USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Mont Vernon > History of the town of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire > Part 11
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Dr. Boynton's address was a strong dissertation on the church. He began by defining the chur h as the "social state permeated by the spirit of Jesus Christ." He enlarged upon his theme and painted beautifully the majestic life of love and sanctity passed by the Saviour.
Speaking of the motive of the church, Dr Boynton said it was the worship of God. "Go where you may," he argued, "and you will find that the instinct to worship will show itself in some form, even though the manifestation be a feeble one."
The preacher advocated beautiful church buildings, arguing that the beautiful is sometimes more useful than the useful itself. "No church is too beautiful for God," he said.
Rev. William H. Hopkins of Poughkeepsie read a hymn, written for the occasion by Deacon W. H Conant.
The dedicatory prayer was offered by the Rev. Warren R.
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
Cochrane, D.D., of Antrim, and the benediction was given by the pastor, the Rev. T. J. Lewis.
In the evening a somewhat informal meeting was held in the church, at which Hon. Geo. A. Marden presided. Addresses were made by several gentlemen, and there was music. The chief feature, however, was the raising about a thousand dollars to provide for that amount of indebtedness, due to the fact that money subscribed was locked up in several suspended New Hampshire savings banks. It is but fair to say that nearly all this amount was afterwards paid by the banks. The proceedings in raising the money were exceed ing merry, and the result was that every dollar required was pledged before the meeting adjourned.
THE CHURCH EDIFICE.
The architect to whose skill and taste the little church owes its beauty, elegance and adaptedness to its purpose, was Mr. G. Wilton Lewis, of Boston. It is a model structure, and is one of the chief attractions of the village.
The general design of the new edifice is of the picturesque colo- nial, with details of the renaissance, and is charmingly adapted to its situation, overlooking from its lofty eminence a wide prospect over the plains below, with the neighboring villages of Milford, Amherst, and Merrimack, and the cities of Nasbua, Manchester and Lowell.
The walls, to the height of the window sills, are of field stones ; thence to the ridge-pole is frame, clothed with shingles. The roof is olive-stained, to complement the rustic, moss-covered field stone, separated by walls of yellow brown and trimmings of cream white. Many of the stones used in the wall were brought by persons inter- ested in the building, picking up here and there in their drives about the country any that were distinguished for their beauty.
In plan it forms a cross, with the apse at the north, lighted by five small windows, and flanked on the east by the organ loft and choir gallery, and on the west by the pastor's room.
The auditory is 53x36 feet in area, and has a seating capacity of 300. It is well lighted at the east and west by large triple win- dows under the gables. Under the roof of the cloister and in the opposite wall these windows are filled with bevel plate glass. provid- ing a fresco of nature, far exceeding that of art. in the wide and distant expanse of mountain and valley.
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
The remainder of the windows above are memorials in artistic stained glass, set in lead, giving richness of effect. At the south three large flexifold doors screen the Sunday school and prayer meet- ing room, which is of a semi-circular shape, with a seating capacity of 150 ; also a ladies' parlor and primary department, with 50 sittings. These last rooms open into each other, as well as the auditory, mak- ing a comfortable capacity for 500 sittings, all within good view of the pulpit.
There is an ample supper room for special occasions, provided with kitchen conveniences complete.
A ladies' room is provided, with a large brick fireplace, securing comfort and ventilation.
The Sunday school library is in a niche provided for that pur- pose, enclos d in diamond sash doors.
The finish of the building is quartered oak, finished light, mak- ing the interior of the Puritan order, while the walls are tinted with colors complementing the woodwork, and ornameuted in graceful designs. The building is heated by a wood furnace of great capacity.
There is a porte cochere at the tower entrance The tower is large, surmounted by a belfry and lookout.
The building is practically a memorial church. The two chief donors to the building fund, Mrs. Richardson and Miss Stevens, made their contributions in memory of their father, Calvin Stevens, a native of this town, the son of Asa Stevens, and the grandson of Calvin Stevens, a Revolutionary soldier, who fought at Bunker Hill, and who spent his last years in Mont Vernon, where he lies buried; also in memory of their mother, who in earlier years was a frequent visitor in the town. There are fourteen memorial windows in the edifice, several of them large and of artistic beauty. One of these is for Deacon William Conant and his wife, given by their grandchil- dren. It is a figure of the Madonna and Child. Mrs. Charles F. Frasse of New York, provided a beautiful window in memory of her father, Asa Stevens, a brother of Calvin. The figure is that of St. John, and it is perhaps the finest window in the church. The friends of the late John F. Colby, Esq., of Boston, gave an elegant window bearing a representation of Hoffman's Christ, standing with out- stretched arms and open hands. Mr. Colby graduated at Appleton Academy, married Miss Ruth E. Cloutman, a native of Mont Vernon, had a summer home in town for many years, and was one of its most ardent admirers. He was the father of John H. Colby of the build-
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
ing committee. Another of the large windows is in memory of Capt. Timothy Kittredge and his wife, the former a native, and both life- long residents of the town, and very prominent in the town and church. The window was given by their children.
Other windows are in memory of Esther Clontman Gray, who for many years was organist of the church, one in memory of Thomas Henry Stinson, another in memory of Deacon George E. Dean, giv- en by his daughter, Miss Harriet A. Dean of Dorchester, (Boston) Mass. ; and one for John Smith.
A handsome communion table is a memorial of the late Major Charles F. Stinson, a veteran of the Civil War and a deacon of the church ; this table being a gift of his widow.
The pulpit was the gift of the pastor, Rev. Thomas J. Lewis.
The old organ in the old meeting-house was considered past usefulness. The resources of the people were not sufficient to war- rant a new up-to-date pipe organ. But a very acceptable substitute was found in a Mason & Risch Vocalion, built in Worcester, Mass., which is described as ""a reed organ with pipe effects." It cost. $855, and was paid for, $300 down, and balance in instalments, chief- ly through the efforts of the Home Circle. It is substantially the equivalent of a pipe organ that would have cost $2500, and was pro- nounced, by prominent organists who have tried it, a very satisfactory substitute for a pipe organ. It was set up and in order for the dedicatory services.
The deed of the land by James Woodbury to the Second Parish of Amherst, for a meeting-house site, provided that if it were not used for this purpose, it should revert to the heirs of James Woodbury.
The deed was drawn by James Woodbury himself, in 1787. He was an ancestor of Judge Charles Levi Woodbury of Boston. He was a surveyor, and was granted a square mile of land on top of this hill "in consideration for services rendered as surveyor."
CHAPTER IX.
EDUCATIONAL.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS-BEFORE THE TOWN WAS INCORPORATED- NAMES OF EARLY PUPILS-AUREAN ACADEMY AT AMHERST-A LATIN GRAMMAR SCHOOL-MONEY APPROPRIATED TO NORTH- WEST PARISII-APPROPRIATIONS SINCE INCORPORATION OF TOWN -THE LITERARY FUND- DECLINE IN POPULATION-INCREASE OF APPROPRIATIONS-SUPERINTENDING COMMITTEES -- APPLETON ACADEMY-ITS REAL BEGINNING-FIRST ACADEMY HALL-BUILT BY SHAREHOLDERS -INCORPORATION OF ACADEMY-MEAGRE REC- ORDS-ORGANIZATION OF TRUSTEES -- NAMES OF PUPILS FIRST TERM-MR. CLOUGHI AS PRINCIPAL-MR. GEORGE STEVENS'S SUCCESS-FIRST PRINTED CATALOGUE-HIS ASSISTANTS -- WHEN AND WHY HE LEFT-THE NEW ACADEMY BUILDING-PURCHASE OF KITTREDGE PLACE BY MR. STEVENS-SALE OF LOT FOR ACAD- EMY SITE-NAME OF ACADEMY-LIBRARY GIVEN BY MR. APPLE- TON-BUILDING FUND SUBSCRIPTIONS-ERECTION OF BUILDING- A PERMANENT FUND-SKETCHES OF KING, BERRY. BANCROFT AND OTHER PRINCIPALS.
Mont Vernon, prior to the close of 1803, was an integral part of Amherst. Whatever of schooling its adult inhabitants had received they had obtained from the school privileges provided by the mother town, and used by them as a part of its population.
By the records we find that in 1762 it was voted, "To keep a school in five divisions, the selectmen to divide ;" but as no appropri- ation was made, this was only a prophecy of what they would do years later. The first appropriation was made in 1771, when the town of Amherst voted twenty pounds lawful money for schooling, and that "the school be kept some part of the time in several parts of the town." Also voted that the people of the town "keep as many schools as they see fit, and each family that does keep a school shall be entitled to draw their proportion of the money above granted."
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
The next year twenty-six pounds and two-thirds of a pound were voted.
But little attention was paid to other than private instruction through the Revolutionary War. In 1778 it was "Voted to keep a grammar school," and in that and the year following the names of two teachers appear as thus employed. March 8, 1779, the town was di- vided into "squadrons" for schools, each to draw its proportion of the money appropriated. They made an appropriation this year, and gradually increased it each subsequent year.
In 1781 it was voted "the schools be kept by each neighborhood classing together." In 1787 a grammar school in the Centre District of Amherst was provided for, conditioned "that the district shall make up to the master in a private way what their proportion of the school money falls short of an adequate salary."
This year at same meeting, a committee of whom Rev. John Bruce was one, was appointed "to examine the ability of schoolmas- ters and mistresses," and none should be employed in any district, but those recommended by them. From 1787 to 1793 the annual appropriation for schools was one hundred and fifty pounds. In 1789 the town voted to "excuse such as had united for the support of an academy from the payment of any school tax, so long as they should sustain the proposed academy." The use of the townhouse for school purposes was also granted them.
Isaac Brooks of Woburn, Mass., afterwards for many years Register of Deeds at Amherst, N. H., kept a private school in the North-West Parish as follows : -
"Tuesday 8 December, 1789. began a school at the North West Parish, by an agreement with Dr. Zeph. Kittredge. The names of pupils are as follows :
Dorcas Cleaves,
Jno. Fuller,
Betsey Cleaves,
Wm. Fuller,
Sally Cleaves,
Hannah Hazelton,
Nath'l Cleaves,
Zeph. Kittredge,
Polly Cleaves,
Asa Kittredge,
Huldah Cleaves,
Ingalls Kittredge,
Amos Dodge,
Sally Kittredge,
Sam'l Duncklee,
Sally Duncklee,
Peter Kittredge, Nabby Kittredge,
Polly Duncklee,
Rob't Parker,
Anna Duncklee,
Hannah Perkins,
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
Jno. Felton,
Elisha Felton,
Mark Perkins, Sally Stearns.
Rachel Felton,
"Wednesday March 10th, 1790, finished keeping three yearly months' school."
February 10, 1791, an act of incorporation was granted for the "Aurean Academy" at Amherst. Twenty-six of the thirty-one grant- ees were of Amherst, and five from other towns. Nathan Cleaves was the only grantee in the Second Parish. This school soon after went into operation. It had an existence of ten years, and ten pre- ceptors, among whom were J. Heywood and Daniel Weston from the North West Parish. In 1810 this academy was finally closed for lack of funds.
At that time a law was in effect requiring that "in shire and half- shire towns, a portion of the school money shall be applied for the support of a Latin Grammar School" or a school in which that lan- guage might be taught, if desired. This will explain the following votes :
April 13, 1801, Voted, "that the grammar school be kept eight months in the First Parish and four months in the Second Parish, this year."
March 3, 1803, seven hundred dollars was appropriated for schools, three hundred dollars of which was to be used for the sup- port of grammar schools, the Centre District of the First Parish to have two hundred dollars, and that of the Second Parish to have one hundred dollars ; and it was provided that every person in town have liberty to send to the grammar school.
These votes will explain the fact that for several years immedi- ately preceding the incorporation of Mont Vernon, a school of high character had been kept in the Center District-a select school, open . to any in the parish. David Dodge and Ephraim P. Bradford were two of its teachers.
At the first annual meeting of the new town, March 13, 1804, it was voted to raise two hundred dollars for schooling, and to choose a committee of twelve persons to class the town for the convenience of schooling. March 27th this committee presented their report, di- viding the town into five school districts [classes ] and defining their respective limits.
May 1, 1804, accepted the report of committee, and voted to
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
raise money to build new school-houses in three of the districts ; voted to raise one thousand dollars for this purpose.
March 12, 1805, appropriated three hundred dollars for schooling during the current year. This sum was raised each successive year until 1822, when it was increased to three hundred and fifty dollars. In 1830, there having been a small source of revenue (about thirty dollars) derived from the "literary fund," applied to schools, the town voted but three hundred dollars which was the amount of ap- propriation, until, in the year 1851, it was increased to four hundred dollars, in 1853 advanced to four hundred and fifty dollars, and in 1854 fixed at five hundred dollars; which being augmented by the "literary fund" amounted to five hundred and sixty dollars, the av- erage amount devoted to schools between 1854 and 1870. In the latter year two hundred dollars additional school money was voted, and it was continued annually for fifteen years, making an average of seven hundred and sixty dollars expended upon the district schools an- nually.
From 1889 until 1893, the town voted seven hundred dollars an- nually for schools ; in 1893, eight hundred dollars ; 1894, nine hundred dollars ; 1895, nine hundred dollars; 1896, seven hundred dollars ; 1897, nine hundred dollars ; 1898, one thousand dollars; and each year thereafter to this writing (1905) one thousand dollars.
Additional to this, since 1871, the town has given McCollom In- stitute a total of over $7000, in payment of tuition of town pupils in this institution, in annual grants of from $200 to $300 to pay the tuition of town scholars who attended it.
The "Literary Fund" is fully explained in the following extracts from the compilation of the "Laws of New Hampshire Relating to Public Schools," by the Department of Public Instruction, from the Public Statutes, and the Session Laws, 189-1905 inclusive ;
"All taxes collected by the state upon the deposits, stock and at- tending accumulations of depositors and stock-holders of savings banks, trust companies, loan and trust companies. loan and banking compa- nies, building and loan associations, and other similar corporations, who do not reside in this state, or whose residence is unknown, shall be known as the 'literary fund.'
"The state treasurer shall assign and distribute, in November of each year, the literary fund among the towns and places in proportion to the number of scholars not less than five years of age who shall, by the last reports of the school boards returned to the superintendent of public instruction, appear to have attended the public schools in such towns and places not less than two weeks within that year.
"No unincorporated place shall receive its portion until a treasurer
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
or school agent shall have been chosen to receive and appropriate the same as required by law.
"The portion of the literary fund so received by any town or place shall be assigned to the districts as other school money, and shall be applied to the maintenance of the public schools during the current year ; one fifth part thereof may be applied by the school board to the pur- chase of blackboards, dictionaries, maps, charts, and school apparatus.
"If any town or incorporated place or the agent of any unincorpo- rated place shall apply any money so received to any other purpose. the town, place, or agent so offending shall refund to the state treasury double the sum so misapplied. "
With the decline of population has come a diminution of the num- ber of pupils in our district schools. In 1859, the whole number was one hundred and forty-nine : and in 1860, was one hundred and six- ty-seven. For the years 1884-1885 it was less than one hundred of total attendance, and now (1905) is barely fifty. The school money has increased about in the ratio that the number of those receiving its benefits have been diminished.
From 1803 to 1818, there is no record of any special superin- tendence of schools by an examining committee. For ten years, inclusive, from 1818, a superintending committee, consisting of three persons, were chosen by the voters at the annual town meeting. Be- low are the names of these, with the number of years they served :
Dr. Daniel Adams, ten years ; Jonathan S. Adams, nine years ; John Prentiss, one year; Artemas Wood, four years ; Rev. Ebenezer Cheever, three years ; Aaron F. Sawyer, three years. From 1827 to 1840-41, there is no trace of a superintending committee. The Board of Selectmen made the appointment from 1841 to 1877, since which the voters have done it at the March meeting for the choice of town officers. The persons who held the office from 1841 to 1853 were Dr. Daniel Adams, Rev. Bezaleel Smith. Samuel Campbell, Dr. Sam- uel G. Dearborn and Rev. C. D. Herbert. From 1852 until 1887 the committee consisted of one person only : 1853-56, R v. Charles D. Herbert; 1857-59. Rev. Augustus Berry : 1860-64, Charles J. Smith : 1865-66. Charles A. Towle ; 1867, Joshua V. Smith ; 1868-72, Charles J. Smith; 1873-77, George W. Todd: 1878, J. W. Carson: 1879, Charles J. Smith ; 1880, William H. Ray : 1881-86, inclusive, Charles J. Smith.
A new educational law took effect in 1886 providing for a school board of three persons after the first election. one to be elected every year, each board consisting of three persons : the first election being one for one year, one for two years, one for three years, after which every newly elected member of the board served for three years.
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
Charles J. Smith served in 1886, '88, '89, '90; John W. Carson, 1886, '87 ; William H. Kendall, 1886 to 1892, six years; Mrs. Clark Campbell, nine years, 1887-'93, '95-'98; Col. W. H. Stinson, three years, 1892-'95 ; F. O. Lamson, ten years, 1891-1900; W. F. Pink- ham, one year, 1893 ; Joseph G. Carleton, two years, 1894-'96 ; Mrs. Annie E. Perham, 1896-1900, four years ; Henry F. Dodge, three years, 1898-1901; Marietta A. Lamson, 1901-'03; Mrs. C. H. Trow, 1902-'04 ; Mrs. W. H. Kendall, 1903, '04. At this time the incum- bents all resigned, and Messrs. Jay M. Gleason, George C. Hadley, and Willard P. Woods were elected, and are serving at this writing (1905).
The schools of late years have suffered as in all sparsely settled New England towns, from the paucity of children, the lack of money, and the scattered school districts. So few pupils were in attendance that there was a lack of the stimulus which in larger schools encour- ages competition in study, and excites an interest which is so healthful to the minds and efforts of children. Attempts have been made at several times to induce the town to abolish the district system, as may be done under existing laws, and to assemble all the children of school age at the Center district, where a single properly graded school might be conducted, with competent teachers, and by a con- centration of money expended, longer terms might be had, as well as schools much better in character and efficiency. The wages paid are so small that it is impossible to secure trained and experienced teach- ers, and the entire condition conduces to inefficient and inadequate school privileges.
APPLETON ACADEMY.
The chief factor and feature in the educational history of Mont Vernon has been its Academy. This institution was incorporated in 1850, and bore the name "Appleton Academy" until 1871, when it was renamed The "McCollom Institute", which name it still bears, though it has ceased to perform the functions of an Academy, owing to changed conditions, and does duty, without change of name, as the Mont Vernon High school, having not, at this writing, a single pupil from beyond the limits of th town, an'l only eleven all told.
The history of this institution of learning is most interesting, and is a monument to the aspirations and achievements of the men who lived in this town about the middle of the first century of its ex-
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
istence, as well as to their sacrifices that their children might have better educational advantages.
The real genesis of the Academy antedates its incorporation some three years, and is to be found in a fall term of a "high school", as it was called, in the vestry in the first story of the old Meeting- House, and taught by George Stevens, in the autumn of 1847. Mr. Stevens was the son of the widow Tabitha Stevens, who had lately removed from Hancock to Mont Vernon. He was at the time a jun- ior in Dartmouth college, where he graduated in the class of 1849.
This sort of a school had been of nearly, if not quite, annual occurrence since 1835, usually being taught by college undergradu- ates, and naturally many of them came from Dartmouth Mr. Stev- ens was a teacher of rare capacity. He not only knew, but he had an unusual faculty for making others know and remember In this special term he so aroused the interest of the people that they were more than ever eager to establish a permanent school And they at once set about getting ready for one
The Centre District school-house was then a typical New Eng- land "little red school-house," standing where its successor was so soon to be erected It was too small to accommodate the children in the district.
In 1848 the district voted to build a new school house. This seemed a favorable opportunity to secure some sort of quarters for the proposed higher school, and in November of that year the fol- lowing subscription paper was started, to raise money with which to house the Academy which it was proposed to establish. by putting on a second story over the room to be devoted to the district school. The response, as will be seen below, was quick and generous.
November, 1848.
Whereas the Centre School District in the town of Mont Vernon is about to build a school house, and at a legal Meeting of said District, they voted that individuals might have the privilege of putting on a second story on said schoolhouse for a public school, etc., by paying the expense thereof,
Therefore, it is thought best to raise the sum necessary to carry in- to effect the aforesaid object, that it be made into shares of five dollars each, and we severally agree to take the number of shares set to our names, and pay the same when wanted to any person authorized by said shareholders to receive the same, providing enough be raised to defray the whole expense.
APPLETON ACADEMY-McCOLLOM INSTITUTE. First occupied in fall of 1853. (Piazza and Porte Cochere added later.)
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
NAMES.
NO. SHARES. NAMES. NO. SHARES.
Wm. Conant,
6 Asa Kendall,
1
Luther Wisewell,
2
S. N. Stevens,
1
Newell D. Foster,
1 William H. Conant, 1
H. H. Bragg,
I. C. Richardson, 3
1
J. A. Starrett,
5
David Boardman,
2
Wm. A. Starrett,
1
David Dutton,
1
John Elliott,
1
Nathaniel Bruce,
2
John Bruce,
5 D. W. Baker,
3
J. K. Smith,
5 Wm. A. Stinson,
2
Thos. H. Richardson,
3 Mrs. Hanah Whittemore,
1
Chas. A. Gray,
1 Jesse Averill,
3
Thomas Cloutman,
3
Z. Kittredge, 3d,
1
Wm. Bruce,
1 John Carleton,
1
Isaac Foster,
1 James Bruce,
2
Asa Wetherbee,
1 Mrs. Elizabeth Bruce,
1
F. O. Kittredge,
5 Timothy Kittredge,
2
Hiram Perkins,
2 Joseph Harwood,
2
Charles Marble,
1 Luther Odell,
2
C. B. Southworth,
1 Milton McCollom,
2
H. C. Dodge,
1 Joseph P. Trow,
1
Ira Kendall,
1 Daniel Adams,
3
Zephaniah Kittredge,
2
J. E. Bruce,
1
S. Bancroft,
1 Clinton Roby,
1
Joseph Trow, Jr.,
1 Bezaleel Smith,
1
Porter Kendall,
1 Mr. Joseph Perkins,
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