Monson Academy - Academy Bell Yearbook (Monson, MA)

Page 8 text:

TRUSTEES OF MONSON ACADEMY President CARL M. BLAIR Worcester, Massachusetts Treasurer CHARLES L. RICKETTS Monson, Massachusetts Secretary RUFUS P. CUSHMAN Bridgeport, Connecticut PROE. GEORGE S. MILLER, Tufts College, Medford, Massachusetts LOUIS I. BRAINERD, Palmer, Massachusetts IAMES E. ENGLISH, West Hartford, Connecticut ROBERT K. SQUIER, Monson, Massachusetts DONALD S. FRANCIS,. East Hartford, Connecticut IOSEPH E. KERIGAN, Springfield, Massachusetts DR. PRESTON N. BARTON, Hartford, Connecticut IOHN H. LEAHY, West Hartford, Connecticut WILFRED KIMBER, Monson, Massachusetts LAWRENCE WHEELOCK, Hartford, Connecticut DEAN HOMER P. LITTLE, Clark University, Worcester Massachusetts

Page 7 text:

This brief survey would not be complete without a few words about the missionary endeavors of Monson graduates. The Reverend Iames L. Merrick, one of the first American missionaries to Persia, was graduated in 1826, and he later established an endowment fund entitled the Persian Fund. Gilbert Rockwood, class of 1834, went to the South Seas, and William Benton, class of 1839, to Syria. The zealous young Samuel Marsh, who was graduated in 1840, died while preaching the Gospel to the Zulus in South Africa. It was the work of such men as these that helped to attract students to Monson from so many parts of the world. The rise of free secondary education in the latter part of the last century did a great deal to decrease the need for the private school. Some estab- lishments, including Monson Academy, served the purpose of the local high school in many rural communities. Until regular high schools were built, these private schools accepted local students, whose tuition was paid by the town. This somewhat altered the character of the older academies, but in many cases it was the means of their survival. A disastrous fire in 1886 completely destroyed the old Academy Building, but later in the some year a more substantial granite and brick building was erected. The Holmes Gymnasium was built in 1900 by Miss Esther R. Holmes in memory of her father, Cyrus W. Holmes, Ir., and Cushman Hall in 1904 by Thaddeus L. Cushman in memory of his nephew, Frank Chapin Cushman. An older dormitory, Hammond Hall, was at the same time torn down to make room for the present headmaster's residence, Hammond Place. Cushman Me- morial Field was given in 1911 by Edward C. Cushman and Rufus P. Cushman as a memorial to Grace Sedgwick Cushman and Frank Chapin Cushman. After the first World War the town of Monson finally decided to build a separate high school. This action meant that virtually all of the Academy day students would transfer to the new institution. Consequently, the school was again temporarily closed in 1923, while arrangements were made to revert to the old status of a century before. During the next two years the Trustees granted the use of the Academy buildings to the town for use as a high school. In 1926 Monson Academy was reopened as a purely college preparatory school for boys. The new headmaster, Mr. Bertram A. Strohmeier, announced in the 1926 catalogue that the school would be developed on an American adaptation of the English house plan. By this arrangement the boys live in small groups in separate houses under the immediate care of one or more masters. In keeping with this plan an additional dormitory, Morris House, was deeded to the Academy by Miss Esther R. Holmes in 1927, and yet another house, The Homestead,,in 1937, through the generosity of Miss Hattie F. Cushman. No historical sketch of Monson Academy would be quite complete without a tribute to Thaddeus L. Cushman, who was a member of the Board of Trustees for thirty-eight years, Treasurer for thirty-six years, and Secretary-Treasurer of the Monson Academy Alumni Association for forty years. His deeds of unselfishness and benevolence afforded him great pleasure and satisfaction, besides providing necessities and comforts to others less fortunate than he. Mr. Strohmeier was succeeded in 1935 by Mr. George E. Rogers, under whose administration the size of the student body has greatly increased. Plans are now under consideration for the centralization of the school plant in the not-too-distant future.

Page 9 text:

Editor H. RICHARD GREEN Business Manager PAUL THORNTON WELCH Advertisement ROBERT THOMAS DAVID LEVIN IRWIN SWIRSKY Write Ups EDWARD LONCZAK ELIHU MARTIN Art ALAN SMILEY ROBERT HAYWARD CLEONARD ROMEJ Athleiics WILLIAM MARTIN DONALD CHASE WILLIAM FRANCIS DONALD LIPMAN DAVID LEVIN Social BEVERLY ROGERS Photography RICHARD O'MALLEY DAVID CAPLAN MERWIN COHEN KWILLIAM GATES? Will and Prophecy IAMES KELLY ELIHU MARTIN HERBERT ARONSON Sales IRWIN SWIRSKY DAVID LEVIN IERRY LITTLEFIELD 1