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Articles are from SANDY CREEK NEWS, THURSDAY, FEBUARY 1, 1923
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UNION ACADEMY FIREDESTROYED MONDAY MORNINGFire Discovered About 8:30 Before Student Body Arrived Will Be Rebuilt
On monday morning, January 29th at about 8:30 occured one of the disastrous fires in the history of the community of Belleville, when Union Academy was completely destroyed. The alarm came previous to the opening of school and fortunately very few pupils were in the building. the fire was discovered in the basement of the stone part in a small room adjoining the boilerroom. Due to the fact that the basement rooms were kept closed it is believed that the fire had been smouldering for some time in the partitions, and became unmanageable as soon as a draught was caused by opening the doors. The small chemical engine was brought but owing to the lack of water no headway could be made against the flames. The math building became filled with smoke making it impossible to secure entrance to the second floor of the fame building where were situated the study hall for regents' week. These were lost together with about fifteen hundred volumes in the school library and a number of refrence books that had been loaned by the Town Library. Besides the loss of the equipment in classrooms the teachers lost all their text books, refrence books, outlines, notes and supplies. In the lockers seveal of the students lost coats, sweathers, and overshoes. The auditorium on the third floor of the stone building containing the stage and settings, the cenery which had been donated by the senior classes of several years. Many valuable picutes and paintings also in the room. Among these were portraits and paintings of former friends and principals of the school. norris Shepardson, J. Dunbar Houghton, and Dr Galpin The auditorium had been redecorated during the past year. This all heavy wire screen had been erected to protect the walls from damage during basketball practice or games. The old shop on the second flor had been converted into an ideal room for the Home Making Dept., having been completely redecorated by C. A. Church, so that it made the best looking room in the building. New oil stoves, sewing machines, and other equipment amouting to $250, had been secured under the direction of Mrs. William Mather, Mrs. Niles Chapman, Mrs. Cora Eastman and many others who had contributed in time and money. Twenty -eight girls were taking regular Home Making work. Hot lunches were served to those coming from outside districts. The music department was also located on the second floor. the loos of this department is as great of any one department; three pianos, the grand and two upright, and other instruments were destroyed, about $50 of music also. The laboratory, well equipped with chemicals and apparatus was also situated on the second floor. An appropriation of $125 had been given to this department by the school board this year. Last year the Camp Fire Girls furnished a large room on this floor as a rest room which was used by the ?elief Corps. Following the Operetta costumes and stage decorations were stored in this room awaiting the second production of the play. The school shop had been moved to the first floor of the stone building. Under Mr. Charles Eastman's direction new iron posts had been put ?, new concrete floor laid, walls repaired, plastering, painting ando ther repaires completed, making it a fine ? shop wich Mr. church had very completely equipped with his own tools as well as those belonging to the school shop; none of these was saved. In one corner of this shop a ?small room had been partiniioned off and in this a new heater, boiler, sink, and two shower baths had been installed making the equipment complete for athletics. The contents of the principals office including the Regents' papers and reports from the Regents' examinations and the school records were saved. part of the children'sbooks, a few desks and the teachers' records were also rescued. As soon as it was seen that the ? building could not be saved 20 of the members of the board of trustees met to arrange for the continuation of this year's work. the following committee was appointed to make arragnements for the housinjg of the school: c. Eastman, George Wood, and Walter Martin. They have securied the Catholic Church for study and assembly halls and Overton's ? near it for class rooms. Thos ? were occupying the block very ? consented to secure other quarters. Registration will begin Thursday ? and regular classes will begin by next week. Belleville Union Academy has been renouwned edifice of lerning for the past century and although its material loss has been estimated at ?, among the students and alumni its loss cannot be reckoned ? figures. For the past decades the School has been supported by contributions, appropriations, and endowments and for that very reason has grown to hold an almost sacred ? in the hearts of those who have ? it grow.l While the phisical ? of these endeavors have been ? the spirit which build "Old Union" in 1826 still lives and in 1923 Belleville can and will have as fine an institution as in the past.
A HISTORICAL SKETCHUNION ACADEMY BELLEVILLEOne of Our Leading Educational Institutions had its Inception in 1824.Union Academy, long pointed to with pride by residents of Belleville and the town of Ellisburg, had its inception in the work of Rev. Joshua Bradley in 1824. Rev. Mr. Bradley, a Baptist clergyman, organized the Union Literary society at Belleville, also opening an advanced school in the upper part of the John Hayes' dwelling near the Mather mill. He soon presented the manual labor plan of school maintenance, and his idea found such favor with the townspeople that stock was subscribed for the erection of a building on a six acre lot provided by Giles Hall.h the attendance, owing to Jhe On April 13, 1826, the Union Literary society was incorporated by Jotham Bigelow, Orin Howard, James W. Kennedy, John Hagadorn, Amos Heald, Peter N. Cushman, Wesson Thomas, Pardon Earl, Samuel S. Hawes, Edward Booner, Sidney Houghton, Benjamin Barney, Samuel Boydeh, Ebenezer Vebster, Israel Kelly, Jrl, Jesse Hubbard, Hiram Taylor, Henry Green, Rums Hatch, Charles B. Pond, Calvin Clark, John Barney, Samuel Pierce and Godfrey Barney. They were authorized to erect buildings and maintain a school, but it was stipulated that the annual income from their investment should not exceed $5,000. The school was at once established, and occupied rooms in the stone church of the village until the completion of the school budding in 1828. The school was formally dedicated Jan. 1, 1829. The state regents recognized the institution-by incorporating it on Jan. 5, 1830. The first principal was Charles Avery, whose service beganin 1829. Twice during its history the academy (the name was changed to Union Academy in 1861) was on the point of dissolution, although in the main it has held a position of unquestioned strength among the educational institutions of the comunity and state. In the fair of 1837 the school was closed through the prosecution of an action to foreclose mortgage against the property, but the trustees, with the assistance of Rev. Jedediah Burchard, raised enough money to clear the indebtedness. The following year the academy was reopened with an increased attendance, and in 1841 the number of pupils was again increased by receiving those from Rev. J. G. King's Belleville Methodist and Classical school, which had been closed when the academy opened. The other dangerous time for the academy came in 1861, with the outbreak of the Civil War. Several of the teachers and pupils enlisted but through perserverance and energy the classes were maintained until peace arrived. Soon, after the end of the war, the subject of an endowment was suggested, and finally resulted in an invested fund of $35,000. Four endowed scholarships were established, the Frederick Williams, $3,000; the Shepardson, $2,000; the Gaylord memorial fund, which was started in 1893; and the J. J. Mather scholarship, founded in 1894. In its early decades Union college furnished most of the principals and teachers for the academy. Hamilton college, Amherst, Colgate, Cornell and Vassar have also sent teachers to the institution. The peak , of attendance at the academy was-reached in 1866, when 342 students were enrolled. Since 1880 growth of other schools of preparatory rank, has dropped off, and the average attendance for the past several years has been between 100 and 150. Union Academy has truly been of the soil, for by far the majority of its pupils have come from farming homes. Too, its 30 trustees have been men and women almost entirely from the farms. The financial history of the institution, the annals of the voluntary funds for building and the maintenance funds, also furnish ample proof that local farmers have taken a keen and vital interest in the academy at their doors. An analysis of the roll of students shows that every farm but 13 in 25 square miles immediately surrounding Belleville has contributed its boys and girls to the Academy, while in a large community of 225 square smiles about 75 percent the farms have sent students. In the winter of 1856 and 1857 the school had aparently gone as far as possible with its faculties, and Rev. J. Dunbar Houghton, then principal, announced that he had had the offer of a better position and had decided to resign. The board of trustees considered the matter, and offered to enlarge the school if the principal would remain. They immediately set to work and $4,000 was raised. The contract was made and the frame building now in front of the original stone building was erected. The stone part was altered, a chapel being put on the third floor and new recitation rooms added. A suite of rooms was in the new part for the principal and his family. The new school house was opened to pupils in October, 1857. In the summer vacation of 1858 Rev. Houghton rented the building advanced $1,000 with which to complete the third story, and agreed to take as his pay rent at $250 a year. On June 30, 1859, when nthe academy was 35 years old, a great gathering of alnmni was held, with Joseph Mullin, later a supreme court justice, presiding at the dinner.
A GREATER SCHOOLACADEMY'S GRADUATES WILL AIDResume Classes thursday- Walls Dynamited-Condition of Janitor Improved- Many Priceless Relics Lost The burning of Belleville Union Academy Monday morning was merely another chapter in its history. It did not mark the end of the hstoric institution. Hundreds of its graduates have signified their willngness to aid in the rebuilding and it is only a matter of time before a bigger and better building will stand where today are only ruins. School officials are preparing to resume. classes by thursday. Although hampered considerably, it is believed that the fire will cause but little interruption in the schedule of work. The Catholic churc, the Overton block, the Baptist church and the Grange hall will house the majority of pupils. the assembly hall of the high school will be located in the Catholic church. The home of Mrs. Eunice Mather will be used by the hom making department. The ruins are still smoaldering and a watch has been kept all night. The four walls are still standing and will be dynamited as they are considered dangerous. The consdition of Charles church , aged about 50 years, janitor of the school, who was badly burned about the hands and face while trying to rescue some papers, is improved. When the Academy was rebuilt four years ago and the front part added, a steam heating plant was installed and it was from this that the fire was believed to have started. Soft coal was used. There is, however, no definite clue as to the exact source of the fire. Mr. church has been janitor of the building for the past four years. Destroyed with the buildings were many relics that were really a part of the Academy. On the walls hung numerous oil paintings, including those of two former principals, Henry Gaylord and Charles J. Galphin. There were also photographs on the chapel walls of graduating classes with their principals dating back for at least 40 years. Another highly prized relic was a photograph of those men who represented the Academy in the Civil War. Old furniture was in every part, of the historic structure and all of this was lost. In memorial hall one wall was covered with cases of souvenirs of various kinds given to the Academy by former pupils and friends. Back in 1888 were farmed two societies. The Gladstone Debating society was formed by Dr. James Riggs then assistant principal and now of Oswego Normal School. When Gladstone, that Famous English statesman, heard of the formation of the society named in his honor, he immediately dispatched a letter to the organization. This letter was framed and hung from the wall of the room, in which the society met. Monday's fire destroyed it. In the same year that the Debating society was organiied, Miss Nora Blanchard, now of Ishperning , Wis. then preceptress, organized the Sibyline society. Relics of this society were also lost. ------------------------- There is no question but that Union Academy, will be rebuilt, it was stated by Attorney Willam K. Mott, one of the trostees and officers of the institiition, who is also one of its graduates.understand that money had been promised to the endowment to be paid in future years which would also revert to other uses if the academy is not built up." "I think that with the insurance of about $25,060 can be supplemented by enough contributions from alumni and people of that section of the county, who are interested in the institution, to provide a fund of sufficient size for the rebuilding." said Attorney Mott. "A number of people, who attended the Academy in years gone by, have already called me on the telephone and signified their desire to contribute towards a building fund and I am sure that some arrangement win me made to go ahead with the proposition. "Union Academy has an endowment of $53,000, which win be lost if the institution is not rebuilt, and I understand that money had been promised to the endowment to be paid in future years which would also revert to other uses if the academy is not built up." Attorney Mott has already written, regarding rebuilding to C J. Galpin, of Washington, D.C. a government official, who is an authority on rural life and development and who was for some time connected with Union Academy, which he has touched upon in his rural work on community life.
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