New-York tribune., 1901-08-10
WOODSTOCK'S CENTENNIAL
SENATOR o. Fl. 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. H 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 4.
Dunning, Of Columbia, and Professor George B.
Adams, Of Yale
Senator Platt spoke in part as follows
We DO well to commemorate the work OF the
pioneer work. Their purpose and hope were con-
cenuated upon two institutions. church and a
and action II is not only pleasing, but inspiring
i've for the time being the lives they lived. and
share with them their plans, their hopes an4 thelr
1bines espec;aIV The b:innpg of our institutions
me beginning OF life. whether personal or PUBLIC
The people Of Woodstock and its surrounding
i they failed embrace the opportunity TO empha
size their appreciation OF all that was done for
ron o. learning vas established As they who laid
You to-day are building better than you know, when
pausing in your busy lives you give this day TO
been, you make surer what is 10 be the history OF
The history Of Woodstock Academy as written
by your IoWnsnan, Mr.. Bowen, Is most interesting
ds s 3c41tv II %Ss 5 Gst at the cos Of the d
Iainstraton of John Adams, just after the inaugu-
ration Of President Jefferson, year OF TWO a[ter
The death and funeral OF George Washington, that
the people OF NoodSlccA and sIrIouHu4ns to"-1s
bent their energies ana gave OF Their substance 70
the establishment OF this academy. PROBABLY no
full Of anlmoslty and hatred Fontlcal dlIIer-
ences made men personal enemies. Here in New
socialism. violence and anarchy was beginning
More than that II was feared mat the very gov
T lee ~ ~ r states was in danger Of destruction
From the earliest settlement Of New-England the
educational idea had been uppeTmosI. Our own
Connecticut code Of 1850 provided system OF com
pulsory education. But education up the period
Of the Revolution had been necessarily OF limited
fhat the Capital LaWeS' might not be broken.
a. sbouT the measure of public education Col
Ieges had indeed been established, but they were
Children Of the weather Inhabitants Between
what may be called the early common education
gap & 0ns % system of education could be estab-
ushed the fate Of the country depended upon the
educated few as against the comparatively inter-
ate many No wonder then thar they sought TO
piete education within the reach OF all; The ole
time academy was designed TO give ana oia gITT,
10 all the youth within it's reach the opportunity
20 acquire the knowledge necessary 10 Decor US, 5
ful public citizens Inc common scnool s = ,L5rs
the university system have indeed cone a, W9hdeIs,
4r 4ur s +bs iest century in the conserving of
government has been equal 10 that OF the oia t'Ie
intensely religious as our fathers were. they did
not make religious education an actuSI IealqEe & 0t
dsiIV sessions were opened either by the reading
,oF Of Scripture, by prayer, DOl diIl
the Clergyman was ex-ofieio the guicng splTlt @ OF
we're almost as much part OF academy teaching
sstTondg as coposiion and decia5on Academy
trustees sought for masters OF superior mar
eraiiy speaking they we're successful in their en-
t. TO- obtain such masters 5 5an ana t pFneb sbeI
qualities Of manhood and woman hood In MS puplis
iections Of academic life in the teacher He
was more Than teacher; ne was master; gIiGe. g
ence OF father and mother, want TO ackno" "leoge
my debt Of gratitude for all that has been good or
which received my education. ,,
DDS are being superseded. The things which were
luxures in the olden times are necessities now, and
have been pronounced the frilIs OF education have
Sesgts m Of educatonaI life on the Whole though
think there is progress toward better things. and
ali other affairs.
If we wish TO preserve or improve the STANDARD
life. We should still maintain the acadeTDK, espe-
cially IN SparSey settled communities -<e nave
railroads. troileys telephones all the facilities
both Of improved communication and increased in
formation, but neither the college nor the high
school nor these new appliances, 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, that training. and that
upbuilcing Of character so essential TO social and
public life So let US say Long live the academy!
Long live Woodstock Academy, and when another
century shan have rolled its slow years away. may
those who celebrate its bicentenniai anniversary
be able speak OF its enlarged usefulness and its
more widely extended influence.