USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Woodstock > The valley of the Kedron; the story of the South parish, Woodstock, Vermont > Part 11
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These men have been mentioned as school commis- sioners. Just how they got their appointment no record tells; John Fisher, a Scotchman, reputed to have known Bobby Burns and a devoted reader of Carlyle, was com- missioner from 1820 to 1824. He married Eunice McClay, the daughter of another Scotchman, and he lived in that region settled by the Scotch people over on the north end of the Fletcher School region. These Scotch are buried in that neglected graveyard to which I refer, the old Morgan Yard. Why not mark the grave of the first com- missioner of schools in the town?
An item in a newspaper of 1824 reports that Plyman Church succeeded John as commissioner. Edward Church in 1780 came from Hadley, Mass., settled just off that road over Fletcher hill. He had nine children. The only one ever mentioned in the Town history was Pliny. No Plyman ever held property in the town, but he was on the Com- mittee to help build the tomb in the South Parish. It's just another one of the utterly forgotten things, but here comes Samuel Wood. He too was school commissioner, also selectman, overseer of the poor, and several other positions were held by him.
CHAPTER IX
The Green Mountain Liberal Institute
THE VERMONT STATE LEGISLATURE on November 13, 1848, incorporated this school. It was founded by a group of Universalist ministers and laymen who were interested in education. They were Liberals, men of the open mind. The world was still full of sectarian prejudices and the children of liberal parents found themselves persecuted in the Orthodox schools. It was anathema not to believe in hell, the Trinity, original sin and all of the dreadful doc- trines of Calvinism. The Universalists established schools in several states to which their children were sent and where the scholastic and religious education were cultural and devout. Young people came to this school in South Woodstock from all of the New England States, also from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina, Louisiana, New York State, Pennsylvania, Colorado. The greater number were from the New England States and Vermont sent many students. High Schools were not yet well organized and the opportunities for excellent training were really quite outstanding in this school.
Among the Incorporators were the former Governor Silas H. Jennison, Ammi Willard, Isaiah Buckman, Daniel
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Ransom, Rev. Warren Skinner, Willard Bowman, Samuel Adams, Walter Palmer, Nathan Lamb, Homer H. Ham- mond, Rev. D. M. Reed, Rev. Eli Ballou, Rev. W. S. Ballou, Rev. Samuel C. Loveland.
The first commencement was announced in the follow- ing manner. This is copied from one of the original cards. It occurred in 1854. A postal card with an invitation to this event has been preserved by Mrs. Elisha Perkins of Bridgewater. It is reproduced at this point.
First Annual Of G. M.P. Dcademy . commencement Jexercises So Woodstock ST. Sunday, May Ca Sertion before the Class Dy Rev Summer Ellis Boston Abordagem Tuesday, May 10-11: Oral Examinations. Wednesday May 12h, Morning Graduating Exercises. Afternoon, .
Annual Address By Reu Dr. Miner- Boston, --
The Catalogue for 1850 says, "This Institution is located at South Woodstock, a place accessible by regular stages, being five miles from Woodstock Green and eight miles from Hartland Depot on the Vermont Central Railroad. This quiet and retired village, situated in a delightful valley, furnishes to the student all that is desired to render it a pleasant retreat, being free from the many evil induce- ments incident to manufacturing and large places of busi-
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ness. The community is moral, intelligent and refined. One object of this Institution is to secure to the youth who come to it, perfect freedom of conscience and freedom of opinion which some institutions fail to do. Non-conformity in religious sentiments is not made the unpardonable sin of the student. There are devotional exercises daily and all the students are expected to attend. Students are ex- pected to attend church." This information is given also :- "Board can be obtained from $1.50 to $1.75 a week includ- ing everything. Students can board themselves or live in Clubs, thus reducing expenses."
"Tuition for the Common English Branches is $3.00 a term. Higher Branches, $3.50. Penciling and Painting in water colors each $1.00. Painting in black and colored crayons $1.50, Classics, French and German $4.00. Music including use of instrument $8.00. Incidentals 121/2 cents."
The Catalogue of 1855 reveals a raise in prices. The Classical department must pay from $4.00 to $5.00 a term. The English from $3.50 to $4.50. French and German students $5.00. Theological students $6.00. 22 Music les- sons $8.00, 12 Vocal lessons $1.00. Penmanship with materials $1.00. The next items are the cream of the an- nouncements and show so clearly the Art of the period. "Pencilling, Water colors, Messotint, Ornamental Hair Work each $1.50. Monochromatic, Polychromatic, Black Crayons, Colored Crayons, Head Drawing, Painting on Velvet $2.50. Wax Fruit and Flowers, including materials each $3.00. Ornamental Leather Work $3.00. Oil Painting exclusive of materials $6.00." I own quite a lovely piece of painting on velvet, done by Mrs. Lee who was one of
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the teachers during these years and whose husband, the Rev. John S. Lee, was the honored Principal.
The Catalogue of 1857 announces that "This Academical and Collegiate Institution is located in the quiet and pleasant village of South Woodstock, Windsor County, Vermont. Sixty miles north of Brattleboro, five miles south from Woodstock Court House and The Green, one of the most delightful villages in New England. The school is conducted on principles of social and religious equality. The students are mostly from fifteen to twenty years of age, including many advanced scholars." The Catalogue for the 60's just says "This Institution" with the location following, and leaves out the high sounding terms.
Dr. Lee established a teachers' training class in 1854, which was continued for five years. Normal schools were very few in the United States at that time. Only a teacher with a broad understanding of education and its needs would have had such a class, but Dr. Lee was a real teacher, one who knew how to inspire in his pupils a love for study. The forming of this class in those years is most significant. The response to this opportunity for teacher training is also significant. Never less than one hundred young men and women were enrolled in what was called "The Teach- ers' Association." Some of the young people of this region who enrolled were Norman Paul, Ora Paul, Jr., M. W. Ware, H. N. Bruce, S. A. Parker, H. W. Parker, Olivia Briggs, later Mrs. Jaquith and for years the Librarian of the Williams Library, S. M. Wilder, A. E. Ralph, Mr. J. Farnsworth, W. I. Kendall, Orlando Sherwin, several of the Brewsters. I recognize the names of students from other
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states who became teachers and ministers and did worth- while jobs in the world.
Lectures were given to this class on teaching methods, on text books, on school government. The classes were taught not to use the rod but to teach intelligently. Stan- dards for teaching and teachers were much emphasized.
Dr. Lee was interested in higher education and so boys were prepared for college. Colleges in the 1850's were largely a place for boys. A few girls went but the eternal male stands forth conspicuously. Members of the Class of 1854 who went to college were L. M. Burrington of Con- neaut, Ohio, Harvey Hersey of Calais, Vermont, Augustus Scott of Milford, Mass., Henry B. Walton of Franklin, Maine. These boys all went to Tufts. Wm. Wallace South- gate of Bridgewater, Vermont, went to Harvard. David C. Moore of Strafford, Vermont, went to Dartmouth. The following members of the Class of 1855 went to Tufts: David H. Clark of Boston, Windsor B. French of Milton, N. Y., W. E. Gibbs of Albany, N. Y., G. B. Willard of Boston, Hosea W. Parker and Sylvester Parker of East Lempster, N. H., Thomas Seaver of Woodstock, O. C. Turner of South Attleboro, Mass., Andrew J. Weaver of Paper Mill Village, N. H.
The Class of 1856 sent Norman Paul of Pomfret to Vermont University, Henry H. Vail of Pomfret to Middle- bury and the following to Tufts: Elmer H. Capen of Stoughton, Mass., Horatio McIntire of Munsunville, N. H., Elam Porter of Hartford, Vermont, Benjamin K. Russ of Lowell, Mass., Sydney B. Sanders of West Windsor, Ver- mont. The Class of 1858 sent two boys to Middlebury, Henry A. Eaton of Granville, Vt., and E. Oscar Lee of
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The Perkins Green Mountain Institute
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Vernon, Vermont. Eugene H. Richards of North Attle- boro, Mass., went to Tufts and Charles C. Smith of West Cornwall, Conn., to the Vermont University. Unfortu- nately the Catalogues cease to tell who went to College after 1860, but it is known that Almon Gunnison of Hali- fax, N. S., Frank T. Christie, Henry M. Christie, William Mack, all residents of Woodstock, went to Tufts. Henry Priest of Mechanicsville was college trained and taught at St. Lawrence.
The Catalogue for 1873 says that 150 students can be accommodated. The corporation owns a large brick house which is the old boarding house kept by Mr. Morgan. Board including fuel, lights, washing is $3.50 a week. Room for self boarding may be had. Some of the Wood- stock young people who attended the school in 1873 were Clara Mckenzie, Jennie L. Sherwin, Alice and Ella Wash- burn, Eva and Emma McClay, Sidney W. Richardson and Elmer H. Sherwin.
Parents and guardians who sent young pupils from a distance, are requested not to furnish them with money which they can spend at pleasure or authorize credit but put the money into the hands of the Principal which is necessary for their use. "An indiscriminate use of money is the bane of the student's life if he is disposed to spend it lavishly." The item in the Catalogues on the Government of the schools says, "It is mild and parental, yet firm and decisive. The rules of the Institute and Boarding house are simple, reasonable and practicable, and each pupil is re- quired to obey them, not only for the welfare of the whole school but for his own good."
"The Philomathean Society has a Library. There is a
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good Library of seven hundred volumes in the Village to which students have access by paying 121/2 cents per term. A reading room has been opened containing some fifty Periodicals from all parts of the country. The Philo- mathean Society holds meetings every Friday evening for debate, essays, orations, declamations, etc. Two papers, one edited by gentlemen, the other by ladies, are read at each meeting. A semi-annual examination takes place at the close of the fall and spring terms to which parents and other interested persons are invited. An exhibition is given at the close of the fall term consisting of original Orations and Colloquies." On May 21, 1873, the students' semi- annual exhibition took place. The Woodstock Cornet Band furnished music. The door opened at 6:45 P.M. and exercises commenced at 7:30. The admission was 25 cents.
It is interesting to read the programs of the public exer- cises given by the students. The boys always have some vivid subjects for their orations and the girls have wishy- washy sentimental stuff. It is a wonder that the young women ever developed into students and finally public speakers. Here are some of the subjects which the boys had: Latin Oration, Republica Americana, Chronicle of Recent Events, Consequences of the American Revolu- tion, Vermont, The Evils of War, Improvement of Our Common Schools, The True Dignity and Grandeur of a Nation, The Scholar, The True Reformer, L'Etude du Langue Francais, The Political Influence of Woman, The Eloquence of John Adams, Progress of Civilization, The Dishonest Politician.
The poor girls write essays and here are some of their
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subjects. The Mission of Dew-Drop, Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver, the Goblet of Life, Every Heart Has its Hidden Sorrows, Fireside Angels, Light and Shade, The meaning of a Tear Drop, Sad Tidings, Guardian Angels, Scattered Blessings. Lucy Bacon of Boston in 1861 wrote an essay on "It Might Have Been." I knew her well after we came East to live. She was one of decided women, deeply interested in reforms and standing up, true and straight for what she believed. She married a South Wood- stock man, Lake Ransom, and one of her sons teaches at Tufts College. One thanks Heaven for the Lucy Bacons who could get away from sentimentality and become real leaders in vital things of life, holding fast to ideals but facing all duties with practical sense.
At the annual Exhibition in 1856, after thirteen ora- tions had been given, there followed a play dramatized - from a novel called Marion Lester, written by Minnie Davis, who had been a student at the Institute. Her father was a well known Universalist Minister. Miss Davis wrote several novels and some poetry which in her time attracted considerable attention. Her sisters as well as she, were all students at the Institute. Many of the programs of the Annual Exhibitions during Dr. Lee's regime have been saved by the Lee family and have been made accessible for my use.
This Society, called the Philomathean, flourished for several years, its membership consisting of the students. They published a paper, all written by hand with a highly decorated cover, with wreaths and mottoes and the names of the editors. The sheets were tied together with either pink or blue ribbons. The editorials all began on the
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cover. The hand writing is very fine, the ink is much faded in the seven volumes which I have been privileged to see. Each issue contained twelve or fourteen pages with two columns to each page.
Of course the school had lectures by important people on important subjects. Prof. Conant, State Superintendent of Education, lectured at the Academy, March 12, 1877. The music pupils of F. C. Benjamin were now giving con- certs.
The Vermont Standard of February 6, 1879, "says that Prof. N. P. Wood, Principal of the Academy, manifests commendable zeal in the management of the school. He brought with him this fall one of the Miller first-class pianos. He has also added a new Philosophical and chem- ical apparatus at a cost of $400.00. The money has been given by friends of the school. He has arranged with sev- eral Doctors to give six or eight lectures on Anatomy and Physiology. They will be useful." These physicians who were then announced to speak at the school were, Dr. Richmond and Dr. Sherwin of Woodstock, Dr. Turner of Barnard, Dr. Rugg of Hartland and Dr. Guild of Felch- ville. "Dr. Sherwin gave an illustrated lecture on the eyes and showed that there is more in the human eye than is dreamed of in our philosophy."
Prof. John P. Marshall of Tufts College gave a lecture at the Institute on Chromo-Lithography, Tuesday, March 16, 1869. The students of the Institute gave a dance in the National hall on Friday evening, May 18, 1871. Hawkins' Band furnished the music. The students gave a gymnastic performance in the National hall in August, 1872, with a very large attendance; 15 cents admission was charged.
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Frank C. Hatch was announced to give his lecture on his Travels in Europe at the Academy on September 10, 1879, and Geo. M. Clark will tell either of his trip to the West or to Mammoth Cave at an early date. The Rev. George Emerson came various times from Boston to speak at the school. With lectures, public exhibitions, concerts, the life of the student body was kept interesting.
The Legislature of 1860 was asked to drop the word Liberal from the official name of the school. It was not done till the following year. There was a school at Plymouth Union which used the word liberal in its title, and some confliction ensued and some feeling, so the South Woodstock school dropped that word and it was called The Green Mountain Institute. At the annual meeting of the trustees in 1869 they voted to change the name once more, which of course had to be done by Legislative Act. Gaius Perkins, long connected with the school in official capaci- ties, had died and willed to the school for its permanent fund a $1000.00 United States bond. In gratitude to his generosity and devoted service the name of the school be- came, The Green Mountain Perkins Academy.
During the early years, the Institute was dependent on the tuitions for its support but it was discovered at once that this was not adequate and money had to be raised to meet the annual deficits. The Trustees soon began to con- sider raising a permanent fund sufficiently large so that the interest from it would cover the expenses. They always had a large number of men on the Board, men of real standing and worth. The Rev. Warren Skinner served for twenty years as one of the Trustees. His children attended the school and some of them taught in it. At the annual
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meeting in 1859 the Trustees voted to raise $10,000 as a permanent fund. Mr. Henry Walker of South Woodstock, and the Rev. E. S. Foster in 1866 started out to get this amount. Nathan Lamb of Bridgewater, many years one of the Trustees, had from the early years of the school served as Collector to raise money for the annual deficits.
THE GREEN MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE SUBSCRIPTION BOOK OF ENDOWMENT 1866
CONDITIONS OF SUBSCRIPTION OF THE GREEN MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE ENDOWMENT
We the undersigned promise and agree to pay according to the conditions herein specified the sums set opposite our names to the Green Mt. Institute or to the order of the Institute's Ex. Com. agreeably to the following requirements for the pur- poses of endowing the Institute.
It is proposed by the friends of the Institute now at South Woodstock, Vermont, to raise $13,000 or more, the subscrip- tions to become binding when the sum of $10,000 has been subscribed.
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The Conditions of payment are these viz .: Sums not exceeding $25.00 shall be payable within 30 days after the above amount of $10,000 has been subscribed. Sums exceeding $25.00 and less than $100.00 shall be paid at the time said $10,000 is raised and the remainder one year after; Sums of $100.00 or more shall be paid one fourth in 30 days after the $10,000 is raised and the remainder in 3 equal payments, provided all sums becom- ing due after one year from the time the required sum shall have been subscribed, shall be on interest until the sum is paid.
We the undersigned do hereby bind ourselves and our heirs and assigns forever to the fulfillment of the foregoing agree- ment.
South Woodstock, Vermont, May 1866 G M.P A Endowment
Benjamin Hathorn, C. D. Perkins, E. H. Slayton, Daniel Claf- lin, James Powers, H. C. Hoadley, Isaac Parker, Isaac Kendall, Billy Brown, R. E. Townsend, S. E. Munger, J. H. Murdock, J. H. Murdock & Son, Geo. Mellish, G. E. French, Alvin Hatch, Chas. Dana, A. G. Brown & Son, Russell, Clark and Randall, J. B. Jones, Chas. Chapman, F. N. Billings, M. F. Morrison, L. C. Kendall, H. C. Drew, G. D. Cabot, H. H. H. Rood, J. D. Hewitt, W. L. Damon, Foster & Eaton, Joseph Kennedy, A. & I. T. Fullerton, Sanford Wilder, Mrs. M. A. Wilder, Franklin Perry, Ira Kendall, Galen Persons, C. R. Larrabee, Gaius Perkins, R. M. Morgan, R. T. Hopkins, Mrs. E. M. Brewster, Lewis Pratt, Wm. Bailey, N. T. Churchill, G. M. Perry, Lemuel Gillingham, Thomas Christie, Job Rich- mond, J. S. Richmond, Edwin Hazen, Gilman Henry, J. N. Haskell, George French, H. V. French, F. A. Holt, E. W. Bridge, Mrs. R. H. Buckman, B. G. Bigelow, Nathan Lamb, Philander Smith, Hiram Spaulding, O. F. Hemenway, J. S. Slack, Walter Palmer, Gaius Perkins, Samuel Wood, Oliver Kendall, John Farnsworth, Robt. Elwell, Jonas Aldrich, John
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Minard, G. D. Barton, B. L. Holt, F. G. Folsom, N. T. Churchill, S. E. Munger, Geo. Mellish, F. P. Kendall, J. G. Powers, R. M. Slayton, C. H. Larrabee per Thornton, I. A. Kendall, C. D. Perkins, E. C. Hoadley, Hiram Holt, Mrs. E. M. Brewster, H. C. Drew, Ira Kendall, Daniel Claflin, E. K. Atwood, Sanford Wilder, Mrs. M. A. Wilder, Charles Wash- burn, Nathan Lamb, R. M. Morgan, H. W. Walker, Samuel C. Hubbard, R. T. Hopkins, Isaac Parker, C. F. Lincoln, Wm. Bailey, R. E. Townsend, Galen Persons, Wm. Bailey, Franklin Perry, S. R. Fletcher, R. M. Slayton, Nathan Procter per E. S. Foster, J. W. Smith, C. K. Larrabee per C. C. Thornton, F. P. Kendall, Isaac Kendall, Nathan Lamb, Daniel Claflin, Maria Burgess, E. C. Hoadley, Isaac Kendall, Hiram Holt, Nathan Lamb, Justin S. Montague, Sullivan White, R. M. Morgan, C. D. Perkins, L. C. Kendall, O. F. Hemenway, J. M. Slack, Galen Pearsons, James D. Perkins, B. E. Townsend, J. Ralph, E. K. Hoadley, Andrew Smith, Charles Washburn, John W. Standish, S. R. Fletcher, B. G. Bigelow, R. M. Slayton, Oliver Kendall, F. P. Kendall, J. M. Slack, Hiram Holt, Silas Perry, Isaac C. Lewis, E. C. Hoadley, C. K. Larrabee per Thornton, C. D. Perkins, Bartlett Bent, By note from I. T. Fullerton, By note from Elias Logan, Samuel C. Hubbard by check, Jos. Adams by check, E. H. Slayton part by note, E. C. Hoadley, C. D. Perkins, C. D. Perkins, C. D. Perkins, C. D. Perkins.
He made payments on different dates which accounts for the repetition of his name. It also accounts for other duplications.
The financial report for 1869 stated the Boarding house and meadow were valued at $2800, the store and pound lot at $1400, money not collected but charged $2697. Due from C. D. Perkins $3971, bonds $1025, note, $100, due from Mr. Gifford $25, in Treasurer's hands $230. The
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Slack farm was valued at $5000, the amount which had been paid for it by the Academy. The present hotel property was also owned by the school many years. The report for 1875 listed the real estate at $9200. The school held Wood- stock town bonds for $1400, Bridgewater bonds for $300. The Academy building was valued at $1800. These items with others brought the assets up to more than $12,000. In 1876 Nathan Churchill gave the school $1000. In 1884 the Academy leased to Forest Gilson 45 acres of land.
On July 28, 1896, a meeting was called to sell the hotel property, but instead of voting to sell, they voted to make some repairs costing from $250 to $350. This property was finally sold to Melvin J. Holt and money was loaned him for repairs, and he conveyed by deed to the Academy, the Carleton Morgan property adjoining the hotel. He also gave a mortgage on the furnace of the hotel and in addi- tion to the annual interest, a payment had to be made yearly on the debt. It was also voted at this meeting to sell the Academy woodhouse for $2.50 or $3.50. Eventually the Slack Farm was sold. A small sum still exists which is available for needed repairs on the building. The Academy is used by the Social Circle for its meetings and other public meetings are sometimes held in it. Since 1911 an annual reunion of former students and teachers is held one day in August. Their meetings are of much interest and keep alive the memories of the days when the school flourished.
The last two graduates were Alice M. Temple of South Woodstock and Milton J. Pierson of Brownsville. They finished their work in 1890. During the latter years of the school the custom was to hold, instead of three, only two
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terms. In the earlier years, the winter term was on occa- sion omitted. When the war between the States occurred so many boys entered the Army that the school was deeply affected.
To give the names of the Principals of the school from the time it started till it closed, is a bit difficult for in some instances a man acted in that capacity for only one term, and some one else served for the other two terms. Then for some strange reason the Academic year closed in No- vember and that adds to the difficulty. John Ward, the first Principal, served two years. D. M. Reed, Wm. Putnam, W. C. Cram, Wm. Putney followed. An Alumnus of Am- herst College of the Class of 1843, J. S. Lee, served from 1852 through 1858 and was succeeded by Moses Marston who later taught at St. Lawrence University. Dr. Lee went to St. Lawrence University at Canton, N. Y., to teach and stayed there till his death. Nehemiah White was Principal for one term at least. Wm. R. Shipman when he became Principal found that the school had been closed for nine months. Prof. Wm. Ransom sent me Professor Shipman's account of his life in South Woodstock written in his beautiful handwriting in a little red Morocco book. I quote from it, "I did not have smooth sailing nor did I expect to have. During the four years, I expelled three and dismissed four. I worked in the school from five to fourteen hours a day, averaging nine hours daily. I was absent from the school in those four years, less than three days." He gives the number of students who attended and then says, "For the four years my receipts deducting board were $440 a year. This was twice as much as the Trustees could afford today. The school introduced me to an ex-
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