History ~ Students ~ Life of a Scholar

Montpelier Academy History 1833–1841.

File submitted by Mrs. Inez Bridges Tate and prepared by D.N. Pardue

From publication "Old Montpelier, 1804, New Montpelier, 1904" compiled by Inez B. Tate and published by St. Helena Historical Association, 1993. Reprinted with permission.

In his message to the Legislature in 1832, Governor A.B. Roman declared that the educational policy of the State had been a failure, and recommended that some other plan be devised. As a result of this declaration, a system was inaugurated, later called the "subsidy" system, which provided that future appropriations for educational purposes should be made only to schools established by legislative authority, and not to the parishes as had been the previous practice.

Montpelier Academy, the first such institution, organized under this new plan, was incorporated in 1833. Being an experiment, the Legislature tried to provide for everything connected with the operation of a school. A board of trustees was appointed, whose business it was to select teachers and manage the affairs of the school; the school was to be located within one mile of the parish courthouse; an annual appropriation of $2,500 was granted for a period of five years, conditioned on the instruction of indigent children, which fact had to be certified by the parish judge; indigent children were to be received on the recommendation of the police jury, to which body applications had to be made, appropriations were to cease if the number of indigent children cared to fell below twenty-five during any six-month period; appropriations for primary schools in the parishes of St. Helena and Livingston were to be turned over to the trustees of the Academy for the purpose of educating children from those parishes; a house large enough to accomodate forty pupils was to be erected before any appropriations could be received; the board of trustees was authorized to select a boardinghouse steward and define his duties, and a public examination of all children was to be held semiannually.

Between the date of its incorporation and the discontinuance of the plan, the Legislature passed several acts relative to the school and its management. In 1834 provision was made for the appointment of additional trustees, and in 1835 an appropriation of $1,000 was made for its relief. The time for the performance of the functions of the Academy was extended for four years in 1836, and authority for the payment of appropriations which had been withheld while certain lawsuits involving the Academy were pending was given in 1841.

Records show very little of the operation of this school. In 1838 the board of trustees advertised for a principal and at the same time announced that board was $10 per month and tuition $2.50 for three months. Its support came from tuition charges and from appropriations made by the State for the care of indigent children. Records show that during the period from 1833 to 1842 this academy received $19,500 from the State. With such assistance, one wonders why it did not become a permanent institution.

LOUISIANA HISTORICAL QUARTERLY Vol. 30 1947 "The Academy Movement in Louisiana" by James William Mobley paged 903-908

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A few very interesting articles are included relating to the Academy. These are copies of documents located at LSU Archives. The spelling is the same as listed in the documents. Montpelier is spelled several ways.

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Mont Pellier, 5th Oct, 1833

Sir,

By a resolution of the Board of the Montpellier Academy this day ----, the undersigned are charged with the gratifying duty of informing you that you have been unanimously elected Principal Teacher in the Institution. Your propositions have all been acceded to except the charge of Twenty five dollars for the instruction of each pupil exceeding twenty five in number. The Board of Trustees having established Twenty Dollars as the price of Tuition per annum will give --- for each student taught exceeding twenty-five. The Board of Trustees as well as the undersigned flatter themselves with the hope that you will accede to this and take charge of the Institution. The school will open on the first Monday in November next, when your services will be required.

Your Obt. Servant
James M. Bradford

Mr. Thomas W. Dyer

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The State of Louisiana
Parish of St. Helena

The Treasurer of the State of Louisiana will please pay unto the order of Dempsey Kemp, Treasurer of the Montpiller Academy, the sum of six hundred twenty five dollars, that being the first quarterly --- the first yearly appropriation in accordance with --- of incorporation of said Academy, approved March 30, 1833.

January 14, 1834 (copy)

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The State of Louisiana
Parish of St. Helena

We the undersigned Trusteed of the Montpellier Academy do certify that we have procured and put in repair two buildings for the use and purpose of said Academy - the one as a boarding house - the other purposely for said Academy - which houses are convenient and sufficiently large to accomodate one hundred scholars, and that the title of said buildings together with the grounds on which they are situated are --- in full property in the Trustees of said Academy. (copy) No date or signature

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The State of Louisiana
Parish of St. Helena

I Samuel Leonard Parish Judge of the above Parish do certify that there is now at the Montpellier Academy twenty-five indigent children, who are now receiving the benefit and advantage of said institution and have been received on application made by the Police Jury - In faith whereof I have hereunto put my hand and affixed the seal of the Parish Court this --- day of January in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four.

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May 24, 1833

To the President of the Board of Trustees of Mt. Pellier --

I propose with reference to a resolution of this Board at her last session to take the superintendence of the Indigent Children. Upon the plan therein suggested conforming allway to the bills of fare suggested by this Board binding myself to administer good moral government over them as I may be directed by the Board and that said Board pay me fifty dollars per annum for each child actually boarded. I offer Z. Nettle for security.

R. Mercer

I will furnish the furniture and whatever is required by this Board without increase of price.

R. Mercer

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The State of Louisiana
Parish of St. Helena

The Treasurer of the State of Louisiana will please pay to Jacob Smith Treasurer of the Montpelier Academy Parish of St. Helena or bearer the Sum of One Thousand Dollars appropriated by the Legislagure of the State at its last Session of date March the 12th 1835 for the relief of Said Academy.

Attest: Burlin Childress Secretary

Given under my hand
April 20th 1835
Thomas Kennedy
Prsdt. Board
M.P.A.

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Montpellier, August 4th 1835

The Treasurer of the Montpellier Academy will pay to David D. Hunter or bearer the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars it being for his Third Quarter Salary ending on the date above.

Given under my hand this 22 day of August A.D. 1835.

Thomas Kennedy
Presd. of the Board of
Trustees MA

Attest: Burlin Childress, Secry.