The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1916-09-14

siderable money for the purpose.
Those founders of the academy de-
serve much credit. when We remem-
ber that the town was very smaIl l.
and that the money raised for me
purpose was during the War OF lHl-'
when II was as scarce and nara 10
GET as at any time in the history OF
orr country.
The first academy building was
completed in 1914 and Was PLAN ana
unpretentious. 1t stood on the Iol
now occupied by the old Academy =,
50 called until 1910, when It was re
moved.
The method of heating consisted q
brick foundation. With walls dbou1
sixteen inches high, surmonnJed ny
an old potash kettle inverted, WIN
the bottom knocked out. aud sma 1
brick chimney resting upon H. ana
extending through the roof
The first term of the academy Wa
held ia the same year under the iul-
ton OF Rev. James Hall NATIVE OF
Scotland, and a graduate OF EdIH-
burgh University The term oPeilcu
with thirteen students Mt. Han IV=
NAMED fourteen years and Was sue
cesefu teacher although soIheN ma
rough in manner lis discipline a.
rather lax, but he Was reported 10 De
one of the bcst mdfheluallclahs III
the stare He MAS ar inycterate
smoker -mofiue much oil the tlhle'
even in school hours students were
allowed To go IN and oft al thef own
onffou. begging required to be present
only ar Rotations.
Mr. Hall vas succeeded by Weston
tffs4fs N r
ian The records of the trustees do
net always mention the name OF the
nrecepior engaged for the following
year. as ii is not certain that we nave
| an unhrokeu list. but the following IS
the best / have been able TO deter
mine. Francis Yose. Daniel Dole,
stephen Coburn, Charles coburn, }.
/ W Weston, A. r. Brainerd, }. +.
Baldwin. c. W Lander Henry h.
Trask. r. b. Shepherd. Sabine Emery,
stephen Fletcher (who was granted a
/ leave of absence to go TO the ClVll
War; Z. Z Trask. Henry J. Cushing.
II. ". Chaplin. Mr.. Atkinson and j. {.
Moody.
In ISIS. ii was voted to relinquish
to the Maine Literary and Theologl-
cal Seminary now Colby College, the
property belonging to the Canaan
Academy on certain conditions, pro-
viding they locate in this town. AT
one time it seemed as if the matter
was settled, but more tempting Of
/ fer was made by WaterYille.
In 1918, the trustees voted to pc
tition the legislature of Massachu-
sets to change the name of Canaan
/ Academy to Bloomfield Academy
which act'was passed in 1919.
About this time, the institution re-
ceiyed a grant of land to the extent
of half a township, which was la
Gated in Franklin county, the condl-
tions being that the grantees should
settle on the land at least five set
tiers, who should clear at least five
acres each. Half a century elapsed
before any settlement was made. A
resident Of Bloomfield then explored
i it. and reported it to be Of little
value. consequently it was sold, ano
afterwards proved to be one of the
best timbered townships in the re-
gion. The money received was add
ed to the permanent academy fund.
This second period in the history
of our school was a most flourishinf
one. The catalogue of 1920 shows /
H.. 80 .o,.o,,+,, eo,,o, maniac oP ,.bi cI
rs. ~ eles Dnraor ~ MO a,
llle l"'q Juuse d. d. f De,ae o IN Mt,
one. otuae"t9 an ;. Diit o. pa, =,
Vi ll'e a'a5e, loi 'lie ii'' ~ ''''0i a.
In 1910. the old building was re
moved, ana the present academy
building was erected HON brlce NC
4 Lellan donating one thousand doilars
towards 1t. This was punt OF prlck
Those decades of the forties anc