St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-08-20

Chamberlin took the memorial to the
legislature, and. on the last day of the
session, Oct. 81 1896, the charter was
granted.
The memorial from the town to the
legislature made the charter a contract
between the town and the state; con
tract religiously kept by the town, and
this shrewd piece OF craftsmanship on
the part of Gen. Chamberlln and Others
is the real cause why Pcacham has held
her school lands intact, while ALL or
nearly all, the other schools have lost
theirs.
The memorial promised that the inhabi-
tants would build the house, furnish the
land, and support the Preceptor for
period of three years. Later, when other
schools tried to get part of the school
lands, the Trustees pleaded the contract
entered into with the state, and the
Supreme Court, Judge Collamer on the
bench said: Peachan has kept her part
of the contract and shall keep the lands.
In the strife between the two sides Of
the hill for advantage and public build
ings, the contestants were obliged to
resort to that miserable makeshilt,
compromise, and so the Academy was
located on the hill between the two
parties. The situation could hardly have
been worse. 1t was cold and bleak
large part Of the school year, and most
Ut the scholars boarding in the village
were forced to plow through the snow
until the lapse OF halt century soitened
the asperities of men and brought a
change OF location.
1t seems that, at the time OF the first
building, the land of John Walker, Abel
Blanchard and Jonathan Ekins, Jun,
cornered on the hill. These public spirited
citizens came forward with generous
offers. Walker gave one acre OF land,
Blanchard, one acre, and Elkins, two
acres.
Abel Blanchard gave the wood and
timber on large tract of this land Tor
the use of the Academy, and this gave
the name Academy Woods" to that
eminence upon which the observatory
has so recently been built.
The town had appointed a committee
to cooperate with the trustees in select
ing site. William Chamberlin and Jon.
athan Elkins were appointed to superin-
| tSli Tue CICsllDH VI lUC DullulUp anu
Edward Clark was the architect.
This man deserves passing mention.
Too young to enlist at the beginning OF
the Revolutionary War, he was servant
of one of the officers until he could enter
the army. Later he enlisted and went
through the entire war. He served under
General Hazen while building his military
road. He was badly wounded at the
surrender Of CORVALLIS. While he was
demonstrating against being taken TO
the hospital, believing that to be certain
death, the great Marquis de Lafayette
came up and, learning the situation, gave
the young soldier gum, a. telling him to
go TO private house and get we'll This
saved his life.
The laying Of the corner stone was
great event, and in those days nothing
OF Importance could be done without
sermon. The services were held in the
house of Mr.. Moody Morse, who lived
near the present residence OF William w
Morse. Rev. David Goodwillie preached
the sermon taking for his text Timothy
lis.
Mrs. Jesse Merrill who was present on
the occasion, said, 81 wondered, as he
read his text, what he could make out of
it; but he went on and preached real
goou sermon"
The building was thirty by forty feet
according to the vote of the trustees. 1t
was two stories high, the upper part
being used forthe school room and public
hall the lower story for church services
The first board oil trustees, according to
the charter, consisted of Alexander
Harvey, James Whitelaw, James l..
Arnold, David Goodwilie, Daniel ahoon,
Horace Beardsley, William Chamberlin,
Benjamin Sias and Jacob Davis.
At the first meeting held in less than a