The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-11-02
BENNINGTON UNION ACADEMY.

Last summer, the BANNER had some
thing to say about our town in 1885, the
moving fact being the map of the town
owned by the Hon. Edward Rice. That
map had pictures of the Seminary and
academy at Bennington Centre, Union
academy of this village, the old Iron
works east of the village, now called For
est Grove, the summer residence of the
Capt. Shields family, and other items of
interest And now, through the cOur-
tesy of Mr.. j. Ed. Damon, we have be-
fore us the annual catalogue of 1885, of
Union Academy, with the names of the
trustees, instructors and students. 1t is
small size 16 page pamphlet, and the
yellow cover begins to show age. We
are told that Mr.. Damon prizes this
relic highly. The Board of Trustees are
as follows: Hon. Nathan II. Bottum,
president; James Allen, vice-president;
William S. Southworth, secretary; Lem
uel Grover, treasurer; Rev. Israel
Reach, Rev. Silas Kenney, Jonas Ca
lusha, Benjamin Gardner, Reuben Col
vim, Isaac Crossett, Joel Valentine, Dr.
Nathaniel Smith, Asahel Booth, Jos.
Myers, Jr., and Isaac Weeks. The fac
ulty were: Joshua M. Macomber, prin-
cipal; Albert N. Arnold, Misses Mary B.
Squier, Sarah Ann Lee. Mary 0sgood,
Augusta E. Fitch, Sarah S. Kingsley, as
sistant teachers; Lewis Smith, Miss
Mercy W. Bigelow, assistant pupils.
John G. Haswell was the printer of the
catalogue. From the long line of stu
dents of the county, we take the names
of a few from Bennington: Henry W.
Booth, Stephen Bingham, VIM. B. Booth,
Chas. Corbiere, Chas. Cushman, Chas.
e. and James K. Damon, Chas. E., Eli
jah and Henry Dewey, A. b. Gardner
(Pownal), L. d. Hamlen, Samuel b.
Kingsley, Aretas G. and Elihu LOOMS,
VIM. Morgan, Alonzo, Franklin and Hen
ry Norton, Eliezer b. and VIM. l.. Peck,
Isaac T. Pratt, Thomas II. Rouse, John
Selby,- Chas. p, George p, and Henry
Squires, Chas. and Walter Thatcher,
Chas. j. futile, Alonzo B. and Samuel
w. Valentine, VIM. Weeks, Jas. N. and
Madison Winslow, Trenor w. Park, and
many others, living and dead, that
would be readily recognized if printed.
The ladies list is quite long one, too.
We copy few names: LauTietta A. and
Marion Adams, Catherine and Ruth Bar
new, Mary Bingham, Mazda H. Booth,
Helen and Louise Chandler, Fanny NJ.
Colvin, Ruth /. and Samantha M. Cros-
sett. Sophia Cushman, Ellen and Mary
Godfrey, Martha and Sarah Loomis,
Clarissa, Eliza, Harriet c., and Laura o.
Norton, Fidelia and Harriet Pierce, Erin
NJ. and Lydia II. Pratt, Harriet L., Ma
rion, and Mary Squires, Caroline Thatch-
err, Fidelia Thayer, Jane and Mary Wa
tiers, and others. The gentlemen's list
is 100; ladies', ia; total, 234.
"This institution is situated in a pleas
ant retreat, about rs rods from the prin-
cipal street in Bennington East Village,
Vermont Its location, in flourishing
village which is daily accessible by
stages from all directions, is regarded as
very favorable" Board was advertised
at from $3.50 to S1.75 per week, and in
clubs, from IS cents to 81 per week.
The price of tuition, however, was fully
as high as at the present day. The first
text book. we note, was Porter's Rhe-
torical reader. The course of study was
of quite high standard. This acade.
my, evidently, was worthy predecessor
of our present admirable High school
the best in the State. Under the head Of
''Moral Improvement" we see the daily
use of the Scriptures was imperative!
once a week, there was Bible class, and