Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-10-01
DERBY AND CRAFT,SBURY
ACADEMIES.

The following appeared in the Er-
press and Standard some weeks since,
and we publish it by request:
Mr.. Editor,-In your last weeks is
sue notice appearing, having in view
the levying of a county tax in aid OF
the Derby and Craftsbury Academies,
and in view of this fact it may not be
inappropriate to present to the people
OF the county some of the reasons for
taking this action.
Fifty years ago there were in this
county three highly respectable
Academies, whose influence not only
made its impress upon the people of
this county, but was widely spread
abroad over the county. Many dis
tinguished scholars went out from
these institutions doing honor not
only to the institution, but to the
county from which they emanated.
They furnished many very excellent
district school teachers to the great
advantage of the literary culture of
the people of the county.
These three Academies were, sup
ported by donations and buttons and
by a grammar school fund arising
from the rents Of lands granted to the
several towns in the county, for the
sole purpose of supportinga grammar
school in the county.
When these institutions were start
ed, large donations were made to
them by the people of the county, in
procuring plants and erecting build
ings and sustaining teachers, in short
this course has continued to the pres
ent time, except in the case of the
Bloomington Academy, which ceased
to exist some years since. About this
time the grammar school fund was di-
vided among the respective towns of
the county. The other two institu-
tions have continued unaided except
by small amount of the grammar
school fund, hardly worth having, land
by donations and buttons.
The people of Derby and few 9TH
ers interested in the success of the
Derby Academy have as [ understand
quite recently raised a fund of over
ten thousand dollars, which is placed
at interest for the benefit of the Acad-
envy, besides keeping up the building
at quite a large expense. 1 suppose
the same may be said of Craftsbury
Academy, though I have very little
personal knowledge as to the pecuni-
airy standing Of that institution.
It may be safely said that since the
organization of the Derby Academy
more than twenty five thousand dol
lars has been donated for it's benefit,
and in the same manner large sums
have been donated to the Craftsbury
Academy.
When the Grammar school fund was
distributed among the several towns,
some ten or dozen academies sprung
into existence in the county, ostensi-
bly, for the purpose of getting por-
ton Of this fund.
These Academies were in some in
stances connected with the school
district embracing the largest village
in town, and said school district with
the Academy was chartered, by an
Academy, and in several instances
these schools are supported by a tax
upon the grand list Of the school dis
trict, and the small pittance of money
from the grammar school fund. In
the great majority of cases and per-
haps in all no donations have ever
been made to them, and they subsist
as mere district schools under the
name of an Academy.
The scholars residing within the
school district attending such Acade-
mics are not requested to pay tuition,
and very few scholars if any, come
from without the school district, so
that in fact these schools are simply
first class district schools and are re-
garded as very useful as such, and to
prepare the scholars for entering first
class Academies. And it may be said
that they are practically fitting
schools for such Academies as that of
ST. Johnsbury and that of Montpelier,
and the Saxton's River Academy, to
which many of the wealthier scholars
of these schools go to complete their
academic education. 1t will be seen
by this statement that the grammar
school fund is chiefly for the support
of district school in perhaps the
wealthiest school district in town,
while the poorer school district back
upon the hills are almost entirely ex-
Guided from the benefit of the gram
mar school fund.
That this manner Of using the fund
is entirely contrary to the spirit and
intent Of the grant made by our IA