Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-03-17
BRATTLEBORO LOCAL.
BRATTIBBoRo BOYS GOOD WORK.

Franklin Il. Head VIII he Principal
of an Academy which, Through Ills
Efforts, VIII he Established In white
InghRm.
The efforts of Brattleboro young man,
Franklin Il. Head, seem likely to be
crowned soon with success in good meas
ure in the neighborng town OF Whiting
ham. If present plans do not miscarry,
another autumn will see an academy erect
ed in that town, largely the result of hard
work on the part of Mr. Head. The in
stitution will be named Nottingham acad-
envy.
About year ago Mr.. Head went to
jacksonville, the principal village in Whit
ingham, to teach the village school. lie
heard much said about the need of facili-
ties for higher study than was furnished
in the district schools, and the matter OF
building separate school buildii was
suggested, but opposition developed and
obstacles were put in the way. Mr. Head,
in his capacity as an instructor saw the
necessity for higher institution OF learn
ing. He took up the task of overcoming
the obstacles in the way of such an lnstl-
tuition, and the present indications are
that full-1edged academy will be esLab-
lished by next autumn.
Public sentiment in Jacksonville and
Nottingham was in favor of the project,
but there was some doubt about the towns
willingness to appropriate enough money
to establish the institution. 1t became
necessary, therefore, in order to get the
town to vote to appropriate part of the
necessary amount of money and to con-
vince the people that he was in earnest,
for Mr.. Head to raise, outside OF the
town, the bulk of the money needed to
build the institution.
The town was then asked to appropri-
ate 500, which it did at the annual town
meeting last week in the following resolu-
ton:
"Voted:-That the piries represented by F
+. Head do establish aud equip an a ademy IN
this town and conduct course of high academic
grade, and that the town appropriate the SUN OF
800 to he paid to thu treasurer of the academy
through the chairman OF the sc99ol board pro
vided that the academy, for SAID sum- receive
and instruct all the legal town pupils OF required
standing for one year of 81 weeks. The school
board shall he assured that the sum OF S3IOO mas
been expended before paying any portion of the
appropriation. The location of the academy IS
left to the de ison of the school board ana F. T.
Head"
The school board consists of F. f. Da-
Wis, E. II. Stetson and O. X, Chase. The
academy is to receive students for tuition
only, and, as will be seen by the above
resolution, the appropriation of 500 in
cludes the tuition of all students in the
town of Nottingham for one year. After
that the academy will probably be main
tanned by tuition charges and endowments.
A good number of pupils in Nottingham
can be counted upon to attend the acade-
my, and it is expected that the surround
ing towns will make the academy availa-
BILE for their young people.
Mr.. Head will be the principal of the
school. For the first year he will probably
be able to conduct the school with one as
sistant, as the students will be confined
largely to the preparatory and freshman
classes. The courses of study have already
been prepared. They are well and thor
oughly arranged and upon their compile
ton students will be given diplomas the
same as is done at other academies and
High schools.
The interest which the people of Whit
ingham take in this matter is evinced by
the fact that four sites for the academy
have been offered free of charge Several
persons have also signified their willing
ness to contribute money for the enter
prise. The plans for the building have
not yet been made and probably will not
be until the location has been decided up
on and until the school board and Mr..
Head find out how much money is avail
able.
Nottingham once had an academy, but
it ceased to be used as such years ago,
principally because of the failure to main
tain high standard of education.
Mr.. Head graduated from the Braltle-
boro High school in the class of 1891 and
from the scientific department of Dart
mouth college in the class of 1897. Since
his graduation from college he has taught
school in Newfane and Jacksonville. His
home is in Esteyville.