The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-06-08
Daniel Webster Lent the Lustre of His
Presence

regarded as sacred to his memory.
His friend, Amos Jones Cook, became
his successor. Preoeptor Cook was a
man OF such estimable character and
scholarly attachments that he became
very popular with his pupils and the
people. This is attested by the long time |
that he remained in charge of the school,
which was over thirty years. Valuable
records of the first forty years of the his
tory OF the Academy, compiled and writ
ten out by him, form the foundation
stones of the forthcoming centennial
catalogue of this institution. During
the early part Of his term of service the
constant increase in the number of stu
dents made the grammar school building
at Pine Hill inadequate to the size and
Importance OF the school. Preliminary
measures were then undertaken in re-
gard to new building A change of
site was thought advisable by some of
the people in order that it might better
accommodate the other parts of the
town. AS was natural, controversies
arose over the location, and at length
these numerous petty factions became
resolved into two parties. The one IA
vored locating the school at the village,
where it always had been, and the other
favored placing it on Fessenden's Fill,
which was three miles from the village,
and was near the home of Rev. William
Fessenden, the pastor of the church and
an active member of the board of trus-
tees. The friends Of the rival locations
were very free with their subscriptions
and offers of assistance, provided their
site was chosen. The final decision of
the matter was compromise between
the two propositions. The old site, on
Pine Hill, was abandoned and the new
building was placed one half mile near
Ell to the defeated party. The work on
the new structure was Immediately COM
menced, and it was finished in 1906. 1t
was dedicated on June 18th of that year.
The address on this occasion was deliv-
cred by Rev. Nathaniel Porter, D. D. 1t
was taken possession of on the following
day.
This edifce was built of wood; it was
two stories in height with bell-tower
and hall in the upper part of it. This
academy is said to have been thing of
beauty, and the sweet tones of it's bell,
as well as the large elms that gracefully
waved with each passing breeze, seemed
indeed JOY forever. The old clock
still chimes the hours in the memory of
manyIliving pupil4; and although most of
the younger students of that generation
attended school in the present struc-
ture, nevertheless they too say that the
building around which memory lovingly
lingerssis this second one.
Traces of the contention over the
school building fingered, it is reported,
until it was destroyed by fire.
There was one room in this academy
thatis worthy of more than passing
no no tf,o
especial pride of MI. Cook, the preceptor.
There he gathered the collections of
many years. Its cabinet of minerals
and curiosities was at that time the
finest in the state. Here too were
found the modest little
Firelock that Slew Pangus,
the mighty chieftain of the Pequawket
tribe Of Indians; a Salem witchcraft gun;
a complete file of Russell's Echo or the
North Star, paper published in Frye
burg in 1898 and the year following; veri-
table letters of Jefferson and Adams to
Preceptor Cook. The letters written by
the former, enclosed one from George
Washington, which was written on the
adoption of the Constitution and was sent
to Jefferson at Paris, France, with a copy
Cook, in addition to his other duties,
compiled small volume Of choice selec-
tons of both prose and verse, entitled
1.-THE Students Companion" which was
long used as reading and parsing book
at the academy. A preceptress was one
of the improvements introduced by Mr..
Cook. She was required to teach needle
work, embroidery, painting and the com
mon branches.
After Preceptor Cook retired in 1888,
an unfortunate dissension arose among
the trustees, so that for short time two
schoolssunder differentImasters were held
in the building. Many a
Bitter and Ludicrous Combat
was waged between the two factions. At
length, however, the matter was AMIGA
bly, adjusted and then, as heretofore, one
master proved sufficient for the school.
From this time untaa 1850 the school
was under the care OF many instructors,
none of whom remained very long, and it
therefore enjoyed varied instruction and
success. Mr.. James FL. Merrill and Mr..
Amos Richard remained the longest.
The latter was here seven years-from
1887 until 1S44-and during that time the
academy celebrated its semi-centennial.
The address on this occasion was deliv-
cred by Rev. j. P. Fessenden, son of
the first secretary of the board of trus-
tees. At this time the school was noted
for the high character and scholarship of
the pupils, and even now by many it is
considered one of the most prosperous
periods of the history of the institution.
Within this decade came also Mr.. Jo-
seph C. Pickard, whose forte was mathe-
matics. A few years ago Mr.. Pickard
delivered an address on ''Oratory," in
Academy Hall. At the close he returned
to many of his former pupils the compo-
sitions which they had handed in for
correction in the days of the past. Some
were glad to receive these waits of their
brains; others said "a bad penny always
returns"
In the spring of 1850, Mr.. Alvin Body
was engaged as principal. He was not
permitted to enjoy the spacious academy
building very long, because on Sunday
night, May Both, at about o'clock, it
was destroyed by fire. The cause was
incendiary. This was indeed a sad loss,
but it did not interrupt The school. The
fire occurred during the vacation, and