USA > Maine > History of Methodism in Maine, 1793-1886 > Part 78
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Article 9. These by-laws shall be subject to amendment and alter- ation only at the annual meetings of the board, two-thirds of the members present and voting, voting in favor of the proposed change.
Article 3. As amended at the Annual Meeting, May, 1861 : 'The Annual Meeting shall be holden at Bucksport, on Tuesday next preceding the close of the spring term ;' also further amended June 19, 1884, substituting Thursday for Tuesday."
The by-laws having been adopted ; voted, July 30, 1850, to proceed to the appointment of three additional trustees, which will make the whole number twenty-seven, the limit of the charter; whereupon
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Putnam Simonton of Searsport, Chauncy Cochran of Corinth, and Jeremiah Merithicw of Searsport were elected.
The trustees then procceded, by ballot, to the election of officers for the ensuing year, as follows : A. Moore, President ; Joseph Doane, Vice President; W. H. Pilsbury, Secretary ; W. G. Chase, Treasurer; W. G. Chase, Charles Bcale, H. Muzzy, S. Rich, and Jeremiah Merithew, Prudential Committee ; A. Church, S. H. Beale, and C. D. Pillsbury, Auditors.
Moody Pilsbury, Esq., then came in, by request, and administercd the oath of office to the secretary, treasurer and auditors.
....... .. ........... ........
COFFEY-CO-BOSTOL
FORT KNOX.
Bucksport was the accepted location, because, in addition to the most liberal pecuniary bid, it was of easy access from all parts, and at all seasons, by land and by water. Beautiful for situation was " Oak Hill," on the summit of which, and just where the seminary building now stands, the first village church (removed, and now used for town purposes) was built in 1812. It is on the north-western margin of, and overlooks, the village ; and as well the entire harbor, Verona, (formerly Wetmore Isle), and Fort Knox, with the "Narrows" between ; through which the river changes its course, southerly, into Penobscot Bay, with Marsh Bay and Winterport westerly.
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There is nothing to mar the ontlook. The beanty of the entire surroundings could not easily be equalled. Its healthfulness has long been noted. Illustrative of which the town records show, in 1886, human longevity, as follows : Covering a period of about five years last past, during which term the death of persons between seventy and ninety-nine years, with an average for the whole number of seventy-nine years, has been at the rate of a fraction more than two for every three months ; and from where the editor is now domiciled, he can look upon (all being, from a central position, within a strong arm's stone throw), the residences, including his own, of eighteen persons, all being nearly life-long residents and being above seventy years of age.
The boarding house stands a few rods westerly from the seminary, both buildings having a southern frontage, and are at an elevation of about one hundred and twenty feet above, and at a distance of about fifty rods from the harbor, the entire seminary land area being about three acres.
The Annual Conference of 1851 adopted resolutions as follows :
" Resolved 1, That we regard with intense interest the project to establish a Conference Seminary within onr bonnds, and we hereby pledge to that seminary our warmest sympathy and our hearty co-operation.
Resolved 2, That we will make a vigorous effort, in connection with the agent, to raise the sum of TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS (including what has already been raised), for its permanent establishment, considering this to be the smallest amonnt with which we can enter fully into operations, with the hope of success.
Resolved 3, That we approve the arrangement of the trustees to employ a board of instruction, and to open the school during the present season, pledging onrselves to patronize and support it as far as in onr power."
Like others, this institution has had a varied history, as this article will show, sometimes elevated, and at other times depressed ; but, up or down, always on the " Hill."
March 12, 1851, Charles F. Allen was elected Principal, and Jane Johnston, Preceptress.
At the Annual Meeting, June 12, 1851, officers were elected as follows : Asahiel Moore, President ; Joseph Doane, Vice President ; W. H. Pilsbury, Secretary ; W. G. Chase, Treasurer ; W. G. Chase, Charles Beale, H. Muzzy, S. Rich, and J. Merithew, Prudential Committee ; A. Church, S. H. Beale, and C. D. Pillsbury, Auditors.
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C. F. Allen not having accepted, the committee anthorized to correspond further, presented proposals of L. L. Knox and S. R. Adams, whereupon the trustees proceeded to clect, by ballot, L. L. Knox, of the Oneida Conference. Voted that, should thic principal- elect decline, W. H. Pilsbury be a committee to employ S. R. Adams. Voted, that thic committee to employ a principal, in case L. L. Knox declines, be authorized to pay one hundred dollars more, if necessary. Voted, that the terins of tuition be, for common English studies, three dollars, and for higher branchies, four dollars, per quarter.
August 20, 1851, the school opened with thirteen males and fourteen females. September 4, 1851, voted, that " common branches," for which three dollars is charged, include English grammar, arithmetic, geography, history, and natural philosophy. Voted, that three dollars be the term for tuition in drawing, and six dollars for music. Voted, that students shall not be received for less than half a quarter.
April 20, 1852, a committee was appointed " to consider a plan of limited scholarships, and report at the Annual Mecting ;" which com- mittee, at the Annual Meeting, June 24, 1852, reported by resolutions as follows: First. Resolved, That an immediate effort be made to raise a sum not less than $25,000, for the permanent endowment of the institution. Second, That the said endowment be raised by the sale of scholarships, according to the following scale, viz: for a scholarship entitling the holder to the benefit of instruction in the institution, free of charge, for tuition in the solid branches (all branches, except such as are charged with extra tuition) for one year, eight dollars ; for three years fifteen dollars ; for ten years, thirty dollars, and for twenty-five years, fifty dollars. Third, That any person holding a certificate for either of the above-named scholar- ships, shall be entitled to its benefits for himself or for any other person, whom he shall duly designate for the whole time specified in such certificate, whether it be taken in successive terms, or otherwise ; provided only that no sholarship shall be available for more than one student at the same time. Fourth, That subscriptions for the above-named scholarships shall be first obtained ; and that those subscriptions shall be payable when it has been publicly announced by the secretary that the whole sum of $25,000 has been obtained in good and valid subscriptions. Sixth, That the transfer shall in no case be valid, until due notice thereof has been received by the secretary. Adopted.
By request, the Bishop presiding at the Annual Conference in 1852,
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appointed D. H. Mansfield, (who served till 1855) agent to sell scholarships.
Incidentally just now coming to light, will the reader allow the insertion of a letter, to show how the hearts of the men of 1851 were burdened with interest in the Seminary :
"Evanston, Cook County, Illinois, January 24, 1851. Dear Brother Pilsbury : I have but a few moments to write, for it is now after midnight. I heard that you was sick, and have been hoping to hear from you again. What I wish to say now is, if the friends of the Seminary will take hold in earnest to free it from debt, I will help them, as poor and feeble as I am, at least $2,000 ; that is, I will get so much if the rest of the money can be raised. One thousand dollars is promised already, and if the desired sum is raised I will be respon- sible for one more. Now I do think, if I ean raise that much, there ought to be twenty-eight preachers in the Conference that ean raise one thousand each. Do that and the thing is done. Affectionately, J. C. Prince."
May 10, 1853, voted, unanimously, to proceed forthwith to the erection of a boarding-house. June 11. The agent, D. H. Mansfield, reported the receipt of subscriptions on the plan of scholarships to the full amount of $25,000. Report adopted. Voted, that the interests of the institution would be best promoted by temporarily investing a portion of said (seholarship) funds, say $6,000, in pur- chasing a suitable site at Bueksport, and erecting thereon a convenient boarding-house.
This provision very soon eame, apparently, to be an absolute neees- sity to success, and the entire subsequent history of the institution has contributed to show that it could not have been a permanent suecess without this annex. 1. It only would bring students under immediate supervision of the faculty. 2. It was the only apparently practicable method of making suitable accommodation a certainty. 3. It would furnish board at a minimum cost to the student.
June 29. The building committee were instrueted by several votes, as follows : to build, of bricks, a boarding-house one hundred feet long and forty feet wide, with a pilaster front, and attic roof finish ; to be three stories high. October 4, the committee were further instructed as follows : to add one story, making four stories, and that the stories be-the first ten feet in clear, the second nine feet in clear, the third and fourth eight feet in clear.
The boarding-house was of sufficient capacity for one hundred and
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fifty students, beside rooms for teachers ; with dining hall of sufficient dimensions for all. All which capacity was soon filled, and during the incumbency of the first steward, John Randall, every part was occu- pied ; and the margin of profits, notwithstanding the low rates, being for students occupying first-class rooms two dollars and forty-five cents, and for second-class two dollars and twenty-five cents, per week, was about four per cent on $20,000.
March 1, 1855, the committee to prepare resolutions on occasion of the death of Rev. D. H. Mansfield, reported as follows : "Whereas, it has pleased the all-wise God, in his providence, to remove from among the living the Rev. D. H. Mansfield, an honored and beloved minister in the East Maine Conference, a trustee and agent for the East Maine Conference Seminary ; Therefore, Resolved, That we bow to this dispensation with a profound sense of bereavement, feeling that the church has lost a minister of unflinching fidelity, this institu- tion a valuable trustee, and an agent of singular energy and success, and ourselves, individually, a friend of stern integrity, of a warm heart, of peculiarly tender and acute sensibilities, and of the highest sense of honor. Resolved, That, while we lament this general loss, we are greatly comforted with the reflection that he died a true christian death, sustained by grace, and triumphant in hope. Resolved, That we hereby acknowledge, with sincere gratitude, the kind sym- pathy and generous aid shown to our departed brother by the citizens of Augusta, and especially by the officers of the State government, and the members of the Legislature," which report was adopted.
Somewhere special note should be made of Rev. Daniel H. Mans- field, and perhaps this is a place appropriate. Not more because of his exclusive and unselfish devotion to his work in behalf of the seminary, than because of his self martyrdom in its interest. Emphatically, he fell at his post with his armor on. As agent, he procured, on account of certificates of scholarship, about $25,000. Brother Mansfield when under excitement, of which his fine strung nervous system was acutely susceptible, was cloquent, logical, and forcible. Gifted with remarkable readiness of perception and thought and with an unlimited ready and easy flow of language, in controversy he could not be taken by surprise. He was direct to his point, and intolerant of rebuff by evasive issues, by which lie would not allow himself to be turned aside, and which he managed to turn upon his man, to his own purpose. As an agent, he was indefatigable. Having marked and measured his man, he approached him with the intent of getting something, and he seldom failed.
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At a meeting of Trustees June eighth, 1855, "Voted, that during the ensuing Conference year an effort be made to raise $20,000, in addition to current expenses," and July fifth, "Resolved, that in view of the embarrassed financial state of the country, and the immediate necessities of the Seminary, it is not expedient to make an effort to carry out the $20,000 plan the present year."
Consequent upon the issue of seven hundred and forty-seven certificates of scholarship, all which were prima facie available for - use, the necessitated increase of expenditure for added Faculty force, together with various other necessarily consequent expenditures, the trustees came to feel the embarrassment painfully.
When, added to all this they considered the stringency of the money market, and the severity of the business crisis, so immediately following the flush period in which the boarding house had been erected when wages for work ranged from two dollars and fifty cents to five, six and even seven dollars for masters per day, and for material such as went into the structure of the building, in the same ratio, they were driven to every possibly promising expedient, such as mortgages at the prevailing usurious rates. Finally, after many meetings, and much anxious deliberation, they were compelled to appeal to the people, as per following resolution :
August 12, 1856, "Resolved, That a committee be appointed, whose special duty it shall be to make an appeal, with the statement (heretofore provided for) of receipts and expenditures in hand, to monied friends, informing and assuring them, that, unless $25,000 can be secured before the next annual meeting, we must then suspend the school until the above sum may be raised, which sum of $25,000, after deducting $5,000, to pay debts, shall be funded for the perma- nent relief and support of the institution.
The "appeal to monied friends" failing to bring relief, the trustees were driven, by the combination of embarrassments already enumerated, together with the fact that a few speculators were ungenerous enough to buy up certificates, and let them, per term, to coming students, who would otherwise pay for tuition, to a choice, as a matter of business, between repudiation of scholarships and suspen- sion of the school ; and, as the former was not to be seriously thought of, the latter must be the resort.
After long debate, November 5, 1856, the following action was taken :
XIII
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1. Resolved, That, in view of present financial embarrassments, it is inexpedient and impracticable to continue the Seminary in operation, and, that, at the close of the present term, it be suspended till such time as a sufficient amount of funds is obtained to place the institution above embarrassments.
2. Resolved, that C. Beale, W. G. Chase, Joseph Doane, and J. Merithew be, and hereby are authorized and instrueted to procure by loan, as soon as may be, on a mortgage of the premises, a sufficient amount to pay all outstanding demands against the Seminary over and above the amount due W. G. Chase, already secured by mortgage, said loan to be payable in two years from date of mortgage. The question was then taken by yeas and nays, upon the first resolution, with the following result: Yeas, eight ; nay, one ; blank, one ; and excused one.
The Principal then tendered his resignation as a member of the board of trustees and as Principal of the Seminary ; whereupon the following resolution was adopted :
"Whereas, Rev. L. L. Knox has tendered his resignation as a member of this board and as Principal of the East Maine Conference Seminary :
"Resolved, That the trustees hereby express their deep sense of the value of his faithful and efficient services as a member of the board of Trustees, and as Principal of the Seminary. That during his term of service he has endeared himself to us all by his christian and gentlemanly deportment, and won our respect by his scholarship and general adaptedness to his work, and that we more deeply regret the embarrassed state of the institution, because it renders a dissolution of his connection with it necessary, and obliges them to accept his resignation this day tendered."
In May, 1857, Ammi Prince was elected to the board, and in October, elected agent, and, at the Annual Conference, in 1858, appointed by the Bishop, with instructions by the board to proceed on the following basis :
"1. To raise $30,000, $25,000 of which shall be a permanent fund, the balance to be appropriated to pay present liabilities.
2. To procure subscriptions, the payment of which shall be conditioned upon the above sum being subscribed ; sums less than twenty dollars to be paid when the whole amount is subscribed. Twenty dollars and upwards to be paid in four annual instalments, with interest annually."
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August 4, 1859, the agent, A. Prince, reported, that he had deposited with the treasurer, pledges and certificates of deposit, to the amount of $25,000, which was accepted. R. P. Bucknam was elected Principal.
Voted, That Miss Eliza A. Flanders, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, be employed as Preceptress.
August 5th, Voted, that the Seminary be re-opened the second Wednesday in September next.
Voted, that the price of board be fixed at one dollar and eighty cents. or two dollars, according to rooms selected.
May 16, 1861. Miss Almira Londer elected Preceptress.
May 5th, 1863, J. B. Crawford elected Principal.
May 4, 1864, Voted, that Miss C. C. Meader be employed as Preceptress for the coming year.
May 2, 1865, elected Miss C. C. Meader Preceptress.
May 22, 1867, "Voted, That the State appropriation of ten thousand dollars be added to the endowment fund, and that so much of the centenary contributions as may be necessary to make the sum thirty-five thousand dollars he also appropriated to the same purpose."
The above named "appropriation" was made some years prior to 1867, and the Seminary had been receiving annual interest from the State.
May 5th. 1869, Miss Etta C. Stone elected Preceptress ; M. F. Arey elected Principal.
Voted, To increase the rates of tuition, from three to four, and from four to five dollars.
July 27, 1869, "Accepted the resignation of E. W. Hutchinson, as steward, after having passed a vote expressive of their high satisfaction in regard to his services, and earnest desire that he remain."
A committee appointed July 29, 1868, to inquire into the financial standing of the Seminary, reported, July 6, 1870, as follows :
Bonds, notes, etc. on hand,
$22,818.20
And the treasurer reports for the year, commencing
July, 1869, and ending July 5, 1870, expenses, 3,281.34
Interest from loans, tuition, etc., 2,764.65
Expenses in excess of income, 516.69
May 3d, 1871, elected Mrs. E. C. Haskell, Preceptress.
June 10, 1873, Miss Jennie C. Donnell was elected Preceptress.
June 10, 1876, Resolved, That in the recent mysterious death of
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Hon. William McGilvery, President of this board of trustees, the East Maine Conference Seminary has sustained the loss of a fast friend and firm supporter.
Resolved, That while we feel deeply, and lament earnestly our loss, we express our warmest sympathy with the doubly afflicted family of our deceased co-laborer, and liberal patron.
June 11, 1878, Miss Trecarten was clected Preceptress, having been employed in 1877, by the Prudential Committee.
In 1880, Miss E. O. Pratt was clected Preceptress. Rev. George Forsyth served as Principal till 1881, when he resigned ; whereupon the following was unanimously adopted :
"Whereas, Rev. George Forsyth, having been transferred to the Wyoming Conference, is about to leave the East Maine Conference Seminary, whose interests he has ably and faithfully served for nine years ; Therefore, Resolved, first, That we, the trustees of said .Seminary, express our high appreciation of Brother Forsythi, as a christian gentleman, judicious administrator, successful teacher, and able preacher of the gospel, and cheerfully commend him to the confidence of any people among whom his lot may be cast, praying the blessing of God to attend him in all his future work."
Rev. Morris W. Prinee was then elected Principal.
At the annual meeting in 1882, Miss A. M. Wilson was elected Preceptress.
In June, 1883, the following appears in memoriam, as reported by the committee :
"Rev. George Pratt was born in New Vineyard, and after a long career of usefulness, died in Winterport, June 28, 1882, aged nearly seventy years. He was early converted, and in 1838, entered the itinerant ministry. He was a charter member of the board of trustees of the East Maine Conference Seminary, and was elected President of the board in June, 1876. I had no acquaintance with him prior to his itinerant relation. Sinee his Conference admission, I have known of him much good, and I can say more emphatically than of most men, I have known no ill. If there was an exception, it was an extreme leaning to the better side, in giving, as a rule, too broad a construction to the seripture, "and above all things have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins ;" injudiciously perverting its meaning ; whereby his good "should be evil spoken of," or abused. Nature did much for him, and grace thoroughly sanctified his nature, putting all in Divine subjection.
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He was more a student of nature than of books, one book excepted. He learned just the things it was best he should know. Brother Pratt was a specimen of the "noblest work of God, an honest man." He was a man of clear and potent convictions, thoroughly imbued with the piety he professed, and professing no more than he possessed. He was clear, bold, and positive in the expression of his piety ; always, and everywhere unswerving in adhesion to his principles.
He was emphatically converted, soul, body and spirit; holding all as the Lord's, and at the bidding of the church, recognizing no rule but duty. He was especially remarkable in his charities, his giving being limited only by the worthiness of the object, and his ability to contribute. This Seminary was a cherished recipient of his contribu- tions. Living economically, he distributed his receipts, in toto, to the several benevolent causes, making the Seminary a residuary receiver, having for years last past, pledges in advance, to be honored as he should find himself in funds.
Having lived thus well, he could not otherwise than die well. He only slept to awake in a better likeness. Permit me, therefore, to offer for consideration, of the trustees, the following Resolutions :
1st That Rev. George Pratt was a marked specimen of the noblest work of God.
2d. That the trustees of the East Maine Conference Seminary owe him gratitude, and will ever cherish his memory as a friend in their every time of need.
3d. While we mourn his taking away, we record, with more than ordinary emotion and gratitude, his uniform life and pious deeds."
The following is extracted from a paper offered by the financial agent, at the annual meeting in 1883 :
'.I suggest a plan of operations that shall include five distinct. features : 1. To solicit, in an easy and honorable way, surrender of scholarships. 2. Enlargement by the addition of a new building. 3. Increase of the endowment fund. 4. Securing pledges, payable in five equal annual instalments, sufficient to meet current deficiencies for the next four or five years ; also, if possible, make good any over drafts that, in the past may have been made upon the treasurer. 5. To invite donations in cash or approved securities, the trustees to pay the donors legal interest on the amount while the donors live, and invite persons that may have to retain their means to leave legacies to the Seminary, when they dispose of their estates."
Whereupon the following paper was accepted, and referred to the: financial agent :
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"The trustees of the East Maine Conference Seminary, having reached the conclusion that the said institution cannot long sustain and survive the draft of sholarships upon its resources.
"Therefore, we, by signing our names hereunto, do severally promise and obligate ourselves, our heirs, executors and adminis- trators, for and in consideration of the payment or tender of one dollar, for each and every certificate of scholarship in our possession severally, or that may come into our possession hereafter, or that may appear, or stand to our eredit severally upon the Seminary Register, to surrender each and every such eertificate and credit on register, to the said 'trustees, their agent, their treasurer, or their secretary, whenever the said trustees shall declare that the said board of trustees are satisfied that the institution shall be, and is, relieved from embarrassment beeause of the few then outstanding unpledged certificates,"
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