St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-06-26
CALEDONIA COUNTY GRA1r1AR
SCHOOL.
Fifth Annual Reunion and Banquet
Exercises at AuburndaIe.

SCHOOL.
Fifth Annual Reunion and BANQUET
Exercises at AuburndaIe.
Editor of the CALIFORNIAN:
The 5th annual banquet of the alumni
of Caledonia County Grammar School Of
Peacham, occurred Thursday, June 13,
at Hotel Bellevue, Beacon street, Boston.
Hon. and Mrs. John B. Gilfllan of Min
neapols were the guests of honor upon
this occasion. Mr.. Gil6llan was a
native Of Peacham who lived on the
Thaddeus Stevens farm in his youth,
was educated at the Academy, and later
went to Minneapolis to live; he became a
lawyer and has risen from one post of
honor to another until he represented
the state OF Minnesota in congress some
time since. This was pleasant reunion
of old teachers and pupils, some of whom
had never met since they left school, and
it was curious to witness the halfpuz-
zled look on the faces of some present
who tried to discern some familiar fea-
lures of od-time friends and school
mates.
Mrs. Abbey L. Hitchcock Tyler, of
Boston, who was years ago associated
with Thomas Scott Pearson as a teach.
er in the academy and the president of
the association, presided most gracefully
and after the conclusion of the repast.
called upon various gentlemen to re-
spond to toasts. The table was beauti-
fully decorated with pinks and ferns and
there were platters of small cakes of
delicious maple sugar on the tables, the
gilt of Mrs. Jane Marsh letters. 1t came
from the old Geo. Chamberlain farm,
now known as that Of Dea. Ashbel
Martins, where the old listers used to
hold their meetings for nearly SO years.
DR.. E. E. Strong responded to the
toast, "The characteristics of the Puri
tans and the early Scotch colonists."
Mr.. Gilfillan confessed that he had been
not in a rummage sale, but in
a rummage hunt, and as a result he
would read an old composition which he
had written when Young man in the
school, which was delivered on the pre-.
of large handsome book
from the pupils to beloved teacher, the
present president. The reading was in
terspersed with bright, witty remarks
which were much enjoyed by all pres
ent, and then followed an able address,
referring to the radical changes between
then and now. DR.. Edward Cowles of
Waverly, Mass, was asked to speak on
the character Of Thomas Scott Pearson
as teacher. He paid him a high tri-
butte as man whose life was apparent.
~ cut short in its prime; as an educator,
his coming marked change from the
old style of teaching to the new. He
did not administer strict discipline to
pupils, but rather sought to gain the
good will OF his scholars and thus con.
troll them. Hon. c. Q. Terrell of Natick,
a former preceptor IN the school at
Peacham, and afterwards a teacher in
st. Johnsbury, presented by request, in a
breezy, original speech, a lovely gayel
from Miss Priscilla H. Marsh of NAL
den. He has recently been elected as a
representative to congress, and intima
ted that when the gavel was handed
him he thought it Joke perpetrated at
his expense, thinking he might have
some aspirations for a speakers chair
but he was soon undeCeived bv reading
the inscription For the Alumni Associa-
ton" 1t was made of wood from the
Old butternut tree in Gen. Chamberlain
front yard and the handle was made of
wood from the Doric pillar in front of
the academy. The gavel was received
with thanks. Mr.. Terril is very popu-
lar socially and is also bright LAWYER.
SO all predict for him successful future
Miss Laura B. Chamberlain read some
verses on The History of the Butter
nut Tree, weaving in historic thread
OF the settlement OF the town and found
ing OF the school. Mrs. TYLER gave ex.
tracts from interesting letters from Tudoe
VIM. Hartman and Dir. Moses Marin
Wesson Clark read an account of max
ing maple sugar in Vermont, in poetry
and prose.
There were many of the younger
alumni of the school present and it was
the largest gathering since the first one
held IN Boston and aremarkablv success
iul one Miss Sarah A. Bailey, the sec
rotary. gave an interesting report and
Mr.. HENDERSON, the treasurer, declared
all debts were paid and there was money
in the treasury. We have not vet re-
celved the list Of the officers for the com