Thayer Academy - Black and Orange Yearbook (Braintree, MA)

Page 16 text:

.. - 'GI' .--..,.,...,. . P q,,r .-.--.Y ..a.-Y--5-14,'.'.f'fsr-K. 'f'f'-si ehiat-M' RSPB: N' fs X A i- ws-:. 'A 9-:,, 'aff -4- .try 35 I-5611, 192,31 N 55.9.4 . V lx..- fl: N51 fri ,. w . .n.-- 1-Tr I gigg, A 'i K- V t if .A xg:-I AR 'fn-'. .f .frvh y I II eff '-' - w Ms,-, ng u. Semi-Centennial Pageant OUR HERITAGE On Saturday afternoon, June eighteenth, on the Academy lawn, was given the Semi-Centennial Pageant, in which the entire school participated. The pageant was divided into two distinct parts: first, a series of episodes in the life of General Sylvanus Thayer, showing his relation to education, and second, the symbolic representation of the various departments giving an insight into the Thayer of Today. Thus it was purposed to show the tradition upon which the Academy was founded and the richness of the heritage which is its cherished possession. In the prologue, Youth, impersonated by Carlisle Abell, is drawn from the midst of a care-free and irresponsible dance by the Spirit of Education, Viekery Hubbard. in order To ope his eyes, new blinded, to the Light Of Opportunity cmd Privilege rare, Unfold the Past, reveal the Preserit's'eall, And give to him the Future's golden hey. As they watch the pageant proceed, the Spirit of Education interprets to Youth the meaning of the different episodes. In the first episode, in part one of the pageant, Youth sees Sylvanus Thayer as school master in a district school 'tamid New Hampshire hills in early days surrounded by young children Hgathered there to learn of him. The first part of the second episode occurs at Dartmouth College at the time of Commencement in 1807 when Sylvanus Thayer as he is about to serve as valedictorian of his class, receives his appointment to West Point. Scene two of this episode pictures the activity of the civil engineers of the Thayer School of Civil Engineering which General Thayer gave to Dartmouth in 1867. And now a school to special training lent Bears there his name, and forth its students sends. 12

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rav i 4 A . M. Q -M, ,E-J,-,A-Q X 2 s. ,f,5f. .i,-,-:V xp-:rt .. -LZfAi.r.r:2 r !.L. A X wg mfr' N -,U mg ,xg - 4 --,.,,-4-rr 1- .. , 1 . H Q , X39 vga-,-.u .1 1 . YY . I,-xy. . v-' an ' v- A X A s - w ,dfcffrg-, M, 8 LJ A-'1'f4, ,Q i GEORGE EATON LANE, AB., A.M. H:11'v:11'rl Uriivcrsity and Colunibia University Latin ROBERT CAMERON LEGGETT, AB., Ed.M. Harvard University F rench VANCE WESLEY MONROE l'nivm-1-sity Extrusion, gA1l1Cl'if'2LI1 Institute of Nornial Methods Jlzmfr' LILLIAN MAE SLEEPER, A.B. Boston University Latin LOUIS E FR ANC' ES R YER Sf JN Secrdary 11

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-n ' Q - ,thu N ,I 4 , Qwiai-, fm :fl ,. Q 'Zx-y u J YC, A 5 -4, VL: 1 L1 Q , X Q W Li AK '-W -' f Y -X ' ff-'mf' A 21 , i'3 'ffM1 fs f Youth next sees Sylvanus Thayer at West Point in 1817, giving the call to the cadets. He has been appointed Superintendent of the Academy, and is straight- ening out a disorganized school for: -When West Point was in her sorcst need, She called him forth, the greatest of her sons, To come to build up ufhat had fallen down, And raise a structure worthy of the name. Again NVesti Point is shown to Youth when, in 1883, a magnificent statue of General Thayer is presented to the Military Academy by General Cullum. of the Class of 1833 and accepted by General Merritt, Superintendent,-- a monument reared in loving gratitude to the 'Father of the Military Academy., ll Episode Four commemorates the establishment by General Thayer of a public library in Braintree and the provision made in his will Htor thc purpose of appropriating a sum not exceeding sixty thousand dollars to be used for the purchase of a piece of land in Braintree, and for the erection of an edifice or edifices thereon, suit- able for an academy in which young persons ot both the male and female sex shall be educated. Thus Scholarship, Service, Loyalty, and Obedience form the cornerstone of the Thayer Academy. The first part of the pageant is over and the Spirit of Education speaks to General Thayer: f'Your zworlc is done. Nou' may we show you here What has been urought of all you left in trust. From its beginning much has come to pass, The fruit of that small seerl you planted long ago. 13