Friday, January 20, 2012

History Mystery of the Week

Our new archivist, Ms. Slater, has started a weekly history mystery. This week’s question was ‘In what year did the academy welcome its first student of African descent?’ And the follow up bonus question: ‘What was the student’s name?’ She had four correct answers from students " who knew that Wentworth Cheswell was in Samuel Moody’s first class at the academy in 1763.  Mr. Cheswell apparently thought highly enough of his time here to have it mentioned on his gravestone located in Newmarket, NH.  For those of you who thought that Booker T. Washington Jr., son of the famous African-American leader, was the first, you were not alone.”

Mr. Bidstrup followed up her e-mail response with a link to more information on Cheswell at America’sFounding Fathers. Master Moody's early students were indeed a remarkable group!

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