The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1891-02-06

4
wealth or position, might enjoy the adj
vantages of an education there. He
heartily congratulated Mr. Staples upon
his generosity to the town and the rising
generation, upon his great age, his facul-
ty for making money, his remarkable
health ann his connection with the cause
of education. Rising without effort and
standing without fatigue, Mr. Staples
read his reply in a clear and audible voice
without hesitation or difficulty. Thank
ing his young friends for their kindness
and good words, he expressed hope
that he would not be made vain, then
spoke as follows:
REMARKS OF HORACE STAPLES.
My dear fellow citizens Through Divine
goodness, we are permitted to meet the sew
enth time on what you are pleased to call
founders day" cannot express to youthe
satisfaction it gives to you on this occa
son. We are all interested in educating tie
rising generation. 1t is the ground work, or
chief corner stone of every good thing. Then
how can we but rejoice to meet this beloved
audience. Eighty six years ago, Hon Samuel
B. Sherwood, Ebenezer Jesup and other citi-
zens of Saugatuck and Green's Farms formed
stock company and built an academy, called
Middleport academy. 1t was made up ofa36
shares, $25 per share, amounting to $500; was
located on the grouud where the Saugatuck
Congregational church now stands. Mr. Bis
sell and other graduates and Miss Eunice
Seeley were teachers; Mr. Tousey, once secre-
tary of our navy, think was the last collegi-
an graduate before Mr. Beach Star of Redding
principal. About 1886, the house was set
back to give room for the first Congregational
meeting house our village ever had In 1882,
Miss Leavenworth took the upper room and
kept it A years, the lower room being the dis
trict school. 1 cannot say that the name of
Middleport academy was kept up after Mr.
Tousey left, or that we had in the town an
academy until the Green's Farms academy
was built and conducted under Mr. Ebenezer
Adams principal. Mr. Adams, by great
economy and indetatigable labor, made it self
supporting for many years, until his health
failed. All the best portion of the middle ag-
ed men OF Green's Farms and Westport viii
lage owe to Mr. Ebenezer Adams due gratitude
for the most useful part of their education and
other man has ever succeeded in conduct
ing high school to make it self supporting
for so long a time. Mr. William n. Richards
for n few years was a popular teacher, but the
work was too iaborious for giving a comfort
able support. The Misses Downs have with
unprecedented labor kept private school
and deserve great commentator. Our school
has, tor its siX-years' existence, been only
half self supporting without having aided in
providing its library and laboratory. The
Middleport academy always had their share
OF the tree money. That favor has never been
extended to our high school. Our school very
much needs 1000 more volumes for its library
and is constantly in want of some additional
fixtures. The house and all its attachments
and grounds belong to the town of Westport
and the town is entitled to voice in the sup
port of the school i'll proportion to any aid it
may render and will ever have that right.
Owing to my age, 1 make these remarks, hop
ing that the town will see the propriety of
taking an interest in doing everything posi-
BILE to keep the school up to the very highest
standard. Although it has been in existence
IL little over six years, have the great graf.
ification of knowing that several OF it's gradu-
ates are eminent as teachers and are becom
ing our most useful and popular workers.
Let me eatreat every citizen of this town and
also every well disposed person that ever
felt an interest in doing good to aid in raising
the standard of education. No earthly thing
has ever given me the comfort and enjoyment
that have had in viewing the progress OF the
school. Saugatuck river was honored with a
ferry called Disborough's ferry, at the narrows
where our railroad now crosses at Ferry lane,
40 years ago. Rates of ferriage were fixed
by the court, which then acted legislator.
All mail matter ferried across there be-
tween Boston and New York and carried on
horseback; where now thousands OF passen-
gers pass and pass daily on one of the great
est railroads in the world and this is within
three quarters OF a mile of where we meet to-
day. What can be expected from our rising
generations for l40 years to come? Let the
old, the middle aged and the rising genera
tlon all unite in raising the standard OF edu
cation, in doing good and upon the principle
that the greatest thing in the world is to love
our Father in Heaven and to ever be united
in doing good. My dear friends, the pleasure
1T gives me in meeting you on this occasion
to-day is inexpressibIe and l can only hope
you viii all accept my best wishes tor your
selves and this institution.
During his reading, he paused to speak
of the spinning wheel which stood on the
stage, and remarked, II was not aware
that anything ancient was to be exhibit
ed here to-day, but that wheel reminds
me of days long gone. My mother used
both hands and spun very rapidly. No
young lady was ready for marriage until
she could spin two runs day; any time
after that, for 20 years, was suitable"
Following the conclusion of Mr. Staples's
remarks, Gen d. N. Couch of Norwalk
when a similar company gathered at
that spot, then grassy field, to lay the
foundations of the school building. He
spoke of the great good obtained by pu-
pills who obeyed implicitly the words of
the teachers. He addressed the last of
his remarks to the ladies and said that,
if any doubted whether a woman could
remain under fire in army and camp, to
ask Mrs Couch, for ssshe'd been there"
Il. G. Stearns, the former principal of
the school, spoke of the pleasure it gave
him to be once more with them ON
Founders day and earnestly advised the
boys to take all possible advantage of
their opportunities, not coercing, but de-
veloping the natural talents each pos
sessed. Prof BARLEY put the audience in
good humor by story or two, then said
few earnest words on the necessity of
the highest moral character in all. Rev
Jabez Backus of the Congregational
church gave an apt quotation. extolling
the virtues of the man who gave to 9th
ers of his substance and Threads the
path the Master trod, The path of glory
and of God.''
Upon the suggestion of Rev Mr. Still.
the Chautauqua salute, waving of hand
kerchiefs, was given Mr. Staples. Let
tiers of regret were read from Morris II.
Jessup, Rev DR. G.. S. Plumley, Secretary