New-York tribune., 1901-08-10
WOoDSTOCK'S CENTENNIAL
SENATOR o. H PLATT SPEAKS on OLD
ACADEAIY'S HISTORY.

woodstock, Conn, Aug. 9.-The alumni of
Woodstock Academy celebrated to-day the one
hundredth anniversary OF the founding of the
institution, representatives OF many classes of
the last half century being in attendance At
the morning exercises in the Congregational
Church William T. Harris. United States Com
missioner Of Education. who is an alumnus Of
the academy. gave interesting statistics of its
progress, and was followed by United States
Senator o. ii. Platt. who spoke of the history
OF the academy.
This afternoon the programme included brief
speeches on the campus by invited guests
among whom were Congressman Charles A
Russell, OF Killingly; Professor Edwin A.
Grosvenor. OF Amherst College; Professor Al
bert B. Hart. OF Harvard; Professor William A
Dunning OF Columbia and Professor George b.
Adams, OF Yale.
Senator Platt spoke in part follows:
We DO well to commemorate the work OF the
fathers II was 5000 WORK, wel cone II & Mas
cenJrateo upon Two Institutions = church and 4
state n winch there could be freedom Of thought
back IN our thought 10 those early times, 10
live for the time being the lives they lived, and
share with them their plans their hopes an their
3ears There is something IN human nature which
things especially The b-sianipg Of Institutions
The epeopIS people Of MoodsSock ana It's surroGnGing
towns would DC really unworthy OF their ancestors
50 Ibeir appreciaTion of an that was done for
Ten When one hundred years ago this iastita-
lis foundations buIIded better Than they knew, so
1SSasiHg IN your busy lives you give this day
been, you make sUrer what Is 10 be the history OF
woodstock Academy
BY your toNnsElan, MI Bowen : Llost LlteTesll;is
Us foundations We're laid in time OF intense polt
In!ristration Of John Adams just after the inausu
ration OF President Jefferson. year OF two after
the people Of Woodstock and surrounding towns
bent their energies ana gave OF their substance 70
The establishment or this academy. Probably no
period OF political history has been violent
SO fun Of aniTnosity and hatred. Political differ
England il feared that an era or lnldelity, OF
More man thar il was feared that The very gov
eminent which had been established by the sacri-
people Of the States in danger Of destruction.
From me earnest ss'S.elell1 % 80, ~,
Connecticut code Of 1850 provided system OF COM
Sf the Revolution had been necessarily OF limited
character The learning OF the 'lnsAsh tounse
and some rudimentary education in ar1thnsttc
was about me measure OF p13ae eSuG4fo; cue ION We
beyond The reach Of most accessible only 10 the
Srbst NAV be called The early common education
end the collegiate education there was a great
sap. our fathers must have seen clearly thar IN
Ns he'd the fate OF the country depended upon the
ate many. No wonder then thar they sought 70
put the opportunity for a hisner ana ihoTS Is COM @
t,yna academy was designed 10 give and did give.
20 an the youth within it's reach the opportunity
40 acquire the knoWlecge necessary 70 -, oCg t, ma
~ l.iblic citizens The common scnool system anu
but II may be well doubted whether their influence
during the last century N the cohs. H-Is "a % -
government has been equal 70 thal OF le olH 'iiie
IntenseIv religious as our fathers were they did
rof make religious education an actual feature OF
academy life. though religious iunuence was away ;
thought OF in The selection Of the principal The
EaFlv
OF portion Of Scripture or BY prayer o. ool5l az
the clergyman was ex,ohieio TIE guclng sLTlI I -
were almost as mleh a parI - CI 5g-acSroI1I-,S
astronomy composition and defamation Academy
acter not less than OF superior education Gen
orally speaking they were successfeL IN lae-r en-
oeavors 10 obtain such masters, and II a principal
ouaIities oY Taanhood and Vronsr hood IN his pupils
Iecrons Of academic lie centre in The teacher he
friend and father. Next 10 the affectionate inru-
ence ot taIhtt aio ullLeI;, We, Nt -, 20 -, n,5 g.
my debt OF graltude tor an lhat mas Deeh soou ~
forcetul in my lie 10 the master Of the academy IN
In education as in ali other affairs the OLD meth
DDS are being superseded The things which were
by @Ly IN, las sra'IIced he ems OF education have
ror1a IN iblse LAIR Zines 10 be Considered the ne
cessities OF educational life on the whole, though
think there Is progress toward better thngs and
this IS probably true in educational matters az in
Of social life 10 kod fast the blessings Of our civic
lie, should stiu maintain the acaoerpt. espe-
ciaily spaTsely settled communities <e have
railroads. troeys, telephones. and all the facilities
both Of improved communication and increased in
forms ton but neither the college the high
school nor these new appliances, can wholly super
Bede the necessity OF academic education. The
academy OF the present and the future must be
relied upon furnish q vast number OF our boys
and girls that knowledge thar training, and that
upbuuding Of character so essential 10 social and
public life. So let Us say. Long live the academy
Long live Woodstock Academy, and when another
century shah have rolled its slow years away may
those who celebrate its bicenuennai anniversary
Be able 70 speak OF its enlarged usefulness and its
more widely extended influence