St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-06-18
The Founding and Founders of Gale
donia County Grammar School at
Peacham, Vermont.

A.
d. c., and read before the Alumni association
in Boston. Mass, May 10.
Mr.. President, friends and schoolmates:
This paper is not an educational chronicle
nor historical sketch Of the academy,
but simply record of few leading
facts in it's early history, prepared to
refresh your memories with the past and
serve to recall "reminiscences.
In entering upon the Centennial year
OF Caledonia County Grammar school
located at Peacham, VT, are we re-
minded that an outline OF some Of the
initial efforts of the few, who were
actively engaged in it's foundation,
would be interesting history to the old
alumni.
Caledonia county was incorporated
Nov s, 1892. 1t was very appropriately
named Caledonia" in honor of many
of the early Scotch settlers and from the
acknow ledged resemblance of the natural
scenery to some portions Of Scotland.
Adjoining Peacham, and intimately
associated with its interests, are the
towns Of Ryegate and Barnet, which
were the only ones settled in this county
before the Revolutionary war. The first
inhabitants Of the two latter places were
a superior class OF colonists, who came
over largely from Scotland, and were
generally honest, thrifty, intelligent and
frugal; they were firm believers in the
Bible and its teachings. Fortunate were
the people and the towns to have such
able, energetic men for leaders as General
Whitelaw and Colonel Alexander Har-
vey, who were the advance agents sent
over by company from Scotland to
project and establish colony, map out
her boundaries and lay out her towns.
Those places are also much indebted to
the early educated Scotch ministers, who
seconded their leaders in every good
work, especially in the cause of educa-
ton. Revs. David and Thomas Good.
willie, and at later date Revs. Beattie
and Bowles, furnished excellent types of
Scottish character, and afterwards be-
came trustees of Caledonia County Gram
mar school. The legislature of Vermont
in 1882 empowered the towns to estab-
lish common schools, appoint trustees
and divide the land into districts; but
the legislature did not make them COM
pulsory in every town until 1897. In
1890 Vermont had a population of
$4,000; later we find in the amended
constitution Of 1893 the following pro.
visions: ""Sec. 40-A school or schools
shall be established in each town by the
Legislature, for the convenient instruc-
tion of youth, with such salaries to the
masters paid by each town; making
proper use OF school lands in each town,
thereby to enable them to instruct youth
at low prices. One grammar school in
each county and one university in this
state ought to be established by direc-
ton OF the General Assembly," Clio
hall was chartered at Bennington Nov. 3,
1880; Windsor County Grammar school
in 1885, Rutland County Grammar
school at Castleton in 1887; Athens
Grammar school i'll 1871 and fifth Caven-
dish academy Oct. &c, 1892; the latter
ten days before Caledonia county was
incorporated; but the county arrange
ments were not fully consummated until
Nov. 8, 1876, when Danvlle was made
the shire town until 1856, when it was
changed to St. Johnsbury. 1t was the
firm belief of the Pilgrims and Puritans
that education was THE wheel oil all true
progress" hence schools were early
founded and churches built. One was
considered necessary complement to
the other, in order to educate people
The Massachusetts fathers declared that
education would help protect them from
"the willy devices of Satan" The Pill
grim fathers had an enthusiasm for edu-
cation and learning; and their descend
ants were mbued with the same ideas
and its early accomplishment. They
came over to America to escape 1.-THE
leaden sleep of despotism."
Edward Everett said ito think is the
highest exercise of the mind to say what
we think is the boldest effort OF moral
courage" This is what they wished and
desired: freedom OF thought, mind and
action. This is what the schools and
academies stood for: to train the boys
and girls to think, to develop dormant
pc ers, and to educates them to make
good loyal citizens and Christian men
and women. Patriotism then was less
an impulse than duty. The early set
tiers OF Peacham were OF the same
opinion; in 1884 we find them agitating
the question of having preaching and
they made arrangements to that effect
in 1871, having population of 365,
they proposed to build meeting house,
but they were not unanimous in their
decision for location. Just at this
time the question arose as to where a
county school and county court house
should be established There was con-
siderable rivalry between the towns as
to which one should secure them.
Pcacham, with characteristic energy,
decided TO try both, but it was found
necessary to content herself with one,
the town had to decide which it would
prefer. There was a division of public
opinion, and spirited contest arose
between the different parties. Three or
four strong advocates insisted that if
the court house was located there. it
would make the town central rendez-
vous for the prominent lawyers in the
county, and tend to build up the place.
Others objected, arguing that to have a
Jail and convicts in the town would not