Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-13

Professor William S. Knowlton,
known as "The Old Scholmaster," a
noted teacher and minister died here
Thursday forenoon at the age Of sc.
He. was born in East Sangerville,
October 81, 1889, a son of Capt. Isa-
iah and Lydi$ Pollard Knowlton and
dren.
Always a studious boy, he was not
satisfied to leave his studies when
| through the public schools of the
town and attended what is now Fox
| croft Academy, where he fitted him.
| self for college and entered Colby.
Upon the breaking out of the Civil
| War he enlisted but owing to an at
tack of typhoid fever shortly before
| this time, was unable to pass the
physical examination and returned to
| his studies at Colby college, gradual
| ing in the class Of 1864, which was
| an honor class with all students
ranking above ninety. He was the
last member of this class and the old
est living graduate of Colby College
and also of the D. K. E. fraternity.
| Following his graduation, he ac-
cepted position as teacher at Brim-
| field, Mass, but after one year re-
turned to Maine and always resided
in its borders. From Brimfield he
went to Monson as head master Of
| Monson Academy and for several
years remained in this town where
he was ordained as a Baptist minis
| ter and in addition to his duties as
teacher, filled the pulpit of the church
each Sunday.
On November 81, 1867, he was uni
ted In marriage with Miss Ellen c..
Flanders, daughter of Horace and
Abbie Flanders Of Monson and to
| them two children were born.
| When student at Foxcroft Acad-
envy he united with the Baptist
church and throughout his entire life
he followed the beliefs of his young
err days, living an exemplary christian
life.
He preferred teaching to preach
| ing however, and although often sup
| plying during a vacancy never gave
up his work as an educator, being one
of the most successful instructors of
! young men and women that Maine
has ever had and without doubt
| taught more terms of school than any
other teacher of Maine if not in the
! United States, counting among his
former pupils many noted statesmen,
educators and professional men, who
are to be found in nearly every state
i in the Union, and in his declining
years, letters from his boys and
girls We're one of his greatest pleas
| Tres. His work was always among
young people of high school and it
was ever his thought to keep his
mind young as theirs and see things
| from their point of view. This was
his own reason for the wonderful
, success with which he met every
where.
| In 1875 he accepted a call - Houl-
ton as head master of the Baptist
| fitting school, what is now known as
| Kicker Classical Institute. remaining
! there ten years. during this time he
preached on Sundays and drove AZ
miles each week END for several
months to fill the pulpit of a church
without a pastor, and this in the
days before autos. He also served as
| principal of the high school at Pres
que Isle and was the first head mas
, ter at Caribou high and the CLASH
cal Academy at Bridgewater, in each
| instance assisting in the establishing
of the school.
| In 1894 he returned with his fam
! lily to Monson. this town being al
ways considered as home by both
Mr.. and Mrs. Knowlton and their
daughter. Miss Ethel Knowlton. who
has lived with them practically all
her life, giving them every care and
comfort as the years passed by. An
other daughter, Mrs. Grace Genthner
resides in Cambridge, Mass.
During the World War Prof. KnowI-
ton did his "bit" by accepting call
at Milo, later teaching at the Abbot
high school and was proud of the
fact that he was able at so years of
age to still f1ttingly fill this position
as he had every reason to be. He
was county supervisor of Piscataquis
county four years. that office then be-
ing done away with. He served a
term as Representative and the fol-