USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Haverhill > Haverhill Academy, Haverhill, N. H. Centennial Anniversary and Reunion, also dedication of new building, August 4, 5, 1897 > Part 2
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Hessian, saying, ' Lay down your arms or you are dead men.' He then picked up the sword and took them prisoners of war. That sword is now being handed down through the Johnston family, and upon it is engraved, . It was won by bravery, let it not be lost by cowardice.' The colonel was my mother's grand- father, and she told me that he found a lot of boys stealing apples one day, and calling them, said, . Boys, it is wicked to steal, but when you want apples hereafter, go and get them from my orchard, and now it will not be stealing.'
" The Pages lived here, the Barstows, the Bells, the Mer- rills, and Dr. Spalding is still here, and many others whom I would like to mention.
" Solomon says, ' A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.' Mr. Pearson has both, and was born here ; and, by the way, is a distant relative of mine-I wish he were nearer. Henry Pearson has a generous heart and a deep purse. After the great fire in Chicago, I wrote him to ask if he needed help. He said, ' No, I have lost only about fifty thousand dol- lars.' "
After a resolution, introduced by Mr. J. H. Pearson, that the thanks of all present should be extended to those who had given their time and efforts to making the reunion such a grand success, which resolution * was unanimously adopted, the exer- cises of the afternoon were closed.
When the hour for the evening exercises arrived, the Congre- gational church was crowded as it had not been for many years, and the audience was as appreciative as it was large. And well it might be, for the programme was intensely interest- ing throughout. The printed programme was followed closely, with the addition of several letters.
The singing of Mrs. Harriet R. Morgan of Boston was a particularly delightful feature and a rare treat. Mrs. Morgan is one of the sweetest of mezzo-soprano singers, and won the lasting gratitude of all by so kindly volunteering to take part
* Mr. Pearson's motion mentioned several names-notably Miss Mary Stevens and Miss Kate MeK. Johnston, to whose zeal, enthusiasm, and un- flagging efforts, this success was very largely due .- En.
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in the programme, and by responding so generously to the enthusiastic encores, of which she received several.
The readings of Miss Nellie P. Nichols of Boston were also greatly enjoyed and several times encored. Miss Nichols is a dramatic reader and impersonator of wide reputation.
The historical address, prepared and delivered by Rev. J. L. Merrill, was a most thorough and exhaustive history of Haver- hill academy, evidencing the vast amount of work he had put forth on this subject. It is reproduced in full in this book, and will prove its most valuable feature in after years.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
Lyman Dewey Stevens, son of Caleb and Sally Dewey Stev- ens, was born in Piermont, N. II., Sept. 20, 1821. He fitted for college at Haverhill academy, graduating therefrom in 1839, and from Dartmouth college in the class of 1813. After leay- ing college he was principal of Stanstead, P. Q., seminary in 1813, '44 and '45, and associate principal of Pembroke acad- emy during a part of 1846. While at Stanstead, he decided upon the legal profession as his life work, and began his pro- fessional studies with E. C. Johnson, Esq., of Derby, Vi., and completed them in the office of Hon. Ira Perley in Concord, N. II., and was admitted to the Merrimack County bar in October, 1847. Ile opened an office in Concord, where he has remained to the present time. He was married to Achsah Pollard French in Concord, August 21, 1850, who died July 2, 1863, leaving two children, Margaret French Stevens and Henry Webster Stevens. He was married to Frances Childs Brownell in New Bedford, Mass., January 20, 1875, and they have two children, Fanny Brownell Stevens and William Lyman Stevens.
Mr. Stevens has held many offices, among them the follow- ing :
Trustee and president of the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts ; director of the National State Capital bank ; president of the Merrimack County Sav- ings bank ; treasurer of the New Hampshire Home Missionary society ; member of the house of representatives, senate and executive council ; presidential elector ; and mayor of Concord for two terms.
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MAIN STREET. HAVERHILL. LOOKING SOUTH.
1770939
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
HON. L. D. STEVENS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN :- The history of the century now closing furnishes indisputable evidence that the educational welfare of New Hampshire has derived no greater benefit from any of her schools than from her academies.
Instruction in the classics, in the higher branches of an Eng- lish education, and in preparation for college, was almost wholly confined to the academies, until about the year 1854. That the people of New Hampshire placed a high value upon these institutions, is abundantly shown by the fact that one hundred and fourteen academies have been chartered by its legislature since New Hampshire became a state.
Among these honored and most useful educational agencies, Haverhill academy achieved a conspicuous position and has accomplished a work worthy of the highest praise. Being the seventh academy incorporated in our state, she has made a his- tory which her alumni and friends may review with a just pride and satisfaction. They who love her do well to lay aside their usnal vocations and come from their homes, scattered over the land, and lay at her feet the offering of their loyalty and love as the one hundredth year of her existence places on her brow its erown of veneration. No one, I am sure, can read the pre- amble of the act of her incorporation, as it sets forth the high and noble purpose for which this institution was designed, and the broad and liberal curriculum which she should offer to her students, without feeling his enthusiasm for her kindled anew. This is its language :
" The end and design of said institution is, and shall be, to promote religion, piety, virtue, and morality, and for teaching and instructing youth in the English, Latin and Greek lan- gnages, in writing, music, and in the art of speaking, in geog- raphy, logic, geometry, mathematics, and such other branches
CEBON
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of science as opportunity may permit, and as the trustees shall order and direct."
Educational institutions, like individuals, have their birth, . growth, maturity, and decline, and our Alma Mater, in her life of a hundred years, has not been exempted from this law. But now, as she stands upon the threshold of a new century, we may fondly hope and believe that she has passed her climae- teric, and is about to enter upon a new life, with a new and more complete equipment, adequate to the demands of the pres- ent age. This thought has prompted the Haverhill Academy Alumni association to mark the event by a reunion of those who have been connected with this institution as teachers and pupils. And I am charged with the agreeable duty of extend- ing, in behalf of the association, to all such persons present, and to all friends of the academy, a most cordial and affection- ate welcome. They bid you join with them in their devotion to our common Alma Mater, and in a happy reunion, which shall " bring the light of other days around us," let us renew the ties that bind us, let us summon from the silent halls of mem- ory the recollections of the joys, the hopes, and bright antici- pations which filled the days of our pupilage. Leaving behind us the cares, the anxieties, and labors which have made us at times " weary with the march of life," let us, for this occasion, be light-hearted and happy, and bear away with us from these delightful hours of reunion, recollections which will refresh our hearts whenever weariness or despondeney assails us in the future of our lives.
RESPONSE TO ADDRESS OF WELCOME BY JULIAN C. EDGERLY.
MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN :- I arise to respond to your kind words of welcome with feelings of gratitude. It has been thirteen, to me long, years since I last had the pleat- ure of addressing an audience made up of the friends of Haver- hill academy ; but the circumstances under which I now speak are very different from those of former years. At that time, I had the advantage of you all, as I spoke in alleged Latin, and I felt reasonably sure that few of you had the least idea of
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what I was talking about; in fact, I had but an apology of an idea to convey any way, and this I did in hybrid Latin, but still I felt that if I put on a bold front, little would be under- stood, and all would be forgiven ; but, my friends, I have since learned, what I did not then know, that the quality of my Latin was such that if Cicero or Virgil had been present in the andience, he would not have known any more than the rest of you what I was talking about.
In later years the knowledge of my deficiencies gradually grew upon me, my head became smaller ; and, but a year ago, as I glanced over the manuscript of that old Latin salutatory and realized in full the enormity of my offense, I fell into such a slough of despond that the sun was entirely obsenred behind the heights of assurance from which I had fallen. But recently a discovery has been made in classic Boston that has driven away the clouds, and to-day I stand before you, realizing to the fullest degree that " there are others." I have no doubt you have all read of the noble Boston lad, Colonel Shaw, who in the darkest period of the Rebellion left his home, a young wife, and all that he held dear, to lead to the front a regiment of colored soldiers, and at last to warm with his life's blood the dizzy slopes of Fort Wagner. Ile to-day lies in an unknown grave amid the bones of his dark-skinned followers. Colonel Shaw was a noble son of a grand old commonwealth, and in his honor there has recently been placed on historic Boston com- mon a memorial sculptured by a great artist, St. Gandens. That memorial is inscribed with a Latin sentence, and imagine my joy and relief when I saw it boldly blazoned forth in the press that this sentence was not correctly constructed. Think of it, my friends ! In the heart of haughty Boston, proud of her culture and learning, the Latin infinitive stands to-day where the subjunctive should be, and, if after long years of shame and sorrow, I at last am vindicated, is it any wonder that my pulses throb, and my heart bounds as I stand here before you, and can once again hold up my head among men ?
But this is enough of the personal. It is an institution and not an individual that centres our interest to-day. Haverhill academy we are met to honor. It is here that as boys and
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girls we climbed the rugged path of learning-and made ocea- sional trips up Powder House hill. Here our youthful aspira- tions first broke forth-and here we broke study hours, too. Ilere we first tasted the joys of classic lore-also a few water- melons, pears, grapes, etc., in their season. In truth, the only great drawback that I can remember to this place was the fact that they were not always in season.
But perhaps all things were for the best. If there had been snow on the ground the night " Joe" chased me across three fields, two gardens, and a back yard, he might have come nearer to catching me, handicapped as I was, with a watermelon under each arm. And the winter, if it was not favorable to fruit enl- ture, was still conducive to surprise parties and ont-door astron- omy classes, the latter always of two. Two could somehow seem to study the stars better than one or three, and, if the ready intuition of the gentler sex was joined to the sturdy logie of the male, the results were simply ideal. I hardly ever knew of two boys or two girls, together getting munch interested in the joint study of the stars. I do not try to explain the matter; I only give the fact as an interesting addition to the science of sociology. Explanations are not needed ; yon have all been there.
But really, there were more serious matters attended to in this building, which to-day looks so np-to-date in its new dress. Here, with careful toil, Greek and Latin roots were dng by those whose years of maturity have shed glory on the academy. Here x and y and the binomial theorem have been ciphered ont by many who are now a help to the world, and a joy to all who know them.
We are here to-day, Mr. President, to view the old scenes, to think the old thoughts, and live again the years which are past. Your welcome brings back the bygone days, and we realize that they were good. For a brief time we are boys and girls together, and I am sure I but voice the sentiments of all here assembled when I express the hope that when, God willing, we gather again at some future rennion, we shall find the dear old academy pressing on in the good work, and the second century of its life still helping to solve the problem of, not what is cas- iest, but what is best to do, and how it may best be done.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
James Henry Pearson, who now lives in Chicago, and has since 1851, was born in Haverhill, N. II., Dec. 10, 1820. His father, Isaac Pearson, was well known in the town and was usually called " Major Pearson" by his neighbors. His mother was Charlotte Atherton. The Pearson family was well known in the old town. "Major Pearson " had nine children, all told, two by his first wife, who was Major Merrill's daughter. and seven by his second wife, Charlotte Atherton.
James Henry went to Chicago in 1851, where he has lived permanently since February, 1853. He received his early education at the Ladd street district school and at Haverhill academy. Early in life he had an ambition to be a business man, and he entered into the lumber business in Chicago soon after he left Haverhill. When he was about to leave Haverhill, Governor John Page, who was one of his friends, called him into his house as he was passing by just before he left, and said to him, "Henry, I understand you are about to leave Haverhill for the West, and I have prepared a paper for you to take along as you are going among strangers. Perhaps this may render yon some assistance ; take it, put it in your pocket." The paper read something like this :
"The bearer, J. II. Pearson, is a worthy young man of our town, who is about to go West to engage in business, and we, the undersigned citizens, heartily recommend him to be an honest and trustworthy young man, of good business talents, and very ambitious. He is a good accountant, nuderstands the lumber business, and can do almost anything he turns his hand to. Any one wishing to employ him will find him a competent young man."
" Respectfully signed,
"John Page, John L. Rix, John R. Redding, Nathan Felton, Jonathan Nichols, James Bell, Jacob Bell, John MacClary and others."
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Young Pearson was never more astonished in his life, as it was unexpected and unsolicited. He says he put that paper in his pocket with tears in his eyes, and it was all the capital he possessed save some six hundred dollars of Wells River bank notes, which were as good as gold out West at that time.
Mr. Pearson's first wife was Sarah E. Wetherell. daughter of George Wetherell, whom he married April 10, 1850, and who died January 15, 1891. His present wife was the widow of William Burke of Danbury, Conn. She is the only daughter of Charles Spalding of Montpelier, Vt .. and Rebecca Hunt, for- merly of Haverhill. He has four children. three boys and one girl, Mrs. Professor Scott, by his first wife.
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REMINISCENCES.
JJ. I. PEARSON.
MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN :- We have come together to-day in this hall for a reunion of the boys and girls who in days gone by, some thirty, forty, or even sixty years ago, used to assemble in this very room as pupils of Haverhill academy, boys on this side, girls ou that side, with a platform in the centre, where the teacher presided, not only to command the attention of the scholars, but to classify them and direct their studies.
If I remember correctly, I first became a pupil of this academy in 1832, when Ephraim Kingsbury was the princi- pal, commonly called by the citizens of this good town,- " Squire" Kingsbury. It was always " Mr." Kingsbury with the scholars, who held him in such awe and high respect that his orders were never questioned, but obeyed every time. He had a decided command over all his pupils, as much so as a general over an army. His word was law, and no scholar Jared to violate his stern rules.
As I look back to this time, I cannot but respect the strict discipline which we pupils received at his hands. It was some- times very hard to carry out his stern orders, but obey we must, and obey we did, as a general thing. How well I remember the lectures he used to give us on behavior and morality, much more often though to the boys than to the girls. In those days, children were taught politeness, reverence and obedience, as well as Latin and Greek.
Scholars came here from all parts of Grafton county, as well as from Newbury, Bradford, and other towns on the Vermont side. A very large number always came from Bath. From 1832 to 1840, some of the most brilliant scholars in this part of
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the state attended this academy, and more students were fitted for college in this school than in any other part of northern New Hampshire. I could mention the names of many eminent men . and women who have finished their education at this academy, with the exception of a college course, who have maintained themselves as persons of intelligence and education, scattered all over this country, and even in foreign lands.
I shall confine myself to the years I lived in this, my native town, up to 1851, when I moved to the West. In those days. no town of New England could boast of having better society than Haverhill Corner. But, my friends, although I have not lived here as a citizen for more than forty-six years, I have often come here to visit the old town and village. From my standpoint, there is no place in the country that I have ever seen, whose scenery exceeds in beauty this Connecticut river valley from Wells River to Orford, with Moosilauke, Owl's Head and Blueberry Hill on the east, the Green Mountains of Ver- mont on the west, and the beautiful Connectient river meander- ing through rich green meadows. I do not know of a prettier location in the wide world, and I used to think before I left for the West, that I should certainly return here to live out my allotted time on earth.
It will be remembered by some present that my native home was about a mile north from Haverhill Corner on Ladd street. so called and known through all this section of the country.
Ladd street was in my boyhood days a great centre, where Haverhill meeting-house was located ; where all the town-meet- ings were held; and where the good people of this town used to assemble on the Sabbath to worship God. It was on Ladd street that, in a beautiful location, stood the most imposing edifice in all this part of the country. For those days, it was a noble structure, of the old colonial style, with its high steeple and large belfry, where hung the richest-sounding bell that was ever heard in this vicinity; there it hangs on Ladd street to-day, and there may it hang for years to come, awakening with its familiar sound memories of the days gone by.
The interior of this meeting-house, as I well remember, had large pews, about six feet square, on the main floor,
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and a large gallery extending on three sides of the build- ing, so deep as to afford nearly as many sittings as the pews below. There was a very high, imposing pulpit, com- manding the whole audience room, above which hung a sound- ing-board, beautifully shaped, something like a bell, to echo the preacher's voice through every part of the house.
Yes, my friends, this is the place of my early recollections, where the law and gospel were proclaimed. I mean God's law and gospel. The eminent preachers of those days gave no uncertain sound as to the truths of God's word, and the com- *mandments were proclaimed as they were laid down in the Bible. In those days it was law and gospel. Perhaps at this present time we have a somewhat different doctrinal preaching, but, my friends, the old gospel then preached is the same to me now as it was in those days, fifty or sixty years ago, good to stand by and good to live by.
Many changes have taken place since I used to live here. Many of the older people, in fact, nearly all of them have gone to their long home, and their earthly bodies have been laid to rest in that beautiful cemetery on yonder hill. But other changes have taken place ; instead of the population increasing, it is decreasing, and business and enterprise seem to be at a standstill.
With your natural facilities for manufacturing, your rich meadow farms, your fine pastures, your maple groves and apple orchards, and the granite stored up in the hills, I cannot see why this good old town cannot flourish again as in days gone by, if all will only be up and doing. But this last year you have been doing, and you have just cause to be proud of your new concrete walks and other improvements that have recently been made at the Corner. There has been erected by a legacy from Mr. Southard, a prominent man in the northern part of the town, a fine new academy building, close by this, to take the place of this historic one, for educational purposes, and for the sake of Auld Lang Syne, this, old academy has not been allowed to be torn down, but has been put in good repair for the public use as a hall and library ; so you see that, after all, enterprise at Haverhill Corner is not altogether a thing of the past.
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Well, my friends, I will close this message by saying that it gives me great pleasure to meet so many of my old acquaintances face to face, and to greet them with a warm clasp . of the hand. I think that we ought to feel greatly indebted to the good people of this town for their kindkys hospitality in inviting us to this reunion, where we can live over again in memory, and talk over, the good old days that we all used to pass here so happily together.
Some of us are already living on borrowed time, and the places that now know us will soon know us no more. But, my dear friends of the past and of the present, may all of us so live that when we are called to our long and final home, not one, not even one of us here to-day, may be found absent from the coming reunion over there, in the great Beyond.
MRS. M. B. HOOK.
How distinetly the scenes of times long gone are pictured on my memory ! My first day at Haverhill academy. in August, 1854; that company of pleasant, merry, wide-awake pupils,- I can recall them one by one. Then every succeeding term and year a new combination, not less interesting. All have a warm place in my heart, the fine mathematician, the young lady who excelled in French translation, others who gave such accurate portrayals of real life in their weekly compositions.
Does that lad remember his ignominious fall when walking over the new fence around the north common?
Two lads brought me their pictures one morning, concealing themselves in the shrubbery, then hastily ringing the door-bell as they fled. One has gone "over the river"; the other may be with you to-day.
A noble array of men and women have gone out from the old academy, many by their earnest, faithful lives making the world better, influencing other lives in the great work of uplift- ing humanity.
We pursued our way, not always smooth, with brave hearts. I recall the ancient desks, with their accompanying arm-chairs of antique structure ; the winding stairs, so thin that they were
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in danger of sinking to unknown depths; then the old stoves which had done service so many years, with their long stretches of funnel. On a frosty morning some chronic disarrangement would send the smoke into our eyes, and the wood would refuse to burn, though usually we had good orthodox wood. Ou a windy day the belfry would seem to rock, threatening to come down, bell and all, upon our defenseless heads. But we enjoyed all these discomforts as no pupil in a modern school can, for we were learning to face real life, and gain inspiration from untoward circumstances.
The trustees of Haverhill academy in those days are all gone. Judge Morrison, Deacon Merrill, Mr. Felton, Mr. Sleeper, Rev. E. H. Greeley, Mr. James Webster, all save the venerable Dr. Spalding .*
The old brick church is before me, and the worshipers who walked in, with reverent, stately tread. The cordial, generous people who welcomed ns to their homes, and aided us by their inthieuce are not forgotton. My home for so many years with Mr. Ayer's family comes up full of pleasant memories. But "one by one, the tired reapers have gone silently home in the late evening twilight."
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