St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-08-24
Caledonia County Grammar School.

i
first annual banquet of the Caledonia
County Gammar School Alumni Asso-
citation was held at the vestry of the
Congregational church at Peacham,
Thursday evening. The meeting was
called to order at z o'clock by Prof. N. J..
Whitehill, and report of the last meet
ing was given by the secretary, Miss
Jennette Varnum. The association was
formed in 1897, that year marking the
centennial celebration OF the school. At
that time $500 was raised as an alumni
fund, and since then the association has
given to the academy for different pur-
poses $693. There is now balance in
the treasury of $1842.
The picture committee had been COM
missioned to place a picture of Mrs.
Susan Gil6llan in the hall, but having
learned from her friends that something
else would have pleased her berter, it
was moved and carried that a bust of
the poet Burns be procured by this COM
mittee and placed in the hall.
The chair appointed nominating
committee, who reported the following
to take charge of an entertainment in
1905: F. 6. Shaw, E. w. Lyford. Miss
Lydia Strobridge, Miss Laura c. Bailey
and Miss Jessie Varnum.
A discussion followed in regard to the
needs of the academy, the most import
ant of which seemed to be better
method of heating the building, and DR..
A. ]. Mackey was commissioned to in
vestigate the matter. The Academy
must soon be shingled and the salaries
of the teachers ought to be increased.
Soon after eight O'Clock the first ban
quet of the association was held in the
hall. Plates were laid for IT'S, S. D.
Atwood catering, and unusually fine
music was furnished by Mrs. Gray's
orchestra of North Montpelier. The hon.
ored guest of the evening was Hon. c. ].
Bell Of Walden candidate for governor,
and on his arrival he was given hearty
welcome, by all present arising to re-
ceive him. Following the banquet music
was furnished and toasts were responded
to as follows. N! +. Whitehill toast
master.
Music, "Helmet of Navarro" Orchestra.
The Plea fsnIs Of H cps John H. varnu.
Miss Sara A, Bailey,
Sole, a. Good Bye"
b. 20, that we two were Mayine."
Mrs. Clara Dow Hooker,
1.-The Flora and Fauna of verm ont, with spec.
ia1 reference to the ORTHODOXY and Ento-
mology of the Green Mountain State"
Music. Emblem of Liberty" Orchestra.
Ty or Miss Waaa SsrE
Music. My Dream-Lady," Orchestra.
The T. y Present Duty of the Country Academy
Music, "Amorita Waitzes," Orchestra
Study no less of books but more Of Ma
Music, "Katurka Intermezzo," Orchestra.
Prof. Whitehill expressed for himself
and the association their great pleasure
that Mrs. c. A. Bunker who has been an
invalid for several years, could be pres
emit. Miss Jennette Varnum read a re-
port of what the associa ton had accom-
plished during the seven years of its
existence, and also read a letter from
Hon. John Gil6llan expressing his graft
tude and pleasure that the association
had courteously made him an honorary
member, and letter from Col. 6. B. M.
Harvey, announcing the fact that a new
encyclopedia was just published and he
had ordered set sent to the Academy
for their use. w. A. Kicker moved that
a vote of thanks be sent to Col. Harvey
for this and other valuable gifts. This
motion was seconded and unanimously
carried.
DR.. Edward Cowles had been invited
to speak and all regretted that he was
unable to be present. The result of the
banquet, which was very successful, was
IS new members added to the associa-
ton. making membership of pol.
John Varnum, the first speaker, closed
with bright little poem. Miss Clark
knowing both the city and country, felt
no regret that much of her time had
been spent in the country. Waldo F.
Glover, speaking of "the Academy to-
day." said it had been called dead, but
though 1O7 years of age he considered it
very much alive. What it lacked in
quantity was made up in quality. Prin-
cipal D. 6. Burrage said in regard to
1.-The Present Duty of tie Country Acad-
envy in Vermont" that the rise of high
schools in Vermont is causing the decline
of the country academies, but it is
question if the secondary education in
the state is as well cared for as it was
generation ago. In general the course of
study has been more complete in the
Academy than in the country high
schools, the equipment better, the tenu1 e
of office of teachers is longer, and they
have an atmosphere of their own, bene-
fetal to the students, and finally they
have large body of alumni. such as the
newer high schools cannot hope to have
for years to come. Under these condi-
tions the country academy has a duty,
first to its students to fit them to be
leaders; secondly to the teachers of the
vicinity. to help them do their work en-
Enthusiastically and well; and finally to
the community, to serve as an intellect
ual and social center.
In response to the toast IA blast from
Cow Hill'' Miss Sara A. Bailey gave the
following poem:
Old Peacham is as fair today
Her trout shy, her birds gay,
Her lasseS and her lads true,
Her sun as bright. her sky as blue
AS in our youth,-yet something
Is missing from her mountain air.
We miss the friends beloved of yore
Whose memory fingers evermore
In harvest field, among the hills,
Through village street, by noisy ri1ls;
The earnest of their manly strife
The promise of our nations life.
But more than these miss in truth
The courage of our untried youth,