Gov. Larry Hogan’s daughter Jaymi Sterling presents a citation to Cross Bottony awardee Beck McDonald, a long-time St. Mary’s City volunteer.
St. Mary’s City, MD — It would take an awful big cake to hold 381 candles. Instead Historic St. Mary’s City celebrated Maryland Day and the state’s 381st birthday with a lot of celebration instead. The annual ceremony was held under a heated tent in front of the visitor center March 21. The real anniversary, March 25, will be celebrated at the St. Clements Island Museum overlooking the site of the landing of the settlers in 1634.
Guest speaker at the birthday celebration was Maryland U.S. District Court Judge Peter Messitte. He talked about notable civil rights cases involving Maryland and his court, which now is in Greenbelt but originally in Baltimore.
The cases included the Prince George’s County school desegregation case of 1971 that included a court-ordered busing plan. Messitte inherited a review of busing in 1996 which in a county and school district that was largely African-American by that time. He eventually ordered the repeal of busing after establishing a committee to review it. He said there is still disagreement to this day about whether busing was a plus or minus in the civil rights effort and that his case had nationwide ramifications.
After Judge Messitte’s talk Historic St. Mary’s City Executive Director Dr. Regina Faden asked out loud why there was a talk about civil rights on a 17th century spot. She answered her own question by saying the freedom sought by the earlier colonists is a desire that transcends the ages. “Freedom and equality are always in danger,” she asserted.
The event also featured the presentation of the annual Cross Bottony award named after the Crossland Cross that tops the Maryland flag. This year’s recipient was long-time Historic St. Mary’s City volunteer Rebecca “Beck” McDonald, who started in 1989 under then volunteer-coordinator Marie Goldsmith.
McDonald’s earliest experience with St. Mary’s City of riding the trails around the town lands translated into a life-long love of the place. She said the award belonged to all of the volunteers. “I treasure your friendship,” she told them.
McDonald was presented with citations from Gov. Larry Hogan by his daughter Jaymi Sterling and from the House of Delegates from Delegate Deb Rey.
Earlier Sterling gave greetings from the governor, saying her only regret of the day was that her father was unable to attend. Sen. Steve Waugh also presented a proclamation. All of the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County were in attendance except Commissioner Tom Jarboe, who is on a trade mission to Israel,
St. Mary’s College of Maryland President Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, a native Marylander, said she studied up on Maryland history when she accepted the presidency and returned to her home state. She talked about the settlers crossing the ocean on two wooden ships and the hardships they must have endured to achieve freedom. “I get seasick just thinking about it (the voyage),” she said.
The program included an historic flag flourish by Paul Willoughby of St. Mary’s Citty Militia following a presentation of colors by the NAS Patuxent River Color Guard.
The event concluded with the Ceremony of Flags in which the flags of each Maryland county were presented by students in the inverse order of the county’s establishment. With St. Mary’s County being first it was presented last by flag bearer Walina Brown (shown) of Lexington Park Elementary School.
The March 25 ceremony at St. Clement’s Island Museum will be at 2 p.m. inside the museum with St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron the guest speaker.
The Bay Net photos by Ron Bailey
