St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-10-22
For St. JohnsburY Academy.
CONTINUED from first page.l

| in training. It's ASSOCIATION Win ou'
system Of schools is close and organic,
1t performs the office of hgn sch0"l
completely and has advantages 10 inIlu
cree and prestige that a hlgh school
would lack even if its cost were exces-
sively large, and hence it deserves the
LOYAL and cordial support of all citizens
who have our highest interests at heart'
Rev. E. NJ. Chapman spoke as follows
have been asked to say just one thing
tonight and | shall try to say it as briefly
as possible. 1t is a rather delicate mat
ter to deal with because it has to do
with denominationa'ism- deli
cate subject and most delicate OF al IN
union service like the present.
may as well begin with a confession
of hetesy and say frankly that DO not
bel eve in the denominatlOaal sch 1oI. In
saving this, have no tn ought OF casting
the slightest reflection upon the many
excellent institutions founded under de-
nominational auspices and supported by
funds which come through cenomlna
ton Il charnes. They have had their
Place and it is a large one But, be
lieve that every school that is int It
upon do ng its largest work should hold
before itsslt as an ideal the untylng OF all
UNCONVENTIONAL leading trings, and en-
tire free iom from all sectarlan trammels.
And | am in a position to state that this
is precisely the ideal Of a great many
trustees of schools who are themselves
loyal members OF one or another chris
ian denomination.
This leads me t. speak Of what l found
when several years ago first became a
member of the board of trustees OF the
St, Johnsburv AGA 4emy. Here were a
company of gentlemen who were all con
nected with the Congregational churches.
But they were very far from wishing to
make the school in auy sense a sectarian
institution. They were so far from wish
ing this, indse1, that they had Just taken
a step OF the utmost significance, feeling
that they were likely to b. hampered IN
their work for the school, unless they
were free to invite any gen leman OF
christian character to bee )me trustee.
They had deliberately chosen our hon
ored fello " townsman, Judge S aft I'D, a
member of their board. He was attll ated
with body of christians other than the
Congregational. This act of the trus
tees, therefore, was a very significant and
important ore. By it, they technically
forfeited the school property which
'aDsed TO the heirs of the original donors.
Of cOuis', this step was taken by the
trustees, only alter an understanding had
been effected with these heirs. But the
papers in the case ba1 to travel thou
sands of miles and cross both the At
lantic and Pacific oceans before the prop
erty could once more vest in the board
of trustees under these new conditions.
1t cost tune, trouble aud money. 1t cost,
| repeat, a technical torfiting of the
scho 81 property. But it seemed worth
while to the trustees to take both time
and trouble in order to rid themselves OF
denomination structure that might
endanger the highest efficiency OF the
school.
In conclusion, | want to say word
about my personal experience as a men,
Der of the board of trustees. During the
two or three years OF my membership |
have attended almost all its meetings,
and | can assure you that in no sing e
ms auce to my kno Wedge has any ones,
ton of denominationaism weighed with
the members or been considered by them.
Never in all its history has the school re-
Celved any money or asked for any
money from a denominatonal sour e. 1t
was founde and has been supp ed Ivy
gentlemen who as christian helievers
naturally belonged to a christian demon
nation. 1t woul be very unwo thy 10
us to forget this or to cavi for moment
at the natural affiliatiDn OF christian
81 x..l, IL. L, ~,
bt side it. We ought to be pr III of this
and thankful for it.
But, | wish to state m Ost emphatiCal|y
that the st. Johnsburv Academy is in nc
sense under ecclesia steal control; that il
1ever has received, is never likely to re
ceive, and does not desire to receive any
financial support from merely deromn
atoual sou ces. 1t makes no appeal toI
funds backed by a sectarian argument
1t purposes TO respect the denomination
al ptee, noes oil every teacher an eve
family represented amorg t. pupils.
In It's present II ed OF larger end wv
ment it asks no one to give, unless he il
willing to support a school whose idea
shall simply b., the cultivation of sount
learning IN the light Of the two grea
christian laws-!ove to God, and love tt
man.
Rev. A. F. Walch said: A western col
lege president recently said: If YOU Civ
money to hospital it is for repairs;
to an almShouse it is giving it to the re
ceivtr, but give your money to a scho0
. ard It goes for const urtlon." Nov
e while do not care to ad ,pt this sent
m mt tnt rely, | do want to iosisr tha
all true education is construction. Th
q re II basis Of all the improvement an
G ilargement OF the nation is in the char
acter OF lis ciizens. Education is tn
back bone Of chdrac err. Ire pre>sin
need OF the nation at this moreut is
quick COrsC ence that shall be SCI sitive t
all the lmpr, ssions made upon it. Eir
: cation is one OF the m ans for the deve
| oPlng OF quick conscience. his is 'ru
, whittier 1t be in the primary schocl or i
any grade up to The I'm vtr,ity The r,
e quIremr mt everywhere Us broad CIT yer
ship with large ideals, pure motives, an
= unsetsh servi.c. The chi t source OF this
! outside OF religion is the school. Til
u SchOOIhOu3e AMI the cuurCh are tn
7 sources OF true culture NV VIII teve
e tn" tuil and large education Of our c1i
r dren costs it is in IN 6cant compsre
!, to tie real utility Of the result Eduea
" ton is a moral asset of the state. Tn
e purpose OF cur academy, as OF all GU
e schools, is the velupm mt OF mora
char acter. We ought t. va u it as sue
and to SuDDOrt If IN s11rh a manner tina