I went to school here. This is facing the main entrance to the campus. The building in the background is the "white house" schoolhouse built in 1803. The newer school building would be to the left in this picture. Behind the photographer was the main building.

This probably was not a yearbook picture. The players would have been in uniform for that. The only one in uniform is the third guy from the front. Orange shirt, orange shorts with black and white trim.

and Shorpy's view struck a familiar chord with me and I wondered if this was the neighborhood I had visited 43 years ago when touring the Juliette Gordon Low birthplace. Thanks to Google maps, I discovered the the Low home is only a few hundred yards from this scene.

[You might be just a smidge off course. - Dave]

My great uncle told me how in the "old days" the ball had laces and you had to learn to take that into account when dribbling.

And what's up with the rolled up socks?

Wonder if the phrase "Charlotte Hall Five" struck fear into the hearts of opponents in 1905. Bet the trash talk was interesting.

I grew up just south of Charlotte Hall (in Mechanicsville) and drive through there every day to get to work. Though he is not listed in the Wikipedia article (perhaps because he attended but did not graduate), Sylvester Stallone is a notable alumnus of the academy, which closed in 1976.

Right across from the academy is Ye Olde Coole Springs, a spring that was supposed to have medical properties. A hospital (possibly America's first sanatorium) was later built nearby (no longer there). The village was at one time called Cool Springs.

Charlotte Hall is still home to an Amish and Mennonite population (as is next-door neighbor Mechanicsville).

Here's some great info on the area from the Maryland Historical Trust, including a modern photo of the building, here.

More of these, please! Also - what is the purpose of the hands on the shoulders? It looks like they're about to conga.

I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to dribble that ball with the open laces and rough edges. No wonder the scores were low back then.

Amazing how much taller we have become in 100+ years!!! Love this photo!!!