The Republican journal., 1888-07-26
Belfast Academy Fifty Years Ago.
BY JOSEPH WILLIAMSON.

may be found small pamphlet, entitled "Cata
logne of the Officers and Students of Belfas
Academy, for the years 1861" which is be
lieved to be the earliest list of those who re
ceived instruction at that institution that ha
been preserved. perusal of its time stainct
pages has awakened many "reminiscences o
the recedng past and brought back many
pleasant memories. Although | must have
been one Of the youngest pupils of that time
] retain vivid recollection of nearly all my
companions whose names appear upon the roll
In recalling them, the old school-room Will
its unadorned walls, and rows of mahogany.
colored desks rises freshly to my view, and |
almost hear the voice of the master summonng
classes for recitation to the quadranta benches
| around the stove. or sending me to conspicuous
and condign expiation on ''the rogues seat
"Many Of the hearts that throbbcd 50 gaily
then, have ceased to beat; many of the looks
that shonc so brightly then have ceased to glow
the hands we grasped have grown cold; the
eyes we sought have hid their lustre in tile
grave;' yet the tender grace of days passed
there in the interchange of study and friend
ship can never be etlaced.
| For some time Immediately before 1886 the
Academy had been closed to the muses., but in
the fall Of that year, a sale of Aroo>took land
enabled much needed repairs upon the build
| Ing to be made, and the educational work of
the institution to be resumed. The trustees
| took measures to secure a suitable prcceptor.
| and were fortunate in the selection of Mr..
Richard Pike, Of West Prospect who, at the
age of twenty-three years. had Just graduated
| at Bowdoin College. His salary was fixed at
two hundred dollars, in addition to tuition fees.
| MIR. Pike, the son of Robert and Hannah
| lSmth) Pike, was born June 6, 1913. in that
| part Of Prospect which is now Sear>port An
injury which he received in early life, and
which resulted in permanent lamcness, led him
to habits of study and reading. Leaving home
in 1870, he entered an academy at Greenfield,
n. H.. and two years later was admitted to
| college. His education was attained under
many difficulties, and although compelled to
spend portions Of the course in teaching, lie
took high rank as a scholar. After remaining
| in Belfast nearly two years. he pursued the
study of theology at Cambridge, and suisse
quently became tutor at Bowdoin College.
In 1913, he was ordained AS pastor of the
Third Religious (Untaranl Society in Dor
chester, Mass. During the same year, he
| married Miss Frances West Atheron, Il native
Of Searsport and daughter of the late Abel W.
Atherton. After ministry of twenty Years.
Mr. Pike died of consumption, at the are Of
forty-nine. His widow, who is favorably
known as All authoresS, and their four children.
survive him. His son. William A. Pike. recent
lv professor at the Maine College of AgriruI-
ture. now occupies a similar position in the
University of Minnesota.
"To condense the character of Mr. Pike i'm a
brief statement wrote one of his contempor-
aries. Il should say he was mild. but deter
mined; generous, but exact: modest. almost to
Il fault: always prompt to his engagements,
and thorough in his dealing with them; slow to
make up his opinion but quick to publish it
when it was made up: one of great devotion,
of vast practical goodness; IL faithful husband.
good father, stcadfa>t friend. earnest pastor,
and wise counsellor. who WAS full of hope and
patience and prayer" \ farewell letter to his
society. written shortly before his death when
he was on the threshold of the eternal world,
is singularIy beautiful and impressive. As a
teacher, Mr. Pike possessed a trele>> energy
and an unremitiny fidelity.
'let he was kind, or if severe in allght
The love he bore to learning In fault"
Besides Mr.. Pike, the catalogue givc> the
names Of Miss Mary Pike, Assistant" and
'Joseph f. Hall. Writing Master" as "otiicers
of instruction." The former, ii sister of the
Principal, and somewhat older. possessed the
same taste for study which distinguished him.
She had been well educated, and was a faith
iul. though somewhat eXactiny teacher. Her
death took place at Searsport. Jan. u. ls:,G at
the age of forty-seven years.
Mr.. Hall was the son of Frye Hall, of Bel
| fast. While Il minor. his skill in the art of
writing caused his election AS clerk of the
Maine House Of Representatives. lie entered
mercantile life, and resided in Boston. Port
land. and Bangor. In 1857, an appointment
| on the military staff Of Governor Williams gave
him the title of Colonel. About 1868. he re-
| moved to LincolnVille, which town lie repre-
sented in the Legislature of 1865. and where his
| death occurred July 81, 1873. aged 80. He
married Miss Mary NJ. Farrow. who now re-
sides i'm Boston. Bordman Hall. L. 5. Assis-
tant District Attorney for Massachusetts. is
their son. Col. Hall was man of refined
tastes, and Of social qualities.
The following is a list OF the principal books
used in the Academy, not one Of which now
retains its place in our schools, with the eNcep-
| ton perhaps of Webster> Dictionary and the
| Greek Testament.
English. Porter'S Rhetorical Reader, Ma
tional Reader, Introduction to National Read
er, Webster's Dictionary, Emerson's Arthme-
| tic, Second and Third Parts. Blake's Geogra-
| ply, Olney's Geography, Fisks and Murray 5
Grammar, Smiths Grammar, Parker'S Exer-
cises in Composition, Goodrch's United States
History, Wheplcy's Compound of History,
| COlburn's Algebra, Legendre's Geometry.
smyths Plane Trigonometry, Flint's Survey
| ing, Bowditch's Navigation, Bake'S PhiloSo-
ply and Chemistry, Vose's Astronomy, Bur-
ditts Geography of the Heavens, Political
! Class Book, Newman's Rhetoric, Hedges
| Logic, Abercrombie's Mental Philosophy, Up
| hams Mental Philosophy, NicholS's Geology,
| Smellie's Natural History, Lincoln'> Botany.
Latin. Andrews and StoddardS Grammar.
GoOdrich's Lessons, Andrews Latin Read
er, Caesars Commentaries, Anthon's Sallllst.
Gould's Virgil Cicero's Select Oration>
| creek. Goodrich's Lessons, Fisks Gram
mar, Jacobs Reader, Greek Testament.
| French. Longfellow's Grammar. Boyer's
Dictionary, Traducteur Francois, Charles MI,
| La lIenriade, Vicar of Wakefield. Proverbes
Dramatque
German. Foen's Grammar. Folcn'> Ger
There was a small scientific apparatus, com
| prsing an electrical machine, galvanic bat
terry, an orrery, and an air-pump. Occasion
al lectures were given by the prcccptOr on the
subjects taught. Declamations and compost
| tions formed part of the instruction. The
tuition for common English branches, was So
for term Of fifteen weeks for higher branches,
81, and for languages, 80.
| During the two years comprised by the cata-
logue. there were 154 students, "a Of whom
were boys. and 20 were girls. OF the boys, 81
are lead, and As are supposed to be living
Nine went through college.
Thirty Of the girls are dead. and 40 are lv.
ing. Six Of them died when quite young. OF
the G4 who reached mature years 81 were mar
| ried. This large proportion, being about 81
per cent. of the whole number, is an interest
ing fact, when considered in connection will
similar statistics Of a more recent date. 1t ha.