Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-04-13
Especial to Kennebec JournaD


Oak Grove, April 12.-With the
opening of the school year next
fall, Oak Grove Seminary will cease
to be q o-educational institution
and will be conducted as private
school for girls only. according to a
statement issued today by the prin-
cipal, Robert E. Owens. The state
ment says:
while the announcement that
Oak Grove Seminary will become a
private school for girls will be a
surprise to many interested friends,
nevertheless the change is not sud-
den, and has been under considera-
ton for nearly a year. During that
time the members of the executive
committee have made an extended
study of educational needs and stat
istics with special reference to New
England and have been agreed since
the latter part Of last year that this
forward step should be taken at
once. With the rapid development
OF public high schools, the commit
tee was convinced that the private
school has just two outstanding ad-
Vantages over the public school,
namely the high moral training and
the separate school for boys and
girls. Oak Grove has long held an
enVlable reputation for the distinct
~ wholesome tone of its social life
and the school can now offer the
remaining advantage of a private
school for girls.
The aims of the committee and
the administration will develop a
girls school at Oak Grove which
will be an honor to the State. 1t is
definitely planned to make Oak
Grove one of the outstanding girls
schools of New England. A campus
OF one hundred acres on a hilltop
overlooking the beautiful Kennebec
valley, one of the best gymnasiums
In the State. a beautiful chapel, and
an administration building and DOR
mitory which will be completely re-
modelled during the coming sum-
mer, combine to give the new girls
school most suspicious opening. In
addition to all this, over $4,000 is
already In hand toward the splendid
new dormitory which will be erected
in the near future. The new dormi-
tory will be of brick or natural
stone and undoubtedly be the finest
of its kind in the State. It will
form the first unit of a definite quad
rangle scheme which will eventually
completely replace the present dor
mitory and administration building.
The courses of instruction will
follow the most approved and up-to-
date methods of the best private
schools for girls. While in the fu-
ture as in the past the chief function
of Oak Grove will be as a college
preparatory school, yet more en-
phasis will be laid upon preparing
girls for the large women's colleges.
In addition to this, however, a new
course will be offered to girls who
do not plan to enter college,. in
which languages, music and art will
each receive prominent place. The
enrolment will be of a very high
standard.
The board of managers are happy
to announce that Principal and Mrs.
Robert E. Owen who have accom-
pl1shed SO much at the school during
the seven years of their administra-
ton and who are enthusiastically in
favor of the new policy, will con-
tinue at the head of the school. Both
Mr.. and Mrs. Owen have been quiet
ly investigating private schools for
girls during the last six months, and
plan to incorporate the results of
their search in the new school. They
will be surrounded by an unusually
fine faculty of experienced teachers
who are enthusiastic believers in a
private school for girls.