Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-25

OF the beautiful home that generous
hearts have provided for her and
proud of her record; and yet as the
mistS drift away and we look across
the valley of intervening years the
eyes of some at least will wander to the
old New England academy standing
there just as it used to stand, with the
same boys and girls about the TIRES
hold and we can not refrain from say
ing as the eye moistens and the lips
culver: I'VE may build more splendid
habitatiOns all our rooms with paint
ings and with sculpture but we can not
buy with gold the old associations.'
In relating the history Of the academy
Rev. Edwin Carey Whittemore, d. D.,
class of rs, traced the life Of the insti-
tute from it's very beginning and gave
Il most interesting account of the strug-
giles and disadvantages with which the
early instructors and pupils of the
school had to contend. He spoke In
part as follows:
Coburn Classical Institute.
Rev. Edwin Carey Whittemore, D. D..
pastor of the Elm Street Baptist
church was the historian of the occa-
sion and his address was as follows:
when in 1920 the Maine Literary
and Theological Institution became
WaterVille College, the first need which
confronted President Chaplin was not
that of building or endowments but of
students prepared to prosecute the
course of study proposed by the COL
lege. OF the theological students who
came with DR.. Chaplin from Danvers,
Mass, and who arrived in Waterville
by Long boat in July, 1918, only one,
Mr.. Hadley Proctor, took the college
course and was graduated in the class
of ISIS. The few young men who de-
sired to enter the new college had not
had the advantage of schools of a
grade sufficiently high to enable them
to pursue college studies successfully.
In 1880 therefore President Chaplin
opened the College Grammar School
III the Woods house on the site of the
present Elmwood hotel. AS r teacher
he employed Mr.. Henry Paine, a stu
dent from Amherst, Mass, who after
two years study at the literary and
theological institution, entered the col
lege as a sophomore in 1920. He was
the roommate of George Dana Board
man and was like him in piety and
enthusiasm. During his college course
and for half year thereafter he sue
cessfully conducted the school which,
on the erection of South college was
transferred to that building. The col
lege catalogue for 1924 states There is
i'll connection with the college a Latin
xx-Ji, n .,h1
number of students preparing for col
lege.'
August 20, 1924, the faculty appoint
cd as teacher of the Latin school Elijah
Parish LOvejoy who conducted the
school with ability and enthusiasm for
two years until his graduation from
college. Afterward he became the
fearless champion of the slaves and of
the freedom of the press and after the
mob had destroyed successfully three
printing presses, while guarding the
fourth he was shot down in Il pro-
slavery riot at Alton, ILL.,, Nov. Z. 1887.
Eminent in intellectual ability, in
philanthropy and patriotism, he was
the first martyr from the school and
the college in the great cause of free
dom in the United States. His success
sor in the school was Mr.. ]. O'Brien
Chaplin, a son of President Chaplin. So
successful had been the work of the
Latin school and SO large proportion
of the students of the college had come
from it that the trustees on August q.
1898, voted: That the prudential COM
mittee be authorized to take measures
to erect u building for an academy
and that they draw on the treasurer for
Il sum not exceeding $500 Hon.
Timothy Boutelle of the board of
trustees, Il life long patron of every
good enterprise in Watervillc, gave to
the college for the academy, on Sept.
"a, 1929, the lot of land on which the
institution now stands and the title of
which has always remained with the
college. During the summer of 1929
Peter Getchell and Lcmuel Dunbar
built the academy building which with
later engagements, served as the home
of the school until 1883. They re-
ccived in payment $3.50 Of which the
trustees nominally furnished $500, al
though this as well as the balance was
raised by the interchangeable DIR. Chap
lin by the subscription method. The
same masterful man said a little later
to n student who had called upon him:
Paine, our acadcnical structure il
now completed and as we wish it to
under favorable auspices
you have been chosen to take charge of
it
The student, then in his senior year
was Henry w. Paine, a native of
Winslow and later to become an emf
mont lawyer of Massa chusctts and an
LID. of Colby. Securing a somewhat
reluctant acceptance of the position by
Mr.. Paine, Pres. Chaplin went with
him on the opening day to the acad-
envy, introduced him to the forty or
more pupils then assembled and set
the school at work. The Watervillc
Waterman of Nov. 4, 1929, in the cd-
tOrial said:
ut will be seen by an advertisement
in a subsequent column that this inst-
tuition will be opened for instruction on
the first Monday in December. 1t is n
fine brick building of two stories in
height. with handsome cupola or
steeplc for a bell, 42x34 feet and is a
beautiful ornament of our village. not
surpa SSed we believe by any other