The Academy was chartered, with backing from the Universalist Church, as the Green Mountain Liberal Institute in 1848. It provided secondary schooling to men and women ages 15 to 20. Land for the “liberal & scientific institute” was donated by Royal Cottle, a successful farmer. Carpenter Otis Wood built the Greek Revival-style building. Pupils from the area and throughout the Northeast boarded out in nearby homes. The ringing bell announced the start of classes in the sciences, music, art, astronomy, and history. Greek and Latin were mandatory for a Classical education.
In 1869 the name was changed to the Green Mountain Perkins Academy, recognizing a bequest by Gaius Perkins, a tanner, shoemaker, and president of the Academy’s board of trustees.
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The first graduation was held in 1854 for ten students, with successive classes reaching 200. Many went on to college, most notably Tufts and Dartmouth. The school educated future farmers, craftsmen, teachers, physicians, judges, businessmen, a gubernatorial candidate, assistant secretary of the Navy, and ministers, especially Universalists.
With the advent of public high schools, attendance declined, and the Academy closed in 1898. Subsequently the building has served as the local grange, community hall, and South Woodstock’s historical center and museum. The interior was preserved much as it appeared in the 1880s with original desks, schoolbooks, maps, and portraits of the staff and students.
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.