The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-07-29
THETFORD ACADEMY.
A NEW CHAPTER IN A LONG HISTORY.

NEW CHAPTER IN A LONG HISTORY.
Two years ago in the report of
the executive committee to a meet
ing of the trustees of Thetford
Academy, Rev. William Slade raised
the question whether the institu-
ton might not be more closely
related tosthe community by max
ing the course of study more
practical. He declared that there
were enough men in the pro-
LESSONS: that there were too many
lawyers, doctors and ministers, that
we needed trained men in other
walks of life, and that the course
OF study should not be planned
simply for the few who go to college
but for the majority who never
enter college and the professions
and rarely 60 further than the high
school,
Last August the alumni and
friends of the school gathered at
Lake Morey for the annual reunion.
Besides the delightfully."- social char
acter of the gathering, there was
frank discussion of the question
1.-The School and the Community"
by Prof. Worthen of Dartmouth,
Prof. FarnswOrth of Columbia, Prof.
Cummings of the University of
Vermont, and by Prof. VIM. E.
Sargent, whose recent death has
saddened the hearts of a multitude
of friends. Professor Marshall B.
Cummings in a short address favored
the admission of Agriculture into
the course of study at Thetford as
way of bringing the school into
direct contact with the community.
The problem of making the
school more helpful to the communi-
ty and the question of introducing
an agricultural course in connection
with the regular high school course
were thoroughly discussed at the
last trustee meeting in May, with
the result that on behalf of the
trustees Mr.. Slade, with Supt. Don
G. Bliss, of Brockton, visited the
Smith Agricultural School at North
Hampton, Mass, and Hopkins Aca-
deny at Hadley, Mass. In Hadely
they found the situation like that
in Thetford an old academy needing
new life and a new ideal. In Hadley
the study of agriculture has been
introduced successfully with marked
improvement in the attendance and
increased enthusiasm among the
students, and the parents and
ommunuy in general are much
more interested in the school. Mr..
Geo. n. Paulsen, a member of the
graduating class at Amherst Agri-
cultural College, was found in
charge of this work in Hopkins
Academy. Having graduated with
honors at Amherst, he has been
secured as the new principal of
Thetford Academy. He will pursue
the same methods of instruction
that he used at Hadley with success,
and the friends of the old institu-
ton expect a steady Improvement
in the methods and work of the
school.
The public need TO see what has
been so plainly shown at the great
educational convention at Boston
within few days, that education
is for life and not for a few favored
professions. The favored profess
sion of the future is farming, and
the life of the future is the life out
of doors and in the country, IT all
signs do not fail us, and TO enable
Thetford Academy to train young
men and young women for the
intelligent, moral and useful life
of the future is the purpose OF her
friends and supporters, From all
recent experiences and all recent
clear thinking. it is evident that
comes through environ
ment. and there are many environ
l. IL H. and tt-as /