Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-09-14

men and women doing great things in
the world who look back to this school
as the place where they received in
spiration toward high endeavor; and
of those also who had gone out into
the broader Life and who had taken in
to the unseen world the principles and
the ideals held before them during their
happy years in the Norwich Free Acad-
envy.
Guiding Influence.
I cannot help thinking also of my
own feelings on that anniversary day
which I tried to explain to you as
recounted how in my own beyhood this
school had stood for something great
er than then existed elsewhere and
had backoned the boys and girls of my
time toward a fuller development than
was suggested by the little country
schools of that day.
Now we are in a different frame OF
mind, not forgetful of the past indeed
who can forget it, but thoughtful of
the present and especially thoughtful
of the future. No; we are not forget
full of the past. There is nothing much
more pathetic than the removal or de-
struction or conversion to other uses
of an old school building. To me there
cling about such an edifice or the place
where it stood associations and sug
gestions as holy as any that can be
IOutlu III d cnuEEl OF III the greatest
cathedral of them all. Is there any
sweeter picture than that in Ian Mac
laren's story of the old Scotch school
house that made way for a modern
building and whose simple methods
We're displaced by modern organization
He tells how from time to time mid
die aged and elderly men would go and
stand for a long time silent among the
trees where the simpler schoolhouse
stood and would go away still silent,
but with faces marked by many
thronging memories. Who knows
what high hopes and burning aspira-
tons have been kindled in the school
houses that are now giving way to
something finer, if not better? Who
can tell how much of patriotism has
flowed from these fountains of simple
learning Who can tell how far the
destinies of the nation have been de-
termined within the walls of the
schoolhouses of the land? Who dare
guess what records are scored upon the
very walls of these places where boys
and girls have learned some small part
of the wisdom of the past?
New and Better Replace the Old.
Today the impression upon wax cyl
inders and disks made by the manifold
voices of mankind or by instruments
of music may be seen by the human
eye and the sounds, articulate and
liAuS41eiI, may De IttbEOUuCGd DIT w III IoT
the human ear. What the phonograp phi
does for the human senses any mate
rial thing may do for those keener
senses which we can imagine but which
we cannot gain. The recitations and
the lecture and the singing and the
things good and evil that have been
said within the walls of the school
houses do somehow stamp themselves
upon the very substance of the build
ings themselves, so that in the re-
mOva1 of a schoolhouse one destroys
records that would never be available.
indeed, but which to the imagination
are priceless
Nevertheless, old things must pass
away and also new things and better
things must take the places thus made
vacant. If there is q tnge of regret
at the removal of what has served it's
purpose that need not cool the ardor
with which we welcome the things that
are to be. And so when a great insti-
tuition like this takes a long step for
ward, when a community says to it's
children, You shall have better things,
a fairer opportunity, and a broader
| horizon than was possible for your
fathers we all rejoice and congratu-
| late the people to whom such things
are given and by whom they are Civ
| en-.
Maintaining Position of Leadership.
We of Eastern Connecticut rejoice
| 10 see this historic school maintaining
its position of leadership in the region
Of which it is an educational center.
| In a fair city redolent with the very
| essence of New England, from whose
rocky hills streamed soldiers who help
| ed maintain and build and enlarge
| their country, it is fitting that there
| should be a school which for all time
| shall keep pace with the swiftest and
| highest development of civilization.
| There is this fine thing about the Nor
| wich Free Academy that with all the
| democracy and the sense of public re-
| sponsibility which marks the Ameri-
| can high school a its best there clings
| to it also something of the peculiar
| atmosphere of the old ia shioned New
| England academy. This atmosphere
| is something which is scarcely describ-
| able and which battles analysis but L
| think it is true that, whatever it's COM
| ponents or its nature, it indicates a
| little higher reverence for learning as
| such and an appreciation of the high
| est things in intellectual life not COM
| monty found in institutions of similar
| grade, but different history. 1t will be
| the croWning glory of this institution
If it maintains this academy spirit, not
| IN struggling against the new things
| that are here and are coming. but in
| connection with these novelties
Amazing Developments in Half Cen
fury.
And, indeed new things are upon us.
| | suppose that very great part of
| what will be taught in this academy
| during this coming academic year was
/ entirely undreamed of by the revered
principal who took up his work here
| in 1855 when the school was new.
| Those of us who have been alive to
witness the amazing development of
| this period Of fifty-four years stand
| &shaSt and almost tren1ble when "
| think OF it all The whole material
side Of human life has been projected
| into new environment. Scarcely
| anything IL as il was. We get up in
! the morning out Of beds which would
have made our grandparents stare III
| amazement when they We're children.
| Many Of Us take d bath. How many
| Dathfubs do you suppose there were
| in Norwich in 1855? The braa kfa st
! would present more novelties to the
! ancient whom | have summoned out
| of the past than would the county fair
| of his day q great many more, ] need
not dwell upon his surprise at the
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