St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-02-12
Sons of Vermont in Rhode Island.

day evening
Among the guests were His Honor
Mayor McGuinness of Providence, and
Hon. Charles A. Bunker of Peacham VT.
There were several post.prandial adj
dresses and the following one from the
only Vermont guest, Hon. Charles A.
Bunker OF Peacham, will be of interest to
al our readers:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND SONS AND DAUGH-
TIERS or VERMONT:
1t gives me great pleasure to meet you
and greet you tonight. 1t is always a
pleasure to meet Vcrmonters on all occa-
sions. In saying this believe express
a universal truth | know of but one
exception. Some thirty odd years ago
we sent some of ou choicest Vermonters
down South to adjust a little matter
with our southern brethren. The chiv-
airy OF the South not only turned their
noses up at them, but actually turned
their backs upon them.
When your president did me the very
great honor to invite me to "hreak
bread with you tonight and, incident
ally, to say something on the cold YER
mont Academy" thought that if /
must say something no theme could be
more agreeable to me, for believe most
fully in the Vermont, or New England,
academy. 1t was in one of these schools
that received my preparation for col
Iege and in the Vermont academy all
the years of my active life have been
spent. Therefore, what / may say to
you tonight is not some theory which
have elaborated in the darkness OF night
from my own imagination; not some
thing have read in books; not some
thing that some one has told me, but it
is the result of my experience and obser-
walton. | have seen generation alter
generation, as we reckon school lie, go
forth into the busy activities of the world
and know something of their successes
and failures
Perhaps YOU will not agree with my
views. In that case remember that we
are just entering upon an era of indie
pendent thought read it in the paper
yesterday. The paper says Major Nc
Knley will not require his cabinet to
think Just as he thinks. He prefers each
should express his real thought on all
subjects.
When the pioneers of Vermont estab-
lished a grammar school or academy, in
each county, which was to be maintained
by rent Of public land, they builded bet
ter than they knew. Those schools and
others that were established all over the
state, have been centers of mental culture
and refinement all down the century.
They have been centers to which have
come the best blood and brain of the
state. Not being free schools the lazy,
shiftlcss and unworthy seldom enter
those schools. Their patrons came from
the great middle class of society, farmers,
mechanics, merchants and all kinds OF
business men, that class OF men and
women in all countries and every age
who do the worlds work; the bone, and
blood, and sinew, and brain of the state.
Such was the material of these schools.
The principals, especially in the early
days, were men Of high order of intellect
and commanding powers. have been
surprised, in looking over the history OF
some OF these schools, to note how many
OF these men reached great eminence in
the higher walks OF lite. And what is
said OF the principals may also be said OF
the preccptresses.
Under such guidance the curriculum OF
the academy was expansive and fl xibl,
enough to be adapted to the mental ca.
pacity and circumstances of each pupil
II boy came to the academy who could
master the rithmctic in SIX months, he
was not compelled to remain in that
study until the laggards and drones
caught up, but was put ahead into alge.
bra, so that he lost no time. II a boy
came from the farm and could take but
few terms at the academy, and he knew
and his parents knew that he was t.
spend his days on the farm, he was not
compelled to learn Latin and Greek
German and French. He was not forced
to take music when he had neither vo c,
nor taste for the art He was not mad,
to pound upon the piano, day alter day
when he hated the thing. He was not
compelled to practice gymnastics anc
swing dumb.hcllS until he was weary
His father had taught him preliminary
| gymnastics when he required him t
swing the fail, the axe, and the scyth,
on the farm. Nor was it deemed indis
! pcnSably, neccsSar ~, unavoidahly essen
tial that he spend several hours each da>
trying to row a boat faster than som,
other fellow, and indghtinp match game,
o base hall and loot bal " here the cas-
ualties are greater than on the battle
field. He simply studied faithfully tho>,
studies that would best fit him Tor his
chosen li'e-work. The boy who wishcc
to be mechanic was taught the priuc