USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > New London > A centennial history, 1837-1937, Colby Academy, Colby Junior College > Part 14
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It was important that the financial operations should be managed carefully. The academy was in process of getting out of debt and a new debt must not be saddled on the school. Recognizing this, the trustees voted unanimously that the building committee should "not, under any consideration, involve the corporation in debt." The Permanent Fund must not be drawn upon; that was an endowment out of which salaries for teachers
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must come. The scholarship funds were in a class by themselves.
Recently a committee had been appointed to clarify the accounts of the academy, which had reported with an exhibit of three funds designated as Fund A, Fund B, and Fund C. Fund A, raised in 1856 through the agency of Reverend W. H. Eaton, amounted to twenty thousand dollars in actual receipts, but about four thou- sand was lost in poor investments. Approximately two thousand was spent on the Ladies' Boarding-house, or the Heidelberg, and more than twelve thousand went into the brick building at the top of the hill. Fund B was the amount raised in Dr. Eaton's second campaign in 1867. The cash received was about eighty-eight thousand dollars. Out of this sixty-five thousand went to build and furnish the brick building, three thousand was spent on Colby Hall, and eighteen hundred dollars was put into the "Retreat." Several thousand dollars were sunk in unprofitable land deals. Apparently current expenses ate up the remainder. Fund C was the endow- ment raised by T. E. Balch in 1877, known at the time as the Centennial Fund. The amount received was seventy thousand dollars, which was increased to eighty- six thousand through the management of James B. Col- gate. This constituted the Permanent Fund, and was in the custody of James B. Colgate, Robert Colby, and James C. Colgate in New York City by appointment of the trustees.
Steps were taken at once to prepare the old buildings for the opening of the school in the fall. It was necessary to cancel the leases and pay damages to Burpee and Shepard for the loss of the Heidelberg and Colby Hall and purchase the furnishings. This cost the academy three thousand dollars. It was decided to use the Heidel- berg for a hotel in the summer under the name of The Summer Rest. The old Academy building at the north-
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west end of the grounds, which had been used as a recrea- tion building for the boys, was refitted for classrooms, chapel and library. The quarters would be cramped if attendance was large, but they would have to suffice. On the first floor a chapel occupied most of the space, giving accommodations for one hundred and seventy-five. In the north wing the library found room. On the west side was the mathematical room, and the south wing had dressing rooms. On the second floor three rooms on the east side were assigned to the scientific laboratories, chemical, biological and zoological. There were two or three other recitation rooms, and a president's office and bookstore at the head of the stairway. The building was fitted with plumbing for steam heat.
The Heidelberg, as it was called in term time, became again the residence of the young women and contained the dining-room and kitchen. Water was supplied on three floors. An office was provided on the first floor, through which the students had access to the dining- room. A small parlor gave an opportunity for necessary conferences and conversations. The dining-room ac- commodated one hundred persons and the north wing was devoted to the culinary department. On the second floor was a music room, but otherwise the three upper stories with twenty-three rooms were for dormitory pur- poses. Colby Hall was not forgotten and the boys felt more nearly on a level with the girls than they had since the brick building was dedicated. Steam heat and hot and cold water were provided for them. At first the trustees voted to fit up the shed of Colby Hall for a gym- nasium but they thought better of it and before long they decided to build a new building for that purpose between the Heidelberg and Colby Hall at a cost of one later were remodeled into Colby Cottage.
The matter of financing these undertakings was faced
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resolutely. The trustees voted that "the expense of fitting up the old Academy building, securing the pos- session of the Heidelberg, introducing steam heat and the building of the Gymnasium, be charged to the Build- ing and Endowment Fund," and that all monies collected on account of Mr. Colgate's offer, whether by subscrip- tion or special gift, and heretofore used for the ex- tinguishment of the debt, "should be considered a part of the Building and Endowment Fund." In spite of the unanimous agreement that the corporation should not be involved in any new debt, the treasurer was author- ized, under the direction of the executive committee, "to borrow money temporarily to meet accruing bills in fitting up" the buildings, if funds on hand were insuffi- cient, and that these loans be charged to the Building and Endowment Fund. It was voted also by the trustees to raise fifty thousand dollars more than the Colgate gift, and to make Reverend George W. Gile financial agent at a salary of three thousand dollars a year and expenses.
During the campaign that was going on when the fire came there was considerable public criticism of the financial management of the school. The public could not understand why the school should be in debt con- tinually. The honesty and devotion of the treasurer were not questioned. N. T. Greenwood had served faith- fully for many years and had given money as well as services to the school, but it was felt that somewhere the management had been careless or inefficient.
Much depended on the management for the immedi- ate future. Money must be spent wisely or criticism would increase. The townspeople had contributed gen- erously for the amount needed to match the Colgate offer and for the purpose of keeping the school in New London. They were moved to protest at a meeting of citizens who had contributed. The contributors out of
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THE CAMPO
Original Academy
Heidelberg
Gymnasium
Colby Hall
THE OLD CAMPUS
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town expected to see the results of their gifts in concrete form. Mr. Colgate was not entirely satisfied with the turn that events had taken and withdrew his "dollar for dollar" pledge. With all the rest the income of the Per- manent Fund fell off as the Panic of 1893 came on and certain investments became unprofitable.
Repairs on the old buildings were pushed to com- pletion in time for the opening in September, 1892. Mr. Gile was in close contact with the school. In March, 1893, he reported for the executive committee in criti- cism of the conduct of discipline. Principal Johnston and the trustees could not agree in the matter, and dis- satisfaction with the administration prompted the trus- tees to resolve that a change was desirable. Mr. Johnston maintained his contract rights and Mr. Peaslee resigned out of sympathy, but the change took place. The trus- tees were disposed to try to find a president of outstand- ing ability who would carry the load, and a faculty of specialists who would give the academy standing. They knew that such a course would be expensive, but they were weary of small economies and they believed that the results of the changes would justify the expense.
Reverend George W. Gile acted as President ad in- terim, making his home with his family in the Heidel- berg. It was necessary to obtain two new teachers before the opening of the spring term. Professor La Roy F. Griffin, lately of Lake Forest University, Illinois, came to the hill for the department of science, and Henry K. Rowe, a recent graduate of Brown University and post graduate student at Harvard, assumed the responsibility of teaching Greek and history.
The school continued in regular session through the remainder of the year 1893. By November the academy was saddled with a heavy floating debt which could not be paid, and the trustees mortgaged the real estate owned by the corporation, except the President's House, to
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John F. Jones of Concord for approximately twenty thousand dollars. Scholarship funds, which had been depleted and restored, now defaulted in payment of in- terest, and had to be made up to the amount of four hundred and fifty dollars. It became necessary to solicit the friends of the school for new gifts and temporarily to borrow three thousand dollars. In the hope of raising money the executive committee was authorized to "plot the land belonging to the academy situated on the west side of the highway and sell the same as house lots," the proceeds to be applied to the extinction of the mortgage. It was voted also that every effort should be made short of legal compulsion to collect the local pledges made in New London.
Regretfully the trustees saw the hope of a new build- ing go glimmering. Grimly the ruins of the old con- tinued to rear their blackened walls and slowly to crumble into dust. The souvenir crockery bearing the stamp of the architect's plan, which had been offered for sale in the stores of the town, gathered dust on the shelves. Building materials that had been collected on the hill were sold. The financial stringency lost none of its acuteness as the business depression of the country deepened, and the income of the school shrank.
It was a situation that called for wise strategy and great skill in management. In 1894 Mr. Gile was elected president of Colby Academy at a salary of twenty-five hundred dollars a year. The load that he was given to carry was much too heavy for one man in the existing situation. It was understood that he was to attend to "the general administration of the school, teaching as opportunity requires, raising money, securing students, and representing the academy before churches, conven- tions, and so forth." There was dire need of a financial campaign, even though times were hard. The President should have been spared the responsibility of teaching,
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but Mr. Gile had classes in oratory and higher English. It was enough to secure students, visit churches and con- ventions, and keep the academy on an even keel during the storm.
Fortunately the routine of the school went on with few changes. Mr. Gile was able to gather about himself a strong faculty, and the teaching was of a sort that not only met the requirements of the schedule but inspired pupils to real interest and exertion. Miss Learnard re- signed in 1895 to go to Miss Ely's School for Girls in New York City. Her Latin task was transferred to L. Agnes Rowell, a graduate of Wellesley College and for two years preceptress of the Clinton Union School, New York. Mrs. Gile was appointed to have charge of the girls in the Heidelberg and Mabel W. Gile was made librarian. The preparatory course was restored, a com- mercial course was introduced under the direction of Lillian F. Griffin, and plans were made for a woman's college course, which did not materialize, though the faculty labored many hours fashioning the curriculum. The trustees went so far as to petition the New Hamp- shire Legislature to grant them the right to give the degree of Bachelor of Arts, but money was lacking to put the plan into operation, as had been the case years before.
The number of students taxed the capacity of the buildings. The social and athletic interests of the acad- emy were well sustained, and the religious tone of the school was good. Mr. Gile and Mr. Griffin were both ordained ministers and Mrs. Morgan had been a min- ister's wife. Students were expected to attend church on Sunday, and a school vesper service was held at five o'clock at which President Gile or another member of the faculty gave a helpful sermon or address. A daily chapel service was held every morning. On Monday forenoon Dr. Gardner delivered a biblical lecture to the
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whole school, and in the evening occurred the weekly meetings of the Young Men's Christian Association and the girls' Society for Religious Inquiry. Every Friday evening came the school prayer meeting in which all participated.
It must not be supposed that the religious atmosphere was oppressive. The boys and girls could be serious on occasion, but they took everything that came in their stride and they enjoyed it all. Sometimes their fun bubbled over. One morning everybody awoke to find a new structure erected in the rear of Colby Hall. Some miscreants had appropriated the necessary cord wood and had erected a cob-house up one side of the shed to the roof and down the other. The boys were at once called to account but they were all blandly innocent. They were told that nothing would be done about it, if the damages were repaired, but that the culprits were known. No volunteers came forward. It was necessary to assign certain of the students to the task, and by a lucky chance those who were guilty of the offence were included in the assignment.
Several of the boys rigged up a wire across to the bell in the church tower from a dormitory room in Colby Hall, and were able to ring it whenever they were im- pelled to stir up the curiosity of the neighborhood. It was at this time that another incident occurred in Colby Hall, which is a sample of the way in which the boys administered a rough justice to one of their number who made himself a nuisance. The boy used to enjoy getting out in the hall during the study hours or in the middle of the night and throwing his bedroom crockery crashing down three flights of stairs. The boys were annoyed by the racket in which they had had no part and they warned him not to repeat it. As soon as he obtained a new set of crockery his irrepressible spirits got the better of him and he repeated the entertainment. At last los-
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ing all patience the boys plotted his discomfiture. When the crash came the next time every door in the dormitory burst open and every boy rushed out. The culprit scampered to his room and got behind the locked door, but a battering ram attack broke down the door, the offender was dragged from his room in his night shirt, and he was taken out and put under the pump. The icy water cooled his ardor and he knew better than to try the experiment again.
Naturally such pranks as throwing crockery and wood and iron down the stairs palled after a time and the Colby boys turned to an escapade which has been re- corded in more than one college's annals. A certain cow lived temptingly near just across the street. A group of students released her one night from her customary quarters and by forceful urgings succeeded in getting her up to the third floor of Colby Hall. It was great sport to accomplish the ascent, but it became necessary to con- sider how to get her down again, and they had to learn from sad experience as did the boys of an earlier time when they dragged the hearse uphill to bring back Pro- fessor Knight from his descent to Avernus.
Several boys and girls were in attendance at Colby who had been delinquent in their home schools about Boston and were disposed to regard themselves as priv- ileged characters. One of the boys seldom attended a certain class, preferring to read dime novels behind drawn shades in his own room, but one day he was un- expectedly in his seat in the classroom. To wake his flagging attention the teacher said suddenly: "Scott, are you related to Sir Walter Scott?" Gathering his scattered wits hastily, he replied: "I don't lay any claim to that relationship." When the bell rang at the close of the hour the instructor said: "Scott, we're glad to have seen you today, hope you'll come again." "Thanks," drawled Scott, "if I come around this way soon, I'll drop in again."
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School athletics were the best antidote to mischief, since they supplied a wholesome channel for physical energy and irrepressible spirits. Colby was attracting young men and boys who were interested in athletics, and it was able to turn out ball teams and a track team which surpassed all records of the school, as the chapter on athletics recounts. Many a bonfire helped to make realistic a victory that was won by the team away from home. Baseball absorbed attention in the spring, and in the fall the enthusiasm over football prolonged the season until the eleven sometimes drove over to Meriden in a driving snowstorm. Nothing daunted the Colby spirit.
An evidence of an abounding school life was the pro- jection of a weekly newspaper. The first issue of Colby Life appeared on the twenty-sixth of October, 1894. It was a sheet of four pages, appearing every Friday. The subscription price was one dollar a year or five cents a copy. Its editorial board consisted of George W. Parker, class of '95, editor-in-chief, Grace M. Spaulding, '95, as- sistant editor, Florence M. Bickford, '96, and Gertrude Hollis, '98, associates. J. W. D'Arcy, '96, was business manager, and F. E. Webb, '97, was treasurer.
The contents of Colby Life are a guide to the interests of the students, for there was no regulation by the faculty. In the first number appeared on the first page a summary of lectures given at the academy by Professor Quackenbos and Reverend A. S. Gilbert of Penacook, a record of a very successful field day, which included a ladies' tennis tournament in the forenoon, field sports by the boys and a bicycle race by the girls in the afternoon, and later a football game between first and second teams.
Town items were enumerated. It was recorded that forty boarding-houses in New London had entertained a thousand guests during the summer. A dramatic club had secured a new lot of machinery and a movable stage.
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The local grange had entertained an out-of-town grange. The annual town fair had been held with horse races, agricultural exhibits, and addresses by "honorable" gentlemen. The Republicans held a rally in the town hall with a congressman as speaker. The Graves family had moved into town and the young people had entered the academy. Charles E. Shepard had recovered from an attack of rheumatism, but the extra summer stage would be discontinued on the first of October.
Notice was given of the annual reception of the senior class, and assurances were given that preparations were being made for a creditable entertainment, with the Aldrich sisters on the music and literary committees. In a long editorial on the second page the Board of Editors congratulated the institution on the largest attendance for many years, put the weight of its influence in favor of interscholastic athletics and debates, and raised the ques- tion why the school should not have a glee club. Alumni notes accounted for a number of the recent alumni. One was at Yale, two were at Brown, and five were teaching.
Two columns were devoted to school items. A sunrise party of fifteen had spent the night at Mount Kearsarge. Warm water had been installed in Colby Hall, and a windmill had been erected for water power near the ruins on the hill. A party had been held at Professor Griffin's residence, which was known officially as the President's House. Scenes from the "Merchant of Venice" were staged by the Ladies' Literary Society. The Philalethians were holding a mock senate during the term. It had been voted to organize a Christian En- deavor Society with Sunday evening meetings. Students had enjoyed a ramble to Little Sunapee on a Saturday afternoon, and George Parker had published a School Manual. Jokes and advertisements helped to fill up the paper.
The editors found it easier to fall back on the teachers
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to write a leading article rather than to contribute lengthy comments themselves. A series of articles en- lightened the students on the history of the buildings. A list of officers of the various school organizations was published. These were: the Philalethian Literary So- ciety, J. G. Melendy, President; the Epsilon Pi Delta So- ciety, J. G. Harris, President; the Ladies' Literary Society, Grace M. Spaulding, President; the Young Men's Chris- tian Association, A. E. Fuller, President; the Society of Religious Inquiry, Lura M. Dean, President; the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, Edward Lund, President; the Athletic Association, George W. Parker, President; and the Ladies' Athletic Association, Lillian F. Griffin, President. These all provided extra-curricular activities and copy for the school press.
Two new literary societies came into existence about this time, the Granite Debating Society, made up of young men who felt that they were not getting enough practice in debating, and the D. G. V. Gesellschaft, organized among the young women. Each of these met biweekly.
To celebrate the sudden efflorescence of literary so- cieties a joint public meeting was held not long before Commencement, when literary and musical numbers were taken by Ladies' Literary Society, Granite Debat- ing Society, and D. G. V. Gessellschaft representatives. The programme was sprinkled with the alphabet almost as plentifully as newspaper columns which record the activities of the New Deal.
Year after year the literary societies went their ac- customed way. Although the Euphemians and the United Friends were only material for history, the Phila- lethians and the Ladies' Literary Society were long es- tablished and flourishing. Their annual meetings, which were open to the public, always drew a large audience. On the twenty-sixth of March, 1895, the young women
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held a Walter Scott Meeting. The salutatory with essay on "The Character and Life of Walter Scott," by Estelle Wallace, was appropriate. Another essay was by Lilla Flagg on "The Life and Times of Elizabeth as shown in Kenilworth," with address to the Society. Lora Noyes recited "The Ballad of Cumnor Hall." Scenes from Kenilworth were presented, interspersed with music. The music was of pleasing variety, including a violin solo by Ethel Emmons, a vocal solo by Elizabeth Bick- ford, a piano duet by Misses Hollis and Parker and a vocal duet by Misses Burpee and Bickford, besides quar- tette and octette selections. The Clematis was in the hands of Anna Hale, who did not forget the usual "roasting" of students and members of the faculty.
An interscholastic debate between Colby and Tilton Seminary on the subject "Resolved, that the principles of the American Protective Association are antagonistic to religious and political liberty," resulted in a defeat for Colby, but the baseball team won games over Proctor Academy and Franklin High School.
The week of June seventh brought a concert on the band stand in front of the Academy by the New London Cornet Band, which always had surprises for the audi- ence, if nothing more than a discord; a musicale by academy talent, the annual picnic of the senior class, an illustrated lecture by Professor Griffin on the new X-rays, and a ball game with a picked nine at Newport when the expected team from Kimball Union Academy failed to appear.
Special days in the school calendar were observed faithfully by special exercises of some sort. The Day of Prayer for Colleges, which was an old custom in schools and colleges that had religious traditions was observed annually, and recitations were omitted for the day. One programme included several members of the faculty. Professor Griffin spoke on "The Christian
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Element in Education," "The College as a Church In- stitution" was treated by H. K. Rowe. Miss Rowell discussed "The Higher Education of Women," and Mrs. Morgan "The Educated Woman in her Home." In the evening President Gile spoke on "The Bible in Educa- tion." These discussions were listened to attentively by the students, who attended generally, and some of them at least put them away in their book of remembrance.
Washington's Birthday was observed about the same time with public exercises in the chapel, in which a number of students participated. Papers were read by William Reid on "The Public Services of Washington," by Henry C. Speed on "The Character of Washington," by Lura M. Dean on "The Wife of Washington," and by Alice L. Aldrich on "The Home of Washington." Captain "Jack" Sargent delivered a spirited eulogy on the Father of his Country, and everybody went home with swelling pride in him who was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." In the evening a yellow tea was held and everybody wore the buff of Revolutionary days.
The Colby Voice was not crowded out by the advent of the Colby Life. It had the more reason to emphasize its literary quality. Ernest G. Hapgood, '97, wrote: "It should be one of the chief objects of the school paper to materialize and develop the literary ability of the Acad- emy, for in this line it accomplishes an important end of education, the knowledge and mastery of the English language." In order to make this prominent the editors offered three prizes for the best written articles, five, three, and one dollar prizes. Fifteen papers were offered in competition and were judged by three disinterested persons. There was eager interest to know who would be adjudged the winners, and congratulations were be- stowed on those who were successful and consolation for those who "also ran." Edward Lund, a student from
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