Ferrisburgh Academy

Ferrisburgh Academy. , "Situated on a beautiful site, it is high up on a hill away from the traffic of the road and offering a most beautiful view of the lake and the mountains." , , Elizabeth Donoway Robinson, 1936, In the late 1830s, Rowland Thomas and Rachel Gilpin Robinson, of the second generation, met with other Ferrisburgh Quakers to plan the opening of an academy that would incorporate their shared philosophy and values. The Robinsons donated land for the school, and local families contributed funds. It was governed by a small circle of trustees., The Ferrisburgh Academy (also called Brick Academy) represents an arm of the Robinsons' religious perfectionism. Teachings were anchored in the principles of "nonresistance." This philosphy guided everything for the Robinsons, from their approach to antislavery work to their parenting style, which emphasized practicality and experiential learning., The two-story brick building was constructed in 1839 as a schoolhouse and community meeting space. It had large windows, a bell tower, and a commanding view to the west. The school was open to children of all religious backgrounds. It was racially integrated and educated both boys and girls. Non-locals boarded with neighboring families. Among the students was Rowland Evans Robinson, Rowland and Rachel's youngest child. Rowland preferred the outdoors to classroom learning and, with the consent of his parents, ended his formal schooling at age 13. He went on to become a well-known writer and illustrator. The school operated for only seven years before it closed in 1846 for reasons unknown., Pause and listen, Ferrisburg! , Look up as you pass by! , Waiting on this lofty perch , I send a muted cry! , My walls will crumble soon, , My aged belfry rot, , Until a heap of ruin. I , By man will be forgot., Have you no use for me, , If I were whole once more, , Surcease of care to find , Within my friendly door? , To Vermont's blind author. I , A memorial could be. , Of all who pass this way , Will no one rescue me? , A Ferrisburgh resident, Ella Wamer Fisher (1853-1937), lamented the neglect of the school building in her poem "The Voice of the Old Brick Academy." She, like others, felt the eyesore could better serve the community as a memorial to the beloved local author, Roland Evans Robinson., [Photo captions, left to right, read] , . Undated 20th c. When the school closed, the Robinsons used the building for farm storage, including apples from the orchard., . In the early 1940s, almost one hundred years after the school closed, "Rowlie" Robinson had the building, now badly deteriorated, dismantled, and sold the bricks. They were re-used to construct a building in Vergennes, VT.