John Archer

The John Archer School will hold its annual May Day Festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the school, across from Harford Community College on Thomas Run Road. Proceeds from the festival will help fund special equipment and programs that otherwise would not be available to students. The John Archer School is the only public special education school serving students with disabilities in Harford County. The day's activities include student performances, a silent auction, games, a bake sale, a raffle, crafts, food and a pie-in-the-face contest.

It was a night of food, fun and dancing at John Archer School's first prom Friday night. Approximately 21 students from John Archer School celebrated the school's first ever prom at the school Friday night joined by faculty, family, friends and other volunteers. Giovanni's Restaurant, Double T Diner and theMcDonald'son Plumtree Road provided food and drinks for the dinner, Dee's Florist in Aberdeen donated boutonnieres and corsages for each student and photographer Julieanne Taylor snapped pictures for keepsakes.

Harford County's John Archer School will hold its annual spring festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 30 at the school, across from Harford Community College on Thomas Run Road in Bel Air. The day's activities include student performances and various entertainment activities. Proceeds will help pay for equipment and programs that otherwise would not be available to students. The John Archer School is the only public special education school serving students with disabilities in Harford County.

In response to the story about alleged child abuse at John Archer School ("John Archer parents address abuse allegations," March 14), it's unbelievable something like this could happen in Harford County. If the school's teachers are at fault they should be punished severely. If the county board of education doesn't take this seriously, it could happen in other schools. The idea that special needs children allegedly were restrained in chairs for hours is absurd. What has this world come to, and what's next?

Harford County Executive James M. Harkins has given the public school system's transportation unit the go-ahead to purchase 14 air-conditioned buses to be used in the transportation of special-education students. School officials hope that this will be the first step in having its entire fleet of 63 special-education buses equipped with air conditioning. "It's a big first step and it's a good first step," said Norm Seidel, director of transportation for Harford County Public Schools. John O'Neill Jr., county administrator, said Harkins recognized the need for the air-conditioned buses and gave the school board the authority to move ahead with the purchase even though the budget process is far from complete.

Medical Hall in Harford County is known for being the home of Dr. John Archer, an American medical pioneer and one of Harford County's most distinguished residents. Archer's accomplishments ranged from being among the first medical school graduates in America to serving as a member of Congress. In Annals of Medicine from 1903, Eugene Fauntleroy Cordell writes: "Doctor Archer was of medium size, of great bodily strength, had a large share of moral and physical courage. His mind was of the combative order, never quitting nor yet ever declining controversy.

County schools officials are working on plans to modernize the 36-year-old John Archer School, the only public facility in the county dedicated solely to providing education services for children with disabilities. The school board has been discussing whether to undertake a full-scale renovation of the building or move its functions to a new facility, said Don Morrison, a spokesman for the school system. Schools officials are favoring a new facility, which would be built onto an existing county school in accordance with state requirements, said Ann-Marie Spakowski, the director of special education for county schools.

How's a quiet, reserved, shy student come to be elected president ofthe Student Council three years running?Hard work and confidence.Mark Kitchens says that when he came to the John Archer School nine years ago, he was not only quiet and reserved, but he lacked self-confidence.Now, as he prepares for graduation and advanced training at Harford Community College this summer, he's a different person."I'm proud of myself," said Mark. He's got good reason to be.For the past three years, his fellow students have voted for him to be president of the Student Council and he's earned recognition for his performance of his job at the Human Engineering Lab at Aberdeen Proving Ground where he works part-time in the supply department.

Harford Kicks sets youth soccer tryouts The Harford Kicks Soccer Club will hold tryouts for its youth teams beginning Saturday. The club fields 17 teams for boys and girls in various age groups. Each team holds its own tryouts. Times, dates, locations, contact numbers and registration information are available online at www.harfordkicks.org. Most teams also play in several local and regional tournaments and in indoor leagues over the winter. In addition, several club teams participate in the Maryland State Cup. Craft vendors sought for farm festival in Oct. The Harford County Parks and Recreation Department is seeking craft vendors and family entertainment acts for Swanfest, an annual farm festival set for Oct. 10 on the grounds of Swan Harbor Farm overlooking the Chesapeake Bay near Havre de Grace.

Harford County Public Schools will hold graduation exercises Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. More than 2,800 high school students are listed as candidates for graduation , including 292 at Aberdeen High, 27 at Alternative Education, 416 at Bel Air High, 442 at C. Milton Wright High, 254 at Edgewood High, 424 at Fallston High, 231 at Harford Technical High, 142 at Havre de Grace High, six at John Archer School, 218 at Joppatowne High and 374...

With last winter's storms and other bad weather pushing the last day for Harford County Public Schools students to Friday, June 17, members of the Class of 2011 couldn't care less about the extended school year. Every closing for snow or inclement weather brought a little more joy to the seniors than it did even for the other kids and their teachers who happily took the day off, knowing it might cost them in the end — of the school year. And they will, for all but the seniors whose Graduation Week festivities are locked in. It's that time of year again, with the end of this month and beginning of June packed with graduations.

Gen. James J. Archer was the grandson of Dr. John Archer, the first graduate of medicine in America. He was born in Stafford, southeast of Darlington on Deer Creek, in 1817. Unlike the many members of his family who gained prominence in the county as doctors or lawyers, Archer pursued a career in the military. After studying law at Princeton University, Archer volunteered for duty in the Mexican-American War. When the Civil War broke out, he sided with the South. Leading regiments from Georgia and Texas, he fought in the battles of Mechanicsville, Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Shepherdsville, Chancellorsville, Second Manassas and Harpers Ferry.

County schools officials are working on plans to modernize the 36-year-old John Archer School, the only public facility in the county dedicated solely to providing education services for children with disabilities. The school board has been discussing whether to undertake a full-scale renovation of the building or move its functions to a new facility, said Don Morrison, a spokesman for the school system. Schools officials are favoring a new facility, which would be built onto an existing county school in accordance with state requirements, said Ann-Marie Spakowski, the director of special education for county schools.

Harford County Public Schools will hold graduation exercises Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. More than 2,800 high school students are listed as candidates for graduation , including 292 at Aberdeen High, 27 at Alternative Education, 416 at Bel Air High, 442 at C. Milton Wright High, 254 at Edgewood High, 424 at Fallston High, 231 at Harford Technical High, 142 at Havre de Grace High, six at John Archer School, 218 at Joppatowne High and 374...

The campers at Camp Ability - who use wheelchairs, walk with braces or crutches and cope with maladies that limit their activities - won't rough it in the woods, climb mountains or go canoeing. But the more than 100 participants in the Harford County Parks and Recreation summer camp for people with disabilities have plenty of other opportunities for outdoor activities and fun. "The most important aspect of this camp is that the children are in a situation where they're constantly learning and reinforcing what they learned during the school year as opposed to getting the summer off," said Paul Yanney, chief of parks and recreation.

Harford County's John Archer School will hold its annual spring festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 30 at the school, across from Harford Community College on Thomas Run Road in Bel Air. The day's activities include student performances and various entertainment activities. Proceeds will help pay for equipment and programs that otherwise would not be available to students. The John Archer School is the only public special education school serving students with disabilities in Harford County.

Medical Hall, a Harford County historic landmark, was built about 1800 as the residence of a famous physician and educator, and more than 200 years later, it remains close to its beginnings - the property is the secluded private residence of a respected doctor and teacher who is prominent on the national scene today. Dr. John Archer built the house at the end of the 18th century, and Dr. Albert Owens Jr., of the medical faculty of the Johns Hopkins University, became its owner in 1986.