Friday, August 13th
by frank.callahan
Though vastly different, Worcester Academy and Hollywood High School share the same school motto “Achieve The Honorable.” Worcester is an eastern boarding school with an historic campus that draws students from all over the world; on the western edge of the country, Hollywood High School is the public high school in the world’s most famous (ZIP) Code. Worcester’s New England climate has four seasons compared to sun-drench Hollywood. So why the same motto? Continue reading »
Popularity: 2% [?]
Wednesday, August 4th
by frank.callahan
In 1851 a tall structure took form at the top of Union Hill and it quickly became the dominant manmade feature of southern Worcester as its multiple towers were visible from many parts of the region. Yet its creation was a complete departure from earlier visions for the prominent hill overlooking the center of Worcester. Earlier plans called for a residential neighborhood with substantial homes situated on large house lots. The apparent lack of buyers must have motivated the developers to donate a key parcel at the top to encourage development on the empty hill. As a result, the main story of Union Hill in the 1850s was the vicissitudes of the building’s owners whose ambitious plans were thwarted either by death or by poor finances and it was their idealism that gave the turreted structure the checkered history that became its legacy.
The first owner was Dr. Calvin Newton, a graduate of the Berkshire Medical College. In 1846, he founded the Botanico-Medical College in the center of Worcester. The Botanico-Medical movement featured the use of plants or plant extracts as medical cures. This early version of herbal medicine was controversial throughout the country and locally the college was met with derision. Somehow, Newton persevered and, in 1849, obtained a state charter to create the Worcester Medical College. Adequate space was needed to build his school and despite the scorn for this type of medicine, he gained support to build the college. In March, 1851, the College purchased three acres at the corner of Providence and Union (now Dorchester) streets. The purchase price was $1. (Wor. Co deeds, Bk 472, p.578).
The seller was John Pond, who previously had invested in several significant parcels on Union Hill with various partners. According to Ellery Bicknell Crane in the 1907 proceedings of the Worcester Society of Antiquity, Pond made the donation of the land partly through the advocacy of Judge Henry Chapin, then Mayor of Worcester, and partner with Pond on this section of land. Interestingly, The Worcester County Deeds documents show that the there was a $5,000 sale of the land owned by Pond though it may have been a separate parcel. (Bk. 472, P580).
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Popularity: 2% [?]
Monday, July 26th
by john.murnane
David G. Muller, Jr. on Global Terrorism
October 14th 2010, 7-8 PM
David G. Muller, Jr. (Class of 1966) has been an intelligence officer for 40 years. He has served in Naval Intelligence, CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the White House. He is presently assigned to the National Counterterrorism Center. He worked in the private sector as editor and publisher of Foreign Markets Advisory. Mr. Muller is the author of China as a Maritime Power (Westview Press, 1983), peer-reviewed articles in the International Journal of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, as well as articles on China, politics, and economics in other publications. He holds an MA in Asian Studies from the University of Michigan and a BA in Asian Studies from Dartmouth College. Mr. Muller grew up in Worcester and attended the Academy as a day student. He was especially active in Eta Kappa Alpha.
For more on the series click here
Popularity: 2% [?]
Tuesday, June 22nd
by frank.callahan
During the 1840s, Worcester had become a booming center for the American Industrial Revolution spurring tremendous population growth. In that decade, the town’s population more than doubled from 7,497 inhabitants in 1840 to 17,049 in 1850. This impelled the town to change its form of government; thus Worcester incorporated as a city in 1848.
By the end of the decade, the planning of residential neighborhoods became a pattern on Union Hill and even drew outside speculators. Most of the plot plans had been drawn up by a local named John Pond, but in 1849 a former resident purchased the northwest end of Union Hill bordering the beginning of Grafton Street. Joshua R. Bigelow of Boston, Massachusetts bought the parcels from Charles and Sarah Chamberlain of Mobile, Alabama. The price was $700, and the transfer was completed on July 18, 1849. (Worc. Co. Deeds, Bk 454, P.29).
While neither the buyer nor the sellers lived in Worcester at the time of the transaction, they had all once been residents. Bigelow had been born in the north county town of Templeton on January 8, 1817 and on November 30, 1841 married Ruth H. Hathaway in Worcester. The History of Worcester: from its Earliest Settlement, by William Lincoln lists Joshua on the muster role of 1843 of the Worcester Guards. He must have settled in Boston within a few years as the Bigelow family genealogy book mentions he was engaged in the mercantile business there. Crane’s history of Worcester lists Charles Thomas Chamberlain as being born on May 30, 1811 and on September 21, 1841, he married Sarah E. Hathaway in Worcester. There were several other Chamberlain family members in Mobile, Alabama, so it is likely that is why Charles and Sarah made their way to the South. It does not appear that Sarah and Ruth were sisters, but it is very possible they were related.
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Popularity: 4% [?]
Monday, June 14th
by frank.callahan
In 1848, land at the northeastern part of Union Hill was surveyed to create streets and homes. This parcel was farther from the center of the town of Worcester, so why it was surveyed a few years prior to the sections closer to the town’s activities can only be speculated. One reason might be because the parcel was along Grafton Street which by then was a well-established thoroughfare. Another guess is that it was at a lower elevation, so unlike other parts of the steep hill, climbing was not required to reach one’s destination.
Local farmer John F. Pond was again involved in the development of Union Hill. As he had in the planning of the western slope of Union Hill in 1844, Pond took ownership and was involved in the plan of the street layout. Clearly, he was more than a land speculator, for he was active in all aspects of the growing town of Worcester.
The town directories listed Pond simply as a farmer living on Winthrop Street at the southern edge of Union Hill, but other records show the he was very involved in local affairs. The Worcester Town Records of 1846 were published by the Worcester Society of Antiquity, and Pond is mentioned several times. At the April 16, 1846 Town meeting Pond was voted onto a committee of five which was charged with appointing the school committee. Also that year, he was appointed to be one of the five constables for the Town. The records indicated that Pond was one of 13 chosen at the Town meeting to be a field driver, which under Massachusetts General laws required him to “take up horses, mules, asses, neat cattle, sheep, goats or swine going at large in the public ways, or on common and unimproved land within his town and not under the care of a keeper” and to impound the same. The officer is then charged with feeding and providing water to the “beasts” which are in his custody. (MGL Section 28, Chapter 49).
Pond and Foster Plan 1848
Popularity: 5% [?]
Thursday, June 10th
by john.murnane
Global Problems:
Obstacles and Opportunities
2010-11
At Worcester Academy’s Ross Auditorium, Warner Theater
Dates and Times TBA
International cooperation is an imperative in the 21st century; humanity faces global crises of epic proportions–global warming, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, conflict in nearly every corner of the world, the spread of disease, economic uncertainty, and an enormous gulf between rich and poor. Despite the obvious need, international organizations (such as the U.N.) have never been weaker; the forces of nationalism, separatism, violence and hatred have never been stronger. And while there are many obstacles standing in the way—ultra-nationalism, parochialism, oil dependency, burgeoning nation-state debt, population pressures and disturbing demographic trends—there are people and organizations making a difference, trying to devise solutions in a variety of areas (from organizations like the World Bank to NGOs and universities and other civic organizations).
The Open Gates lecture series, 2010-11, looks at global problems; it will identify three of them—global conflict, poverty, and hunger. It will explore the root causes of these problems. And it will highlight the work and ideas of those engaged in finding solutions to these important problems.
Padraig O’Malley on Peace/Global Conflict
Our first quest speaker will be Padraig O’Malley, Professor of Peace and Reconciliation, McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston. Professor O’Malley is the distinguished John Joseph Moakley Professor of Peace and Reconciliation in the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies. Numerous stories have been written about him in the nation’s dailies and he has been recently awarded the Liberal International Award for his achievements in the field of international peace and negotiation. His most recent achievement has been peace negotiations among the warring factions in Iraq. Former South African president Nelson Mandela has written a 10,000-word foreword to his book “Shades of Difference.” For most of his professional life, Professor O’Malley has been involved with peace initiatives in Northern Ireland, South Africa, Iraq and other countries.
Congressman James McGovern on Global Hunger
Currently serving his seventh term in Congress, Jim McGovern was first sworn in as U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’ 3rd Congressional District on January 7, 1997. McGovern is the Vice Chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, which sets the terms for debate and amendments on most legislation, and a member of the House Budget Committee. McGovern is also co-chair of both the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and the House Hunger Caucus. Before his election to Congress, the 49-year-old McGovern spent fourteen years working as a senior aide for the late U.S. Representative John Joseph Moakley (D-South Boston), former dean of the Massachusetts delegation and Chairman of the House Rules Committee. During those years, McGovern earned a strong reputation as a champion of human rights. In 1989, McGovern was chosen by Congressman Moakley to lead a congressional investigation into the murders of six Jesuit priests and two lay women in El Salvador.
Jonathan Starr on the Failure of Aid Work and NGOs in Africa
The 2010 recipient of the Worcester Academy’s Young Alumnus Recognition Award, Mr. Jonathan Starr (WA’94) prides himself on bringing a business model to improving conditions in Africa as opposed to the more traditional approach of NGOs, the World Bank, and other relief agencies. A graduate from Emory University, he is also the founder of Flagg Street Capital (named as a tribute to the Flagg Street School in Worcester). It is a private investment company that manages more than $170 million of investor assets. Before he founded Flagg Street, Mr. Starr worked as an analyst at SAB Capital and Blavin & Company. He is the co-founder and Managing Director of Abaarso Tech, a non-profit organization and boarding school in Somaliland, where he seeks to offer world-class education to people of the Horn of Africa. Now in its inaugural year, the school is attracting top local and international minds to teach Somaliland’s most promising youth. Additionally, it provides professional development for teachers and others professionals, and assists rural populations by placing teachers in village schools and working on community improvements.
Richard Ford, “Listening to the People: Development as If People Mattered”
Richard Ford, Ph.D. Research Professor of International Development and Social Change at Clark University, has 40 years field experience in rural African land use and management. His writings focus on community institutions, integration of traditional practices into contemporary decision-making and policy, poverty alleviation, conflict mediation, and community-based planning. He has worked in 25 African countries (especially Kenya, Somalia, Somaliland, Ghana, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Senegal, Mali, The Gambia, Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, and Rwanda) on these themes. More recently, he has conducted field research and training in India, The Philippines, Romania, Iraq, Bangladesh, and the South Pacific. In 1988, working jointly with colleagues from Clark and Kenya’s National Environment Secretariat, he adapted the Rapid Rural Appraisal to be responsive to community priorities and needs. This was the beginning of PRA. Since that time, PRA has spread to many thousands of agencies in Africa and around the world.
Previous Guests
Edward J. Hines/Ethnomusicologist
Middle Eastern music program with Fulbright scholar, composer, performer, ethnomusicologist and music educator Edward J Hines, an introduction to fascinating instruments that have unique sounds and have been played in Middle Eastern music since the Middle Ages. Learn how ancient Middle Eastern musical instruments are connected to the music of Western cultures. Experience old-world sounds that once were common in both Europe and the Near East.
Tom Verde/Journalist
Our Guest speaker, free-lance journalist, Tom Verde has written for the New York Times and National Public Radio. He is pursuing a master’s degree in Islamic studies and Christian–Muslim relations at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut. He traveled to Morocco on a scholarship from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion Newswriters Foundation. His latest article, “A Man of Two Worlds, appeared in Saudi Aramco World (January/February, 2008). On Leo Africanus, Verde’s work highlights the connections between the Middle East and the West.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Thursday, June 3rd
by frank.callahan
Donald E. Rowe was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1929. He grew up in the Burncoat Street section of the city and attended Thorndyke Road Grammar School. It was there that he met Lester “Bus” Sheary, who was his gym teacher. Sheary went on to coach the great Holy Cross basketball teams and remained a great influence on Rowe, who knew at an early age that he wanted to be a coach. At Worcester Academy, Rowe played football and baseball, but excelled in basketball. In fact, he was named the varsity team captain in both his junior and senior years with the 1945/46 team that year going undefeated. Dee went on to Middlebury College in Vermont and earned his degree there in 1952. At Middlebury, he met his wife-to-be Ginny, and they married when he was serving in the U. S. Army at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas.
Yearbook picture
After obtaining a Master’s in Education at Boston University, Dee returned to his alma mater in 1955 and served as the Athletic Director of Worcester Academy for the next fourteen years. Besides serving as the head coach of the varsity baseball and basketball teams, he expanded the athletic program to offer 24 different teams. Beyond overseeing the interscholastic teams, he founded the Worcester Academy Sports Camp, the Worcester Academy Basketball Clinic, the Worcester Academy Varsity Club, and a Boys Club for neighborhood kids. In 13 seasons, his basketball team had an overall record of 180 wins and 44 losses with 12 appearances in the New England Prep School Tournaments including 9 New England Championships. In baseball, his overall record during that same period was 94 wins against 50 losses
In 1969, Rowe was appointed Head Men’s Basketball Coach at the University of Connecticut and built a winning tradition at Connecticut, highlighted by five consecutive winning seasons from 1972 to 1977. In fact, he was twice selected “Coach of the Year” for New England by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. His teams appeared in one NCAA tournament reaching the final 16, two NIT Tournament, and three ECAC Tournaments, with one ECAC New England Championship. Most importantly, 96% of recruited scholarship student-athletes who completed their eligibility, graduated.
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Popularity: 6% [?]
Wednesday, June 2nd
by christina.webb
Check out the latest issue of Worcester Academy’s literary review. We feature short stories, poetry, and artwork by upper school students, faculty, and staff. Please click on the image above to view the Lance.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Wednesday, June 2nd
by frank.callahan
An 1836 plan for Union Hill that called for planned neighborhood never came to pass. Instead the area was divided into five major sections, with each having its own plan for the arrangement of streets and houses. The first of these five plans was the large parcel on the western slope of the hill adjacent to Water Street, which was a growing industrial area in the town of Worcester, as it was next to the Blackstone Canal whose waters had been harnessed with water wheels to power the factories. This made the nearby land attractive for development.
The two owners of this land were Lewis Bigelow and John F. Pond. The Worcester directories of that time listed both of them as farmers. Pond lived on Winthrop Street and Bigelow, on Vernon Street. However, American farmers of the early Nineteenth Century often did much more than farm their land; they usually were entrepreneurs who made or sold other items. Even other family members, including the wives and daughters, made and sold other non-farm items such as leather gloves that they had sewn. Thus, it is not surprising that Pond and Bigelow entered into an agreement to develop the hillside near the Canal.
They hired Worcester surveyor Charles H. Hill to plot out the land they owned on Union Hill and he completed the survey on May 17, 1844. The major streets listed in the agreement are named as Harrison, Columbia, and Harmony Streets. While all three did become actual streets that are used today, each has a different story in its history.
Pond and Bigelow Agreement, 1844
Harrison Street was named for William Henry Harrison, who was the ninth President of the United States and had died in office three years before, in 1841. Harrison Street started at the foot of the hill at Water Street which was on the eastern side of the Blackstone Canal. Just as it does today, Harrison goes up the side of Union Hill. However, as in the original 1836 Plan for Union Hill the street turned south and traveled to the top of the hill. That turn is now the intersection of Providence Street, so originally Providence Street was Harrison.
Continue reading »
Popularity: 6% [?]
