St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-06-23
III ACADEMY'S WEEK.
THE BANQUET.
A Fair Spread, a Large Attendance, ana
an abundance of Good Things Said


and friends of the school rendez-
voused at Music hall to march to
the Opera house for the banquet.
The march was formed by classes,
the oldest leading off in the process
sion, and in a very few minutes 400
people had assembled in the Opera
house, where Landlord Smith of the
Wheelock house of Hanover, N. H.,
served a fine banquet.
w. P. Stafford, president of the
day, called the assembly to order,
and grace was offered by Rev. Ed
ward T. Fairbanks. The Mahogany
quartette sang very acceptably THE
Bill of Fare"
For nearly an hour everybody de-
voted his energies to the enjoyment
of the banquet, after which the
speechmaking began and lasted two
hours more.
Prof. Henry Fairbanks, president
OF the trustees, was first introduced.
He welcomed all to the celebration,
on behalf of the trustees, and said
the credit of founding the school be-
1onged as much to the other two
brothers, Erastus and Joseph P. Fair
banks as to his own revered father.
1t was Joseph P. Fairbanks who Sc
1ected Prof. Colby as principal, and
Nj. Colby lived in Deny, n. H., the
birthplace of Mrs. ]. P. Fairbanks.
Principal Putney's address on
what can the alumni do for the
SCHOOL," was planned for the norm
ing, but it vas postponed until the
afternoon. Mr. Putneys' address,
nearly in full, is as follows:
PUTNEY's ADDREss
The Academy presents two special con
sideratiOns on which she bases her APP
peals for prompt and generous support
by her friends. First, what she has ac-
complished. For the last twenty years
mot to go farther back in her history
she has sustained five courses of study as
outlined in the catalogue; thus giving
her pupils a good preparation forcollege,
for schools of science and technology, or
for successful business life. The quality
and efficiency of her work are evinced by
the high rank her graduates have taken
in all our New England colleges and
schools of technology; by the large
number of successful teachers she has
furnished for our public schools of all
grades who lave not continued their
study beyond the academic course: by
the many who nave been elected to re-
sponsible positions in secondary schools,
colleges and seminaries; by the editors
and authors whose pens are playing no
inconsiderable part in shaping and en-
nobling public thought and life by men
and women in all the professions, who
by the laurels they lave won for them
selves nave reflected credit upon the
Academy; by hundreds of successful bust
men in country and city. All these will
cheerfullv testify, as many are constant
~ doing, that the training and stimulus
secured during their academic years
have been potent factors in the successes
they have achieved.
Her standards of scholarship and char
acter nave always been high and we'll
sustained. This fact has commended her
to the confidence of scores of parents and
guardians who have sought for their
children and wards the highest intel
1ectual and moral training.
AL lu1S was nldOC pOSSIDIC ny III
generous benefactions of the men who
laid her foundations and provided for
her almost phenomenal development.
Her growth has far exceeded their most
sanguine expectations and has developed
needs and possibilities of enlargement
for which, even had they anticipated
them, it would nave been beyond their
ability to provide.
This brings US to the second considera-
ton, her wish not only to maintain the
position of which her Alumni are justly
proud, but of enlargement. The former
cannot be realized without accomplishing
the latter. She cannot maintain her
rank as a first class academy, but must
fall behind in these times of progress and
competition, unless her facilities and
equipments are sufficiently broad and
complete to meet the requirements of the
constantly changing conditions of bust
ness life, as well as the broader prepara-
ton required by the colleges. All who
lave been familiar with the movements
and discussions in the educational world
are convinced that radical changes in
our educational methods and curricula
are imperative. Those institutions which
shall be found most fully equipped in
their teaching force and Punishment to
meet these demands will quickly and
easily come to the front; while those
that shall be found crippled in these
regards must stand in the rear.
We need a larger teaching force. Dur
ing the last decade the attendance has in
creased nearly one-third. but only one
teacher has been added to the board of
instruction. Our present large attend
ance necessitates a multiplication of
classes; this imposes more work upon
the teachers than they can carry and
do justice to the pupils without overtax-
ing nerve and brain. This excessive
work they have cheerfully lone rather
than incur the criticism of superfciality.
To maintain the highest standard of
excellence in the work we are now doing
we need two more competent teachers:
to meet this need we ask you for SOS 900.
Our second pressing need is, as l