Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-10-29
A CENTURY OF WORK
GRAMMAR SCHOOL IN
ITS HUNDREOTH YEAR.

November g Will Mark the Centennial of
the Granting of the Charter-Names of
Those who Contributed to the support
of the school at Its Inception.
The Sth of November of this year will
bark the end of century of useful work
Tor the Middlebury grammar school. The
occasion is one worthy of cOmmemora-
ion, and the REGISTER is able through
he kindness of II. l.. Sheldon of the
Sheldon Museum to give herewith a
history of the legislative and other work
which has led up to the existence of our
present splendid graded school.
Mr.. Sheldon has been engaged in COM
bling scrap-book of all the manuscripts
ind legal documents, original and copied,
elating to the school. and all the photo
graphs and copies of paintings he can
ind of officials, instructors. school build
ngs. ETC.; and already the book has as
umed very respectable proportions.
The legislature of Vermont on the Sth
Hay of November, 1877, passed an act
hartering the Addison County Grammar
chool. The original board of trustees
were Gamalel Painter, Seth Storrs,
samuel Miller, Daniel Chipman and
Darius Matthews. The board met at the
house of Samuel MattOck. Jr., on the
4 lst day of December, 1897, and organ
zed with Gamaliel Painter as chairman.
I'he act of incorporation required that
school building should be erected within
Dne year, and forever kept in good re-
pair A building of three stories was
rected in l79S by subscription, costing
)ver $1,000.
Rev. jeremiah Atwater of New Haven,
conn. was appointed principal of the
grammar school in anticipation of be-
HOming president of the college when es
+ Iablished. The latter commenced in
500, and until 1905 both institutions
we're continued in the same building. In
f he mean time, in 1903 a female academy
lad been built on the grounds of Horatio
Seymour by subscription in shares. The
amount of each is supposed to have been
twenty-five dollars. This building be-
bame vacant by the death of the teacher,
Miss Strong, in 1904 and was then Occu-
bied by the grammar school. In 1907
Miss Emma Hart, afterwards Mrs. Emma
willard, opened a school in the upper
ftory and the grammar school used the
over story. In 1914, Mrs. Willard
opened a boarding school in her home,
bow owned by the Linsley family, and
Facated the academy building. In 1920
he original shareholders of the female
academy decided their shares to the
grammar school corporation, which be-
|Pame owner of the building and occu-
bied the same until 1911. when arrange
|nents were made with the college for
Ioint occupation of the original gram
'nar school building, and the female
academy building was sold to IIorato
Seymour. The college students con-
i |inued to occupy rooms in the academy
building, which was called East college,
'lntil and including 1861.
Previous to 1895 there were certain
ands in Addison county sequestered for
he use of grammar school. In 1902
4 he trustees "voted to lease the county
grammar school lands for the best rent
| hat can be procured" and Samuel Mil
er was appointed agent to lease said
ands. At that time they were usually
eased for term of 800 years, some of
hem at seventeen cents per acre, to be
Forfeited for nonpayment of rent.
The records show these lands owned
Rnd leased at the present time: