USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > New London > A centennial history, 1837-1937, Colby Academy, Colby Junior College > Part 27
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Echoes of public discussions in the world outside were heard in the Philalethian debates, but the Colby boys phrased the questions in a way that interested them rather than over the principles of an issue. When the question of Chinese settlement on the Pacific coast of the United States was agitating the relations between the two nations, the Philalethians debated the resolu- tion that the Chinaman has as much right in this coun- try as the Irishman. The decade of the 'eighties brought a warfare between scientists, flushed with their discover-
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ies and intolerant of opposition to their scientific theories, and the theologians, who retained their confidence in traditional, biblical religion. Something of this discus- sion must have reached the academy, for one of the sub- jects of debate was "Resolved, That modern geological discoveries agree with Holy Writ." It mattered not that the geological issue had been settled decades earlier and that it was biological discoveries that were causing controversy. It was all the same to the Philalethians. They settled the matter in favor of harmony by a vote of nine to two. Academy students were sympathetic with the movement for simplified spelling, resolving that a reform should be made in English spelling. It must have been that the secretary was a convert to the idea, for he recorded that the minutes of the last meeting were "red and approved," and that the society voted to "except the kind offer of a present from the editor of the Newport Argus and Spectator."
It would be strange in the course of the years if some disaffection did not appear in Philalethian circles. Such a spirit came to a head in 1890 when twenty-two mem- bers of the society resigned, "feeling that the Philale- thian Literary Association as now conducted has ceased to be a benefit to us and the time spent therein un- profitable, and believing our rhetoricals can be taken to better advantage in some other way." Such a body blow as this must have destroyed the society had it not been firmly established, but it went on its way calmly and by and by most of the seceders were readmitted.
During the 'nineties, when the school attendance had increased, it seemed to certain of the students that there was room for new societies. One of the male promoters said that the "low pulse-beat of the one school society" - meaning the Philalethians - "simply produced chills to those who were eager for development." The result
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was the organization of two new societies among the young men.
Seventeen charter members took the ambitious and occult name of the Epsilon Pi Delta Society, keeping secret its inner meaning in imitation of college frater- nities. Its principal aim was to improve one evening a week to the best of its ability, and Wednesday was set aside for that purpose. The number of members was limited. Old gold and purple were chosen as the colors of the Society. It produced a term paper with the am- bitious title of the Sopheutrapian. Its president wrote, after the organization was completed: "The one object of its members is now being realized. The coveted meaning is now a possibility. The object of each mem- ber is to receive benefit by doing his utmost in what- ever way he may be called. With this motto we have no fear in presaging success to every noble effort, both to the society as a whole, and to the members individually, in the future career."
In May, 1896, a few of the young men of the Institu- tion formed the Granite Debating Society. The name was taken from the "Granite State" and the members wore tiny chips of granite tied with a red ribbon as a badge. The number of members was limited to twelve in order that all might get frequent training in original composition and debate. Moral character and mental ability were the prime requirements for admission into the select circle. The vital questions of the day, es- pecially political and social, were discussed eagerly. A public meeting was held once a term.
The first public meeting of the Granite Debating Society was held on the sixteenth of March, 1897. The occasion naturally excited interest. Could the few mem- bers present as good a programme as the larger Philale- thian Association had been able to do? The society was fortunate in having a good quartette, which set a high
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mark at the outset. Then William A. Hill delivered an oration on "The Two Idols of France." Next came an argumentative essay when Linley Chase discussed the affirmative and H. M. Apted the negative of the ques- tion: "Shall the United States recognize the independ- ence of Cuba?" The quartette got into action again singing the appropriate selection, "We Meet Again To- night, Boys." Another oration was in order. This time Andrew L. Fraser spoke on "The Arbitration Treaty." Instead of Alethian or Clematis, the Granite Society presented The Annuals. John J. Phelan, the editor, possessed a fund of dry humor, and the production was received with rounds of applause. Following this came a debate, with William Manahan arguing the affirmative and Ray F. Knowlton the negative. The question was "Resolved, That the ballot system as used in Australia should be adopted in all the states of the Union." Knowlton was president of the society and Manahan was scribe, so that the society could fairly be said to be firing its heavy guns. Who knows but that the discussion that night contributed to the adoption of the system in New Hampshire? By this time the appreciative audience was ready for the final selection of the quartette. They sang "Stars of the Summer Night," and everybody went out into the chill of a mid-March evening on New London hill.
Meantime through all the years the Ladies' Literary Society continued peacefully on its way, only separating the missionary interest from the literary in 1878. The organization included all the young women in school, so that there was no rivalry between organizations. Like the young men, they met weekly, read and discussed subjects of varying degrees of importance, and inter- spersed the literary parts with music more effectively than the boys were able to do. Occasionally they had op- portunity in public meeting to put on their best bib and
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tucker and shine before admiring boy friends and town- folk. Such an occasion happened on the ninth of March, 1880. A musical selection by a quartette opened the exhibition and was followed by a salutatory by Cora H. Dennett. Julia E. Wells recited "King Robert of Sicily." A select reading was next in order by Laura F. Parker, entitled "Teaching Grandmother and Grandmother's Teaching." By that time it was time for music and a piano solo was rendered. Then the literary exercises were resumed. Alice T. Greenwood recited a selection from "Corinne," and Martha H. Pillsbury read an essay on "Mysteries." That had a sound reminiscent of the psychology of the girls in the old New London Academy. Another select reading was given by Carrie E. Lee, called "A Model Discourse," and Alice Greenwood sang "A Fairy Would I Be." Then, after an address by Mary E. Trow on "Influence," the Clematis was read, a new edition of the old paper issued by the girls forty years before. Mary E. Tilton was the editor. A piano solo by Emmeline M. Fletcher brought the programme to a close.
It was sixteen years later that a break came in the ranks when fourteen young women organized the secret D. G. V. Gesellschaft, limiting their number to twenty. Their purpose was like that of the other small societies. Permission was obtained from the faculty to organize, but the school year was so near its end that the society decided not to "enter the fray" until fall. The primary object of the founders was stated to be "to secure such a unity of effort that the gifts of the individual members shall be developed in the best possible way. The direc- tors, aided by the society as a whole, will aim to secure a high standard of literary work, and to depart, as far as is conducive to the best results, from the customary routine." Its motto was "Unter Vier Augen." Its officers were not quite the usual routine. They included the
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customary president, a vice president, secretary and treasurer, also chaplain, janitor, critic, and three directors.
The promise of unconventional methods was fulfilled in a Scotch programme for the first public meeting of the Gesellschaft. After a German duet by May Abott and Annie L. Cranska, the president of the society, Lucy Allen read an essay on The Works of George Macdon- ald. Then Mary E. Tucker read a selection from Mac- donald's Robert Falconer, and Mabel W. Gile sang "Sweet Afton." At this point the customary paper of the society, Die Zeitung, was submitted for public ap- proval by Alice Buffum. After Emma B. Blanchard had recited "The Bobolink" Alice Whitney read an essay on "Ian Maclaren" and Emma Stanley produced a char- acter sketch. It was appropriate then that Lina Wash- burn should read from Maclaren's works. Then the song of the society was sung by all the members, and the audience dispersed agreed that the First Night was an unqualified success.
The friendly rivalry of all these societies stimulated student literary efforts to a high degree. It gave practice for inter-society debates and training for inter-school debates between Colby and Kimball Union Academy and Tilton Seminary. The public meetings vied with one another in keeping up the interest on the hill, and the respective papers scintillated with brilliant essays, orations and debates.
THE LIBRARY
Among the adjuncts of every self-respecting modern school is a well selected library with a trained librarian. It was not so at the middle of the nineteenth century. Individuals bought books that interested them if they could spare the purchase money, but neither schools nor colleges had adequate libraries and many of them none
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at all. It was the early literary societies that collected libraries at the academy long before the school itself came to own one. Such societies could not get on with- out reference books and they needed current literature for their debates. It is not surprising therefore that one week after the Euphemian Association was formed a motion was made and carried in a meeting of the so- ciety to have “ a committee see about getting a reading- room, lamps and books." The first book owned was Cushing's Manual of Parliamentary Law, a gift of Prin- cipal Gardner.
The Association decided to solicit the townspeople for aid and secured pledges for a considerable sum of money for library and reading-room. In November it was voted to collect the money promised and buy books before the end of the term. A book committee was ap- pointed with Professor Knight as chairman; it became the accepted rule that the societies should not purchase books without the approval of the teachers. The Euphe- mians generously granted the use of their library to the young women and the teachers, but presumably if a United Friend wandered in he would be thrown out. One of the Euphemians was chosen librarian and before long he was given an assistant. They divided between them a term salary of one dollar and a half in proportion to the amount of labor that each performed. It is not recorded what they did with so much money.
Within a year each of the two societies had "beautiful and commodious reading and library rooms" in Colby Hall, and one of the libraries had three hundred vol- umes. Two years later the total number of books had reached six hundred. The Euphemians spent thirty- seven dollars to furnish their reading-room. After two years of restricted privileges the Euphemians voted to share their library privileges with the United Friends;
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history does not record whether there were reciprocal exchanges of the courtesy.
The academy catalogue in 1856 stated that the libra- ries of the two men's societies had eight hundred books on the shelves, and that the Ladies' Literary Society had a library of new and choice books. Four years later there were one thousand volumes altogether. This was a real achievement for these enterprising young people. They paid out hard-earned money themselves and they made the most of their friends and their honorary members. After an existence of ten years the societies moved their property from Colby Hall to the Academy. The usual means were taken to preserve the books and keep them in good order. They were marked, catalogued and covered with black or dark gray paper. Fines were exacted for neglect of rules. At the end of every term the librarian reported to the society on the state of the library.
In 1869 the report of the librarian of the Euphemians showed that four hundred and fifty books belonged to that organization. The circulation during the year had been about the same number of books. Every member was assessed twenty-five cents for the purchase of new books. An interesting list of newspapers in the reading- room included the Boston Globe, the Independent Statesman, Moore's Rural New Yorker, Scribner's Monthly, Appleton's Journal of Literature, Science and Art, and the Phrenological Journal. The society sub- scribed to the Watchman and Reflector, the weekly organ of the New England Baptists - let us hope that it did not lie on the table near enough to quarrel with the Phrenological Journal -, but a committee was ap- pointed to "labor" with Principal Willard to obtain it free of cost. The denomination generally took advantage to get as much free service as possible from the paper. Harper's Weekly was added to the newspaper subscrip-
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tion list for a year, and it was voted to take one of the Concord daily papers for the month of June.
During all this time the school had no library of its own and it was fifteen years more before it acquired one. Then Reverend E. E. Cummings, D.D., who had been president of the trustees for many years, died leaving his library of six hundred volumes to the academy. With this as a nucleus the school solicited its friends through the activity of Mr. Hudgens of the faculty and nearly as many more books were obtained. Many of these were theological books that had little practical value to the students, but there were not a few that were real assets.
These beginnings of an academy library provoked dis- cussion in the societies whether it would be advantageous to unite their libraries with that of the school. The Euphemians and United Friends had united in 1878 to form the Philalethian Association. Now the Philale- thians approved a set of resolutions regarding a transfer of their library to the academy. They consulted a law- yer that there might be no hitch in recovering their books if they should want to get them back, and then sent their terms to the trustees. The conditions were that all books must be properly marked as belonging to their owners, must be kept under the care of a libra- rian in a library open at least ten hours a week during the school year, with the privilege of recalling the books at the end of three years, if desired; otherwise the ar- rangement should be continued indefinitely.
The books that were transferred by the two existing societies were arranged in alcoves and were catalogued by an expert according to the Dewey system at the ex- pense of Mrs. Colgate. This man was a member of the first class of the Columbia Library School, the first of its kind in the country, and the Dewey system so widely used at present was a new experiment. Anna S. Cum- mings, a daughter of Dr. Cummings and a graduate of
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Colby in the class of '85, was appointed the first librarian of a library which included twenty-seven hundred vol- umes altogether. Students were given access to the shelves and the privileges of withdrawing them for study in their own rooms. A comparison of library records shows that students on an average borrowed about fif- teen books a year as compared with fourteen in 1933-34, nineteen in 1934-35, and twenty-five in 1935-36.
Scarcely was the library in good running order in the brick building on the hill when the fire destroyed the building in 1892. At that time more than three thou- sand volumes were on the shelves. Through the efforts of the students a large part of the library was saved but many books were damaged. That part of the insurance which covered the library was used for new books and friends made many gifts. Miss Mary E. Burpee, who had been librarian for three years as well as a teacher in the school, carefully made a new accession book to take the place of the one that had been lost in the fire and the library was put in order in the east room on the ground floor of the old Academy. The quarters were small, but they were regarded as only temporary. New reference books, such as the International Encyclopedia, Poole's Index, and the Riverside Natural History, were much appreciated. The Colby Voice urged the students to "spend the half hours that you now waste in gossip in reading some good book." The literary societies subscribed for a number of magazines which supple- mented what the library itself could afford. Harper's, Century, Scribner's, The Atlantic, Current History, Re- view of Reviews, North American Review and the Edin- burgh Review were all there. Some were then in circu- lation that since then have ceased publication or have merged with others. Such were The Outlook, Harper's Weekly, Arena, Chautauquan and Youth's Companion. The Granite Monthly gave its readers an appreciation
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of New Hampshire, and now and then an article or a poem which had reference to the immediate vicinity of New London, such as a descriptive account of Lake Sunapee and a series of articles on Warner and its history.
Much of the efficiency then and since was due to Miss Mary E. Burpee, who not only knew the books and how to use them, but in kindly, patient fashion guided the floundering student through the mazes of reference books and other literature. Miss Mabel W. Gile relieved her of the task for a time, and Miss Burpee was able to give more time to teaching.
About one hundred books a year were added to the library annually during the period from 1893 to 1900. Then the severe financial stringency reduced the num- ber to about twenty, nearly all of them gifts, and this con- dition continued through the first fifteen years of the new century. Several large accessions followed these lean years. A large collection of volumes came from Newton Theological Institution, and for the first time the Ade- laide Smiley Fund of twelve hundred dollars, which had been raised by the alumni, became available for the pur- chase of books. Since 1920 the increase of purchases has been steady.
The change from the academy to the junior college with the accompanying increased income made it pos- sible to engage Mrs. Hazel F. Adams to give full time to the library. It was necessary to give the books a thorough overhauling because of the unskilled labor of student assistants and inexpert cataloguers. It proved impracti- cable to continue with student assistants, especially since twenty-five hundred dollars were spent for new books in 1931-32, and Miss Julia Todd was therefore appointed assistant librarian. With faculty assistance obsolete books were culled out and discarded or stored in the attic. Fifteen hundred old books were recatalogued, and nu- merous purchases were made until by 1934 five thousand
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books were on the shelves. This was a boon to students and teachers alike, and aided greatly to improve the processes of education. The current rate of accession is about seven hundred books a year.
The faculty had a share in improving the contents of the library through a committee, which tried to fill in the gaps and to round out the collections in the various fields of knowledge until the college possessed a good working library. Booksellers have been encouraged each year to bring a stock of books to the library for display, and this has given students an opportunity to make a selection of books for their own collections. The library committee has sponsored an annual personal library contest with awards for the best collections, and guest speakers have been invited to talk on books.
In the summer of 1934 Miss Mildred Peterson suc- ceeded Mrs. Adams as librarian, and a year later Miss Barbara Barrow came to the hill as assistant librarian. Both were college women, Wheaton and Wellesley, and both had received special library training, one at Sim- mons College and the other at Columbia, so that they were qualified to continue and extend the improvements that had been made. Ten student assistants were trained for library work for the sake of the assistance that they might render while in school and for their permanent ad- vantage.
After the construction of Burpee Hall the library was transferred from Colgate Hall, and was located in more ample quarters on the first and basement floors. Since then the enlargement of Burpee Hall has provided an office on the main floor and alcoves which are furnished with comfortable chairs and reading lamps with books so temptingly near that the student is lured by the liter- ary atmosphere. This humanizing of the atmosphere of the library has resulted in a growing interest and an
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increased use of books for study and for leisure read- ing.
A special drive was made upon the friends of the school at a luncheon to which they were invited in 1935 and the response was generous. The Friends of the Library of Colby Junior College were organized to extend influence and support, and plans were made for memorial collec- tions of books and for an annual meeting of the organi- zation. Special gifts have come recently from the library of Dean Sprague and from the estate of Mrs. Mabel E. Howlett. Various book exhibits have been made in the library and devices, such as the sale of Wedgwood ware with Colby designs, have been used to add to the endow- ment fund. The librarian has seen the value of the library as an attraction to visiting librarians and in the last two years the school librarians of New Hampshire were invited for an all day meeting on the hill and the New Hampshire Library Association was entertained for four days. In these various ways the library has become an important agency for the promotion of reading and study and the progress of library organization and ef- ficiency.
ATHLETICS
As library and laboratory are modern adjuncts to a school, so a gymnasium is a modern contrivance that would surprise the founders of Colby. In their days a woodpile in winter and a garden in summer furnished enough exercise, and if more were needed a boy would join a gang in mischief. That a girl should swing on rings, fence with sticks, or play basket ball would have been shocking, and to have spent thousands of dollars on a building that would make such things possible would have seemed a waste of money. But in America sports came into vogue with increase of money and leisure time, and what was done in villages and towns everywhere be- came popular in schools and colleges.
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The Civil War gave an impetus to two forms of exer- cise and discipline. One was military drill, the other was baseball. Both of these found root in New London but baseball much later than military drill.
After the new building was erected on the crest of the hill it became possible to use the old Academy building for other purposes. First, the trustees voted to engage a teacher in gymnastics at a salary not to exceed four hun- dred dollars and a committee was appointed to equip the old building for a gymnasium, but the presence in town of such an officer in the army as General J. M. Clough, with all his experience and prestige gained in the recent war, was a strong recommendation for military drill, and presently the catalogue announced that "the old Academy is now used as an armory and for military drilling." The drill room was upstairs, and a bowling alley was con- structed downstairs. A military company was organized and met for drill twice a week. The students had no uniforms at first, but each wore a military cap. The next year the state furnished a set of uniforms to be used on public occasions. A spirit of enthusiasm prevailed among the men, and so great was the interest that a ladies' cadet corps was formed, and so proficient did it become in the manual of arms that some people thought it superior to the men's company in dash and esprit de corps.
The report of the Adjutant General of New Hamp- shire was quoted with satisfaction when he said: "I am glad to announce that one educational institution in the state has seen fit to introduce military drill and discipline as an independent branch of its studies. This the New London Institution has done, and I have furnished the necessary arms and equipments. The experiment prom- ises to be productive of good results and success. There is no training or exercise so conducive to health and the proper development of the body as that of military drill." Not only was the corps a pioneer cadet company among
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