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The The Gould Academy Journal 1886 - 2011 Posted:
October 20, 2011 |
1893 1892
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INTRODUCTION For years
before and after 1886 Bethel wrestled with the question of high school
education for its scholars. Despite Gould’s Academy
being a locally owned Gould’s Academy had helped many young However, year after year the town’s voters could not arrive at an
agreeable formula for providing free public high school education for their
children at either Gould’s Academy or at a separate town high school. Many
voters doubted that high school was essential to their children’s To demonstrate the “for and against” numbers involved, look at the
special town meeting of The photograph (left) was printed in a special addition of the Bethel
News in January 1904. Built in 1881 it was constantly modified right up to
1933 when the current Hanscom Hall replaced it as the main academic building.
At the end its entrance looked much like Hanscom Hall.
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1886 Gould’s Academy 1886 was the 50th anniversary year of the Maj. Gideon
Hastings,
65, one of Mr. Goodwin R.
Wiley,
40, was Secretary of the Gould’s Academy trustees – skilled druggist and
pharmacist – prominent Mason – held the second highest office in the Grand
Lodge – noted for his excellent clerical work. Mr. William E.
Skillings,
40, chaired the trustee’s Executive Committee. He was president and principal
owner of the Bethel Steam Mill Company. |
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In 1886, Gould
Academy’s school building was five years old, having been built in 1881. The
1881 school building succeeded the orginal Bethel
Academy school house built in 1836. |
It was located on Church Street in Bethel
approximately where the current Hanscom Hall is in 2007. The only public room
in this building was the library / reading room. At least monthly local newspapers ran a sentence
or two inviting Bethel people to visit the reading room where daily papers
and monthly journals were part of the public’s reading materials. Gould Academy did
not have a public assembly hall in 1886.
Graduating exercises, student performances and oral examinations /
declamations were usually held at Ideal Hall. Two other halls available for
the academy’s use were Rialto Hall on Main Street and Pattee’s Hall on Spring
Street. |
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Other
prominent Ceylon Rowe, 48, Gilman P. Bean, 61 long time
merchant and storekeeper; Addison E.
Herrick, William E.
Skillings,
40, President of Bethel Steam Mill Co.;
Alfred W. Valentine, 45,
Bethel’s school committee; |
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The Gould Academy Journal - 1886 January 8, 1886, The Oxford County Advertiser published a Gould’s
Academy advertisement with the following information: The spring term of
Gould’s Academy will begin Tuesday, March 2, and continue for 13 weeks.
“Classical and Academic courses of study are established and advantages are
offered to those unable to follow one of the regular courses. Special courses
will be formed during the coming term to favor those who have been teaching
during the winter. For any other information address the Principal, A.F.
Sweetser Bethel Maine. “ Bethel Annual Town Meeting “Article 17 – to see if the town will vote to raise a sum of $500 in
connection with the Academy fund for the support of a high school to be free
for all scholars residing in town.” 3-19-1886 . Gould Academy is running full blast with about one
hundred scholars, many from distant towns. H.F. West, Esq., of Upton sends two daughters. Gould’s Academy opened Tuesday, the 9th,
with one hundred scholars; A.F. Sweetser, Principal and Miss Cobb of Bates
College and Miss Susie B. Twitchell Assistants. The Trustees of the Academy
Fund decided that they cannot unite with the town in a free high school
without forfeiting their fund. 5-14-1886
(Advertiser) Thirty-four local district teachers met at Gould’s Academy
April 24th to be examined by the Superintending School Committee
of Bethel. Those receiving the rank of 90 per cent and upwards were ten, viz:
C.E. Valentine, Henry Hastings, Edith A. Philbrook, Mary R. Eames, Ida
Hazelton, Han B. Jewett, Ella B. Eames, May Harmon, Mary Chapman, Etta Howe. July 30, 1886
(Advertiser): “Gould’s Academy, Bethel,
begins its fall term August 24th under the management of W.R.
Howard of Belfast. A graduate of Maine State College, assisted by Susie B.
Twitchell, a daughter of S.B. Twitchell of Bethel and H.T. Johnson, a
graduate of Princeton College. We esteem this corps of teachers a very strong
working power, and the Executive Committee of the Trustees, of whom William
E. Skillings, esq., is chairman, is very fortunate
in their selection of so efficient a staff of instructors. Mr Howard is highly
recommended as a progressive scholar, especially efficient in mathematics and
the sciences. Miss Twitchell we all
know to be an exceptional worthy preceptress of successful experience, and
Mr. Johnson has studied two years in a university in Germany and lived two
years in France and is well up in the languages. Miss Hall needs no
recommendation from us as a teacher of painting and music having spent
several winters at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and a lady
we all know. 10-15-1886:The young ladies at
Gould Academy gave a sociable last Friday evening at Rialto Hall, which was a
thoroughly enjoyable occasion. Games were played, refreshments served, and
when the time for going home came, all voted that the girls knew how to
manage an affair of the kind as well if not better than the young gentlemen. Bethel can boast of one of the best institutions of
learning in the State, Gould’s Academy, from which have gone forth into our
vast country, men of brains and intelligence and have taken their stand on
the very pinnacle of fame and made their mark in the world. Professor Howard, A.M., and his staff of assistants and
teachers, led off by Mr. Johnson, a teacher of languages, a
gentlemen who graduated from one of the best institutions of learning
in all Germany, and other proficient helpers. The present number of students
is 82 and we are expecting a large increase for the winter term. An Academy boarding house is being
talked up and is very much needed and we hope another year to introduce the
students of neighboring towns to a boarding house of minimum prices and good
appointments |
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Spring term will
begin Tuition: $7.00 English and $6.00 Languages.
Good board can be obtained at reasonable rates with private families in the
village. For further information inquire of W. R. Howard - |
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February 14, February 28, March 6, May 5, August 28, the fall term of Gould Academy commences
Sept. 4th, Tuesday, in charge of A. C. Dresser, A.B., principal,
with an able corps of assistants ( Prof. Linscott and Miss Wingate). Mrs. Abiel Chandler opens her house to
school boards at $2.50 a week. December 4, the fall term of |
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12/17/1889: : Several students from West Bethel are going to Gould Academy
this winter – more intend to enroll in the spring and have made boarding
arrangements. Pref. Hall is fast gaining an excellent reputation as an
impartial worker in his calling. |
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An above average
amount of news about Gould Academy circulated in 1890; much of it seems tied
to the energies, outreach and widened scope of interest of the new academy principal,
Arthur D. Hall who had been hired in August, 1889. On the other hand, the
Town of The hand of
Professor Hall’s influence could be seen in four academy activities: (1)
expansion of the school’s library to include promoting its availability to
the townspeople; (2) the organization of a Gould Academy Athletic
Association, (3) encouragement of local teachers to apply for Normal Courses
to help improve the quality of education for local public school teachers;
and (4) personally traveling outside of Bethel Hill village to visit students
and their families. In January, Gould
gave public notice of its recently expanded library, also open to visitors,
that included two daily Boston newspapers, two county newspapers, Harper’s
Weekly as well as educational, scientific and literary journals. These
publications would be available in the newly arranged reading room. March news invited
teachers to normal lectures at the Academy with lecture subjects being Aids
and Methods in Teaching, History, In
what seemed like a proposal to assume the academy into the town school
system, the 1890 annual town meeting warrant included this article for voter
consideration: Art 26th. To see if the town will
vote to accept the building and other property now in the hands of the
Trustees of Gould Academy, if said Trustees shall vote to surrender the said
property to the town; and to establish and maintain said Academy as a free
high school under the provisions of sections 30, 37, 38, and 39 of the
Schools Laws of Maine, and to appropriate such sum of money as may be necessary to support and maintain said Academy as a
free high school. This article failed to pass. Moreover, the Trustees were concerned that
money received from the state would be forfeited if the academy in effect
became a public high school. In April 1890, the academy announced formation of the On May 22nd
at Ideal Hall the In June, the trustees announced that they had engaged Prof. Hall for another year. The academy
advertised its fall term for 1890 as follows: Autumn Term Commences, In
September, The newly formed athletic association
provided these two news items: The Gould Academy
Athletic Association has just received $18 worth of tennis good from Gould Academy Athletic Association gave an
exhibition at Ideal Hall on November 14th. The program consisted
of a variety of gymnastic events including the parallel bars and the high
kick. The high kick was won by Archie Grover with a kick that reached 7 feet
and 10 inches. Young ladies presented a dumb bell drill - all of this from
the careful coaching of Prof Hall. |
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January 20: The
village schools have closed and due to the shortness of the winter term a
private school has opened for those who wish to attend at the academy and
taught by Miss Inez Stewart. January
27: The second of the series of
lectures being given at March
3: The winter term of April
24: A business college course of exercises is introduced into May 15: The
Gould Academy Athletic Association has just finished grading and fixing a nice lawn for croquet. The popular The
Bethel Water Company has voted to give water to the two public schools in
town and to [Special to the Gould Academy
Alumni Association. For some time it
has been thought by the students of Gould Academy, that it would be an excellent
plan to form an alumni association, in order that at least once a year, a
reunion might be held of those scholars and classmates, who have gone out
from the Academy from year to year. But heretofore, no steps have been taken to carry out
this plan, until at the close of the last term, when through the
efforts of Prof. Hall, the two classes of ‘90 and ‘91 met at the Elms House
and formed such an association , electing the following officers: President,
B.L. Bryant; vice President, Maude Kimball; secretary, Alice Pride;
treasurer, Arthur Wiley. But we find that no accurate account has been kept
for the last twenty years, of the various classes. Partly because of the
frequent changes of teachers, and partly because there has been no
organization upon whom this duty would fall. For this reason we would ask, that all those who can
give us information regard to any of the se classes, of who they were
composed, and as far as possible their business and address at the present
time, not only would confer a great favor upon the present officers, but
would help to carry out a work, which we hope will be of some use to the
institution., and productive of many pleasant gatherings in the future. Let each one, for the moment, lay aside their many busy
cares, and , in your thoughts wander back to the
many pleasant and profitable hours spend at the Old Academy, and consider ,
whether or not, it would be pleasant to meet again, the same boys and the
same girls, only of “older growth,” with whom you enjoyed so many happy days. This is what we are striving to do, and
we trust that we shall not be disappointed, but shall receive the cordial aid
of all the former students. Kindly address all communications to the
president at Bethel. September 8: October 13: The second annual field day of the
Interscholastic Athletic League was held at the ( November 27: December 4: |
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1892 Arrangements have been made with the Weather
Bureau so that the academy receives the daily weather report and chart and is
to have the telegraphic reports and display weather signals as soon a the new
flagstaff is erected. At the special
town meeting last Thursday the town
voted 147 to 107 to rescind the vote whereby at the annual meeting $800 was
appropriated to pay tuition of town scholars at Columbus Day Celebration in |
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This catalog is the property of the
Bethel Historical Society. It was
printed by the Lewiston Journal Printers |
The
1892-1893 Gould Academy Catalog contains a wealth
of information about the academy of these years. It showed that the school’s
organization was divided into academics and administration. The trustees were
actively involved in the academy’s administration not just an advisory board.
The Board of Trustees was composed of 13
members. The board was organized into
a panel of officers, an executive committee, examining committee and a
superintendent of academy and grounds. Officers were Gideon A. Hastings,
President Gilman P. Bean, Vice President Goodwin R. Wiley, Secretary Samuel B. Twitchell, Treasurer |
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The Executive Committee was chaired by
Addison E. Herrick, an attorney with four other trustees as members: R.A.
Frye, Enoch Foster, J.U. Purington and Charles Mason. The Examining Committee consisted of
Enoch Foster, Addison Herrick and R.A. Frye. Goodwin Wiley, the
Secretary of the Board was also Superintend
of the Academy and Grounds. Correspondence from academy applicants came
to Mr. Wiley, although as a practical matter Wiley and the principal worked
closely on the enrollment process and in assistance with student boarding. Other members of
the Board of Trustees: A.L. Burbank, Ceylon Rowe, John M. Philbrook and
Albert W. Grover. Corps of
Instructors James D. Merriman, A.B., Principal, Ancient Languages, Science, Book-Keeping Clara D. Merriman, Mathematics, German Mary Chapman, English Prof. W.S. Wight, Vocal Music W.S. Chandler, Assistant in Laboratory Miss M. C. Chapman, Librarian Courses of Study Literary and scientific, commercial and classical courses made up the
academy’s program of study. English compositions and declamations were required of students in all
departments. The academy had a complete business college outfit comprising
merchandise cards, currency and office equipment for wholesale, commission
and freight offices, post office, bank and commercial exchange. Click here for read further in the courses
of study section. Students In the 1893 catalog, a total of 103 students were named as enrolled
for the three terms which made up the school year; the senior level listed
six students. Not all 103 students
attended all three terms however. The catalog’s description of the school building called it new and
commodious. It was situated on the Grand Trunk rail line and pure water was
supplied by the Bethel Water Company. Click here to read further in the students
section. Page
8 of the 1893 catalog covered the Library and Reading Room. The Gould
library was frequently publicized in the county newspapers as being open to
the public. Other paragraphs covered boarding, expenses and general
regulations. Athletics were not covered in this catalog. |
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Principals 1886 – 1893 As evident from the list below, principals changed often at Gould during
this eight year period. Mr. A.D. Hall achieved the longest tenure of all
principals during this period. One can speculate that he might have remained
longer had the town not voted down an article to pay Gould tuition for A.F. Sweetser – winter, spring terms 1886. W.R. Howard – Fall and winter, 1886; spring, fall and winter 1887;
spring 1888. A.C. Dresser – Fall, 1888; spring, 1889. A.D. Hall – Fall and winter, 1889; spring, fall and winter, 1890;
spring, fall and winter, 1891; spring of 1892. James D. Merriman – Fall and winter, 1892; spring, 1893. |
1896
First edition of The Academy Herald was prepared to
cover the 1896 -1897 winter term.
(It seems apparent that the academy
administration was unaware of any previous such publication.)
This first Herald contained
14 printed pages plus front and back and inside covers. It carried 23
advertisements of
Editors:
Managing Editor
Cora H. Farwell
Assistant Editors:
(All
Winnifred Hall
Ethel M Richardson
Alice C Perkins
Ethel Eames
George H. French
Business Managers
Beatrice Kelliher,
Principal:
Fred W Flood, A.B.
Assistants:
Alice E. Purington
Henry L. Small
The first
edition of the Herald contained
these articles: Editorial, “Old Gould’s” (recollections), An Open Letter from
F.O. Small, previous principal, “My Favorite Poet – Sir Walter Scott”,
“Quotations Applied”, “The Home of the Sibyl”, Dryden’s Virgil, “Wanted”
Someone to pronounce Latin for Latin beginners, … continued, “Personals:” “In
Memoriam”, “A Pleasant Occasion” , “The Philomel Society”, “The Prize
Examination”, “Sea Breezes” by Cornelia B. French. (Cornelia French was the
recent graduate remembered In Memoriam;
she died shortly after graduation.)
Printed below is the Personals
column:
Norman Gehring is in
Alice Chamberlin is
attending school
in
Albert C. Eames, G. A. '94,
is now in
Fred Merrill, G. A. '96, is
attending
George Merrow, '96, is
teaching school
at Bryants Pond.
Archer Grover is attending
the Maine State College at Orono.
Miss Cora Walton Hastings
is employed in the
Miss Jennie M. Wood is principal of the Grammar
school in
Favorite saying of the
girls: — "Miss Purington, please play us a waltz."
Miss Joan Stearns, '96,
lately of Shaw's
F. O. Small, a former
popular teacher of Gould's Academy, is now Principal
of Washington Academy,
Miss
Since the laughing girl,
Lizzie Moulton, graduated in '95, she has been
teaching, but is now at the home of her parents in
A Bethel Chair
Company advertisement in the Business Directory of the first Herald:-
1895 -
1896
Catalogue of the Officers
and Students
of
Gould’s Academy
1895 – 1896
Printed at the News Office,
Board of Trustees
G. A.
HASTINGS, G. E. WILEY,
R. A. FRYE,
ENOCH FOSTER, CHARLES MASON,
S. B. TWITCHELL, JOHN
M. PHILBROOK,
A. L. BURBANK, J. U. PURINGTON,
A. E. HERRICK ALBERT W. GROVER,
G. P. BEAN.
Officers for 1895 - 1896
G. A. HASTINGS, President.
CHARLES MASON, Vice-President.
G. R. WILEY, Secretary.
S. B. TWITCHELL, Treasurer.
Executive Committee
A. E. HERRICK, Chairman
R. A. FRYE, ENOCH
FOSTER,
J. U. PURINGTON, CHARLES MASON.
Examining Committee.
JUDGE ENOCH FOSTER, A. E. HERRICK,
A. W. GROVER.
G. R. WILEY. Superintendent of
Academy and Grounds.
Instructors.
Fred Ossian Small, A.B., Principal
Ancient
Languages, Chemistry, Commercial Department
Cora Walton Hastings, A.B.
French,
German, Mathematics, Physics
Alice Emma Purington
English, Literature, History, Astronomy
Winifred
Hall, Librarian
Barton
A Smith, Janitor
Each
catalogue included a brief history of the academy. Authors of these brief
histories were not usually identified; however, each account seemed to cover a
financial or academic aspect of the academy’s background that was sometimes not
found in larger histories.
Historical Sketch
The
people of
No town in the state can boast of having a
larger percentage
of college graduates among its residents or of having sent proportionately so large a number of young men and women to the colleges and seminaries of
The first settlers
brought with them the habits of their Puritan ancestors, and early took
measures to have their children enjoy the
advantages of education. A school was established as early as 1788 and a school-house was soon built.
In 1835 the citizens
formed an organization as trustees of the
The institution was without funds and depended
upon public patronage for support. But in
1842, Rev. Daniel Gould of Rumford,
made a bequest, since known as the "Gould Fund," on condition
that the name be changed to "Gould's Academy in Bethel," which was done. A grant/ of a half-township of
land was made in 1850; this was sold and the proceeds were termed the
''State Fund." In 1855, Dr. John Grover made a donation, the interest of which was to be expended only for chemical and
physical apparatus.
The present academy building was built in 1881,
is well lighted, pleasant, and fully adapted to the purpose for which it was
erected.
Among other gifts to the Academy should be
mentioned those of the citizens of Bethel, who, at different times during the
early days, subscribed such sums as they could for the needs of the institution; and especially in 1882, when $1,123.00
was raised in this way for the purpose of furnishing the new building.
Through the kindness of the Bethel Water Company, the building is supplied
with pure water.
In 1891, by a resolve of the Legislature, the
Academy realized several thousand dollars.
Under the direction of Goodwin R. Wiley, Samuel
B. Twitchell and John M. Philbrook, Committee on Repairs, the Academy has been
thoroughly repaired and renovated during the past year. Steel ceilings are now
used throughout the building; slate blackboards have been placed in all the recitation
rooms; a new floor has been laid in the gymnasium and the walls sheathed with
hard pine; the boys’ coat-room and the small recitation room have been
enlarged; the furniture has been re-finished; and with a bright new coat of
paint inside and out, the Academy has, in all respects the appearance of a new
building.
1897
The 1897 Academy is the first appearance of Principal Frank E.
Hanscom
1913
December 1913: Carroll
E. Valentine, a recent Gould Academy graduate and grandson of Alfred W.
Valentine, wrote a letter to
Gould Academy Principal, Prof. Frank E. Hanscom describing is impressions
of college life at
“College
work is no trifling matter and one needs to know in advance what real study
means and to have sufficient stability of character to stick to it. I believe,
from experience, that Gould’s Academy will give him this knowledge and
training, amid the best surroundings and under the best possible influence.”
July 1920 Teacher Training Course at Gould’s Academy
For nearly ten years this course has played an
important part in supplying trained teachers for the ungraded schools of Bethel
and surrounding towns. The great
shortage of teachers makes this course of more importance than ever before, and
it is the purpose of the school and the desire of the State school officials to
make this course second to none if its kind. To that end no pains have been
spared to secure the best instruction available.
The
election of Miss Carrie M. Wight to take charge of this department should mark
a new era in the history of the course. Miss Wight was graduated from Gould’s
Academy in 1902 as valedictorian of her class.
She then taught for five or six years in ungraded and grammar schools,
thus laying the best possible foundation for a Normal course. Entering Gorham Normal School she was
graduated with high honors in the class of 1911, and was immediately elected
Critic Teacher of the 5th and 6th grades in the training
department of the Machias State Normal School.
After filling this position for two years she was made Supt. of the
Training School, a position she has continued to hold until she resigned to
accept the position at Gould’s.
Miss
Wight has taken summer courses at Hyannis Normal School and Harvard College,
and has done extensive observation work in some of the best schools of the
country, such as the Horace Mann School, New York, and the grade school in
Brookline and Newton, Mass. Few, if any, teachers in the State are better
qualified to direct a Teacher Training course than Miss Wight, and pupils
taking this course may be assured of receiving, with the limits of the course,
as good instruction as can be secured in any of our State Normal Schools.
Pupils,
who have completed two years in a standard high school or academy, can complete
the Normal course in two years. Graduates of such schools by close application,
may complete the strictly (unreadable word) work in one year. A catalogue of
the school will be sent on application to the Principal.
Click here to go to the 1921 announcement about the William Bingham Gym.
The Admissions office building in 2011.
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In 1948 the building was faculty housing for the Andersons (Coach Anderson) and the Bowhays (George Bowhay).
The Alumni Office
In earlier times (1940’s and 1950’s) this was the home
of Ellery Park and his daughter Muriel Park Mason and her husband Harry Mason.
Ordway Hall – 1998
This building holds the main dining hall and kitchen
for students; the second floor has a conference room and meeting room for trustees;
it was dedicated in 1998 and named for Alan Ordway of Bridgton who was Chairman
of the Trustees for many years.
The
Bethel Journals
Donald G. Bennett
PO Box 763
Bethel, Maine 04217