Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-06-12
BRATTLEBoRo ACADEMY.
The Close of a Prosperous Year with
Interesting Exercises.

Interesting Exercises.
This time-bonored institution has just |
closed a year of increased prosperity in |
which the friends of the school and the |
people of the town have a true interest. |
Under the instruction of H. K. 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. Re-
pairs have been made on the academy
building, inside and outside, a library room
has been fitted up with shelves, tables, and
a new supply of books, a literary and an
Academy improvement society have been
formed, and spirit of determination to
seek the best helps and ends has been
aroused. An American flag has been
bought and raised upon the grounds.
Friends of the academy have made liberal
endowments, starting a fund, which it is
hoped will be increased in the future. The
opportunities now offered are of the first
order and it is proposed to add to the pres
ent facilities with every increasing demand.
Pupils can be fitted for college, or receive
a good English training as they may elect.
There are opportunities for vocal and in
strumental music. Former pupils are now
taking advanced courses at several colleges
and graduates are teaching in important
positions.
The closing exercises of the academy
were held Tuesday evening and reflected
credit upon pupils and teachers. The rain,
which had fallen for two days, stopped for
the occasion, and enough time between the
showers was allowed for a large and ex-
pectant audience to fill the hall. The ex-
ercises were opened with prayer by Rev.
F. 5. Smith, which was followed by music
by Miss Lundburg, violinist. This number
was enthusiastically received by the audi
ence and her selections which followed
added much to the evenings enjoyment.
Next came the debate, which was upon the
question, Resolved That the United
States should own and operate the Mica
ragua canal" Mr.. Amidon opened the
discussion for the affirmative. He showed
conclusively the immense commercial ad-
vantage of such a canal to the United
States. l. Because it would enable mer-
chants on the Atlantic seaboard to com
pete advantageously with merchants of
Liverpool in securing the markets of the
western coast of North and South Amer
lea. England, he said, controls three
fourths of those markets now, because
Liverpool is nearer to those ports by the
route around the Horn. 2. Western wheat
growers could compete with India for the
grain markets of Europe, whereas such
competition is now ruinous on account of
their greater distance from European mar
kets. 3. The South could obtain the cot
ton markets of Japan and eastern nations.
1. The canal would be a strong strategic
point in case of war with foreign nations.
Robert Z. Dunklee opened for the reg
alive with a spirited reply to Mr.. Amidon's
arguments. This canalized territory must
be acquired either by purchase or conquest
Nicaragua refuses TO sell and the only al
tentative is conquest by the sword, an I'M
just and unwarranted conquest, which
would be a reversal of our foreign policy
and arouse against us the indignation and
armed hostility of the great powers. Be
sides there are insurmountable physical
obstacles which preclude all possibility of
construction. To construct the Suez
canal the contractors had to shovel sand.
To construct this canal they would have TO
shovel mountains.
Miss Davenport continued the attirma-
tive argument, bringing up the parallel of
other canals. Suez canal pays II per cent
interest on cost of construction. Erie
canal made possible the development of
the great West. Sault ST. Marie enabled
of dollars worth of products to Europe.
Nicaragua contains possibilities of far
greater commercial advantage than any
of these.
Miss Fisher closed the negative argu-
ment, showing that such ownership would
be in direct violation of the Clayton Bull
wer treaty. Further, that England had
never evinced any desire TO control such a
canal, that mutual ownership by the com
mercal nations was the policy We have
pledged ourselves to support. If the canal
is to be built with United States capital
let it be done by individuals, as all other
of the worlds canals were, with but one
exception. Such ownership would mean
the unweaving of our destinies with the
feeble republics of Central America, whose
politics are more liable to eruption than
its volcanoes.
The reading of Antonys speech over
the dead body of Caesar by James S. Clark
won the applause of the audience that
packed Academy hall, and was universally
pronounced the best thing heard here in
several years.
After this defamation and music by
Miss Lundburg the students presented the
laughable farce, "a drop too much. a"
Some of the acting in this showed excep-
tionally good talent. The part of Mr..
Drinkwater by Jesse johnson was perhaps
the best of any, while Leslie Fisher as the
small boy, and Avery Miller as the Irish
man were we'll taken. The others also
showed much spirit in the characters
taken. This closed most enjoyable pro-
gram, for such was the verdict of all pres
ent.
The friends, pupils and former students
were then given an opportunity to offer
their congratulations to Prof. Miller and
his assistant, Miss Short. Most of the au-
dience remained to express to the faculty
their best wishes and their pleasure that
both were to return another year. This
closed the pleasant and prosperous school
year of Brattleboro Academy for '95-'96.