BrewsterConnections(PDF) - Brewster Academy

More documents

Recommendations

Info

History History History History Writing Brewster’s History 125 Years: Ten Turning Points By Bob and Shirley Richardson 1899 Chemistry Lab As we researched and later wrote The Brewster Story, we discovered a number of critical points in the school’s rich history where, had the board and principals and headmasters responded differently at these crucial times, the school would likely have been weakened considerably and the likelihood of its continued existence questioned. Looking back, as we celebrate 125 years of history, several turning points or crossroads stand out and are worth reflection. organized with dress dinner parties in The Estabrook followed by dancing. Looking ahead, the Academy acquired substantial acreage extending to the lake and along Main Street, the heart of the present-day Academy campus. Just 13 years later another defining event occurred which would change life on campus forever. The Great Fire in 1903 destroyed the Academic Building and shook the confidence of the board, faculty, and students. Amazingly, classes continued without interruption and eventually a new Academic Building and stronger programs emerged from those ashes. The school opened its new facility on September 11, 1905, with 133 students and eight teachers. Classes in elocution, music, and physical education were added to the curriculum, and room in the basement of the new building provided a rudimentary gymnasium. Chapel exercises were held each morning in the newly designed second floor multi-purpose meeting hall that provided space for the entire school community and, at times, the town of Wolfeboro to gather for various activities. Communication and cooperation between the school and town grew stronger. The first defining moment in the history of Brewster came in 1887 with the appointment of Edwin Lord as principal, and with this appointment John Brewster’s dream of a quality college preparatory school to serve the students of his hometown began to come true. Working with trustees of John Brewster’s will, Principal Lord almost immediately began to recruit a faculty, design a curriculum, and plan a campus. An Academy Building, a four-story structure that included recitation rooms and a science laboratory, was ready in late 1890; it was followed by The Estabrook, Lord House, Kimball House, Sargent House (the old infirmary; not Sargent Hall), and Haines House. The curriculum was designed for college-bound students. Teams were fielded in basketball, baseball, and football. Social events were formally Students relax in the Estabrook living room, circa 1925 46 BrewsterConnections – Spring 2012
A World at War Within 12 years the world was at war and the operation of a boarding school campus became an extremely difficult task for administration, faculty, and the board of trustees. The town and school joined together and published information about the efforts of the Red Cross, YMCA and YWCA, food drives, liberty bond sales as well as announcements about important speakers and the letters that arrived from graduates serving overseas. Slogans of “Save Food,” “Do Your Bit,” and “Save Water” were seen and heard across campus. The girls gathered to sew and knit gloves, mittens, socks, and sweaters, and they rolled linen bandages for the wounded. Young people had to face the reality of death with anguish and bravery. Young male students left the classroom to enlist in the army, and full enrollment became a challenge. Influenza, measles, and mumps epidemics were on the rise. Of four students who had gathered to play games on a Friday night, two had died from influenza by Monday morning. unsupervised automobile usage, and promoted a courteous regard for the wishes of the school. As the Depression set in, fewer boarding students applied for admission, vacancies went unfilled, and funds from tuition decreased. Estabrook Hall and Kimball House were the only two dorms, as Brown Hall had been closed due to lack of students. This rapidly declining boarding population was troubling. Another concern was the high attrition rate of incoming freshmen who left school before graduating. Thus, in 1939, with declining enrollment, school facilities in disrepair, little funds for athletics, the realities of another world war looming, and the worry about fiscal responsibilities, for the first time, tuition was charged for day students. A change in financial management of the school was imminent. As the war ended, the trustees commissioned a bronze plaque in remembrance of the 116 male and four female students from Brewster who had served their country. That plaque continues to hang in a prominent place in the Academic Building. School spirit was high after the war with sports competitions and annual plays and dances. The happy opening of the 1919 school year turned to sadness, however, with the deaths of two prominent, original members of the board of trustees who had long served Brewster so well: William Brewster (John’s son) and Arthur Estabrook. The next turning point came during the 1930s when the country faced a downturn in the economy, which impacted Brewster as well. Maintenance delays left academic and dormitory areas in disrepair, and unbecoming behavior was reflected in some students. A new document, “The Code for Brewster Students,” stipulated home study hours, approved school and town organization memberships, required attendance at churches, restricted unsupervised night travel outside the home, curtailed A Second War Another critical period in the school’s history arrived with World War II. After the seventh of December 1941, life in Wolfeboro and Brewster would never be the same. The Brewster yearbook records that 231 local boys had enlisted or were drafted into the armed services. On campus Brown Hall became the control center for the Civilian Defense Committee, the Civil Air Patrol, and the headquarters for obtaining ration stamps for food and gasoline. Students were involved in Savings Stamps, Savings Bonds, planting Victory Gardens, and participating in wartime clubs. As the war ended the presence of GIs as students became significant. In 1946 the school enrollment was 279 students, 86 of whom were veterans. Classrooms were overcrowded, and combat-hardened GIs became restless and bored with school routine, creating problems for students and teachers alike. A tension developed between the members of the senior class and the GIs who were unfamiliar with school traditions. On a positive note, however, all athletic teams prospered with the contributions of the GIs. Soon the GIs would move on and the ever-growing need for a Commencement 1939 Bobcat Nation’s first tennis courts, 1896 www.brewsteracademy.org 47
Page 2 and 3: In a class participation project, p
Page 4 and 5: Reflecting on the Relevancy of Earl
Page 6 and 7: Emotions Matter The Relevancy and A
Page 8 and 9: Projects Shaping Senior Year By Mar
Page 10 and 11: Project-Based Learning Evolves have
Page 12 and 13: Project-Based Learning Evolves From
Page 14 and 15: Dr. Cooper, a Klingenstein Fellow I
Page 16 and 17: My Greatest Brewster Moment In cele
Page 18 and 19: Living the Dream, Brendan Quirk ’
Page 20 and 21: Staying Connected Whether you are a
Page 22 and 23: Newsmakers Artists’ Work Selected
Page 24 and 25: Trey Whitfield ’89 Memorial Celeb
Page 26 and 27: Brewster On The Road Europe October
Page 28 and 29: By Kristy Kerin This year Brewster
Page 30 and 31: HOOPLA by Matt Hoopes The Quarter-C
Page 32 and 33: HOOPLA Lynne Palmer, Bobcat Since 1
Page 34 and 35: HOOPLA I often wondered if the conc
Page 36 and 37: HOOPLA Kate Turner, Bobcat Since 19
Page 38 and 39: HOOPLA Kim Ross, Bobcat Since 1987
Page 40 and 41: Class Notes 1936 Cecil Wentworth wr
Page 42 and 43: Class Notes and fossil hunting in N
Page 44 and 45: Class Notes Mark Wong ‘92, Lauren
Page 46 and 47: Class Notes (l to r): Lambert de Ga
Page 50 and 51: multipurpose athletic and recreatio
Page 52: Brewster Academy 80 Academy Drive W

BrewsterConnections(PDF) - Brewster Academy

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?