Makin' Me Proud

Ed, a former student of mine, a staunch believer in western Maryland and especially Frostburg, and (although he won't admit its inevitability) future mayor of his hometown. Some of my fondest memories of teaching involve arguments between Ed and spoiled kids from Montgomery County who hated Frostburg. I would allow the arguments to become heated, to last as long as they needed to, secretly waiting for Ed to deliver the zinger that would send the pretentious pricks reeling and feeling out of place. Standing next to Ed in this picture are Wade and Debbie Clark-- two excellent people who became friends, and sometime confidants of mine when I'd shop for my photo supplies.

DeWitt buys camera store

From the Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — Edward DeWitt of Frostburg has purchased Clark’s Camera Centre from owner Wade Clark and plans to open the store as DeWitt Camera Centre in mid-August.

The business began more than 70 years ago as the hobby of original owner S. Louis Curl, who with his wife began making black and white prints from their own film in the early 1930s. There were no full-time photo stores, and having quality prints made was not easy.

Using the basement of their home as a darkroom, the Curls’ operation grew, and a few outlets were established elsewhere in Cumberland. They had two fixed locations before purchasing the vacant former First Federal Savings and Loan building in 1955 at 56 N. Centre St., which still is the site of the camera shop.

In 1972, Frank “Spike” Clark and two of his four children moved to Cumberland from Pearl River, N.Y., and bought the shop from the Curls. Their son Wade took over the business in 1990, bought it in 1993 and has run it with his wife, Debby.

DeWitt is a native of Frostburg and has been involved with photography since 2001, when he took his first class at Frostburg State University. He graduated from FSU in 2003 and attended the Ohio Institute of Photography in Dayton.

Clark’s stocks cameras, lenses, accessories and darkroom supplies, and film processing and printing is done on site. It offers repairs on all cameras and accessories and accepts special orders for equipment.

DeWitt plans to add an upstairs photography studio, a gallery for local photographers and photography classes for novices and experts. Business hours will be extended and the store will be open on weekends. For more information, call (301) 724-0393.