The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1901-09-07
REMARKABLY RAPID GROWTH
Wentworth Institute Had an Humble
Beginning.

1tI NA0A hNR
one OF LexIngton's leading institutions
OF learning, Wentworth Military
academy. the t~wenty-third session OF
which began Thursday OF this week
under most suspicious circumstances
under the immediate superinlendence
OF Col Sanford Sellers. The Times
says;
"a Lexington, Mo-, forty miles
east OF Kansas City, on the very site OF
one OF ,he most important battles
fought in the west during the war be-
tween the states, is an institution of
interesting history, the value of whose
work has been recognized bv both state
and national government and by the
best colleges and universities in the
land. 1t Wentworth Military
academy.
"Fouuded by Stephen G. Went
worth, one of the New England family
Of Wentworths, this academy has
always stood for New England thor
oughness 10 secondary education, for
methods that are practical, and for
ends that are worth while. Mr.. Went
worth was not a teacher but 4 business
man, whose fortune had been piled up
from small beginnings. His business
ssgacity advised him that any ~institu-
ton destined to endure must be a
growth rooted in local conditions and
adapted to environment He bought a
suitable building for II day school and
selected a young man To take charge Of
1t. The school grew in favor and at
tendance and the young man grew In
administrative ability. The old build.
Ing was disposed of and larger quar-
tiers donated. In turn these were out
grown. Believing that the right man
had been found aud developed for the
work he had IN mind from the begin.
ning, Mr.. Wentworth selected Ms the
site for the permanent institution about
fifteen acres on the summt of a fine
elevation on the eastern side OF the
city. The superintendent's residence
and a boarding hall were the first
ouildings-the latter so planned as to
admit additions from time to time
without doing violence 10 architectural
proportions and .sy mmetry. Four
have been made to this
building from time 10 time until now
It's capacity for the accommodation of
students is the largest OF any school of
Tue KIND In the west, and this capacity
been taxed TO the utmost during
ut past five years. Other buildings
have been added, aud the most modern
approved methods of heating,
sanitation, etc, have been
Grounded at a time when the public
chool system was no system at all,
out unorganized aud different, not only
n different parts of the state but in
parts of the same county,.
Wentworth academy TOOK Its stand for
strictly secondary and college prepare.
'ory education. Washington and Lee
University was the first college of con-
quence 10 rec lgnizs tins work by
granting free scholarship to Wentworths
honor boys IN the highest of lis literary
Aud the university has borne
testimony TO the th%oroughness of This
work IN the following words. No
'iher academy in the entire country
las mace mere n more admirabla :
The state universities of Ms.
'ouri and Kansas then granted scholar. !
'hIps 10 Wentworth's honor students
tinally a score Of colleges and uni. I
east aud west. With the
of science instruction in
secondary schools, laboratories have
been added, so that the faculties in all !
departments of academy study NAV {
the best.
In ITS early days the academy was
furnished with guns from the state ar. {
'enal-relics of The civil war-and an I
I'D brass cannon that FIRST did servics 6
n the war with Mexico. At this tio,e
the state nor the national gov. &
'rment lent any special add or encour. !
'gement to military schools. As tho j
of the wal between the states !
rev older, and as qualified o~ficers