The Robert Moton High School Project

Carroll County, Maryland

"The only way out of our situation was education"

Bill Dixon, President of The Former Students and Friends of Robert Moton High School

Have you ever wandered past a row of old photographs, and wondered what the story was behind those faces? Who were they?  What could we learn from those people gazing into the camera? The Robert Moton High School project began as a row of unnamed pictures in the Carroll County Parks and Recreation office building. This building was the original home of Robert Moton High School, the only high school for Carroll County students of color until 1964, when its students were integrated into their home-area high schools.

It is time to honor an underreported segment of Carroll County's history.  The photos on the wall of the Robert Moton Building are a treasure trove of memories for the students who attended Robert Moton High School.  Their memories are part of Carroll County's history. The 6th grade students at Northwest Middle School interviewed Robert Moton's former students and share their history with you.  It is appropriate that today’s young people tell this story of yesterday’s students.  Today’s students must know what the generations before have given to them.  It is with the highest respect that we honor the memory of Robert Moton High School.

Its students came from all corners of the county, some traveling as many as two hours each way on a school bus purchased from Carroll County by the school’s PTA.  The school’s driver, Alonzo Lee, volunteered for the duty before and after his teaching job at the school. 

The teachers were a dedicated group, working with used books discarded by local high schools and demanding the utmost from their students.  The lack of materials did not allow for low expectations.  Perhaps because of the scarcity of materials, students were held to the highest standards in academics and in behavior.  Robert Moton High School was a place of excellence.  It served its members well.  This is THEIR story.

Gayle Sands

RLA Teacher

Northwest Middle School

Taneytown, MD

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