Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-12-09
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY
GRAMMAR SCHOOL CORPORATION
Oldest of MddrburyS Educational Bodies will Be Century
and Quarter Old Next YtarIIS ReCUrdS Disclose Much
of Towns Educational History
Gil Les l. BUTTON

ed by pubic subscription within the
present fenced Ozias Seymour place
west of the marble mill. This became
vacant by the death Of Miss Ida
Strong, its founder, and from 1906 to
Is the grammar school was housed
here during the last part of which
7eriod Ms Emma Hart afterwards
Mrs Willardl taught her young ladies
on the second floor while the grammar
school occupied the lower. In 1874
Mrs, Willard opened her nation ia
nous school as a seminary 1.-THE first
use Of the word in connection with the
h CHER education of women in her
own residence (now Mrs. Tilden's), and
he grammar school reoccupied the Fe-
mae Academy building, where it re-
NAMED until 1874. 1t acquired a ma
iority of the female academy shares in
1920, but in 1874 returned to its origi-
nal home, on its own park. This was
extensively repaired at that tine Here
il continued until n 1865 in accordance
with the agreement with School Dis
trict No. 4. the present graded school
building was erected on the same foun-
dation on which the old academy had
) God. 1t is an ideal site for a county
build ng, for while it is wholly in the
present village of Middlebury, the cd
inc between the towns Of Cornwall
and Weybridge passes through the CEN
er of the bui ding The History of
Addison County published in 1886
ates that the bui ding and grounds
cost about $4,000, but with improve
nents and ecu pment represented at
that time total cost of about double
that figure. The high school occupied
rooms this building, until the com
p.etion of the new high school build
ing in 1912, since which time the old
Building has. been given over entirely
to the use of the lower grades.
After Mrs. Willard moved her school
to Waterford, N. Y, in 1919 a female
seminary was very successfully con-
Quoted for many years in Daniel Chip
mans Old law school build ng, which
still is well known as the seminary
building on Seminary street. This
sem nary closed in 1869, the year after
the erection of the graded school. Thus
the high school is the successor tc
both the grammar school and the la.
Dies seminary.
With all OF these other institutions oil
learn ng, the county grammar schoo
has at all times heartily cooperated
but it has always been in every way
a separate entity from all the others
its closest utilization being with School
District No. by reason of the agree
ment of 1867, authorized by the Legis-
lature of 1866, a copy of which en-
abling act appears at the end hereof.
Before this union the college depend
ed upon the grammar school for stu
dents from this reg on, although the
grammar school fitted for all other col
leges as well and its students fire.
quently entered other colleges, In
turn, the grammar school depended
upon the college generally but not al
ways for a supply of instructors. The
first preceptor las the principal was
called became the first president oil
the college, but these offices have never
s.nce been held by the same person
The college soon became almost ma
tional institution, for there were only
a handful then of such highest class
educational institutions in the country
while the academy" remained only Z
county school. The college always en-
joyed that loyal support and spon
taneous respect from its immediate
preparatory school which younger boy:
always show to older boys. No Other
relationship is thinkable between the
college and the high school except that
of sympathetic cooperation. The par
ents of the many children who come
here to live and send their children
through both institutions will insist
that the two shall always educate il
harmony Otherwise they will not con
tinue to move here, but will send theil
children where the lower and higher
schools properly dovetail. The need
of this is much greater than formerly
as many more go through both inSti-
tutions than in the older days.
Who's Who In The Grammar Schoo
Corporation
Few towns in Vermont could boast
in 1897 five men better known or Of
more sterling character and attain
ments than the five to whom, and theiI
successors, the charter was granted, )
Gamaliel Painter friend of Ethan AL
len, acknowledged founder and frs
benefactor of the village, and the first
of Middlebury's great line of builders
Seth Storrs, Yale graduate, principa
donor of our west side parks, for foul
wears state auditor and thirty year:
our town clerk; Samuel Miller, emf
ment lawyer; Daniel Chapman, Dart
- --oJ,a4a CreaL-er of the House