John T. White
Encyclopedia
John T. White was a native of Frederick County
, Maryland
, known both for his extended service as a school administrator and superintendent and also for his work as a poet. His poem "Maryland, My Maryland," written in 1894 as an alternate set of lyrics for the Maryland state song
has recently seen renewed attention as it has been considered by the Maryland House of Delegates
in 2009 to officially replace the existing lyrics by James Ryder Randall
, which have been criticized for their Confederate
sympathies and martial tone.
Frederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, known both for his extended service as a school administrator and superintendent and also for his work as a poet. His poem "Maryland, My Maryland," written in 1894 as an alternate set of lyrics for the Maryland state song
Maryland, My Maryland
"Maryland, My Maryland" is the official state song of the U.S. state of Maryland. The song is set to the tune of "Lauriger Horatius" and the lyrics are from a nine-stanza poem written by James Ryder Randall...
has recently seen renewed attention as it has been considered by the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
in 2009 to officially replace the existing lyrics by James Ryder Randall
James Ryder Randall
James Ryder Randall was an American journalist and poet. He is best remembered as the author of "Maryland, My Maryland".-Biography:Randall was born on January 1, 1839 in Baltimore, Maryland....
, which have been criticized for their Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
sympathies and martial tone.
Personal life
The Frederick News-Post describes John T. White's life:
John T. White, born in 1856, was one of six children of a Middletown merchant, according to "Portrait and Biographical Record of the Sixth District," published in 1898. His father served for a time as the president of Frederick County's board of school commissioners.
After attending Middletown schools, White went to Mercersburg College. He graduated in 1878, then tutored Latin and Greek for a year, before moving to Mauch Chunk, Pa., where he was principal of both the grammar and high schools.
White moved to Cumberland in 1885. He was a school administrator and superintendent for more than 20 years, according to the text of House Bill 1241. He served as president of the Maryland State Teachers' Association and was "noted as one of the most successful educators in the State during the end of the 19th century," the bill states.
In 1879, White married Alice Eberly of Mercersburg, Pa. The Whites were members of St. Mark's Reformed Church and "popular in the best social circles of Cumberland," according to "Portrait and Biographical Record."
White was more than an educator, the book states: "As a poet, he is known throughout the state."
He wrote a verse titled "The Birth of Christ," which he had published as a gift book, as well as a poem on "Gettysburg."
He gave a lecture around the state, "Immortelles in Poetry," and advocated the memorization of songs and poems in schools.
In a speech before the Southern Educational Association in 1900, he encouraged his colleagues to "wander through the meadows of poetry inhaling the rich and precious perfume of her countless flowers whose divine essence will be forever breathed in the cloudless realm of eternity."
One visit by White to his birthplace was recorded in the July 21, 1882, Valley Register, which stated White and his wife spent their summer vacation with his mother and sister in Middletown shortly after his father's death. The story states that his return to "the old homestead, where it was his wont to meet and hold daily converse with this now departed parent, must have caused him many sad thoughts."
White died in 1924. He and his wife are buried near his parents in the Middletown cemetery.