TOWN OF PRATTSBURGH. 



359 



"In 1806, Judge Porter erected what has, in later years, 

 been known as Higby's Mill, occupying the mill-site at the 

 new bridge, across the stream, east of the present residence 

 of C. G. Higby. At that time Mechanic Street was lined 

 on both sides with a dense forest. The same year, and 

 while Prattsburgh was yet included in Bath, Mr. Porter 

 was elected justice of the peace and Esquire Curtis con- 

 stable. The assessed taxes for township No. 6, 3d range, 

 were $1.25, of which amount Squire Curtis paid five cents." 



RELIGION AND EDUCATION. 



We have already seen that the early settlers of Pratts- 

 burgh made it th^ir first care to provide for themselves the 

 institutions of religion. When but two families composed 

 the community the head of one was a minister of the gos- 

 pel. A few years later almost the entire population of the 

 town were emigrants from New England. In coming here 

 they were influenced by the same motives which inspired 

 their predecessors first to settle in the New World, — that is, 

 to establish in the wilderness the institutions of religion and 

 free government. Among such a people we should natu- 

 rally look for the school as occupying the second place to 

 the church. Accordingly, in this community educational 

 matters were early thought of, and such provisions made 

 as time and circumstances permitted in a new country. 



" In 1812, in advance of the act of the Legislature re- 

 specting common schools, there were four schools, volun- 

 tarily established and sustained by the individuals of their 

 respective neighborhoods. The principal one of these was 

 in the village of Prattsburgh, — a small school-house, stand- 

 ing hard by the church, in true New England fashion, and 

 probably upon the precise spot of ground now occupied by 

 Ezra Bramble's shoe-shop. Near by, and directly in front 

 of the old church, was a clear spring of never- failing water, 

 where these literary tyros would duck their heads and wash 

 down their tough doughnuts. Another school-house was 

 near the present residence of E. H. Hopkins, in the Waldo 

 district, the third in the vicinity of the Bridges farm, and 

 the fourth in what is now Wheeler. These school-houses 

 were the private property of the inhabitants, and, like all 

 the schools of that day, were faulty and insufficient for 

 what were felt to be the wants of even those times. 



"After the passage of the common-school act the town 

 was divided into a number of school districts, in accordance 

 with its provisions, and a manifest improvement in the 

 character and teaching of the schools was the result. Still, 

 with this measure of improvement, they were felt to be 

 deficient^ the great difficulty being to obtain qualified 

 teachers. 



" The school-house which stood upon the site of the pres- 

 ent residence of Edwin Wilson was built in 1816, and 

 contained the village school till 1839." 



FRANKLIN ACADEMY. 



The subject of establishing an academy at Prattsburgh 

 began to be seriously discussed as early as 1822. Sub- 

 scription-papers were put in circulation, — one to raise the 

 necessary means to erect a suitable building, another to 

 create a permanent fund for the support, in part at least, 

 of the school. In 1823 a sum deemed adequate was found 



to have been subscribed, and that year trustees were ap- 

 pointed and arrangements made for the erection of the 

 building. Considering the few inhabitants then in Pratts- 

 burgh, the amount raised was liberal, being about $2000 

 for the erection of the building and between $3000 and 

 $4000 for the support of the school. The ground upon 

 which the academy stands was purchased of Judge Porter. 

 The building as originally erected was 52 by 32 feet and 

 two stories in height, surmounted by a cupola or belfry. 



" Who in this beneficial effi)rt is entitled to the greatest 

 share of praise would prove an invidious task to name. Judge 

 Porter was the largest subscriber ; Dr. Niles was a liberal 

 contributor and the most active agent; and it is but just 

 to say that the money that was raised at that time was 

 more the result of his untiring energy and vigilance than 

 of any other one cause. The friends of this institution, 

 and the community which have experienced so largely its 

 benefits, owe to the memory of Dr. Niles a lasting debt of 

 gratitude." 



The effort that built the academy was a general and 

 united one, and the good resulting therefrom has been like 

 the flowing of a gentle stream. 



The regents' charter of Franklin Academy bears date 

 Feb. 23, 1821. Euly in that year the building was so 

 nearly completed as to admit of occupancy, and the first 

 academic term commenced under the direction of Wil- 

 liam Beardsley. Since that time more than half a century 

 has passed away. These years have not been years of un- 

 interrupted prosperity in the fortunes of Franklin Academy, 

 for, like all else, the institution has had its days of darkness. 

 These, however, have been comparatively few : its career 

 has been generally prosperous ; and probably from that day 

 to this there has not been a moment's regret, or even a dis- 

 appointed anticipation, in the minds of any of its founders. 



In 1827 the fortune of this institution was deemed ade- 

 quate, and its future success seemed to demand a separate 

 female department. That year witnessed this beneficial 

 change. 



Upon the application of Hon. Grattan H. Wheeler, the 

 Legislature, in 1828, made an appropriation of $2000 for the 

 purpose of founding an academic library, which has been 

 of great benefit to the institution and to the community. 



In 1868 the academy was merged in the Franklin Acad- 

 emy and Union Free School, and has since been conducted 

 under the provisions of the Union Free School law. It 

 still maintains a high order of scholarship. 



PRINCIPALS. 



The following are the principals of Franklin Academy 

 from the establishment of the institution : 



Election. Exitus. 



1824.— Rev. William Beardsley, A. M 1828. 



1828.— Eli Eddy, A, M 1829. 



1829.— Seymour Gookins, A.M , 1831. 



1831.— Rev. Oliver S. Taylor, A.M., M.D 1834. 



1834.— Rev. Samuel Schaffer, A.M 1835. 



1835.— Rev. John Humphrey, A.M 1836. 



1836.— Rev. Horace Woodruff, A.M 1839. 



1839.— Rev. Flavel S. Gaylord, A.M 1845. 



1845.— Curtis C. Baldwin, A.M 1846. 



1846.— Hon. Seth B. Cole, A.M 1854. 



1854.— Charles L. Porter 1855. 



1855.— William H. Jackson, A.M March, 1858. 



1858, March.— Wm. S. Searles, A.M July, 1858. 



1858, July.— Wm. Kreutzer, A.M " 1859. 



