Delaware tribune, and the Delaware state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1877-18??, 1877-10-18
THE CONFEREvCE .4cdDEMY.

THE CONFEREvCE AcADENY.
A Sketch OF Its ExiaIence-HoW the
Project was Stnrtctl-The Destruc-
tion Of the Academy ia Is73-A
New Building Erected.
Oosrsspoudsnos Every Kvonine and Commercial.
Dovxs, DEL, Oct. CT was in Sep
tember 1873, that the Wilmington Confer
ence Academy began its first session in
Culbreaths building, on State street. At
the Peninsular Convention held in
Smyrna, in 1870, Rev. G. W. Buoy, A. NJ,
read an essay suggesting the foundation
Of An educational institution under the
supervision Of the Wilmington Confer
epce, to be situated somewhere on the
peninsula. At the sesaion of the Confer
ence held in Dover in March of 1871, a
commission was appointed to consider the
question, aud if il was thought feasible,to
select . location, which commission
reported At the next conference held in
Laurel, in March, 1872, in favor of the
erection Of such All institution and Dover
a. the place where it was to be situated.
The Academy was Incorporated by the
Delaware Legislature, February 27th,
1873. The means for erecting buildings
for tie Academy, procuring necessary
furniture, apparatus, &C., and for main
tanning the Institution, was, according to
the act of incorporation, TO be raised by a
joint stock subscription to consist of
twenty thousand shares, at the rate of IS
share, making an aggregate capital of
*1OG, 600. In the following August the
grou,.d WAS taken for the building, the
work began and when the building was
completed II was in the form of cross;
the entire front being eighty-nine feet
and the total depth of the centre, ninety
four feet; the width Of centre, forty-two
feet and Of wings, thirty-nine feet. 1t
was built Of brick and was four stories
high, exclusive of the cellar, which occu-
pied the entire area of the building.
There were dfty-four rooms and of these
thirty Ave were dormitories, devoted to
the use OF students. The building
was hsated by hot air, lighted
with gas and supplied with hot
aud cold water, bath-tubs, NC.
A oupola surmounted the building, thirty
six feet high above the -oof, making a
total hight Of one hundred feet from the
ground. Tho building was completed and
ready for occupancy in the fall of 1874,
and the doors of the new building were
luCu UptuGN lOI kHc ItSepNioA Va ottASAto.
A goodly number OF those who had
attended the first year in Culbreath's
building first aud Hoffecker's afterwards,
together with quite large number of new
students, made their appearance. The
Wilmington Conference Academy, situated
lust north of Dover, and surrounded by
six acres Of ground handsomely laid OF in
walks aud plots, and planted with trees,
r~;kl ha vni1pooJ or1 rpa of thh finest
agricultural regions in the country in full
view, now entered upon the second year
of it's existence and the first of its occu-
pancy Of its own building, but not without
some gloomy forebodings. The institution
was in debt, the trustees hadn't the money
to meet the demands of those who were
pushing their claim, and the building WAS
about to come under the sheriff hammer.
But when the Conference assembled at
| Smyrna on March 10th, 1875, enough
money WAN r~i~eA to pay of
such Of the debts due as were
being pressed for payment. Tho
| Academy entered upon its third year
in September, 1876. The students in
creased, and as the winter wore away the
friends of the institution began to see
| light ahead, but when the "ldes of March"
had conie,a calamity as disastrous as il was
unexpected, befell the Academy. About
| 10 o'clock on the 10th day of March, 1876,
| a fire was discovered in one of the upper
story rooms. All efforts to extinguish tho
| fire were of no avail, and Us flame
rose and fell, and walls caved in
| before the excited and balliod
! crowd, feeling of despair settled
deep upon the hearts Of the friends of the
institution, and many were the exclama-
tions that the Academy would never be
rebuilt. But this unexpected disaster
aroused feeling of sympathy; Dover put
it's shoulder to the wheel, their was a
renewed effort and vigor in behalf of tho
Academy and again hricklayers. masons
and carpenters were upon the scene, tho
walls were again reared, and now can be
seen the fine and commanding building
occupying the same proportions, upon the
same spot, with its cupola proudly over
looking the peach trees, vineyards and
farm lands of Dover hundred. The new
building is almost entirely like the burnt
one, and has just opened on the 3D. Of
September ultimo, with forty -nine students,
and the number continues to increase.
During the past year the school was held
in towc and at the commencement held in
June last there were twelve graduates.
The faculty, as at present constituted, is n
most excellent one, and is as follows:
Rev. James NJ. Williams, A. NJ, Principal,
Greek, elocution and moral science;
Robert H. Skinner, A. NJ, Vice Principal,
natural science and Latin; W. Lambert
Gooding, A. NJ, English, mental science
and literature Rev. James G. Nicholson,
A. b., mathematics: Mrs. Robert II.
Skinner, modern language, painting and
drawing; Rev. J. II. Caldwell, A. NJ,
bellies kttres lectures; i. H. Skinner, A.
NJ, vocal music; Miss Jennie @. Wilson,
A. B., instrumental music. At present
the Academy is in debt to the sum of
&20,OOO. From $4,000 to $4,000 are
needed badly at present. Three trustees
are now on a bond for 81, 600, and 81 400
for heating has to be raised somehow. If
the preachers who have promised
the money would mise il the debta
due at present would be paid. 1t is hoped
that those ministers and laymen who hive
promised, yet have failed to pay, will take
hold of this matter and raise the amount
due. There 0re number who have not
yet paid what they subscribed to pay at
the Smyrna Conference in 1875. Hon.
Cove Salisbury is President of the Board
OF Trustees; G. II. B. Day, Esq. Secretary;
John W. Cullen, Esq, Treasurer; and q.
NJ. Wharton, ESQ, Agent and these
gentlemen deserve great credit for their
efforts in behalf of the Academy. The
expenses Of student entering this school,
including room, board, washing, lights,
fuel and tuition, indeed everything except
books, is $3.50 a year. Cheap enough, II
will be seen, and let parents of all denomi-
nations send their sons aud daughters and
they will not only benefit their children,
but also benefit very needy and much
deserving educational institution.