St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-09-03
A RARE ROLL OF TEACHERS.
Letter on Peacham Academy from One Of
Its Most Noted Principals.

llay it was my privilege to be present at
meeting of the Caledonia County
|ranmar School Association in Boston,
nd TO give some account of the early
|rincipals of the institution which it COM
,emorated. Since the centennial cele.
ration, which / was unable to attend, |
ave been requested to furnish the
count to the CALIFORNIAN, which used
read more than 60 years ago. While
recognize the difference between the
|eedom of an after-dinner speech and the
ormality ola written communication, yet
the oldest living principal, whose term
service was well up in the first half
entury OF the institution (1836-1S38),
bel impelled by the sense OF duty to
oble company OF men, my predecessors,
nd partly my successors, to give in
rieter and different form the substance
my statements concerning them.
For so years, it is safe to say, there
yas no better academy in Vermont than
hat at Peacham; and know of no
cademy in the country that can recount
ADLER or more distinguished set of
len in the list of principals. And may
remise that the SUCCESS of the institu-
on from the first was due generally to
he high character of the community in
'hich it was planted, and specially to
lie quality and stability OF its managers.
or A. years it had but two secretaries,
lev Leonard Worcester and Hon. Will
am Chamberlain; for 40 years but three
residents, namely, these two gentlemen
nd Rev. David Goodwillie, and for 81
ears the same treasurer, Hon. John w.
handler. Perhaps TO no one person
'as it more indebted tor its origin and
|lrly success than to the intelligent
terest and activity of Gen. William
chamberlain, himself soldier OF the
EVOLUTION, Lieutenant Governor OF the
ate and Representative in Congress.
The principals for the first halI-century
we're mostly Dartmouth graduates, and
shall speak of them only with two
xceptions) because their history is more
billy known to me. OF these, some Is in
unber, all but one or two were mem
ers of Phi Beta Kappa society (that is,
belonging to the first third of the classes)
nd several of them were class leaders.
Ezra Carter opened the school in 1871
md for IL years carried it forward to
success and while but scanty informa
ion of his work remains in detail, it is g
Fuficient testimony to his excellence that
wo such men as Rev. Leonard Worcester
and Gen. William Chamberlain botf
named their youngest sons Ezra Carter
For one year the position was held by
jeremiah Evarts, Yale graduate, one o
the ablest men OF his day, combining the
qualities inherited by his son, Hon. Vim
NJ. Evarts. After being bred to the Law
and practicing it four years, he turned to
religious work, became editor of thu
Panoplist, then OF the Missionary Herald
ten years treasurer OF the American
Board, author oil many able reports ant
public addresses. including "a papers OF
the rights of Indians. He died at so
worn out with exhausting labor. Fol
sagacity of discernment, clearness o
thought, force of character and devoted
ness of piety he had few superiors OF
even equals in his day.
Passing over his successor, Uriah Viii
COW, OF whom know little except hi
high scholarship in college and his higl
character in his later southern home
and David Chassell, Presbyterian pas
tor who received the degree of doctor o
divinity from Union college, we come t.
Daniel M. Christie, who twice declined
the chief justiceship of New Hampshire
and received the degree of doctor o
laws from Dartmouth college. He spen
most OF his life in Dover, N. H., and it i
the expressed Judgment Of members o
MS profession that in his maturity ant
later years there was no ADLER lawyer il
the state, and had been few superior
previously, whether for knowledge OF tn
law or clearness, directness and force @
argument.
His successor was Mellen Chamberlain
afterwards lawyer and later bushes
man, He became associated wit
). f. B. Morse in the difficult, discourae
ing and harassing effort to introduce tn
electric telegraph. He preceded Mors
10 Europe in 1888, apparently as
partner, while fruitlessly endeavoring t
gam a recognition from the Frenc
government; and it was on the way t
vienna to provide more perfect instr,
ihent that he was drowned by the wrecl
ing OF steamer on the Danube. He wa
man OF great attractiveness and retn'
ment of character.
kew. David Merrill, the next Oar
mouth man, knew personally. II
pecame a pastor in Urbana, Ohio, whel
ne preached and published the famot
9N'dScourse,' so.called ION Elk. XXI, 20
~ulcn had the extraordinary sale
iIooo 900 copies, and as telling pop,
E temperance argument has hard
peen surpassed. After his return
t[eoenam, his native place, as pastor,
m.eW INN somewhat as singular
WISE w,Sse, faithful, tactiul, practical ma
po,uted' quaint, keen and sometim,
,y IN his preaching, as modest as
W was ape, who passed away at the az
", on Just as he was ready to exert Il
strongest influence and gain his widt
,seoenitlon. A small volume of his sc
'"o ". was published after his death