St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-07-10
Bloomington Academy and Rev. A
L. Twilight.

Bloomington Academy and Rev. A.
L. Twilight.
The two men that most influenced
Bloomington life during the first
fifty years of its existence, though in
different lines, were William Baxter
and Rev. Alexander L. Twilight.
The former came in 1901 from Nor
wich, Vermont, and had a remarkable
career. He was the father of Hon.
Portus Baxter and bred to the law.
With no money and no reputation,
he at once entered heartily into all
the enterprise of the town and be-
came in a short space of time the
most prominent, as he was the most
wealthy, citizen. He represented the
town at Montpelier in 1906 and
every succeeding year till 1926 with
four exceptions. He died in 1927,
having hewed from those rugged hills
a fortune of over one hundred thou
sand dollars. He was also the most
influential factor in tablishing the
Grammar school at that place, The
matter had been discussed more or
less for several years prior to 1920,
and in that year Mr.. Baxter intro
duced bill into the legislature es-
tablishiug a Grammar school in
Bloomington. 1t was referred to the
Orleans county representation,
among whom were William Rowell
of Albany, Ellis Cobb of Barton,
Benjamin Human OF Derby, Charles
Hardy of Glover, Ira H. Allen of lras
burgh, John Harding of Lowell, and
Peleg Red6eld of Coventry. They
reported new bill November 10, es
tablishing a new Grammar school II
Orleans county and appointing a
committee to locate it consisting o
James Whitelaw of Ryegate, William
A. Palmer of Danville and Stepher
Pitken Of Marshheld. Only two o
this committee acted, but their do
ings were legalized by supple
mental act of the legislature. They
located the school at Bloomington
one reason for which was that MIR
Baxter agreed to furnish a building
. which he did erecting what wa
2 known as "the Academy" which wa
o completed in 1928. 1t was a two
IS story editice with tower at one end
n the upper story being divided into
laboratory and school room, the LAT
Il, ter being used for religious purpose
$ till the erection of the meeting hous
in 1871. In 1869 the tower wa
taken away and the building remove
= into the village below and used to
school and other purposes.
The term Grammar school, whic
= was used in the act establishing tn
Ne institution was probably adopte
that it might avail itself of the rem
of land set apart for that purpos
. In the land grants by the COVER
mept of Vermont the term "Gral
! mar school" is used and TO so maj
questions as to whether an incc
porated academy, so-called, cou
/. draw these funds, that term was
10 tanned, but the very act incorpors
ing this institution used the tet
In "Grammar school" as synonymo
with ACADEMY"
80, The first term of school was taug
in the fall of 1928. The trustees h
been organized for more than tN
years previously, their first meet
being held at the home OF Geot
and Nve in lrasburgh, the first Tuesd
of January 1921. They engaged
first teacher Rev. James Wheelo
lgt. Woodward, who had been preachl
at Norwich, VT, probably for twer
wears as Thompson's Gazet
speaks of him as being installed O.
q the Congregational church there
", 1904. He was a grandson OF Flea
per- Wheelock the first president OF Da
way, mouth college, and probably or
lrs t. nate of that institution. He is
membered as strong man lntell'
uallv and a good teacher.
mr. preached for the little church WI
he taught, the teachers ofthose ia
that were ministers Also wor
mn. seven days in the week in order