left free to pay as much as was asked for Moses Pattee's poor farm.
For the next two years various plans were suggested for the disposal of the balance of the money, but none of them were matured, and it remained undis- turbed at interest much to the annoy- ance of the men who were ever reach- ing out to get a grab at it. The in- terest, however, for those years amount- ed to only $60, which was still divided among the schools.
At the annual meeting in March, 1842, the usual vote to distribute these funds to the schools was passed, and as usual, toward the close of the day, their business well done, many of the men from the back roads left the hall and went home. At this point in the day's work, Rev. J. L. Richardson moved to reconsider the vote already passed, appropriating the money to theschools. This motion was second- ed by S. P. Cobb. A majority of the persons remaining in the hall were in T terested in the motion, and it was de- clared carried in the affirmative. On the heels of this motion it was —
" Voted, that the town treasurer remit to the proprietors of Canaan Union Academy, the interest on their notes given by them to the town treasurer for surplus revenue loaned them." It was also "voted that these notes be given up to said proprietors when they make and deliver to said town a deed of the academy land, and buildings thereon, owned by said proprietors."
This vote was the fruit of the chronic antagonisms which had developed in social and political life, all growing out of academy troubles. In order to understand this vote it is necessary to go back two or three years, and rehearse a chapter in our history, which had an interest for every body.
On the 8th of March, 1839, in the morning, the academy building, from which the colored children had been violently expelled four years previously, was burned to the ground. Each party accused the other of incendiarism ; but the incendiary was never known. There was wild excitement among the
��people, who said and did many wicked things. The strife engendered was bitter and long enduring to such a degree that even at this late day it sometimes crops out. It has proved a source of misfortune to the interests of the town in its business, religious and educational relations.
After the excitement attending the burning of the building had subsided, a number of men assembled in Mr. Weeks's office, and proposed to erect a new academy upon the site of the one burned. It was estimated that twelve hundred dollars would defray all the charges. These men decided to make twelve notes of one hundred dollars each ; each note to be signed by five men, and each man to be a member of the new association on payment of one fifth of his note. Thus there were to be sixty shares in the new building at twenty dollars each. It was decided to take these notes to the town agent, and ask the loan of twelve hundred dollars of the surplus revenue remaining on hand. With this money they built the academy, calling it "Canaan Union Academy," believing it would prove a successful and profitable investment. But this belief was a delusion, if not a snare. No steps were taken by the dominant party to conciliate the large number of citizens who were aggrieved. No kind words were spoken, nor did any one propose any method to harmonize the antagonisms. And there the two nearly equal hostile factions stood, making faces at each other. The one pointing to that building as a monu- ment of acts of aggression unatoned for, and the other flinging back con- temptuous epithets ad libitum.
Dr. Thomas Flanders contracted to erect the new building, and deliver it complete into the hands of the trustees on the first of September, 1839. He en^a^ed a number of efficient work- men, and the work proceeded rapidly until the outside of the house was finished. And here came in a little episode that created some amusement at the time. The Doctor boarded all
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