SMECO - The First Fifty Years (1987)

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Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative
Cover and Above: Working together, local citizens and
REA brought electricity to farms and homes here in
Southern Mary land and across rural America. Th ese
1938 photos show the only truck then owned by the
South ern Mary land Tri-County Cooperative Association. Th e workers were employees of Morris & Wells
Construction Company, the contractors hired to build
th e association's first 165 miles of line.
hen I first came to Charles
County from Florida in 1916,
there were no telephones or
electricity and the only hard
surfaced road was U.s. 1 to Washington .
The dirt roads were so bad in winter that
most people jacked up their cars until
spring and used their horse and buggys
for getting around .
Washing for a family was an all day job.
Pump the water by hand , carry it to the
house, heat it on a wood stove, scrub the
clothes on a wash board by hand , boil the
white clothes (there were no detergents
then) and hang in the sun to dry . Water
had to be heated on the stove for baths,
too .
Later we had a washer powered by a
gasoline motor, and a Delco system for
elect ric lights with a large battery. Radios
were just coming into use, also powered
by battery .
Lots of farmers in freezil1g weather cut
blocks of ice from the river or ponds,
which they stored in underground cellars
which lasted thru the summer. The truck
from the ice plant in La Plata delivered
blocks of ice twice a week for ice chests.
National Archives
When Mr. Wallace Miller came around
asking people to sign up for the R.E.A.
electric service, we were happy to sign up
and gladly furnished the light poles
running into the farm .
What a change electricity has made. No
more drudgery . Plenty of hot water for a
morning shower. The electric perculator
has coffee ready in minutes, along with
waffles or toast and a dishwasher takes
care of the mess.
Washing is done with a flip of a switch,
and in the evening the events of the
world are brought into your living room
by television or you can visit with a
relative across country by telephone. The
R.E.A . service thru all the years has been
the best.
Young people growing up now take all
these blessings for granted but we oldsters
still remember when we had to do it the
hard way.
-Lena R. Welch, age 95
Newburg, Md.
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Dear Members,
The co-op is fortunate to have members who can still
recall what life was like before electricity was available to
their homes and farms. You who remember those days
are some of the co-op's most loyal supporters. You know
what a wonderful difference "the day the lights came on"
made in your lives.
Some of you can remember the personal efforts you or
your relatives put forth to make this co-op possible.
Signing up members, collecting the $5 membership fees,
obtaining rights-of-way for the lines-these are a few of
the jobs that couldn't have been done back then without
members' help.
For you who've been here since the co-op began, it is
hoped that this short history brings back fond memories.
May it also serve as a reminder of just how far your
co-op has come in your lifetime and how proud you have
a right to be of its success.
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Many of the co-op's present members, however, were
not yet born or were not living here when the co-op was
getting started. If you 're one of these members, perhaps
this booklet will help you appreciate the co-op's struggles
and accomplishments during its first fifty years of
existence. And perhaps you'll feel a greater sense of
commitment to your co-op 's continued prosperity. After
all, the co-op belongs to ALL its members, old and new
alike.
Speaking on behalf of your Board of Directors, thank
you for the privilege you 've given us to represent you and
to be associated with your co-op and its fine employees.
~~~k
President /
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The Beginning of a
Partnership to Electrify
Rural America
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In 1935, nine out of ten rural homes were
without central station electricity. Cities and towns
had electric power, but commercial power
companies did not see any profit in bringing
electricity to sparsely settled areas.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt sought to
make electricity available to rural America. On
May II, 1935, he signed Executive Order 7037
establishing the Rural Electrification Administration, or REA.
In the beginning, REA was part of a general
program to stimulate economic growth and relieve
unemployment. REA would lend money to commercial, municipal, or cooperative power
companies interested in building rural power lines.
It was soon evident, however, that commercial
power companies were not interested in using the
available funds. The first four loans went to three
electric cooperatives and one municipality.
Consequently, in 1936 Congress passed the Rural
Electrification Act, making REA an independent
lending agency with a clear preference for
granting loans to nonprofit organizations.
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Although REA provided legal and technical
assistance, the local citizens had to take the
initiative in forming their electric cooperative and
qualifying for an REA loan. First, the farmers had
to incorporate and organize under the laws of
their state. Next, they had to show REA that their
project could operate successfully and that they
could repay the loan-with interest-within the
required period.
To do these things, the farm ers had to hire an
attorney. They had to elect directors and officers.
They had to sign up prospective members, many
of whom were not quite sold on the benefits of
electricity. All these tasks generally fell to a
handful of local leaders, who usually called upon
the county extension agent for assistance.
Despite many obstacles that had to be
overcome, farmers across the country began
working diligently to get "the REA." And as a
result of the partnership they formed with this
government agency, nearly one thousand rural
electric cooperatives came into being. One of
them was ours.
1986-87 Board of Directors: Seated from the left are William E. Highby;
Arthur W. Dowell, Jr.; Francis J. Nimmerrichter; Perry G. Bowen, Sr.;
and John W. Williams, Jr. Standing are Gilbert O. Bowling; Kenneth L.
Dyson; Norwood S. Sothoron; George Purnell Frederick, Sr.; Francis E.
Hewitt; Lewie Aldridge, Sr.; Mary R. Newman; Samuel M. Bailey, Jr.;
Benjamin E. Richards; and Daniel W. Dyer.
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P.O. Brown
He Was the Link Between REA
And Your Co-op's Organizers
Applying for an REA loan was a complicated
process, and farmers needed help not only from
REA but also from local business professionals. In
Southern Maryland, Charles County Extension
Agent Paul.Dennis "P.D." Brown provided the
necessary expertise and assistance.
He visited farmers to find out how many would
sign up to join the cooperative, held mass meetings to explain what had to be done, and corresponded with REA regarding the project.
When REA wrote that they did not think the
project was economically feasible, Brown asked to
meet with REA officials to point out some factors
they might have overlooked. He also encouraged
others to visit or write REA officials "and discuss
with them the advantages rural electrification
would bring."
Brown's efforts contributed greatly to REA's
decision to grant the co-op a loan and to the
success of the co-op in its early days.
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Bringing
Co-op Power
to Southern
Maryland
September 18, 1936:
Excerpts from articles appearing in the
St. Mary's Beacon:
July 3, 1936:
In 1936, two Southern Maryland committeesone in St. Mary's County and another in Charles
and Prince George's counties-were simultaneously trying to get an REA loan.
The St. Mary's County effort progressed to the
point that Reverend S. John Rudtke of Holy
Angels Church submitted a project proposal to
REA on behalf of the committee. On August 4,
1936, REA set aside $35,000 to build 30 miles of
line to serve 150 customers in that county. However, the project was stalled when the committee
could not obtain an affordable rate for buying
electricity from Maryland Light and Power, the
com mercial utility serving customers along the
county's main roads.
The records are not clear as to when the St.
Mary's County committee joined forces with their
counterparts in Charles and Prince George's
counties, but they did. The first recorded meeting
of the joint committee that became the cooperative's original members was held on February 3,
1937, at the McConchie Grange Hall.
Then on February 5, 1937, the "Southern
Maryland Tri-County Cooperative Association,
Inc."-Maryland's first electric cooperative-came
into being. On that date, incorporation papers
were signed in the office of Charles County
Extension Agent Paul Dennis "P.O." Brown in La
Plata. Brown had been a driving force behind the
formation of the cooperative and would guide the
association's efforts to obtain an REA loan.
The Articles of Incorporation were signed by the
seven original members and first directors:
Wendell M. Reed, Edna L. Millar, John B. Hupp,
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PROGRESS MADE
IN ELECTRIC PROJECT
Electric Light Line! Electric High Line!
7th, 4th And Adjacent Part of 3rd
At the meeting held Tuesday 8:30 P.M. Holy
Angels, Mr. T.F . Stevens, consulting Engineer
of the R.E.A ., addressed a representative
gathering from Avenue, Palmers, Abell,
White's Neck, Oakley, Milestown, Maddox,
Chaptico, Morganza and was gratified at the
enthusiasm shown .
The Executive Committee, sitting in session
appointed an Activating Committee, nominated
a gentleman from each of the towns who
immediately took over 250 applications which
they are enthusiastically placing before our
residents of the 7th, 4th and adjacent part of the
3rd Districts.
Sign up! Sign up readily! Sign up quickly! So
that applications may be returned on or before
Tuesday, July 7th at noon, when the Executive
and Activating Committees again will be in
session .
Do not delay! Do not hesitate! Do not doubt!
Listen to your committee man's explanation.
Get some of the $430,000,000 Government
funds appropriated for Rural Electrification.
Calvert County is getting it, so should St.
Mary's .
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THE ELECTRIC POWER
QUESTION
President Roosevelt in his recent world power
conference at Washington proclaimed his
purpose to provide cheap electric power for the
country . In this connection, an exposition of
community efforts in Southern Maryland to
achieve this end should prove interesting .
Our local communities are getting a raw deal
from the local Power Company, from the Public
Service Commission, and indirectly from the
R.E.A . or Rural Electrification Administration .
The President probably has no control over the
Public Service Commission, as this Commission
is appointed by Gov. Nice, but he certainly has
some influence over the R.E.A.
The facts are these : The R.E .A . recently
approved a loan of $80,000 for a cooperative
company to provide power in Calvert County.
The private utility company got the Public
Service Commission to approve the extension of
their lines into the most densely populated
section which the cooperative proposed to
serve, and this cut the heart out of the project.
In St. Mary's County a cooperative has been
formed and incorporated to provide power in a
section which the local power company has long
refused to serve, the same private utility
company as in Calvert County. The R.E.A.
approved a loan of $35,000 for the purpose.
After months of delay, the private utility
company finally gave an answer to the urgent
and repeated request for the rates at which this
company would sell power to the cooperative.
The rates are fantastic . To eliminate confusing
details, this can be said: that the utility company
would sell power at wholesale to the cooperative
at the same rate at which it would supply power
to its own retail customers in its sliding scale.
Of course this would make the project of the
cooperative impossible . Unless R.E.A . will
influence the P .S.C. to force the private utility
to sell at wholesale rates-or will grant a larger
loan for a cooperative power plant. The R.E.A .
has the power to do this .. ..
April 9, 1937:
ERNEST WORKERS
SEEKING LIGHT
At a meeting held at Community Hall,
Pearson, and presided over by Captain N.T.
McLean, a committee consisting of H. Millison,
chairman, Rev. Paul J. Sampson, Frank
Hayden, T.G. Strickland, Webster Bell and
E. T. Jarboe, was appOinted to secure
subscribers to the Southern Maryland TriCounty Cooperative Association.
Present at the meeting were members of the
Board of Directors of the cooperative society,
Messrs Reed, Brown, and Hupp. It was set forth
in their speeches and the speeches of others that
a lot of people in this section want electric
current; and that the Maryland Light and Power
Company has made promises that up to the
present time have not been kept. Some of those
present were of the opinion that the only way to
get current was through a cooperative organization. Others were disposed to think that the
existing utility company might eventually come
to time . And it was finally decided that it wasn't
a bad idea to have two strings to one's bow .
It is understood that if the cooperative
demonstrates before April 15 that it has enough
subscribers to make the thing worthwhile it will
receive the backing of the Rural Electrification
Administration.
It is this fact that makes the work of the
present committee Significant and important.
April 27, 1937:
POWER LINES EXTENDED IN
SOUTHERN MARYLAND
A Committee of the Southern Maryland
Tri-County Cooperative Association Inc . met in
the office of the R.E.A . in Washington on
Monday, April 19 and was given the final
confirmation that the project had met the
requirements of the R.E.A. and had been
approved.
Four hundred and sixty eight subscribers in
the project area including sections of Prince
George's, Charles, and St. Mary's Counties
have signed applications and paid membership
fees and will be served with power.
After receiving the approval of the R.E.A. the
Committee met on April 22 in LaPlata, and the
following Board of Directors were duly elected.
Wendell M. Reed, John B. Hupp, Edna L.
Millar, Wm. H. Mattingly, George R. Quirk,
Vlad 1. Donat, Henry A. Xander.
The Board of Directors then met and elected
the following officers: President, Wendell M.
Reed, Welcome, Md.; Vice-PreSident, George
R. Quirk, Cedar Point, Md.; Secretary, Mrs.
Edna 1. Millar, IronSide, Md .; Treasurer, John
B. Hupp, Bryan's Road, Md .
The work on the project will begin at once.
August 20, 1937:
CONTRACT LET FOR POWER
LINES IN SOUTHERN MD.
The Rural Electrification Administration
bulletin of July 29 shows the REA has approved
a construction contract between the Southern
Md. Tri-County Cooperative Association, Inc.,
and Morris & Wells, Salisbury, Md. The low bid
is $135,181.18 and will build 165 miles of line in
St. Mary's, Charles and lower Prince George's
County.
The total cost of building the lines, including
overhead, meters, pole inspection, etc., is
$164,656.52, an average of $991.91 per mile.
The contract specifies that work shall be
completed ·before the first of the year.
and V.J. Donat of Charles County; Henry A.
Xander of Prince George's County; and George R.
Quirk and William H. Mattingly of St. Mary's
County. Three of these members-Reed, Quirk,
and Mattingly-would later serve as president of
the cooperative.
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eirworkhad justbegun.v.J .
Donat and Fannie Jo Dent, among
many others, were asked to assist
in signing up members and securing rights-of-way for the lines. The membership
fee in the association was $5, which was a considerable sum at that time.
Not only did the association face the difficult
task of persuading farmers to "sign up" for
electricity , but they also had to convince REA to
make them a loan . REA did a population survey
and told them , "You're too far out in the sticksit's doubtful that the government would ever get
its money back."
The association's organizers did not give up,
however. By the April 15 deadline set by REA, the
association was able to guarantee three me mbers
per mile of line , eac h paying a minimum bill of
$3 .50 per month .
Based on this anticipated revenue of $10.50 per
mile of line , REA conse nted to make the association its first loan , and on May 28, 1937, the
association executed a loan for $165,000. The
money would ultimately be used to construct 175
miles of line to serve approximately 600 consumers in Charles, Prince George's, and St. Mary's
counties.
The construction contract was awarded to the
Morris & Wells Construction Company of Salisbury, Maryland. Colonel P.M. Ande rson was
appoin ted as Project Engineer and Wendell Reed
was appointed to be Project Superintendent.
The first meeting of the association's members
and incorporators was he ld on April 22 , 1937, at
which the bylaws were adopted. The first office of
the association was located in Welcome.
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.ndingasourceof Powerwas the
next big hurdle, and the association
started negotiating with Eastern
Shore Public Service Company. A
satisfactory rate could not be obtained, however,
and the only alternative was to build a generating
plant.
In August, 1937, the purchase of a tract of land
at Popes Creek was approved for the plant site.
The tract consisted of 0.249 acres and was purchased from the Pennsylvania Railroad at a cost of
$100. On January 13, 1938, REA authorized a
second loan of $50,000 for the plant construction .
The contract for the plant construction was
awarded on February 1, 1938, to the Lewis
Electrical Company at a cost of about $46,000.
The association's office was relocated to La Plata
in January, 1938. Wendell Reed resigned as
Project Superintendent in February, 1938, and
James D. Cooke was hired to fill that position in
July , 1938. That same month, the association's first
lineman, Albert L. Beck, was hired, as was Forrest
Coakley, who replaced Colonel Anderson as
Project Engineer.
Initially serving 400 members, the diesel
generating plant was placed on line at 10 a.m. on
July 23, 1938. Harold J. Skone, who had been
hired in April, was the chief operator. This plant
continued to operate until 1953.
Appointed Project Manager on January 9, 1939,
Forrest Coakley later became general manager
and held that position until he retired in 1974.
Chief operator Harold 1. Skone checks one of the plant's generators. Skone was the first
employee hired by the association.
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Reading the switchboard instruments in the generating plant is Harry Lee
Beck. His sons, Albert and Harry E., were two of the co-op's first linemen.
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The Popes Creek Generating Plant operated from 1938
until 1953. It originally had three lOG-kilowatt Ball·
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Muncie diesel generators; two 25G-kilowatt Fairbanks·
Morse generators were later added.
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hen 1939 began, the association
had 780 me mbers and e ight fulltime e mployees. At the end of the
year, membership had reached
1,042 . The average monthly electric bill was $4.84
at an average cost of 7.26¢ per kilowatt-hour.
To help farmers and rural homeowners learn
how to use their new electric power, REA sent
teams of agricultural engineers and home economists into 20 states with a tent that would seat
1,000 persons and with a large collection of
electrical equipment and appliances transported in
trucks and trailers. This Farm Equipment Tour, or
"REA Circus" as it was more commonly called,
came to Southern Maryland in May, 1940.
The May 3 issue of the Times-Crescent carried a
special supplement announcing the coming of the
REA Circus, from which this excerpt 'is take n:
R.E.A. FARM EQUIPMENT SHOW
ThEibig Farm Equipment Show is set for three
days, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, May
6, 1, and 8 . The big tents will go up on the fields
at Chapel Point near Bel Alton on Saturday,
May 4, and everything will be in order for the
first evening program at 1:30 ... .
The big Farm Equipment Show ... is brought
to this area through the cooperation of the
Extension Service, the Rural Electrification
Administration, farm electric equipment
manufacturers, with the Tri-County Rural
Electric Cooperative .. ..
Every farmer in the area, whether he uses or
plans to use electricity or not, will find the
demonstrations of great interest and all are
urged to attend.
REA engineer Quentin Erlandson demonstrates various
types of lighting during the Farm Equipment Tour.
Other demonstrations stressed the use of electricpowered farm equipment and the advantages of
having running water on the farm and in the home.
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At the time of the Members' Annual Meeting in
January, 1941, the association had 1,238 members, and the project ranked among the top third
in the nation. There were now 11 full-time
employees. The generating plant, which had
already been enlarged in 1940, was again enlarged. The original generators were replaced with
larger units to provide for the rapidly increasing
demand for electricity. Plans were also progressing for the construction of new and larger office
facilities.
By the end of 1941, the number of farms and
homes served by the association had more than
tripled. More than 1,400 members were served
over 438 miles of line, and the average monthly
bill was $5.07.
The Maryland Electric Cooperative Act had now
become law. This act set up guidelines for the
operations of electric cooperatives within the
state, and at the Members' Annual Meeting on
January 12, 1942, members voted to formally convert the corporation into a non-profit membership
cooperative. Thus, the Southern Maryland Electric
Cooperative, Inc., came into being-a change in
name only.
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country was now at war.
Materials, equipment, and manpower were in short supply, and
government bans on construction
were in effect. Folks who had been skeptical at
first were now eager to "sign up" for electricity,
only to be told they would have to wait.
Relocation of the Cooperative's office facilities
was delayed indefinitely because of the ban placed
on construction of all private buildings. It was now
impossible to obtain new vehicles and copper
conductor.
A severe ice storm in 1943 damaged a large
part of the system in Charles County. The situation was made worse by the lack of manpower
and materials with which to make repairs. There
were only four linemen to put the lines back up,
so many members pitched in to help them.
Despite the problems the co-op was having, it
was prospering financially, and a $10,000 advance
loan repayment was made to REA in 1943. Co-op
organizers wanted REA to know that the government was, indeed, going to get its money back!
In April, 1945, co-op power was extended into
Calvert County. This was brought about with the
purchase of electric lines then owned by the
Eastern Shore Public Service Company. This commercial power company had acquired the lines
belonging to the Maryland Light and Power
Company serving the villages and towns of the
four Southern Maryland counties.
Since Eastern Shore Public Service's main
service area was located on the east side of the
Chesapeake Bay, the Securities and Exchange
Commission passed an order advising them to
dispose of their lines in Southern Maryland.
PEPCa and BG&E were not interested in buying
these lines, so the co-op borrowed $850,000 from
REA to acquire 326 miles of line serving 2,700
consumers.
This purchase gave the co-op a solid block of
service area covering all of Charles and St. Mary's
counties, the southern part of Prince George's
County, and all but the northeast corner of Calvert
County, an area of almost 1,200 square miles.
The co-op began at this time to purchase power
from PEPCa by taking over the existing contract
between PEPCa and the Eastern Shore Public Service Company. In April, 1945, the co-op office
moved from La Plata to Waldorf into space previously occupied by Eastern Shore Public Service.
When the Eastern Shore Public Service Company sold
its lines in Southern Maryland, ten of its employees
came to work for the co-op. From the left are six who
did: Horace Quade, Wallace Johnson, William Ferrall,
Howard Trotter, Oscar Gough (not a co-op employee),
J.A. Abell, and Frank Stine.
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ith the lifting of restrictions on
construction materials by the War
Production Board in July, 1945, the
co-op was permitted to resume
connecting new consumers. All those who had
been waiting during the war were now clamoring
for electric service.
This marked one of the most frustrating periods
for the co-op's directors and manager as they
struggled to see that new connections were made
fairly despite attempts to pressure them into
putting some requests ahead of others. It would
take the co-op several years to catch up with the
backlog.
In May, 1946, the co-op awarded a $365,000
contract to Smith Construction Co. for its first
transmission line, a 66 KV line from Piscataway to
Hughesville.
That same month, the Board of Directors was
increased from seven to fifteen members to give
representation to Calvert County and to have
Board representation in proportion to each
county's population.
The co-op's system was expanding rapidly, and
it was becoming increasingly apparent that the coop needed more than one location from which to
communicate with its members. District offices
were established in St. Mary's and Calvert counties with Albert Beck as district superintendent in
Hollywood and Emerson Phillips as district superintendent in Prince Frederick. Beck had been
operating a co-op office out of his home since
1941 .
Not only was the co-op adding new members as
fast as possible, but the use of electricity was also
increasing as members bought appliances with
money they had saved during the war. By 1947,
the co-op had 952 miles of line serving 7,264
members. The average electric bill was $7 .08.
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In front of the Beck home, which
served as a district office for several
years, are Albert and Jessie Beck and
their three children, Albert (right), Joe,
and Peggy.
Photo courtesy of Beck family
District superintendent Albert Beck
and co-op employees in front of the
St. Mary's District Office in
Hollywood. This office first opened in
1948. A similar office was built in
Calvert County in 1951.
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Over the years, the St. Mary 's District
Office went through several changes
to add space for materials and
personnel. This photo shows how the
office looked by 1970.
The first district office in Prince
Frederick was one room in a building
on Main Street. In 1947, the office
moved to this two-room house behind
the Court House.
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The office built in 1951 north of
Prince Frederick was enlarged and
given this new look in 1967.
The present St. Mary's District Office
in Leonardtown was built in 1979; the
Calvert District Office on Dares Beach
Road was built in 1980. The offices
are similar in appearance.
co-op's lines were quickly
becoming overloaded and
electricity was in short supply. To
supplement the power the co-op
was producing as well as that being bought from
PEPCO, power was bought from Patuxent River
Naval Air Station in 1946. In 1947, the co-op
leased a diesel plant at the U.S. Marine Warfare
Test Station at Solomons.
The idea of building a generating plant large
enough to supply all the co-op's needs was discussed with REA. This discussion would go on for
many years and reached the point where 300
acres in St. Mary's County was purchased as the
plant site, and a loan of $18.7 million to build the
plant was approved by REA in 1960. However , the
proposal to build the plant was rejected by the
Maryland Public Service Commission because
PEPCO agreed to meet the co-op's need for
wholesale power at a satisfactory rate .
The co-op's main office moved to Hughesville in
January, 1948, to obtain much-needed space for
employees and materials. The building, enlarged
and remodeled on three occasions as the size of
the work force grew, served as the main office
until the present Hughesville Headquarters Office
opened in November, 1981.
The St. Mary's District Office at Hollywood was
opened in May, 1948, and the Calvert District
Office at Prince Frederick was opened in
February, 1951 . Both these facilities had to be
expanded as time went on before they were
completely outgrown. A new district office was
built in Leonardtown in 1979 and in Prince
Frederick in 1980.
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MEMBERS' ANNUAL MEETING
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A Special Co-op Event ~
The first time the members came together, they
met on June 6, 1938, at La Plata High School.
Although this was designated as a "special
meeting," it served the purpose of an annual
meeting, since those attending voted on a slate of
candidates to serve on the Board of Directors.
This was the co-op's first general election.
On nine occasions, no business could be conducted at the Annual Meeting because a quorum
was not present. In the beginning, 10 percent of
the membership was necessary to have a quorum .
Over the years, this was lowered to 5, 3, and then
2 percent of the membership. In 1975, the bylaws
were changed to allow 500 members to constitute
a quorum, and there has been a quorum at each
Annual Meeting since.
From 1939 until 1943, some Annual Meetings
were held in January and others in April. From
1943 until 1951, all were held on the second Monday in April. In 1951, the bylaws were changed to
hold meetings on the second Monday in July.
The Annual Meeting has been held in several
locations. In addition to La Plata High School, tlie
meeting has been held at the Calvert County,
Hughesville, Gwynn Park, and Margaret Brent
high schools as well as in the Leonardtown and
Lexington Park theaters.
In 1953 and 1954, the meeting was held at the
Charlotte Hall Military Academy (which later
became Charlotte Hall School). This location was
the meeting's regular site from 1957 through 1981.
In 1982, the meeting site was moved to the
grounds of the newly opened Hughesville Headquarters Building on Route 231 West.
The entertainment at the 1956 Annual Meeting
was Jimmy Dean and his Texas Wildcats. For their
performance, the co-op paid about $200.
At the 1985 Annual Meeting, the co-op observed
REA's 50th Anniversary by honoring four members who had played major roles in the early
organization and development of the co-op. The
members honored were Fannie Jo Dent of St.
Mary's County, P.D. Brown of Charles County,
William H. Mattingly of St. Mary's County, and
Henry A. Xander of Prince George's County.
Since the co-op began holding its meetings outdoors in 1953, the
weather has been a concern. Because of rain, a quorum was not
present at this 1975 Annual Meeting.
12
For 24 years, Members' Annual Meetings were
held on the campus of the Charlotte Hall School.
They are now held on the grounds at the
Hughesville Headquarters.
The election of directors is taking place during this
1951 Annual Meeting held in the auditorium at La
Plata High School.
SPECIAL MEETING
OF MEMBERS
June 6, 1938
~ High School - La Plata
~
"List of those who answered to their name when roll was
called at the meeting of members of the Southern Maryland
Tri-County Cooperative Association, Inc., held in La Plata
High School Building, June 6, 1938 ...... Meeting Minutes
CHARLES COUNTY:
For the co-op's Silver Jubilee, Lorrie Smith leads
the audience at the 1962 Annual Meeting in
singing "Happy Birthday. " With her are the coop's four county birthday girls, Joy Dillon of
Accokeek, Lillian Norris of Cobb Island, Barbara
Dean of Hollywood, and Elsie Mae Hutchins of
Prince Frederick.
These 5th and 6th grade square dancers from
Huntingtown School entertain the audience at
the 1963 Annual Meeting.
Bowie, Edward
Buckley, James M.
Brylawski, AJ .
Baum, Clara
Barkley, M.E.
Bauserman, Beulah L.
Boswell, Joseph E.
Butler, J.S.
Bowie, Hamilton A.
Bowie, W.T.
Bowling, J. Tom
Bowling, Shakespeare
Coleman , W.H.
Clagett, Henry H.
Carpenter, Thomas D.
Cooksey, John R.
Cooksey, Robert V.
Clark, Mrs. Emma
Dyer, James T.
Dent, Thomas B.
Delozier, B. Otis
Downs, B.W.
Downs, Thomas F.
Dyer, Lavinia L.
Durham Parish
(S.e. Linton)
Fergusson, Alice L.L.
Fergusson, William
Good, Cleveland
Golden, Robert A.
Hoage, RJ .
.- .
Higdon, Dr. T.L.
Henderson , E.N .
Hupp, J.B.
Hungerford, R.A .
Hickey, Margaret T.H.
Hunter, Charles
Isom, E.W.
Jameson, W.P.
Jenkins, Mrs. Nellie e.
Kemp, J.J.
Lynch, A.P.
Lund, A.H .
Lloyd, William H.
Millar, Edna L.
Morgan, R.E.L.
Mills, Walter H.
Marbury, Harold S.
Millar, John W.
Milstead, Lee
Norris, Martha J.
Pryse, Morgan
Page, D.e.
Purcell, George A.
Reed, Wendell M.
Ringe , Irma
Rees, Harry G.
Reeder, John H.
Shives, Walter O.
Smallwood, Joseph
Smythe, Martha T.
Smith, Robert W.
St. John's Parish
(Roger I. Manning)
Shugart, Otho K.
Sutton, E.L.
Wm . & Mary Parish
(F.A. Gray)
Wedding, Ernest W.
Walters, Ethel M.
Wilson, G.E.
Wright, Richard L.
Wright, Carl
Whittier , Charles T.
ST. MARY'S COUNTY:
All Saints Church
(John F. Dent, Treas.)
Butterfield, Frank E.
Bailey, Samuel
Bailey, S.M.
Bell, J.E.
Bean, Dr. PJ.
Cedar Point
Community Hall
Dent, Jo hn F.
Davis, Dan H.
Dean, Merrill M.
Fowler, Zach
Fenwick, W.B.
Faulconer, L.T.
Guys Garage
(Stanton Guy)
Grey, F.A.
Hanson, Beatrice K.
Hollywood School
(Lettie M. Dent, Supt.)
Hayden F.D.
Johnson, J. Julius
Jarboe , E.T.
Lacey, T.M.
Mentges, Charles
Mattingly, William H.
Mattingly, R. Allen
McCormick, Lionel
McWilliams, Fred
Millison, H.
McLean , N.T.
Parker, S.J. , HJ.
Quirk, George R.
Russell, Paul I.
Reeves, Mary G.
Reeves, Jr., Sprigg
Rykerd, Mrs. A.C.
Strickland, Thomas G.
Tennison, J.e.
Thompson, M.e., Jr.
Trimble, Matt
Watts, Louis
13
@t
the Members' Annual Meeting in
April, 1951 , the Capital Credits
system was added to the bylaws.
This system was established to
ensure that each co-op patron would receive
credit for amounts paid in excess of the cost of
service.
The first repayment of Capital Credits was subsequently made in October, 1962. That month,
checks totaling $732,000 were mailed to refund
Capital Credits accrued from 1938 through 1951.
A second refund of $725,000 was made in 1965
covering 1952-53. The next refund of $280,000
covering 1954 was not made until 1977.
In 1981, the Board of Directors adopted a resolu-
tion to retire Capital Credits on a steadily declining cycle until a 20-year cycle was reached and
maintained. In keeping with this resolution, the
following Capital Credits refunds were made: $1 .2
million in 1982 covering 1955-57; $1 .5 million in
1983 for 1958-60; $1.47 million in 1984 for 196163; $688,000 in 1985 for 1964; and $515,000 in
1986 for 1965.
Since money for refunds is taken out of the
previous year's margins, the 20-year cycle was
reached in 1984, when margins for 1983 were
used to repay 1963 Capital Credits. By the end of
1986, $9 million in Capital Credits had been
returned to members through general refunds or
payments to the estates of deceased members.
In preparation for the first Capital Credits
refund, Barbara Quade Wilson and Catherine
Busby Berry go over 30,000 file cards for the
26,000 co-op members. Five typists worked
eight hours a day for four weeks typing 22,665
refund checks.
SPEND or SAVE
YID!! CO·O~ relu\\d
IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND
14
These members of the Lexington Park Chamber of
Commerce help the co-op announce its first refund of
Capital Credits in 1962. Seated from the left are Jack
Rue, John Romer, Charles Molitor, Gene Plank, and
Arthur Rysticken. Standing from the left are Frank
Barley, Bill Raley, Jim Finnacom, Frank Himmelfarb,
Francis Smith, Chet Haynes, 1. Frank Raley, Ralph
Chesser, Sonny Burch (behind Chesser), Joe Horton,
C. W. Mills, and J. C. Kirby.
Millie Wheatley (foreground)
and Mary Pat Jameson
operating the co-op 's IBM key
punch machines installed in
1961.
Employees still describe the
"storm of '62" as the worst
ever to hit the co-op's system.
In some areas, the co-op 's
lines had to be completely
rebuilt.
r
\
.
..
I
@1
sales of electricity grew and
operating costs declined, the co-op
was able to reduce rates. In 1952,
the first rate reduction of $80,000
was made. This was followed by five more rate
reductions: $90,000 in 1954, $123,000 in 1959,
$160,000 in 1963, $280,000 in 1964, and $200,000
in 1965. These reductions brought the average
cost down from 3.6¢ to 1.8¢ per kilowatt-hour.
In 1955, the co-op also invested $1 million of its
own funds in utility plant, thereby reducing the
amount which would otherwise have bee n borrowed from REA. A sum this large had never
been put into the plant before this time. In
addition, the co-op made advance repayments on
its loans from REA-$600,000 in 1965 and
$400,000 in 1967.
In 1961, the co-op decided the time had come to
improve its billing and record keeping techniques.
The manual billing machines were replaced with
an IBM accounting system. This card processing
system was then changed to a magnetic disc processing system in 1965. The system has been
upgraded several times since 1965, with the latest
equipment change being made in 1985.
In March of 1962, the area was hit by wet snow
and high winds that severely damaged the co-op's
system. About 350 poles went down during the
storm. In addition to the co-op's crews, 133 line
crews from other cooperatives and utilities worked
to repair or, in some areas, rebuild the lines. With
their help, the co-op was able to restore service to
most consumers within a week. The cost of repairs
was estimated to be almost a half million dollars.
That same year, the co-op celebrated its Silver
Jubilee. In 25 years, the system had grown from
400 to more than 25,000 members and from 175
to more than 2,900 miles of line. Home and farm
owners used an average of 322 kilowatt-hours of
electricity per month, and their average bill was
$8.76. The co-op had 163 employees and an
annual payroll of $940,000 .
15
In 1964, member equity (ownership of the
system) reached the highest level that has yet
been attained. At the end of that year, member
equity was almost 41 percent. The co-op's goal is
to again reach and then maintain an equity level
of 40 percent. At the end of 1986, member equity
was 26 percent.
In 1968, a new district office was opened in
White Plains to serve members in Charles and
Prince George's counties. This office was
extensively remodeled and enlarged in 1986.
Also in 1968, the Public Service Commission
passed a ruling that all subdivisions of five or
more homes would be served underground. Subsequent rulings made it mandatory that all new
residences and commercial establishments be
served underground . By the end of 1986, the coop had about 2,100 miles of underground lines,
representing more than a third of the total
distribution system.
In 1969, the co-op became a charter member of
the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance
Corporation (CFC). General Manager Forrest
Coakley was instrumental in the development of
the corporation, which was formed by cooperatives to provide supplemental financing . This was
a wise choice, because in 1973 the REA loan program was changed to limit borrowing of federal
funds by cooperatives. Since 1973, the co-op has
obtained supplemental financing from CFe.
Walter H. Smith became general
manager in 1974. He had served as
planning and operations engineer
from 1953 to 1965 and as assistant
manager from 1965 to 1974.
The Charles/ Prince George's District Office in White Plains was opened
in 1968. It was renovated and enlarged in 1986.
In this 1963 photo, Leora Seeber demonstrates food
preparation for the Future Homemakers Club of
Calvert Senior High School and their teacher, Mrs.
Mary Briscoe. From the early 1950's to the present,
co-op home economists have provided educational
programs and services for the co-op's members.
16
~
A crew constructing the CCHJp'S 230 KV transmission line sets one of the tubular steel poles.
the early 70's, the co-op
embarked on one of its most
ambitious construction projects to
date, the building of its first 230 KV
transmission line. Load growth and power
requirement studies indicated the need for the
new transmission line and the increase in line
voltage.
To best provide reliable service, the line was
conceived as a loop with two major portions-one
from Ryceville in Charles County to Lexington
Park and another from PEPCO's generating plant
at Chalk Point via Calvert County to Lexington
Park. With these sections and a portion of
PEPCO's 230 KV line, service could be supplied
from two directions to any point on the loop.
Construction was to be done in several stages as
required by growth of the area.
In 1973, the co-op applied to the Public Service
Commission for permission to build the first section of 230 KV line from Ryceville to Lexington
Park. In early 1974, the co-op received Commission approval to proceed with building this portion
of the new line.
The co-op then filed to construct the remaining
section from Chalk Point through Calvert County
to Lexington Park. However, the Commission approved only the upper and lower portions of the
line-from Chalk Point to Holland Cliff and from
Calvert Cliffs to Lexington Park. Permission to
build the line through Calvert County from
Holland Cliff to Calvert Cliffs was denied because
the Commission did not feel that the need for this
portion of line had been adequately demonstrated.
In 1979, actual construction began on a portion
of the 230 KV line from Loveville to Lexington
Park. It had taken six years to obtain the necessary approvals, permits, and rights-of-way for that
one section of line. Construction of this section
was completed in 1980.
It was not until 1985 that construction began on
the sections from Chalk Point to Holland Cliff and
from Ryceville to Loveville. These sections were
completed by the end of 1986. Still to be constructed is the section of line between Calvert
Cliffs and Lexington Park.
17
The present Hughesville Headquarters
Building sits on about / 8 rural acres in the
heart of the co-op's service area.
e
~
1970s marked a turning point in
the co-op's history of declining
rates. The co-op operated at a loss
for the first time in 1971, and rates
were raised by 12 percent in 1972. SMECO was
again in the red in 1974, calling for a 9 percent
rate increase in 1975.
Not only were retail rates going up, but wholesale power costs were also rising. Because of increases in OPEC oil prices, the cost of wholesale
power jumped from $7.9 million in 1973 to more
than $13.3 million in 1974, a one-year increase of
almost 68 percent.
The cost of wholesale power continued to rise
into the next decade. When contracts were
negotiated with PEPCO for 1977-79, 1980-82, and
1983-87, each new contract called for yearly
increases in wholesale power costs. In addition,
the co-op was forced to raise retail rates yearly
between 1979 and 1983 to combat the effects of
inflation on fixed operating expenses.
Throughout this period, the co-op provided
programs, services, and materials to help consumers find ways to save on their electric bills.
Consumers began practicing energy conservation
18
and were frustrated to see their bills increase as
their usage went down. The co-op pursued every
means possible to try to lower all expenses over
which the co-op had any control and to keep retail
rates from going up any more than absolutely
necessary. These were difficult times for the co-op
and its consumers.
To cut wholesale power costs, the co-op
launched a load management program in late
1982. The program began as a pilot project
involving about 200 homes in the Hughesville
area. After successful completion of the pilot
project, the load management program was expanded in 1984 into other parts of the co-op's
service area.
By the end of 1986, more than 5,500 consumers
were participating in the load management program. Savings on wholesale power costs were
estimated to be $627,400 for that year and more
than $1.1 million since the inception of the
program. During 1987, the load management program will become available throughout the co-op's
service area. The co-op's goal is to add 3,000
consumers to the program yearly.
In addition to the savings the load management
program has provided for all consumers, two
other factors have helped to reverse the trend
toward ever-increasing power bills. In 1984,
SMECO lowered retail rates by about 2.7 percent.
Then in 1985, PEPCO agreed to amend its wholesale power contract with SMECO.
In exchange for a long-term contract, PEPCO
gave the co-op more favorable rates. The
amended contract went into effect on January 1,
1986. Savings for 1986 and 1987 were projected to
be about $12 million over what would have been
paid for wholesale power had the contract
continued unchanged.
Even though SMECO was forced to raise rates in
1986, the average cost of power per kilowatt-hour
for that year was lower than in either 1984 or
1985. Also, members participating in the co-op's
load management program began receiving a
credit on their electric bills, which lessened the
effect of the rate increase.
At the end of 1986, the co-op had 37 substations, 11 switching stations, 6,191 miles of line,
139 vehicles, and 342 full-time employees. Its
77,529 members owned 26 percent of the co-op's
total assets of more than $133 million.
Dear Members,
It's my good fortune to have been here during thirty-four of the co-op's first
fifty years. In that time, I've witnessed or been involved in many of the events
and decisions chronicled in these pages and can look back with satisfaction
at the progress made.
However, as manager of your co-op, a major part of my job is looking
ahead and planning accordingly. With the guidance of your Board of
Directors, my staff and I are responsible for making sure that your business
continues to operate efficiently, to be sound financially, and to serve you with
adequate, reliable service. Therein lie a great many challenges.
For instance, one challenge is to make use of advancements in technology
and methods that will improve the way things are done. A recent example of
using new methods is implementation of the co-op's hand-held microcomputer meter reading system.
An example of using new technology is the Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) system that will be installed beginning in 1987. The
SCADA system will improve service reliability by alerting operators of
changes in conditions that need attention and providing the means to
remotely operate the necessary devices to correct or improve operations.
Another challenge is to study and evaluate all alternatives for obtaining the
co-op's power needs. Our staff presently has several additional possibilities
under investigation. Other challenges include future financing, marketing,
construction to keep pace with growth, and right-of-way clearing, to name
just a few.
The work of your co-op is far from done. The number of members it serves
is growing rapidly; more than 4,000 new members are expected in 1987
alone. As you can imagine, this growth presents yet another set of
challenges.
My staff and 1 appreciate the opportunity of serving you. With your
continued support, the story that will be told when the co-op celebrates 75
years of service to Southern Maryland will be about challenges successfully
met, problems solved, and obstacles overcome. In other words, it will be a
continuation of the legacy left by the pioneers who gave the co-op its start.
Executive Vice President
and General Manager
19
~
. T~ose Who Have ~
~Gulded Your Co-op~
CHARLES COUNTY DIRECTORS
1937 - 1939
1937 - 1938
1937 - 1939
1937-1938
1938 - 1957
1938 - 1942
1939 - 1968
1941 - 1975
1946 - 1958
1946-1950
1950 - 1951
1952-1957
1957 - 1970
1957-1 980
1958 - 1965
1965 - 1978
1969 - 1974
1975 - Present
1970 - Present
1974 - Present
1979 - Present
1980 - Present
Wendell M. Reed , Welcome
Edna L. Millar, Ironsides
John B. Hupp, Bryans Road
Vlad J. Donat, Welcome
J. Thomas Bowling, Wicomico
Robert Vernon Cooksey, Mt. Victoria
William P. Jameson, Pomonkey
Ernest Keller , Waldorf
J. Hayden Bowling, Hughesville
F. DeSales Mudd, La Plata
Beverly H. Barnes, La Plata
Edward S. Digges, La Plata
Walter W. Bowling, Sr., Newport
Ja mes P. Bowling, Waldorf
L. Spencer Knott , Hughesville
Louis P. Jenkins, La Plata
William E. Highby, La Plata
William E. Highby , La Plata
Gilbert O. Bowling, La Plata
Kenneth L. Dyson, Hughesville
Ma ry R. Newman, Waldorf
Fra ncis J. Nimmerrichter, White Plains
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY DIRECTORS
1937
1946
1956
1960
1964
1967
1968
1980
20
-
1963
1955
1960
1967
1980
1968
Present
Present
Henry A. Xander, Accokeek
W.R.C. Conn ick, Brandywine
Kenneth G. Wilson, Brandywine
T. Randolph Cooks~y, Brandywine
D. Leonard Dyer, Accokeek
Richard S. LeVieux, Aquasco
Benjamin E. Richards, Brandywine
Daniel W. Dyer, Accokeek
CALVERT COUNTY DIRECTORS
1946-1951
1954 - 1958
1959 - Presen t
1946-1950
1951 - 1958
1946 - 1954
1958 - 1963
1950 - 1958
1958 - 1959
1974 - 1984
1958 - Present
1963- 1973
1973 - 1974
1984 - Present
Pe rry G. Bowen, Sr., Adelina
Perry G. Bowen, Sr., Adelina
Perry G. Bowen, Sr., Adelina
J. Wilmer Johnson, Prince Frederick
J . Wilmer Johnson, Prince Frederick
G.I. Rupert Lore, Solomons
G.I. Rupert Lore , Solomons
Claude I. Owings, Owings
M. Ke nneth Buckler, Prince Frederick
M. Kenneth Buckler, Prince Frederick
John W. Williams , Jr., Barstow
Ray K. Ha nce, Prince Frederick
Arthur W. Dowell, Jr. , Prince Frederick
Arthur W. Dowell, Jr. , Prince Frederick
ST. MARY'S COUNTY DIRECTORS
1937 - 1975
1937 - 1960
1938 - 1968
1946 - 1974
1946-1950
195 1 - 1973
1960 - 1977
1968-1978
1973 - Present
1974 - Present
1976 - 1977
1977 - Present
1977 - Present
1978 - Present
William Haverma n Mattingly, Abell
George R. Quirk, Pa rk Hall
Mervell M. Dean, Hollywood
Jo hn R. Drury, Sr., Leonardtown
Roland B. Duke, Leonardtown
S. Sprigg Reeves, Chaptico
Benjamin H. Burroughs, Sr., Mechanicsville
Irving G. Hewitt, Callaway
Lewie Aldridge, Sr., Lexington Park
Norwood S. Sothoron, Lexington Park
Joseph L. Some rville, Loveville
Sam ue l M. Bailey, Jr., Bushwood
George Purnell Frederick, Abell
Francis E. Hewitt, Callaway
PRESIDENTS
1937
1939
1960
1965
1968
1980
-
1938
1959
1964
1967
1980
Present
GENERAL MANAGERS
Wendell M. Reed
George R. Quirk
William H. Mattingly
Mervell M. Dean
James P. Bowling
Lewie Aldridge, Sr.
1938 - 1974
1974 - Present
Forrest Coakley
Walter H. Smith
ATTORNEYS
1937 - 1962
1963 - 1978
1978 - Present
J. Edward Burroughs, Faulkner
Robert E. Wigginton, Leonardtown
Louis P. Jenkins, La Plata
George Quirk of St. Mary's County served
as president of the co-op longer than any
other president to date.
Shown here are the directors in office when the co-op celebrated its 25th
anniversary in 1962. Seated from the left are Spencer Knott, WP. Jameson,
WH. Mattingly, general manager Forrest Coakley, Mervell Dean, Sprigg Reeves,
and Rupert Lore. Standing are Ernest Keller, Henry Xander, Randolph Cooksey,
John W Williams, J.P. Bowling, Perry Bowen, Ben Burroughs, Walter Bowling,
and John Drury.
21
At Your Service
The following present and former employees
have given 25 or more continuous years of
service to the co-op's members:
John M. Russell
Charles I. Tucker, Jr.
John R. Austin
Alexander Montgomery
Charles W. Gardiner
Francis N. Shepherd
Beulah M. Joy
40 - 47 YEARS
James T. Pilkerton
William S. Ferrall
Thomas W. Simms
Howard E. Trotter, Jr.
Joseph A. Abell
,/ Harry E. Beck
Frank Stine
W. Wilson Bowling
Merrill I. Gough
Grover C. Montgomery
Charles A. Wible
J. Francis Norris (d)
Robert R. Miller
James A. Shenton
Floyd M. Chesser
Josep h L. Bowen, Jr.
5-1-40 - Present
*12-24-32 - 7-15-78
10-1 -40 - 12-19-85
*7-12-40 - 9-27-85
*5-13-32 - 5-3 1-75
3-14-40 - 12-31-82
*9-9-36 - 2-20-79
5-14-42 - 12-31-82
*2-27-33 - 5-1 7-74
8-1-46 - Present
10-28-46 - Present
9-30-46 - 6-19-86
1-6-47 - Present
6-9-47 - Present
8-15-47 - Present
11-3-47 - Present
22
10-20-48 - Present
12-6-48 - Present
5-5-47 - 6-28-85
9-19-47 - 6-28-85
*3-16-39 - 6-27-77
1-3-49 - Present
1-3-49 - Present
6-20-49 - Present
7-18-49 - Present
1-3-49 - 4-4-86
2-16-50 - Present
*9-8-33 - 10-29-69
7-38 - 9-30-74
9-24-47 - 9-1-83
12-19-46 - 1-1-83
11-29-46 - 1-1-83
4-4-49 - 6-28-85
1- 16-51 - Present
- Present
- Present
- Present
- Present
- Present
- Present
- Present
30 - 34 YEARS
35 - 39 YEARS
William B. Clarke, Sr.
Henry H. Gehring
./ Joseph A. Beck
Charles R. Dyson
S. Wallace Johnson
Floyd A. Cooksey
C. Garner Hayden
Robert E. Simpson
John W. Matthews
Charles P. Mattingly
H. Leroy Elliott
Francis W. Norris
Forrest Coakley
Reginald P. Gilroy
James T. Kersey
Wallace J. Montgomery
Charles L. Guy
Robert L. Stansbury
3-5-51
8-1-51
8-6-51
10-31-51
4-7 -52
6- 16-52
9-16-52
y
T. Maurice Clarke
Edward J. Therres
Walter H. Smith
Roland L. Keech
Thomas C. Baden
William G. Card
Willard C. Hough (d)
Joseph G. Harris (d)
Mary Pat Jameson
Robert E. Cooper
Francis L. Hayden
William B. Norris
Christina A. Wood
John H. Posey
Joyce T. Bowling
E. Lorraine Cook
Benedict I. Abell (d)
Curtis J. Bushell
Edward E. Dyson
Robert E. Mitchell
Richard F. Thompson (d)
Thomas L. Welch
Arthur Farrell (d)
Harold A. Hintze
Philip L. Welch
Lloyd A. Goble
Albert L. Beck (d)
J. Melvin Johnson
Paul P. Ward (d)
Francis A. Jameson
Mildred M. Wheatley
John W. Young
Dorothy A. Gibson
Barbara J. Wilson
2-18-52 - 6-2-86
2-16- 53 - Present
3-2-53 - Present
4-9-53 - Present
3-5-51 - 7-1-84
6-27-49 - 12-31-81
2-10-47 - 2-4-80
1-10-46 - 12-22-78
2-1-54 - Present
4-19-54 - Present
4-26-54 - Present
7-19-54 - Present
5-13-46 - 8-10-78
2-1-55 - Present
2-21-55 - Present
12-1-55 - Present
1-7-46 - 2-4-77
6-1-53 - 8-15-84
8-10-55 - 2-12-86
10-3-49 - 11-28-80
3-31-47 - 5-11-78
4-16-52 - 12-3 1-82
8-23-48 - 8-30-79
6-18-56 - Present
6-18-56 - Present
8-2-56 - Present
7-13-38 - 4-19-68
12-3-45 - 1-2-76
8-12-46 - 3-18-76
9-22-54 - 2-14-85
6-3-57 - Present
6-3-57 - Present
7-1-57 - Present
9-3-57 - Present
25 - 29 YEARS
Fred W. Lewis, Sr.
William C. Mattingly
Joseph P. Dorsey
Jeanette B. Cooksey
James O'Neill (d)
Eleanor W. Bowling
William Calvin Potter
Elizabeth L. Roach
Robert I. Readmond
Shirley T. Cusic
D. Elaine Mattingly
Muriel R. Bowling
Harold O. Suit (d)
Francis J. Schindler (d)
August H. Flerlage (d)
George T. Bowen
Ralph M. Dixon
Leona Sanner (d)
June Z. Long
Faye C. Oliver
Harold J. Skone (d)
M. Joseph Buscher (d)
Francis X. Wood
Huntt F. Benton
David A. Farrell, Sr.
Ray W. Jones
E. Lucille Burch
John F. Slattery (d)
Mary Ann Lucas
Samuel A. Mudd
George E. Thompson
George K. Hayden, Jr.
John L. Hamilton
Myrtle E. McWilliams
David L. Hogge
Carl E. Burch
Joseph R. Cooksey, Jr.
James K. Bohle
4-28-58 - Present
6-2-58 - Present
9-17 -58 - Present
11 -3-58 - Present
2-11-46 - 5-7-74
1-27-59 - 7-31 -86
5-18-53 - 4-1-81
9-27-48 - 6-18-76
4-1-59 - Present
7-27 -59 - Present
10-12-59 - Present
10-19-59 - Present
9-17-51 - 2-9-79
5-13-48 - 7-31-75
11-29-48 - 9-26-74
3-23-60 - Present
1-2-57 - 12-31-82
9-22-53 - 11-11-79
4-1-58 - 10-27-83
8-16-56 - 1- 1-83
5-1-38 - 4-24-64
1-24-51 - 6-22-77
12-1-59 - 1-30-86
9-25-61 - Present
9-25-61 - Present
9-25-6 1 - Present
5-16-49 - 9-30-74
6-1-54 - 7-25-79
12-27-56 - 3-18-82
1-10-55 - 4-1-80
4-9-62 - Present
4-30-62 - Present
5-7-62 - Present
8-6-62 - Present
8-24-62 - Present
9-24-62 - Present
9-24-62 - Present
11 -26-62 - Present
*Includes years of employment with the Eastern Shore
Public Service Company
(d) deceased
Bringing Co-op Power
to Southern Maryland
1935 President Franklin Roosevelt signs
1936
1937
1938
1942
1945
Executive Order 7037, creating the Rural
Electrification Administration; loan funds
made available for building rural power
lines.
Rural Electrification Act reestablishes REA
as a lending agency for 10 years with clear
preference for making loans to nonprofit
organizations.
REA sets aside $35,000 for 30 miles of line
in St. Mary's County; this is later made part
of co-op's first loan of $165,000.
Southern Maryland Tri-County Cooperative
Association incorporated on February 5.
On May 28, association obtains loan of
$165,000 to build lines in Charles, Prince
George's, and St. Mary's counties.
Loan of $50,000 obtained to build a
generating plant at Popes Creek; plant
energized on July 23 to serve 400 families
on 175 miles of line in Charles, Prince
George's , and St. Mary's counties.
Name changed to Southern Maryland
Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Lines bought from Eastern Shore Public
Service Company, adding 326 miles of line
and 2,700 consumers and extending co-op's
service into Calvert County.
1946 District offices set up in Calvert and St.
1948
1951
1952
1953
1957
1962
1968
1969
Mary's counties.
Co-op headquarters moved to Hughesville.
Capital Credits system established.
Co-op makes first rate reduction; five more
rate reductions follow in next 13 years.
Generating plant at Popes Creek closed; all
power bought from Potomac Electric Power
Company.
Members served by the co-op number more
than 20,000.
$732 ,000 in Capital Credits refunded to
members served from 1938 through 1951.
Severe storm does $400,000 in damages to
co-op's system.
Co-op celebrates Silver Jubilee; members
number more than 25,000 on more than
2,900 miles of line.
Maryland Public Service Commission ruling
passed requiring that all new subdivisions
of five or more lots be served underground .
Ruling later changed to include all
residential and commercial services.
District office opened in White Plains to
serve members in Charles and Prince
George's counties.
SMECO becomes a charter member of the
1974
1976
1979
1980
1981
1982
1985
1986
1987
National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance
Corporation.
Forrest Coakley retires after serving as
general manager since 1938; Walter H.
Smith becomes general manager.
50,OOOth meter connected to co-op's lines.
New St. Mary's District Office built in
Leonardtown; dedicated in 1980 to the late
William H. Mattingly.
New Calvert District Office built in Prince
Frederick and dedicated to the late Senator
Edward Hall.
New Hughesville Headquarters Office opens
for business; dedicated in 1982 to Forrest
Coakley.
Load management program begun to help
reduce wholesale power costs.
Co-op celebrates 50th Anniversary of REA.
Major portions of co-op's first 230 KV
transmission line completed.
SMECO celebrates fifty years of service to
Southern Maryland; members number
77,529 on more than 6,000 miles of line.
~
23
~0 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ~
repository for materials related to SMECO's
history.
The purpose of this booklet is to tell the story of
the first fifty years of the Southern Maryland
Electric Cooperative. Unfortunately, it is
impossible to tell about all the people who have
contributed to the birth, survival, and success of
what was first called "the REA" and has since
become known as SMECO. To those individuals
who should have been mentioned but were not,
we apologize for the omission.
This booklet is not intended to be a comprehensive history of rural electrification. Anyone
who would like more information on that subject
may consult a publication called "The Next
Greatest Thing," copies of which SMECO has
placed in all Southern Maryland libraries.
For their help in putting together both an oral
and a written history of the Cooperative, SMECO
would like to thank:
• Kathryn Newcomb, Mitchell Diggs, William
Ferrall, and Joseph Beck, who provided
photographs and mementos related to SMECO's
history.
• Mary Berry Moore and Margaret Klapthor, who
furnished biographical information about their
father, Paul D. Brown, and information relative
to SMECO from his 1936-39 annual reports.
• Forrest Coakley, who so willingly shared his
knowledge and whose advice was most helpful.
• Quentin Erlandson, who supplied photographs
and wrote of his visit to Southern Maryland
with the REA Farm Equipment Tour.
• Roberta and John Wearmouth, who contributed
so generously of their time and immense
talents.
• Joyce Bowling and the late Frank Schindler,
employees whose earlier versions of SMECO's
history proved invaluable.
• Harry Beck, Joseph Beck, Mrs. Albert Beck,
Director Perry Bowen, W. Wilson Bowling,
Forrest Coakley, William S. Ferrall, S. Wallace
(Gerald) Johnson , Robert C. Lybrook, James T.
Pilkerton, T. William Simms, Waiter H. Smith,
Howard E. Trotter, and Charles A. Wible, who
took part in interviews conducted by John
Wearmouth. These interviews will forever be
part of SMECO's oral history.
• SMECO employees Alfred Gough, Susan
Henderson, Elaine Mattingly, Barbara Wilson,
Elaine McConkey, Joan Mitchell, and Judy
Dudley, who assisted with research.
• The Southern Maryland Room at Charles
County Community College, which provided
technical assistance and will also serve as a
24
• Jean Hall Dowell, H. Fred Derrick, Ethel Berry,
Robert E.T. Pogue, Lena R. Welch, Gladys P.
Young, Garner T. "Pete" Grover, Madeline
Ficklin, and Elliott Burch, Sr., who wrote letters
telling their memories of what life was like
before and after the Co-op came into being.
• Valerie Haugan, REA Freedom of Information
Act Coordinator, who sent key information
relative to the co-op's first REA loan.
• Dr. Ralph Adkins, Acting Associate Director,
Cooperative Extension Service, University of
Maryland, who searched extension records for
information about the co-op.
.
~
.
PUBLISHED BY THE
PUBLIC AND MEMBER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
DUN~IR~ GRAPHIC) •