Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-15
A MEMORIAL.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

the principal of Little Blue sciou VI,
Jonas Burnham, whose widow Is sun
living. Horatio Ladd, and Ambrose Z.
Kelsey At the close of Mr.. heisey
administration the Academy was
merged into the Pennington Norman
school which is now flourishing, under
the ohio management of Prof. George
c. Purington. ,,o,
ouasts and speakers at the reunion
has had a brilliant career. he Is tne
only living principal of the old Acad-
envy and has occupied many positions
of trust. being the founder ana presl-
don't of the University of New Mexico,
founder of the Ramona School Tor m
dams. of the United States School OF
Santa Fe. and is now rector of Grace
church, Jamaica. New York. His
presence at the reunion is much appre-
ciatad and enjoyed.
The association of Students Of Farm
incton Academy was organized year
ago. in 1906. with Mr.. D. c. Heath OF
Boston as president. Mr. Heath, be-
cause of uncertain health. is not able
to be present at the reunion this year.
and most of the active work of
preparation has faller upon the
shoulders of David knowlton of this
town. himself student at the old
Academy, now prominent business
man of Pennington. Mr.. Knowlton
has a arranged program which Will be
both interesting and satisfactory, not
the least pleasant of the doings being
the banquet and after dinner exercises
which will take place at the close OF
tho formal speeches. Mr.. knoWltolI
has worked hard for the success of the
affair. and his labors have been much
In connection with the reunion of the
Academy, is another part of the cele-
brltinn which attracts fully as much
as does the reunion. This
is the dedicatOry exercises of monu-
ment to the late Jacob Abbott, q
and we'll known author and
teacher, a man who had during his
lifetime worked unfailirgly for the
benefit of his town and of young reo-
pie generally.
The Rollo books. the Jonas books
and the Lucy series were the god
send of their times, to the young peO-
pie. NJ lIlt PEI Clibi ttNiilS lilC SNliH
of 1925 to 1850 there was n pitiable
scarcity of good stories for the young.
The old morality books had become
done to death; there was nothing in
their place, to attract the imagination
and enlighten the understanding of
the little people. for reading. Mr..
Abbott who had been a professor at
Amherst College. valued instructor
of the Mt Vernon School for Girls in
Boston. and had at that time retired to
and purchased a home
stead there recognized this weakness
in the childish literature. and begun
his famous books with the Rollo
stories. These books were a ray of
light in the darkness, to the young
folks. They gained favor rapidly.
and edition after edition was. printed.
both in this country and abroad. Mr..
Abbott, teacher, instructor and serious
writer that he was, from that time
lived as the author of the "Rollo
Books"
For many years Mr.. Abbott with his
family lived at the homestead which
he had purchased. in the lower part of
The town. and which he had named
Few Acres" Upon its beautiful
grounds was established the famous
Little Blue" School for Boys. which
was conducted until the year 1900.
when it was burned to the ground.
Later. reorganized and named the Abb
1ott School. it is now in the most
period Of its existence. and
the site of the former school
grounds.
Mr.. Carleton p. Merrill, an official
IF the Savings Bank here. with George
Dudley Church, of the Abbott Schooi
md Mr. Edward Abbott of Cambridge.
Mass, organized an association not
ong ago. with the purpose in view Oh
purchasing and restoring to its Tor