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Democratic Watchman February 9 1872, page 8
"A certain fellow lately a student at the Academy in this place, whose name - out of respect to his parents, who may be decent people - we shall not mention here, left town the other day under rather suspicious circumstances. He was, we believe, going through a course of study preparatory to entering upon the ministry, and, in this character, had ingratiated himself into the good opinion of quite number of our people. But events have proved that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing, and when it leaked out, through the confession of one of his anticipated victims, that he was in the habit of taking indecent liberties with a couple of little girls in the juvenile class of which he was teacher, whom he usually detained a few moments after the others had been dismissed, he concluded that if he wanted to save his hide the application of a coat of tar and feathers, the best thing he could do would be to get up and dust. Consequently, he "dusted," but we are astonished to learn that he carried away with him letters of recommendation from prominent personages in this community to other parties. Whether these letters were written before the revealment of his lecherous propensities, we do not know; if they were, the writers of them owe the public an explanation.
We only know this fellow enough to know that he flirted around this town in great style; that he was impudent, bold and intrusive; that he prayed in the public prayer meeting and that he had immensely more conceit than brains. He was an intolerable bore, and frequently inflicted his unwelcomed presence upon this office. We do not know that he ever came into it that we did not feel heartily glad and relieved to see him go out.
Since his sudden departure, but little has been said about the facts recited above; they are however, nevertheless true, and, were it not for the reason stated, we would give his name and the names likewise of the little innocents he was endeavoring to defile. For the present, therefore, we forbear, hoping his conduct may be a warning to our teachers and others to use a little more discrimination as to which they place confidence in."
Democratic Watchman March 29 1872, page 8
"A Normal class for teachers at the Bellefonte Academy will open Wednesday, April 10th."
Democratic Watchman May 24 1872, page 8
"There are one hundred and fifty one steps in the stairway recently built up the side of Academy Hill."
Democratic Watchman June 7 1872, page 8
"The semi annual examination of the Academy will commence on Monday, June 10th, and continue until Thursday the 20th. All interested in those exercises are invited to attend."
Democratic Watchman June 14 1872, page 8
"The "commencement" of the Bellefonte Academy will be held in the Court House on Thursday evening, the 20th instant. A rare entertainment will be given."
Democratic Watchman June 28 1872, page 8
"The closing exercises of the Bellefonte Academy, held in the Court House on Thursday evening last, were attended by an immense crowd. Every seat, corner and window were crammed full, and the aisles packed as tight as they could hold. The weather was intensely warm, and the air in the room stifling. This was the cause of much unpleasantness and discomfort. No-body seemed to be able to sit still. The consequence was, in a short time the utmost confusion prevailed. At first, so great was the jam, after you once got in there was no such thing as getting out, and the only resource was to sit and swelter. Men, women and children became fountains of perspiration, from each of whose skins gushed forth a thousand little streams flowing from head to heels, saturating every article of clothing from shirt and chemisette out to coat and Dolly Vardon. Panting, blowing, swearing, fanning, fuming and fussing, the great crowd bore its misery as best it could, and tried hard to draw all the comfort, consolation and coolness possibly out of the exercises.
Those, we are sorry to say, we could neither see nor hear. The crowd in front of us kept continually getting up on benches, and with heads bobbing this way and heads bobbing that way, and fans and hats and bustles and bodies, we might as well have tried to see through a stone wall. As for hearing, commend us to the proceedings at the tower of Babal in preference. Hear ! We could hear nothing but the whispers and laughter and comments of the people all around us, with now and then a squeak from the piano or a squeal from some girlish voice, which, perhaps, fancied itself up among the - "little stars, sailing round the moon," with now and then the tones of an orator's voice as he finished up a period or enthused himself with his peroration.
The fact was nobody could see or hear anything except those in the front of the house, and they say the exercises were pretty good. We left before the conclusion of the first part of the programme, completely wilted down, and as wet as though we had been baptized in Spring Creek on the immersion plan. Toward the after part of the evening, we understand, the crowd thinned out, and then there was more comfort and enjoyment. We are told that the exercises were good and that a number of the speakers and young ladies acquitted themselves with great credit. We are sorry that we are not able to speak of the entertainment from personal knowledge, but Prof. Hughes and his assistants must attribute this inability to the fact that they provides no reportorial accommodations, and we are not among those patient individuals who are at all times willing and ready to sacrifice themselves pro bono publico. We have now said all we know about the exhibition. We should gladly have said more had we been given the chance."
Democratic Watchman November 8 1872, page 8
"Mr. Alfred Armstrong, formerly Principal of our Bellefonte Academy, a distinguished scholar and eminent teacher, was in town last week visiting friends and the scenes of former days. Mr. A., although now 70 years of age, has changed but little. His form is as erect as ever, his eye as bright and his intellectual powers as vigorous as they were twenty years ago. With the exception of a patriarchal beard, his appearance is the same as when he presided over the Academy here and helped us through Brooks's Latin Lessons, Ross's Grammar, Historia Sacrae, Viri Romae and the four books of Caesar. Those were memorable days, and we recall them with mingled feelings, of pleasure and sadness.
We are glad to know that the trying and in many instances bitter experiences of the teachers life have, in Mr. Armstrong's case, been latterly exchanged for more lucrative and less laborious duties in the post-office department in Washington, where he now occupies an easy and comfortable, though respectable position. May his latter days be his best days, and may he live long to revisit his many friends in this region very often in the hereafter."
Democratic Watchman November 15 1872, page 8
"We have received the following letter from a gentleman who visited this place, recently, and to whom we alluded in our last issue: -
Washington, D. C., Nov. 11 1872
Mr. Editor :--Having recently made a visit to the beautiful town of Bellefonte, permit me to present some reminescence of the past in connection with it, in contrast with its present State.
I witness many surprising changes since I was first landed there from the tri-weekly stage coach, in Oct. 1824.
Nearly half a century has elapsed since that memorable event in my history, for there and thee I first came upon the active stage of life from my graduation at Dickinson College. There were at that time about 500 inhabitants - there are now above 3000. Of 33 families of my acquaintance (and these constituted almost all the families of the place) but one remains. Out of my first pupils, twelve in number, three or four are living, and of these, but one in Bellefonte, Mr. E. C. Humes, the highly esteemed President of the First National Bank.
The town of Bellefonte would now hardly be known as the place it forty-eight years ago. The buildings then were all of limestone, massy and of good size. An anecdote is told of an eccentric gentleman from Carlisle, Pa., who, upon his first visit to that place - half a century ago looking out upon the town from the door of the Hotel, then kept by, Mr. . Miles, observed to the land-lady "Madam, is this a town of Penitentiaries you have here?" Since then a large number of brick and a few frame and sand-stone buildings have been erected in the most elegant and modern style of architecture. Several church edifices have recently been put up, two of which - the Presbyterian and Episcopal are built, the one of red stone, the other of lime-stone, of Gothic architecture, and are models of beauty and elegance. The former, I am told, has cost some $60,000.
The old Stone Court, House has been torn down in part and gristly enlarged and improved. The Court Room is one of the most elegant and convenient I have ever been in. The ground in front being enclosed with a handsome iron railing, gives it a most attractive appearance. In the rear on the top of the hill, there has also been erected a Penitentiary of rough sand-stone - an imposing structure of the kind--of great strength and large capacity.
Extensive and convenient accommodations for the Common Schools have been provided in one very large and elegant building in the Northern part of the town. Here are gathered daily for instruction 400 pupils, in all the various grades of improvement from the Primary to the High School department under well trained and efficient teachers.
The OLD ACADEMY can scarcely be recognized as the same, in which, in the olden time your correspondent made his debut in his life long work of Classical Education. The original building holds a position now in the centre, wings flanking it on either side, and very recently a large and commodious brick structure adapted for school rooms and dormitories, has still further changed its appearance and enlarged its accommodations. The locust trees throwing their greatful shade over the old mansion, planted more than forty years ago by my own hands, I was pleased to find still flourishing. God's work often lives long after man's decays. The Institution, I am happy to know is at present in a very prosperous state, under the mild yet efficient administration of Rev. J. P. Hughes. He is a gentleman of high repute, as an educator, equaled, perhaps, by few, if any, in the Slate. I know of no better location for a Boarding Seminary than Bellefonte; in its freedom from all demoralizing influences, cheapness of living, health and good society; and none of the kind offers more decided advantages for mental and moral culture than the one in question.
Bellefonte was laid out as a town about the year 1800, by the elder James Harris, esq., - a highly enterprising and intelligent gentleman, with whom I had the honor of a familiar acquaintance and very friendly intercourse in the latter part of his life. Of a large family, only one son survives, Dr. John Harris, now C. S. Consul at Venice. A numerous and most respectable connection, his descendants are now among the prominent citizens of the place.
Bellefonte derives its name from the beautiful fountain of water flowing out from the base of the hill skirting its western boundary. It is romantically situated on hills and surrounded by the Bald Eagle ridges and spurs of the Allegheny Mountains. In reference to its peculiar location, an anecdote is told of a celebrated jurist, Thomas Duncan, of Carlisle, Pa. When asked about the town, where he used occasionally to attend the Court in his profession as Attorney at Law, he contemptuously remarked: "That little Bellefonte - upon hills, among hills and over the hills and far away," Yet she has occupied no insignificant place in the history of Pennsylvania. Not a few men of eminence, and men who have wielded a wide and powerful influence, have had their residence in Bellefonte She has given to Pennsylvania one Governor two Secretaries of State, three district Judges, two Judges of the Supreme Court, U. S. Secretary of the Treasury and our ambassador to the Court of Russia; and last though by, no means least, she has the honor of having given one of her most gifted and estimable ladles to the work of Foreign Missionaries. In conclusion, let me say, for energetic, useful, enterprising men and refined, pouched and intellectual society, Bellefonte has no superior in the State.
Truly Yours,
A. A.
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