Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-10-05
HELP FOR LELAND AND GRAY
PLAN TO INCREASE THE PRES
ENT ENDOWMENT FUND

Brooks House Last Monday After
Financial Agent viii Be Sc
lectcd by Committee of Three.
The meeting of the trustees, alumni
and friends of the Leland and Gray
seminary was held at the Brooks house
last Monday afternoon and was on the
whole very encouraging. The chairman
was DR.. Ii. d. Holton and secretary
Mrs. O. W. Follett of Townshend. DR.
IIolton first called upon Professor Lew
is, principal of the Leland and Gray
seminary, who spoke forcefully of the
needs of the school, saying that TINS
was an age of development and prog
ress and that there could be no stand
still in anything; that the seminary
was now mt "A critical period; that the
new conditions under which il found
itself warranted the present movement
towards increased endowment; that the
school was on a par with other schools
OF like nature, but that 1t needed more
teachers than formerly to cover the
subjects scheduled; that there was
great need of better equipped labora-
tory and library and that dormitory
was fast becoming necessity; that
from all hands good reports OF the
school were coming in, but that these
things were essential if the seminary
was 10 keep abreast of the times. Fred
Willard. treasurer of the board of trus-
tees, said that the endowment met all
the needs twenty years ago, but that
now rates of interest were lower and
salaries higher; that probably three
fourths of the student body would get
NO education beyond that obtained IN
the district school were ii not for the
seminary; that it was place where
the student could work his way and be
socially on par with the student
whose parents had the means to pay ms
expenses Mrs. Follctt spoke of the fact
that students needed to be trained in
good manners and morals as well as IN
the subjects covered by text books ana
that a dormitory would afford the
teachers better opportunity to do work
along this line.
Mr.. Butler said that the seminary
/ was differently situated from other
schools and was at the present time
I drawing students not only from the
/ West River valley, but even from Sax
/ tons River itself, because the expenses
were So low John II. Merriiield eX-
pressed his interest and asked If 1t
/ would be practical to build dormitory
on the stock company plan with so
shares. lie thought that perhaps this
might be done as there were many peo-
ple in tic county who were interested
! in the school who could not give a
! large sum, but would be glad to take a
share. c. II. Willard thought that the
/ best way to raise more endowment
would be TO employ financial agent.
/ Dr. Holton thought it a very encour'
aging feature of the school that IT was
( beginning to beg. He said that there
was great need of training in Christian
manners and morals as many OF oul
bows and girls will go to the west where
the final struggle for all that is best
is to take place and that he could not
sav too much for the atmosphere or IN
fuence of Townshend. He believed
that the day of the academy was com
ing back AS it was found that many
high schools taught everything but
manners and morals; that there was
need of getting hold of men who hat
gone out from this part of the state
and had been successful. Miss Esther
Dale spoke of the work of the alumn
association and of her experiences a
n student. She thought that the schoo
should pay the expenses of commence
mcnt week as it was too great ta'
upon the students to give entertain
ments to raise the money. She SPOKE
of the higher standard which had come
with the present system of hiring th'
principal and of the need which sh'
had felt as a student of bette
eouipped laboratory and library.
Deacon Follett of Townshend spok'
of the advantages that would conn
could an agricultural department b'
added by means of state aid.
After others had expressed their IN
terest in the present movement, 1t wa
unanimously carried on motion o
Mrs. Follett that a financial agent p'
emploved to raise funds for the bette
enninment of the school and to increas,
+be endowment. On the motion or II
L. Hastings it was carried that com
mittee of three be elected to secure tn
, services of this financial agent ana u
make such arrangements for ms remuh
Grafton as should seem to them best
,. The committee elected consisted o
Professor Lewis, E. l.. Hastings an'
!, Mrs O w. Follett. The meeting thel
adjourned.