The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1901-08-16

out terribly. 1t never seemed so in
terminable as it has tonight, since l
have been sitting here. We, who
left the old Academy so long ago,
are thankful, my young friends, that
you have remembered us.
The toastmaster then said that
whatever of good he accomplished
while principal of the school was
largely due to the help and encour
agement he received from Gov,
Farnham. AS testimonial of what
men can do we always look to their
children and we will all be glad to
hear from one of the Governors
boys, Capt. Charles E. Clark.
1 cannot thank you enough, said
Capt. Clark, for this greeting.
am very grateful to you all. If l
had studied more, when in the old
school, as did Gen. Geo. Rogers, I
might say something worth hearing.
es I was transferred to a school
where about all in the speechmaking
line required was "aye, aye" 1t
has often been asked me how l hap
pened to get into the navy and per-
haps I can interest you by answer
ing this question. One day 1 was
supposed to be helping my father in
getting books ready to be bound but
in reality was spending more time
in looking at the pictures, especially
those that told of battles. Finally
suggested to father that he write
Mr.. Morrill, and see if he couldn't
arrange it so 1 could go to West
Point. Morrill, replied that there
was no vacancy then but could give
me a chance at the Naval Academy
if Judge Hibbard's son of Chelsea
did not decide to take it. The Cap
tain intimated that he didn't feel
very friendly towards young Hib-
bard about that time. But it was all
right when the Chelsea boy decided |
not to go and our Charlie Clark went |
instead. Gov. Farnham, Mr.. Low,
Prichard, Baldwin and others gave |
him an excellent character and as he |
was going to be here only a little
while at the best thought he would
try to keep it.
A song by Miss Maud Harris was
next and the company listened to it
with pleasure.
This, said the POSTMASTER, will
always be red letter day in the his
tory of our association, having both
arms of our national defense repre-
scented. We have heard from Capt.
Clark of the navy and will now lis
ten to Gen. George Rogers of the
army.
The General was much pleased to
De present. He always loved Brad
ford and always should. 1t was As
,r 40 years since he left and few
If the old schoo1mates are left {
Many went to the war and fell in !
oattle, but wherever they went they
proved themselves good men and {
worthy. The General spoke of some s
interesting events and said that all !
he deeds that shine in history the '
young men and women here will s
never read of with the interest they {
feel in the great deed that Capt I
Clark accomplished. (
Next, said the postmaster, we !
will hear from one of the younger s
alumni and one to whom 1 can as ]
tribe the highest praise, knowing
low strong and ably she performed
her part as a teacher. t
Mrs. David S. Conant was the {
one referred to and she said a word (
If praise first for the old school days, t
when more boys and girls took the '
classical course than now, the Eng |
ish course hardly being known as it '
S today. She spoke of the first
lass to receive diplomas and that
t contained nine of the prettiest t
,irls Bradford ever turned out. No t
BOYS were really fit to join that
lass. Seven of these girls got mar {
led, one became a teacher and I
mother a star singer. The first sys- I
EN- attic, patriotic teaching also took I
,1ace at this time, resulting in
company of small boys
allied the Locke Guards. They raised '
money to buy their own uniforms '
md the W. r. c. presented them q
With a flag on Dec. Z, 1890, the first q
o float over Vermont school house.
The new school is just grand. 1t is c
Meeting the demands of the present t
lay as did the Old Academy the de- c
hands of it's day.
George A. Low, who claims Brad c
ord as his native home, a former a
Iupil and teacher in the Old Acade i
ny, a man always found on the /
light side of every good cause, was t
text introduced. v
Mr.. Low said he felt very much &
S if he belonged to prehistoric times v
nd that the president had made I
mistake in calling on him. In a S
where there is a Govern a
r, a Brigadier General, a naval t
and other dignitaries =
low could anything be expected ?
rom a plain citizen. He told of C
ONE incidents of the old school days i
n an interesting way and said it had a
een his pleasure to be back IS times II
uring the % years of absence. In i
losing he advised every young per- 2
on 70 seize every oopc,rt1nitv TO ac- n