St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-06-18


the Revolutionary war, which settled the
college question for all the boys must
be ready to shoulder arms for their
homes and tor the country. You can
readily imagine with what force and
power such a question as having an
academy in the town came home to a
man reinforced by all OF those youthful
dreams. eyes, yes,' he exclaimed, "et
us have the academy by all means, where
all of the boys and girls, too, can be edu-
Gated"
Emerson said that at the town meet
ings in New England the "rich and poor
gave counsel; wrath and love came up in
company; it was free STRIFE, and an
assurance of mans capacity for self
government" There was a great deal
of earnest, aggressive effort put forth by
a few to overcome the strong prejudices
and animosities created by the difficult
ties about locating and building a church
amongst the people. After house-to-
house visitation by the committee had
been made, asperities gradually softened,
and the next two entries on the town
record of Peacham are eloquent with
results; then the whole town unltedly
came together after years OF strife and
not only voted almost unanimously to
have an academy, but promised to raise
a certain amount in order to secure its
location ia Peacham. We quote from
the town records. "At legal meeting
of the inhabitants Of the town, Sept. Is,
1897, pursuant to notification: Voted,
that in case a grant of the Grammar
school can be obtained by act of Assem-
bly, and established in the town Of
Peacham, that the town will support a
preceptor for term OF three years from
Jan. l, 1897; provided the persons who
live in the vicinity of the place where the
buildings will probably be built will sub
scribe a sum sufficient for erecting the
buildings that shall be required by the
trustees; the town clerk be directed to
receive subscriptions to the amount Of
800 pounds. and that each person be
holden to pay the sum by him subscribed
when the sum of 300 pounds shall be
subscribed in the whole"
1t was also voted that Jonathan
Ware, William Chamberlain and William
Buckminster be committee to draft
memorial to be presented to the legisla-
ture for the purpose of obtaining grant
of the County Grammar school.
At a meeting in Peacham, Dec. 2, 1875,
the selectmen were appointed as agents
with full power to convey the right of
land in Peacham granted to the incorpor-
ated society for the propagation of the
gospel in foreign parts to the trustees of
Caledonia County Grammar school,
agreeable to the former votes and also to
give security in behalf of the town to
support a preceptor for three years for
said school, and the memorial presented
by their agent, William Chamberlain,
through the legislature in October last.
Voted that a committee consisting of
Messrs. John w. Chandler. William
Chamberln, Reuben Blanchard, Jonathan
Ware, Abel Blanchard, Jonathan Elkins,
Jr., Abel Blanchard and Jacob Guy wait
upon the trustees and express their
opinion with reference to the choice of
site. 1t was finally decided to locate it
on part of the three-acre lot given for
the church by Abel Blanchard, known
thereafter as Academy hill" In the
warfare between the "will-have" and
"will-not. have" parties concerning the
academy, William Chamberlin bore the
brunt of the opposition largely; for they
claimed that as clerk of the propretors
OF the town and representative and chief
judge Of Caledonia county court, that he
used those opportunities to work up
sentiment for the academy in preference
to the court house, which the minority
severely censured; but he was loyal to
his convictions of duty and early educa-
ton. Burke said that "a mans acts are
the working out of his thoughts as
boy" The "will-have party" indicated
him on the ground that as chief judge of
Caledonia county court, it would have
been much more to his personal advan.
tage and convenience to have the court
house located in Peacham in reference to
the academy; hence not matter OF per-
sonal consideration; and in the course
of time the i'll will died out. The charter
tor the academy was given Oct. 81, 1895,
and the first meeting was held according
to the charter at the house of William
Chamberlin Nov. II, 1875, where they
continued to hold their meetings until his
death in 1923, Ia period of 33 years.,
where he furnished the annual dinner for
the trustees. (The charter was granted
the last day of the General Assembly at
the same date that dollars and cents
came into use; English money having
been the standard previously The nine
original trustees appointed in 1895 rep.
resented eight of the neighboring towns
in the county. Colonel Alexander Har-
vey Of Barnet was the president; Gen.
James Whtelaw of Ryegate the first
treasurer. (1797) Josiah l.. Arnold, St.
Johnsbury, Rev. David Goodwillie, Bar
net, DR.. Horace Beardly, Cabot, Daniel
Cahoon, Esq, Lyndon, Capt. Benjamin
Sias, Danville, Col. Jacob Davis, Mont
pelier, and Gen. William Chamberln of
Peacham, secretary. At meeting of
the board of trustees, Dec. %, 1895, it
was decided that the dimensions OF the
academy should be 40x30 feet. William
Chamberlin and Jonathan Elkins were
chosen committee to draft the consti-
tuition, and erect the new building. June
7, 1896, Alex. Harvey William Chamber
lin, Benjamin Sias and James Whitelaw
were asked to secure the rights OF the
academy. The building being completed
at the trustees meeting Nov. II, 1896,
William Chamberlin and James Whiteaw
were appointed to choose the first pre-
ceptor and to open the school Dec. l.,
1897. Ezra Carter, a native ofConcord,
N. H., and a graduate oil Dartmouth
college, was selected for the first teacher.
The town was pledged to give salary
of $333.33, while the pupils outside of
the county were to pay 25 cents per term.
Nov. 10, 1899 committee OF trustees