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Frederick native spends 103 years helping others
Alice Akers has spent almost 103 years looking after others.
Whether comforting new students at the Maryland School for the Deaf, teaching young people at Centennial Memorial United Methodist Church or helping former classmates from the Frederick High School class of 1924 keep in touch, Akers has spent decades putting others before herself.
But this Tuesday, Akers will be the center of attention as she gathers with family for a major milestone: her 103rd birthday.
"I never imagined or even thought about 103," she said. "… I'm very thankful I can still maintain my home and get around. I have wonderful and helpful friends."
Born Alice Baker on Aug. 19, 1905, she grew up on Elm Street in Frederick. She attended the city's girl's school on East Church Street, which now house offices for Frederick County Public Schools. The city first introduced co-educational classes in 1922. Akers was in the second co-ed graduating class at the "new" Frederick High School on Elm Street in 1924.
She fondly remembers her commencement exercises at the former Frederick Opera House, now Brewers Alley on North Market Street, which included the play "Dixie Rover" performed for classmates and their families.
Her class was also the first to produce, the "High Flier," the student newsletter that still shares student news with Frederick High today, a milestone Akers is "justly proud of," she said.
One of Akers' good friends and classmates was the late Helen Delaplaine. Delaplaine's daughter, Anna Jane Krebs, helped her mother, Akers and others organize a 75th reunion in 1999 and send letters across the country updating news from the class.
"It was sheer joy to listen to them recall stories of their school years, and they all had such respect and admiration for their teachers and classmates," Krebs said in an e-mail to The Gazette. "… Alice Akers is a very special person and was a member of an amazing class of FHS."
Following graduation, Akers took a commercial course to get her college degree and married her classmate, Edward Akers, in 1925. The couple later divorced; he died in 1978. After she was laid off from Frederick's Everedy Company on North East Street, Akers said a friend suggested she apply for a position at the Maryland School for the Deaf. The school's superintendent, Dr. Ignatius Bjorlee, hired Akers in 1934 and for the next 38 ù years, she served as accountant, business manager and administrative assistant.
"What a wonderful thing the school was," Akers said. "The children were so happy because they could communicate with other children … What a salvation." Akers performed many duties outside of number crunching, from proofreading the school's newsletter, "The Maryland Bulletin," to writing notes to parents about their student's first night on campus.
"For the little ones [students], I'd write a card to the parents to say ‘don't worry' and how their child's first night went so they knew everything was alright," she said.
In June, Akers was on hand for the unveiling of the Bjorlee Museum at the school, chronicling 140 years of the school's history. Akers got a private tour of the collection, some of which she donated, such as an original English tile from the vestibule of the Old Main Building, demolished in 1967.
"I saved it and while it is in the museum now, it served me at home for years as a hot plate," she said with a mischievous chuckle.
Akers attributes part of her longevity to walking, notably the 1.7-mile trek from her North Market Street home of the last 50 years to the Deaf School campus, a feat accomplished in 20 minutes in her heyday, she said.
Well known as "Miss Alice" at the school until her retirement in 1972, Akers had the same nickname at Centennial Memorial United Methodist Church on West Second Street, where she taught Sunday school for 37 years. A parishioner at the church since the age of 11, she attends services when she can and enjoys seeing former students in the pews.
She beams when talking about her daughter, two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren, including the newest edition, 18-month-old Jack Ryan, whose picture is proudly displayed in her home.
Bruce Michael of Mount Airy is one of Akers' grandchildren and plans to come to Frederick for the big day on Tuesday to celebrate with family and friends. Michael works with the state's Department of Natural Resources, a fact Akers takes great pride in, showing off a picture of her grandson and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley on the Chesapeake Bay.
"She has been an inspiration to me because of her strong faith and values," Michael, 54, said. "She cares so much about other people and has such a strong commitment to her family. She's a remarkable woman."
Michael said Tuesday's festivities will likely include an Akers favorite, crab cakes, and of course, a birthday cake. Despite the milestone, Akers is playing it low-key when it comes to candles. "I think we'll have just one," Akers said. "We can't get all those candles on one cake."
Alice Akers has spent almost 103 years looking after others.
Whether comforting new students at the Maryland School for the Deaf, teaching young people at Centennial Memorial United Methodist Church or helping former classmates from the Frederick High School class of 1924 keep in touch, Akers has spent decades putting others before herself.
But this Tuesday, Akers will be the center of attention as she gathers with family for a major milestone: her 103rd birthday.
"I never imagined or even thought about 103," she said. "… I'm very thankful I can still maintain my home and get around. I have wonderful and helpful friends."
Born Alice Baker on Aug. 19, 1905, she grew up on Elm Street in Frederick. She attended the city's girl's school on East Church Street, which now house offices for Frederick County Public Schools. The city first introduced co-educational classes in 1922. Akers was in the second co-ed graduating class at the "new" Frederick High School on Elm Street in 1924.
She fondly remembers her commencement exercises at the former Frederick Opera House, now Brewers Alley on North Market Street, which included the play "Dixie Rover" performed for classmates and their families.
Her class was also the first to produce, the "High Flier," the student newsletter that still shares student news with Frederick High today, a milestone Akers is "justly proud of," she said.
One of Akers' good friends and classmates was the late Helen Delaplaine. Delaplaine's daughter, Anna Jane Krebs, helped her mother, Akers and others organize a 75th reunion in 1999 and send letters across the country updating news from the class.
"It was sheer joy to listen to them recall stories of their school years, and they all had such respect and admiration for their teachers and classmates," Krebs said in an e-mail to The Gazette. "… Alice Akers is a very special person and was a member of an amazing class of FHS."
Following graduation, Akers took a commercial course to get her college degree and married her classmate, Edward Akers, in 1925. The couple later divorced; he died in 1978. After she was laid off from Frederick's Everedy Company on North East Street, Akers said a friend suggested she apply for a position at the Maryland School for the Deaf. The school's superintendent, Dr. Ignatius Bjorlee, hired Akers in 1934 and for the next 38 ù years, she served as accountant, business manager and administrative assistant.
"What a wonderful thing the school was," Akers said. "The children were so happy because they could communicate with other children … What a salvation." Akers performed many duties outside of number crunching, from proofreading the school's newsletter, "The Maryland Bulletin," to writing notes to parents about their student's first night on campus.
"For the little ones [students], I'd write a card to the parents to say ‘don't worry' and how their child's first night went so they knew everything was alright," she said.
In June, Akers was on hand for the unveiling of the Bjorlee Museum at the school, chronicling 140 years of the school's history. Akers got a private tour of the collection, some of which she donated, such as an original English tile from the vestibule of the Old Main Building, demolished in 1967.
"I saved it and while it is in the museum now, it served me at home for years as a hot plate," she said with a mischievous chuckle.
Akers attributes part of her longevity to walking, notably the 1.7-mile trek from her North Market Street home of the last 50 years to the Deaf School campus, a feat accomplished in 20 minutes in her heyday, she said.
Well known as "Miss Alice" at the school until her retirement in 1972, Akers had the same nickname at Centennial Memorial United Methodist Church on West Second Street, where she taught Sunday school for 37 years. A parishioner at the church since the age of 11, she attends services when she can and enjoys seeing former students in the pews.
She beams when talking about her daughter, two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren, including the newest edition, 18-month-old Jack Ryan, whose picture is proudly displayed in her home.
Bruce Michael of Mount Airy is one of Akers' grandchildren and plans to come to Frederick for the big day on Tuesday to celebrate with family and friends. Michael works with the state's Department of Natural Resources, a fact Akers takes great pride in, showing off a picture of her grandson and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley on the Chesapeake Bay.
"She has been an inspiration to me because of her strong faith and values," Michael, 54, said. "She cares so much about other people and has such a strong commitment to her family. She's a remarkable woman."
Michael said Tuesday's festivities will likely include an Akers favorite, crab cakes, and of course, a birthday cake. Despite the milestone, Akers is playing it low-key when it comes to candles. "I think we'll have just one," Akers said. "We can't get all those candles on one cake."