The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-06-12
BRATTLEBORO ACADEMY.
Review Of Prosperous Year-Interest-
Ing Debate on the Nicaragua Que stiou.
Play and Reception Closing the Term

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Ing Debate ON the Nicaragua Question
Play and Reception Closing the Term
This time honored institution ha.
just closed year of increased pros
perity. Under the instruction of III.
E. Miller. a. b., and Miss Mabel A.
Short,a graduate of Smith college. the
school has made very commendable
advance. The number of pupils has
increased and the efforts at general
improvement have multiplied. Repairs
have been made on the academy bulid-
ing, inside and outside. library has
been fitted up. new supply of books
| purchased and a literary and an acad
envy Improvement society formed An
American flag has been purchased aud
raised upon the grounds. Friends of
| the academy have made liberal endow
mentss, starting a fund which it is
! hoped will be increased in the future.
Inc opportunities now offered are of
the first order and it is proposed to
add to the present facilities with ev-
cry Increasing demand. Pupils can
be fltted for college or receive good
English training as they may elect.
There are oppor tunities for vocal and
instrumental music. Former pupils
are now taking advanced courses at
several colleges and graduates are
teaching in important positions
Inc closing exercises of the academy
were held Tuesday evening and a
large and expectant audience filled the
nall. The exercises were opened with
prayer by Rev. F. S. Smith. followed
by music by Miss Lundburg. violinist.
which was well received. and her Sc
lections which followed during the
evening added much to the enjoyment.
Inc debate upon the question whether
the United States should own and on
crate the Nicaragua canal was opened
by Mr.. Amidon for the affirmative.
lie showed the immense commercial
advantages to be derived, allowing
merchants on the Atlantic seaboard to
compete advantageously with Liverpool
Tor the markets on the western coast of
North and South America, of which
England now controls three fourtbs.
western wheat growers could comnete |
with India for the grain markets of !
Europe and the South could obtain the |
cotton markets of Japan ard Eastern
nations. The canal would also be a
strong strategic point il case of war.
Robert Z: Dunklee opened for the
negative with spirited reply insist.
ing that there are unsurmountabie
physical obstacles precluding all posi-
biiity of construction. To construct
Inc Suez canal they had to shovel
sand; to construct this canal they
you'd have to shovel mountains. Miss
davenport continued the affirmative
argument, bringing up the parallel of
''her canals Suez canal paving - per
'ent. interest on the cost OF constru,.
ION Erie maks possible the development
II the great West and Sault STE. Marie
ND insisting the Nicaragua contains
'ossiblities of far greater commercial
advantages than either. Miss Fisher
iosed the negative argument sh owing
nat such ownership would be direct
rotation of the CLAYTON Bulwer
reatx. If the canal is TO be built {
Iih United States capital let if Inv
u means be done by individuals as
'ere all other of the worlds canals
nun but one exception. Such owner
mp would mean the entanglinp Of
ar destinies with the tickle republics
central America whose politics are