenings at Chateau Bu-De Winery, there can be found a wide flurry of events, from a casual group of friends enjoying a bottle of wine outdoors on the patio as the sun settles over the Bohemia River, to a wine tasting event with van der Vyver, to a chef tasting or wedding reception in the banquet room, beneath the lights of six glowing chandeliers. “With the addition of the tasting room, we’re trying
to create a destination for people, not only for people who are traveling through Cecil County looking for something unique, but for those from other areas in the Northeast,” Miller said. For Brenda Dedrick, the photographs and doodles that became the new tasting room at Chateau Bu-De Winery are the embodiment of a winery owner’s dream, realized and permanent. “It’s the hidden gem, and once people come and see the history and the feeling of being awestruck at the views, the events and the attention to detail, that they’ll become a part of this,” she said. “That is our hope, to be able to grow leaps and bounds, year after year.” Chateau Bu-De Vineyard and Tasting Room is located at 237 Bohemia Manor Farm Lane, Chesapeake City, MD 21915. For appointments and special event reservations, call 410-885-2500. To learn more about Chateau Bu-De Vineyard, visit www.chateaubude.com. To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
TASTING ROOM HOURS
CHATEAU BU-DE Bohemia Manor Farm Winery & Vineyard
Wed & Thurs | 2:00p-7:30p Fri, Sat & Sun | 11:00a-7:30p
410-885-2500 | 237 Bohemia Manor Farm Lane Chesapeake City, MD 21915 | chateaubude.com | infocbd@chateaubude.com 82
Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2018 | www.cecilcountylife.com
Upcoming Events at Chateau Bu-De Winery Memorial Day Weekend Festivities | May 26-28 Food Trucks and the start of the Summer Concert Series Summer Concert Series | Begins Memorial Day Weekend and runs through October, with live music every Saturday and Sunday Wine Club Pickup | June 10 Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Vines, Wines & Automobiles Car Show | June 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vintage & Classic Cars; Food Trucks; Live Music; $10 per spectator Rivers to Canal Holiday Trek | June 24 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Hanging Globe Terrarium Workshop | June 28 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. CBD Fireworks for Fourth of July | July 4 from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Food Trucks, Live Music & CBD Firework Show beginning at dusk Wine Bottle Succulent Workshop | July 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Flower Design Workshop | July 29 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Run the Vineyard | July 28 Labor Day Weekend Festivities | September 1 - September 3 Live Music, Food Trucks
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Cecil County Life Magazine Spring/Summer 2018 www.cecilcountylife.com
A Chester County Press Publication P.O. Box 150, Kelton, PA 19348 address corrections not required