Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-06-23

At 2 o'clock =. NJ. DR.. Williams, the
principal, called togetheran eXpectant and
appreciative audience In Proctor hall. Rev.
MI Crosier of North bennington offered
the Invocation. and then WIN. &. Burwell
OF Providence, u. l., an alumnus of Yer
mont Academy. and member of the
board Of trustees and OF the building COM
mittee. said a few words on the complex
ty Of our modern educational system and
the adiuncts ID requires. like the library
and the hospital. delivering as he closed,
the library key to Gen. j. J. Estey, repre-
seuting the trustees. AS | deliver to you
this kew" he felicitously said. ait is with
the hope that. while the key to the hospital
may grow rusty with disuse, that to the Ii
hrary may always be smooth and bright
with constant wear" Gen. Estey, in ac-
ccpting the key. recognized the importance
Of the library aud the hospital as additions
90 the facilities of Vermont Academy, and
a. he Tn turn delivered the key TO Princi-
pal Williams he repeated the thought and
wish of Mr.. Burwell, that, while the hos
pltal key might rarely be needed, the libra
~ steps might be worn smooth by many
feet. and the floor need 10 be often renew
ed DIR. Williams, IN behalf of the insti-
tuition. returned hearty thanks to the
trustees for the two new buildings. The
plans Of the trustees, he said, had been
broad and far-sceing There are few schools
of only L. years existence that can show
such extensive equipment in buildings and
other facilities. The trustees have begun
a broad work, and rs a great satisfaction
to both teachers and pupils to know
that they have always behind them the
board OF trustees with self-sacriiicing
hearts and open pOckct-boOks Rev. r..
NJ. Douglas of 81. Johnsbury offered the
dedicatory prayer, utfd-thcn Prof. Fletcher,
librarian Of Amherst college, was intro
duced TO give the address in behalf Of the
library and to tell how it should be used in
connection with the school work.
Prof. Fletcher made no secret of his
/ pride that lac is a Nermonter, and that so
many Vermont men have gone out to
I places of prominence and usefulness in the
/ world. He traced the history of libraries
/ in this country and showed their place
and function in the methods of modern ed
uCation. To get the best results the libra
~ must be used under the direction OF a
wise teacher. The librarian himself should
be a man who loves books and knows how
| to direct and encourage their use. To the
speaker the essence of all instruction and
advice in the use of a library was found in
the remark of Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes,
that che wouldn't give much for boy
that hadn't tumbled about in library.
Prof. Tyler would give the boys and girl,
free access to the books, under proper linn
itations, and would let Shem "tumblt
about" slipping or nbbling little here
and there till they had found out for them
selves what the books contained. and un
IL
what was worth reading. The library is
to be sure, a laboratory or workshop
but it is also a place for communing Will
great minds, to be uplfted and have tn,
aspirations kindled.
DR.. II. ID. Holton of Brattleboro, who
as a SaXtons River boy and prominen
representative of his profession, spoke TO
the new hospital, feelingly alluded to tn,
pleasure which it gave him to come back
after 40 years. to find an institution grown
up where, as a boy, he played in the ole
pasture. The library and the hospital h,
said, have both come to be indispensable
adjuncts to the educational system of tn
day. The books broaden the intellectual
outlook while the hospital stands for pre-
ventive medicine for the best sanitary con
ditions in the home and the school, for tn
best scientific knowledge which the age
have brought us for the prevention an,
treatment of disease. This new and es
sental adjunct to Vermont Academy ha,
been erected in loving memory of a goot
wife and her Christian virtues. 1t was
type of her moral and spiritual aims.
stands as an emblem of that sound physi
cal training which is the basis of all endur
ing intellectual training. The speaker re
joiced that in the future the two are to b
joined hand in hand in the good work o
Vermont Academy.
Mr. Proctor was present during the eX
ercises, and as they closed many words o
cordial thanks were said to him, and Their
was spontaneous Outburst of mutual con
gratulaiions upon the advance step whicl
the afternoon had marked.
At :: 40 in the evening the anniversar
concert, an occasion always eagerly antici
pated, was given by the Temple quartet o
Boston, assisted by Miss Lillian Carllsmth
contraltO, and Miss Ethel Crafts, violnist
The Graduating Exercises.
To the graduating class and their friend
Wednesday morning brought the culmina
ting event of the week, and the scene il
Proctor hall has never been more animatin
or inspiring than when the exercises begal
program the graduating and class-day ex
ercises were united in one program, givin
a spirit and color to the occasion which
could not otherwise possess. To 80 youn
people the moment was doubtless the hap
piest of their lives when Gov. Fuller pr
sented their diplomas Handsomely engros:
ed on genuine sheepskin parchment.
pleasant incident of these exercises wa
| the presentation by the graduation class q
a beautiful engraving, handsomely framed
of Tadema's great painting, "a Teadin
from Homer" to be hung in the library
The picture hung upon the bank of tn
stage during the exercises and was apPrC
priately alluded to by the class president i
his address. The excellent music, wit
which the exercises were interspersed, wa
furnished by the music department of tn
school under the leadership of Miss Hoog
the vocal teacher, and Miss Norton, teachC