Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1889-07-04
The Sanuuet.

Proctor Hall was crowded. The par
titions were removed and the whole space
of the hall filled with long tables around
which was Il mirthful crowd. Food, and
of the best, was in abundance. Mrs.
Foster had spared no pains i'll this The
feast for the body was complete and ev-
cry guest was satisfied. The intellectual
feast was awaited with anxiety. They
had not long to wait, for while these were
slipping their coffee and partaking of the
last of the ice cream, Prof. Willard arose
at the head of the trustees table and an
nounced that the feast of mind was at
hand "Cheerfully, joyfully, delightfully."-
would we listen to "half hour speeches.
A mental "dessert' warranted not to pro-
duce ''intellectual dyspepsia" was to be
the order. Let no one refuse to speak.
Col Fuller, chairman of the board of
trustees, was the first called upon and to
respond. He had been more than pleased
with the exercises of the day. He had
not seen them eXcelled in any school any
where. 1t was hi, regret that he had not
made the dining hall larger. Yet he had
anticipated great numbers. His relations
with the school had always been pleas
ant. Not one unpleasant thing had oc-
Cured since he had known it. He closed
with hope that its usefulness would con-
tinue and that it would continue to edu-
cate the young of Vermont and the coun-
try generally.
Mr.. Reese, of the board of trustees,
was called out. After few humorous re-
marks he talked seriously and earnestly.
He had learned to love Vermont, her
churches, schools and organizations and
especially Vermont Academy. Ameri-
cans understand their institutions better
l.,
cially true of Vermont Academy. A
good Providence has guided the school
since its inception. That Providence is
still watching over it. We should go
| forward in the language of the class mot
| to '!PraecupitOs Vigildte,' energetically
but cautiously. The past has been glori-
Gus. The present is to decide what is to
come. OF the high scholarship and
Christian character of the institution there
will be no doubt. This is the time to
show our loyalty to Vermont Academy.
The old lines must be followed. Then
this institution will go on and its future
will be as glorious as its past.
Mr. Wilbur, one of the fathers of the
institution, and at present engaged in
soliciting funds for the school, was the
next speaker. With the deepest feeling
and tenderest emotion he spoke for Yer
| mont Academy, the IDOL OF MS neart.
He seemed almost overcome with grief at
Prof. Wizards leaving the school. They
had sought a man who would make the
management of the school his life work.
They had found him. Prof. Willards In
terest in the school was first, last and al
ways. He hoped God would guide the
school in the future as he knew he had in
the past. He pronounced a lofty eulOgium
upon Prof. Willard, in which he said he
didn't consider he had peer as an edu-
Gator anywhere. The expression found
an answering chord in two hundred
hearts. Proctor Hall never echoed with
such tremendous applause before, and il
was noticeable that these were loudest and
longest at the long tables where were
seated fifty alumni. who knew what Prof
Willard had been to the school, and what
a loss his departure will be, ''The thought