Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-07-29
A yENERABLE INSTITUTION.
Phiiiips Exeter Academy and Some oi
Its Famous Studenfs-Two Pripei-
pals who have Served Eighty-one
Years.

rs n ahso0s frfnet-
Years. "'''
Professor Bowen, OF Harvard College,
has prepared concise history of the ori-
Gin and fortunes of Phillips Exeter Aead-
emy, OF which he is one of the Trustees,
and it has becn published as n 'sprefatory
notice" to 6 catalogue of this ancient
school, which gives the names of all the
instructors and students during its eighty
six years of existence. The school was
established at Exeter, N. H., in 1888, and
writer ia the Springfield Republican says
"lt gives the name, residence and age al
entering of 1856 pupils of the academy,
among whom We're Bushrod Washington,
Daniel Webster, Lewis Cass, Edward Ev-
erett. James Sparks, John G.. Pallrey, Geo.
Bancroft Richard Hildreth, John Il. Hale.
Gen. John A. Dix, DIR. Peabody, of SPRING.
field, DIR. Peabody, of Boston, Theo. IY-
man, j. G. Richmond and many more who
have become famous in one way or anoth-
or since they left Exter. Among the in
structors who were not also pupils we find
Rev. Henry Ware, Jr., President Walker,
of Harvard College, Alexander III. Everett,
and Chancellor Hoyt, of Washington Uni
versity. Tho two Principals who have
reigned eighty-one years. were DIR. -Benja-
min Abbott, whose term WAS half ceniu-
ry, and DIR. Soule, the present head of the
school, who first entered it as pupil Sc
years ago, and as an Instructor 81 years
ago. Such constancy i'm position is re
markable anywhere and still moro so i'm
America, where things change, and men
with them pretty rapidly IL is less re-
markabie in Rockingham county, New
Hampshire, however, than anywhere else
On this continent, for that is a corner of
the world that changes less than any other
place We know of, from one generation to
another. So much the better for it say
We, and certainly so much the better for a
quiet old classical school, not much dis
tnrbed as yet by the controversies about
philosophy and the sciences, which threat
EN- to destroy the usefulness of other
schools.
"The founder of Exeter Academy was
DIR. John Phillips, ono of the family to
which Wendell Phillips belongs He was
born at Andover, jnst century and half
ago. graduated at Harvard College and
rtudled theology, as did his neighbor,
President Weare, of Hamilton Falls, but,
like him, avoided the pulpit. lie became
merchant ut Exeter, and acquired hand
some property, which he gave mostly TO
the two schools hearing his name, in Exc
ter and IN Andover. To Exeter Academy
he gave about s65, 900, to Andoyer about
s31, 900; the latter was first founded in
IT'S, while that at Exeter was chartered in
1871, and opened in 1888; DIR. Abbot be-
came its Principal in 1888; its first teach
er, Mr. Woodbridge; being called 'precept-
or. Dr. Abbott was rare teacher, and
gave the new school great reputation.
lie was also courteous gentleman, and
IL soon became. the correct thing for
gentlemen's sons from all parts of tho
country to 60 to his school Lees and
Washlngtons, Taylors and Ogles came
from Virginia and Maryland; Cushings and
Perkinses, Swales and Aphorphes from
Boston; Pickmans and Derbys from Salem !;
Thorndykes from Beverly, and Dwights
from Springfield, not TO mention the de
scendants of the great centurions' in Rock
lngham county-the Gilmans, Sullivans
and PeabOdys OF Exter; Chleys of North
ampton; Plumers of Epping; Sheafes, Cutt-
ses, Iangdons and LangdonElwins of
Portsmouth, etc. Good schools were then
few, and teachers like DIR. Abbott are
always few. He left his place in blaze of
glory reflected from his distinguished
pupils, Webster, Everett, Saltonstall and
the rest, who gathered at Exter to celebrate
their old teachers somi-cen.ennial. DIR.
Soule, his worthy successor, has main-
tanned the reputation, while advancing the
scholarship of the academy, and now has n
hundred and twenty boys under his charge,
among whom are the son and namesake of
Geneml Grant and the son of Montgomery
Blair. The commendable feature of the
school is the provision made for poor
scholars, who are maintained 'on the foun-
datlon, as it is called, as well as taught
gratis. Twenty such scholarships are now
supported, and more will soon be added;
while the necessary expenses of scholars
not so maintained are kept very low by
furnishing them lodgings and club rooms
without expense. Professor Bowen states
that it will soon be necessary to rebuild
the old academy at n cost which he esti-
mates at $4,000. 1t would bel grateful
offering from tho survivors of the four thou
sand pupils of the school, if they should
contribute the amount, and allow the
present funds of the institution to 90, as
they do now, to maintain good and cheap
classical course for boys fitting for col
lcge"