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July 6, 2025

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

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9 Brevities

Chestertown Flashback: Hibernia School

June 13, 2025 by Historical Society of Kent County 1 Comment

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In honor of the last day of the school year yesterday, we share a school photo for this week’s Flashback. This undated photo is labeled “Hibernia School.” Dozens of small schools like this one educated children from many communities around Kent County in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Students walked to school, often learning in multi-grade classes.

Happy summer to Kent County schools students! Don’t forget to visit the Historical Society during your vacation. You can take a children’s walking tour, learn about ship building and ship captains in Kent County, find books for kids about local history, and ask friendly docents any questions you have about Kent County history.

If you have any information about this school or the people pictured, please share it in the comments or by emailing [email protected].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 9 Brevities

Positive Action by Katherine Emery General

June 9, 2025 by Kate Emery General Leave a Comment

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This was my last week of school for the 2024–2025 year, and to say it was busy is an understatement! Between Donuts for Dads, Spirit Week, Field Day, and the Moving Up ceremony, it was a whirlwind. Friday was spent cleaning and breaking down the classroom, if you’ve ever taught school, you know that means organizing a lot of moving parts: toys, books, centers, and supplies that all have to find a home in storage.

We also had our staff send-off parties this week at local restaurants. I have to say, I was genuinely impressed with the service at Chili’s. Our server was cheerful, knowledgeable, and incredibly attentive. She was clearly someone who enjoyed her job, and it made for a really fun and relaxing experience, the perfect ending to a very full week.

On the flip side, my husband and I grabbed carryout from Chipotle earlier in the week, and it was a major letdown. The person behind the counter was too busy chatting with friends at the register to even acknowledge us. When we asked a question about a couple of new items, the response was simply, “I don’t know,” followed by her walking away. The next staff member wasn’t any more helpful and acted like we were bothering them.

Having owned a restaurant, I can’t help but notice the contrast in service, and how much of a difference it makes. One experience left me smiling after a long week; the other just disappointed.

Kindness is now part of the curriculum at my school through a program called Positive Action. Children are encouraged to choose kindness every day and are recognized when they do. It’s a beautiful practice and a necessary one. Somewhere along the way, especially after the pandemic, it seems there was a disconnect in human interaction. Without regular, meaningful contact, people can forget how powerful simple acts of kindness really are.

Recently, I was surprised by the lack of professionalism during a visit to our doctor’s office. The receptionist was eating a bag of potato chips during check-in and the nurse was sitting in the waiting area having a very personal phone conversation. Thankfully, both women were kind and pleasant, but I was still taken aback by the setting. It reminded me that while kindness is essential, so is professionalism, especially in environments where people seek care and support.

According to some estimates, it takes approximately twelve muscles to smile and forty three to frown. It’s important to note that these are just estimates, and the actual number of muscles involved can fluctuate based on factors such as facial anatomy and the effort put into the expression.

Each morning, I make it a point to look my students in the eye and greet them with a cheerful, “Good morning!” I also try to notice and comment on something kind or joyful, often it’s a beautiful smile, and I make sure to thank them for sharing it.

We have one little boy who arrives each day with the biggest frown imaginable. But every morning, I greet him with, “I’m so glad to see you at school today.” And without fail, that frown slowly turns into a smile. It’s a simple gesture, but it reminds me just how powerful a kind word and genuine connection can be.

Sometimes all it takes is a smile to prove that kindness doesn’t need words to be heard and to make our world a brighter place.


Kate Emery General is a retired chef/restaurant owner who was born and raised in Casper, Wyoming. Kate loves her grandchildren, knitting, and watercolor painting. Kate and her husband, Matt are longtime residents of Cambridge’s West End where they enjoy swimming and bicycling. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 9 Brevities

A Friend Recalls Professor Robert Day

June 9, 2025 by Spy Desk 2 Comments

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(For friends and students of longtime Washington College Professor Robert Day, this remembrance was submitted to the Spy by John Harris to remind us of Bob’s influence on our creative lives and enduring friendships.)

How we met

Many years ago I was an editor at the Smithsonian Institution Press, and Maureen Jacoby was my boss—the Managing Editor. She also became a good friend. When Maureen retired she moved to Chestertown, and there she became friends with Bob & Kathy Day (an ampersand somehow seems appropriate—they were a going concern).

Maureen asked if I would be interested in a trip to France to visit the Days in the Gironde, where they were living in a tiny, tumble-down stone house—a shepherd’s hut, so it was said. Ancient. Really ancient. I said: But of course! And off we flew to France. I still hadn’t met them.

Bob & Kathy had agreed to loan us a car for a few days—this way we could wander around a bit on our own.

And suddenly, there we were in France, and there was the car, an ancient Deux Chevaux; more importantly, there was Bob. He leaped out of the car, chuckling because the car had gotten him there and in fact worked at all. On the driver’s door, Kathy had painted a vase of flowers.  I remember his beat-up jeans and raggedy shirt; boots. Cowboy gear, I thought. WHAT HAVE WE GOTTEN INTO? He gave me a quick tour of the car. “How do you turn on the windshield wipers?” I asked innocently. “Oh, you just pull THIS,” he said, pulling something. Nothing happened. He tried again. Nothing. He got out and began to pound on the hood of the car. Nothing. Again. And then—the wipers slowly began to function. “SEE!” he said. “Works like a charm.”

And that was my first encounter with the remarkable Mr. Day, a cowboy-novelist-screenwriter-professor of English. Soon I would meet Kathy, his soft-spoken artist-wife. And Bob & Kathy and and Maureen and I remained friends for many years.

Much later, I visited the two of them in Kansas—Bob was sentimentally attached to Kansas. They lived in a tiny town named Ludell when they weren’t busy elsewhere (often in Paris). I once stayed with them in their charming house where Bob had a spacious library/office and had created a painting studio for Kathy that had been, at one time, a chicken coop.

While I was visiting I jotted down a few notes that turned into this poem—a souvenir of a few happy days spent with the Days.

 

 

A Day in Ludell

        for Bob and Kathy Day

10:00

We drive into town—

no gym,

no yoga studio.

But there is a one-room library

where two pleasant ladies bring Kathy

up to date about some neighbors

and their problems:  the dog that died

from a snakebite; the woman whose husband

is going in for ankle-replacement surgery.

A month of recovery at home.

“Just think of him!” cries one. “Just think

of her!” says Kathy, and all three laugh.

 

11:30

A bedraggled parade

is trying to form.

Shivering, short-skirted girls

lead a few awkward cheers,

glancing at one another,

not quite sure what to do;

then the boys on the team—shy

but enjoying themselves—

walk in a circle, high-fiving

the small, waving crowd

before boarding the bus

that will take them hours away

to tonight’s big game.

 

2:00

After lunch, a walk.

The horizon surrounds us,

chest high, a perfect circumference

of fields that grow wheat and corn.

The gravel crunches

underfoot, and startled pheasants

clatter up from the side of the road

as we maintain our companionable

distances, not talking.

 

6:00

A neighbor couple

and their beautiful daughter, a girl

who lives in Denver and teaches ESL,

drive over for dinner. The wife

says, over wine,

“I had to whip that dog. I hated

to, but he wanted to eat

the chickens. Only had

to do it once.”

 

8:00

We climb in the ancient Oldsmobile

and drive into town for a concert.

Between sets sung by a lanky sixty-year-old

in a black Stetson hat, a man from Nebraska

—curly-haired and smelling of cigarettes,

a little drunk—strikes up a conversation

below the immense, \dark head

of a buffalo staring down from the wall.

The man laughs softly. “You’re staying in Ludell?

I used to go to Ludell when I was a kid—

better not tell you why.”

 

11:00

Back home,

the bounding, floppy puppy,

a Golden Lab, finally falls asleep.

A single light on a telephone pole

shines in the dark back yard.

Decades ago, Bob says, as he latches

the door on the porch,

lights like that one

dotted the prairie.

They were known as

“butane stars.”

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 9 Brevities, Archives

Chestertown Flashback: Chestertown’s Victorian look

June 6, 2025 by Historical Society of Kent County Leave a Comment

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The house pictured above is not part of the Historical Society’s House & Garden tour this Saturday, it is within Chestertown’s Historic District and is representative of the architectural style of many of Chestertown’s late 18th and early 19th century  houses. Its decorative trim, symmetrical  front gabled form, and ornate porch details align with Victorian styles that were popular in Chestertown and around the world starting around the middle of the 19th century.

Saturday’s Hidden Gems of Chestertown tour will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets will be available at the Bordley History Center at 301 Cross Street.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 9 Brevities, Archives

Chestertown Flashback: Captain Lillie Mae Flowers

May 30, 2025 by Historical Society of Kent County 1 Comment

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In this week’s Flashback Photo, we look forward to summer days on the Chester and the Bay, following the lead set by Captain Lillie Mae Flowers, pictured here circa 1939 aboard her vessel Chester. At the age of 22, Flowers became the youngest female sea captain, according to The Kent News of Saturday, July 22, 1939, which called her “A comely lady, slight and lissome.” The 1989 announcement of her death in a local newspaper noted that she “had been to the East Indies and sailed through storms. Chesapeake Bay storms, she said, were the worst of all.” The same article reported that she was the subject of a question on the television quiz show Jeopardy! but none of the contestants could name the youngest female sea captain.

If you have additional information or stories to tell about Captain Flowers, or other local sea captains, please share them in the comments below, or send them to [email protected].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 9 Brevities, Archives

Rocky Mountain High by Katherine Emery General

May 26, 2025 by Kate Emery General 2 Comments

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The first few chords of John Denver’s ballad; Rocky Mountain High have a powerful way of evoking emotions that transport me to different places and memories of my late teens. The feeling is a deep, hollow ache, a sensation of missing someone or something, grieving a moment that can’t be reclaimed.

The day Rocky Mountain High was released, I didn’t hesitate. As a devoted John Denver fan, I bought the album the moment it hit the shelves. I played it on repeat for months, not fully realizing why it resonated so deeply with me. Looking back, I now understand: my mountain had always been a part of me.

In the winter, it was my playground, I skied its slopes, rode snowmobiles through the powder, and went sledding until my feet were numb and my cheeks were pink with cold. When the seasons turned, the mountain transformed. The air smelled of pine and earth, and the song of the Meadowlarks replaced the hush of snowfall. In spring and summer, I hiked to the waterfall, had picnics in wildflower meadows, and practiced archery in the crisp mountain air. The tall Aspen trees and towering Ponderosa pines stood silently in the background, ever-present, like old friends. That mountain and that music shaped who I am. It turns out, it was home. Without realizing it, my mountain had always been part of my story.

Now, when I hear those familiar chords of Rocky Mountain High, I understand why I was drawn to it so fiercely. John Denver wasn’t just singing about Colorado, he was singing about my memories, my joy, my mountain.

As it turns out, mountains are magical places. They are often seen as sites of spiritual elevation, places where individuals can find clarity, inspiration, and a deeper connection to something greater than themselves. Mountains symbolize strength, resilience, and the enduring human spirit. Their presence inspires us to rise above our challenges, just as they rise above the land.

According to the Adventure Tourism Blog, mountains are vital components of Earth’s water resources, climate systems, and cultural heritage. Protecting and conserving mountains is essential for maintaining the balance of our planet and ensuring the well-being of both nature and human communities.

As the summer season approaches, I find myself reflecting on just how deeply meaningful my experiences with the mountains, lakes, and oceans have been. Without fully understanding the power they held at the time, I was always drawn to these natural places, and I made sure to share them with my four children as often and as early as I could.

There’s a photo I treasure: I’m holding my eldest as a tiny infant, bundled up against the cold, surrounded by towering snowbanks at the base of the Snowy Range with Mirror Lake in the background. Years later, I remember my toddlers walking barefoot through icy mountain streams in the hills of Southern California, squealing with surprise and delight.

These places were more than just beautiful backdrops, they were teachers, sanctuaries, and playgrounds. And looking back, I see how they shaped both me and my children in quiet, lasting ways.

The phrase Rocky Mountain High is often used to describe the sense of euphoria that comes from being surrounded by the beauty of the mountains. For me, it’s more than a song, it’s a feeling I’ve known my whole life. It’s the joy, peace, and deep connection I’ve found in nature, and the gift I’ve been able to share with my children. That’s the true high the mountains give.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 9 Brevities

June 2025 Sky-Watch Neptune May Be Seen by Dennis Herrmann

May 25, 2025 by Dennis Herrman Leave a Comment

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Neptune, the farthest planet out from the Sun at 1.9 billion miles, cannot be seen without optical aid, and then only when one knows exactly where to look.  But on the morning of June 29th we will have a unique opportunity to be able to spot Neptune with binoculars.  On that morning in the eastern sky before dawn it will appear just one degree above the planet Saturn.
Saturn itself is rising in the eastern sky around 2:30 am on June 1st.  But it does not gain much altitude to be easily seen until an hour before dawn.  By June 29th however,  its altitude will have doubled, and it will be easier to see.  Point binoculars at it on the 29th around 4:30 am and you will see just above and slightly right of Saturn a bluish dot that will be Neptune.  Though other dim stars are in the region they are all in different locations around Saturn, so Neptune should be easy to find.  Seeing any details even with a small telescope will be difficult; but just knowing that you are seeing the real planet at its great distance from us will be a real treat!
By the way, Saturn’s rings have a narrow tilt currently as seen from Earth.  We will be looking at the southern face of Saturn’s rings for a while.  Thus we will have a clearer view of the entire disk of Saturn.  This happens because Earth and Saturn orbit the Sun on slightly different planes.  Over time we are “above” Saturn’s orbit, and later we are below it.  So our view of the ringed planet changes slightly.
The eastern morning sky also has the brightest planet we can see, and it is impossible to miss.  Venus at peak brightness lies among the sky region where the Pleiades and Hyades open star clusters are found (near Taurus); and the waning crescent Moon will be in this same area between June 22 and 24.
Mars will be the only planet visible before midnight that may be seen with ease.  It will be marked with a waxing crescent Moon just above it on June 1st.  This pairing will be seen well up in the western sky.  One June 16th Mars will appear in conjunction (very close to) with Regulus, the bright 1st magnitude star in Leo.  Mars’ reddish color contrasts nicely with the blue-white color of the hot star Regulus.
June’s Full Moon is on the 11th.

Dennis Herrmann developed a life-long interest in astronomy at an early age and got his first telescope at the age of 12. Through his 43 years of teaching at Kent County High School he taught Astronomy and Earth/Space Science and coached track and field and cross country. He led and participated in numerous workshops on astronomy at the Air and Space Museum (DC), the Maryland Science Center, and the Mid-Atlantic Planetarium Society. He loves sharing and explaining the night sky to increase understanding and enjoyment of it to folks of all ages.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 9 Brevities

Horse Summer Camps for Kids at Airy Hill Stables

May 20, 2025 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

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Airy Hill Stables has announced 2025 “Wisdom Through Horses” summer camp opportunities on their farm in Kent County, open to campers from ages 7-14. 

The camps are led by farm owner Christina Stinchcomb, a certified Equine Gestalt Coach and certified Equine Facilitator. She recently published her first book, Riding with the Chakras and is facilitating workshops and training around the country. Christina has been passionate about horses, healing, and contemplating the nature of the universe throughout her life. Her commitment to personal growth and learning shines through in all areas of her work as she supports other humans and horses in their journey to wholeness and happiness. Joining Christina on the camp staff is Natalia Thomas, who brings years of equine experience to her role as camp counselor. 

All camp sessions are open to ages 7-14. Campers can select one of the sessions, or choose to participate in all three! The non-riding, ground-based programs are packed with hands-on horse time, creativity, friendship, self-discovery – and plenty of good old-fashioned FUN.

Whether your child is a first-time horse lover or a returning participant, they’ll explore life-changing lessons through grooming, leading, obstacle play, journaling, creative expression, and connecting with Airy Hill’s wise and gentle herd.

Highlights include:

  • Hands-on horse care, grooming, and ground games
  • Farm activities, obstacle play, and pool time!
  • Journaling, team challenges, and laughter
  • Covered spaces for rain or extra hot days
  • Chill time in the on-site pool!
  • For the week-long program: Overnight Campout on Thursday (June 12) with cookout, campfire, s’mores, and sleeping under the stars

Saturdays-Only Program

5 Saturdays per session | 9AM – 2PM

  Session 1: June 7, 14, 21, 28, & July 12 (no camp on July 5 or 19)

  Session 2: July 26 & August 2, 9, 16, 23

  Cost: $400 per session

Week-Long Program

Daily from 9AM – 3PM *with an all-day/overnight on June 12

Covered spaces for rain or extra hot days

  Dates: June 9 – 13

  Cost: $500 

Register at https://www.airyhillstables.com/youthprograms.  

Airy Hill Stables is located at 7886 Airy Hill Road in Chestertown. For more information please contact Christina Stinchcomb at [email protected] or online at airyhillstables.com 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 9 Brevities

Agent 86 Reconnaissance Footage: Spying Over Annapolis

May 18, 2025 by Spy Agent 86 1 Comment

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When the Spy announced its new weekly podcast with Messrs. Foxwell and Mitchell focusing on all things Annapolis, Agent 86 didn’t want to be left out.  He decided to focus his lens on the capital city to see what all the fuss was about.  His surveillance video is attached.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 9 Brevities

Chestertown Flashback: Turtle Race!

May 16, 2025 by Historical Society of Kent County 1 Comment

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Congratulations to Steve Meehan for being the first to correctly identify last week’s Flashback Photo as the demolition of the Voshell House, now the site of People’s Bank. Honorable mentions go to Pete Heck, Ann Bourne, Jack Stenger, Mark Blyman, Muffy Caputo and Charles Gloyd, all of whom submitted the correct answer within hours of publication. The Flashback Fairies are going to have to come up with some harder quizzes!

This week, we share a photo of a highly exciting, if possibly leisurely, Turtle Race. In this undated photo, adults and children gather on the road in front of a house, watching 12 turtles, some with numbers painted on their shells, who appear to be heading in many different directions. We do not have a record of the race’s winner. If anyone remembers this high-stakes athletic event or can identify any of the people (or the turtles), please comment below or contact us at [email protected].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 9 Brevities

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