Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-02-20

bad been granted, by charter, the
rents of the grammar school lands,
amounting to about $500 annually.
Inc stranger came to his charge
and entered upon it with the purpose
to make it his life work, and with the
amoltlon to make the school one of
high order, worthy the patronage of
the whole county. He was well fitted
for his task. He had graduated from
Miod'eoury college in 1923, had taught
four years in Peru, n. Y, studied
theology by himself, been licensed to
preach in Plattsbnrg one year, and
had taught fifth year in Vergennes.
DE had an unconquerable will and
peculiar gift for teaching and man
aging a school. He held his post as
master of the academy for eighteen
years through great trials and hard
experiences, and then, after an
absence of about thirteen years,
teaching in important schools in
Canada, he returned TO Bloomington
and was principal of the academy
again till his health failed, making in
all twenty -one years of service as
principal of the most widely known
and best school in that portion of the
state, and this because it bore the
stamp of his character, and was the
object of his determination and the
child of his genius.
Tt was during this first period of his
mastership that the events took place
which have given the old academy a
history of interest and left a land
mark so pronounced and enduring;
for it was then the old stone house
was built that is now the object of
wonder to travellers, and the cause of
many speculations.
4 Mr.. Twilight entered at once upon
his charge with vigor and zeal, and
the hearty support of the trustees of
the school. In November, three
months after his arrival in the tow n,
he was ordained as. minister of the
gospel and began supplying the pulpit
of the church in the village. This he
continued to do for a number of years
in connection with his work as prin-
cipal. In fact all his life preaching
was almost as much his work as
teaching. Under his management
and through his earnestness the
school began at once to improve and
increase and soon it was the most
prominent institution in a large area,
drawing students from all over the
county and even from outside. But
stormy times were ahead for this man
and his school. He had not been long
in his work before his difficulties
began.
SIN the autumn of 1885," says the
old Gazetteer, cit became known that
an attempt would be made in the leg
islature to divide the grammar
school fund, giving partCof it to
another town across the ceuntyfOr
establishing a second school similar
| to the one in Bloomington. Mr.. Twi-
light was chosen to represent his
town in the legislature for that term,
and he labored hard to defeat the
measure, but failed. Besides his per-
sonal interest, he believed that public
| policy and the cause of sound
academic education demanded that
such division of the fund should not
be made, for he felt that one division
would open the way for others until
the whole sum would be so divide
into driblets that it would do nc
good anywhere" He argued that
one good school in the county with
means and equipment for fitting men
for college was better than two OF
more lesser schools where only par
tial fitting could be given. In spite
of the division of the fund, however
Mr.. Twilight, by his executive ability
and logged determination, kept the
school in a fourishing condition
But the seed of dissension had beer
sown, and it was not long in sprout'
ing. It's growth however was moi
strong enough to weaken this
man or injure his school for number
of years. -,
Mr.. Twilight had been but a few
years in his work before, owing Il
the fourishing condition of the
academy (for such it was now called)
he saw the need of a boarding house
or as we should now say, boarding
hall or dormitory. He brought the
matter to the attention of the trus
tees and urged them to provide one
"But," says our historian, "the.
delayed, and at last declined to pro
vide such one as the principa
, thought was needed, to furnish &C
{ commodations for such school a
| q A. fun1