PLANNED ACTIVITIES

 

MONTH

ACTIVITIES PLANNED

WRITE-UPS & PHOTOS

January - 2003 Kickoff BFA - Fairfax Kicks Off Its 18 Month 100th Birthday Celebration - January 2, 2003

WCAX Channel 3 News Covers 100th Birthday of BFA Kickoff - January 2, 2003

St. Albans Messenger Covers 100th Birthday of BFA Kickoff - January 3, 2003rd Issue

February - 2003 Sports Evolution Alumni Appreciation Day Activities
March - 2003 Music Appreciation

Mr. Sterling Weed At Age 101& Bruce McRae 30yrs

Kevin Hebert's Photos of Mr. Sterling Weed and The BFA Band 2003

Young Fairfax Musician Prepares For The Big Time

April - 2003 Dugout Dedication

May 3, 2003 - 3pm - Special ceremony to dedicate the new dugouts for baseball and softball. Members of the only undefeated baseball team in school history have been invited for the festivities.

Dugout Dedication Program

3 Championship Teams Web Site

Actual Dedication Ceremony

May - 2003 Arts

The Wizard Of Oz Production

Junior Duck Stamp Awards

June - 2003 First to 100th
July - 2003
August - 2003 Family Genealogy
September - 2003 Ice Cream Social
October - 2003 Middle School
November - 2003 Fashion Show
December - 2003 Support Staff
January - 2004 Winter Carnival
February - 2004 Elementary School
March - 2004 High School
April - 2004 Transportation
May - 2004 Enrichment
June - 2004 Homecoming - 100th Graduation

The Next BFA Birthday Celebration Committee Meeting
Will Be Held On Wednesday, April 16, 2003
At 3:30 p.m. In The Library

Alumni Contacts:

D. Walford, P. Lavallee

Athletic Highlights:

M. Brown

BFA Families and Graduates:

B. Keefe

Bulletin Boards:

L. Grant, A. Brault

Calendar:

E. Sinclair-Fowler, L. Griswold & 8th Grade Class

Culminating Event:

P. Stewart, P. Nilsson, N. Mead, E. Delorme, J. Wells

Events (School):

K. Hayes, L. Grant, A. Brault, C. Beaulieu, C. Bourdeau

Events (Community):

Finance:

P/P Lavallee

Gift to BFA:

D. Bushey, D. Clark, C. Lizotte, G. Stewart

Grant Writing:

Historical Research:

Henry Raymond, Sally Sweet

History Book:

N. Mead, M. Choiniere, J. Wells

Kick-Off:

Logo, Slogan:

M. Choiniere, A. Brault, L. Grant

Mailings, Typing:

B. Ide, J. Duffy

Memorabilia Curators:

A. Daniels, E. Sinclair-Fowler

Organization:

A. Daniels

Publicity:

S. Lang, M. Choiniere

Quilt Makers:

C. Stanley, G. Meigs

Secretary:

S. Morrill

Updated Alumni List:

Video Interviews:

P. Lavallee, D. Walford

Videography:

M. Choiniere

Web Site Update:

G. Huffman

Other Volunteers:

B. McCrae, G. Ligon

Other Centennial Committee Members:

M. Herrick, T. Pfeiffer, T. Sloan

(Please excuse this website - It is for informational purposes only) G. Huffman will be working with the Official BFA Website
If you have e-mail addresses of other Alumni, please inform them of this site. Any articles, photos, special memories that you feel would be pertinent to this special anniversary would be greatly appreciated. Bellows Free Academy has agreed to store these special items in their vault which would keep them safe. You may contact anyone on the committee listed above or send me an email directly at

vtgrandpa@yahoo.com

FAIRFAX - 1904

Fairfax is a pleasant village in Franklin County, Vt. The fact that it is off the railroad must be felt to be an advantage by those who are forced to send children away from home for school privileges, since it does away with many of the temptations which are incidental to places along the line of the railroad. The nearest station is Georgia, which is on the Central Vermont Railroad. A stage for Fairfax meets all the regular trains.


Original Bellows Free Academy Formally dedicated August 31, 1904

MOTTO OF THE ACADEMY
"To Virtue, Knowledge."

DEDICATION OF BELLOWS FREE ACADEMY LARGELY ATTENDED

(Copied from The St. Albans Messenger dated September 2, 1904)

The dedication of the Bellows Free Academy took place Wednesday, August 31, 1904. The hall was filled, it being estimated that there were seven hundred people in the building. The gathering was called to order by the President of the Board of Trustees, L. T. Wilcox. Prayer was offered by the Rev. O. R. Hunt. An address on behalf of the doner and the Treasurer's report was made by F. W. Shepardson. He reported that the building and equipment would cost about $45,000 and that there was in the treasury $231,000 for a permanent fund to run the school.

I. E. Hunt spoke on the benefit conferred upon the town by the gift. M. H. Buckham, President of the University of Vermont, Burlington, spoke for a half hour on education and was listened to with much interest.

Walter E. Ranger, of Montpelier, State Superintendent of Education, spoke on how much was being done throughout the state toward a higher grade of education.

Trustee, C. A. Hawley presented the keys of the Academy to Principal M. D. Chittenden. In response, Mr. Chittenden said that it was a great pleasure to be called a principal. He knew that there was a great responsibility resting upon him, but he hoped by the support of the people and friends of the Academy that they would build up a school that would be second to none in the state.

The Benediction was pronounced by the Rev. G. W. Burke. Music was furnished by the Howard Opera House Orchestra of Burlington.

An excellent portrait of the late Hiram Bellows has been placed in the Assembly Hall of the Bellows Free Academy.

THE FIRST GRADUATE

The first and only graduate in 1905 was
Ralph S. Wolcott who was from Milton
5 boys graduated in 1906 and there were 13 graduates in 1907

A complete listing of all graduates from BFA 1905-1998 is published in The Bellows Free Academy Alumni Directory published in 1999

View copies of the Fourth Commencement Program June 23, 1908


BELLOWS FREE ACADEMY was provided for through the beneficence of Mr. Hiram Bellows, of St. Albans, Vermont, who bequeathed funds for the purpose, defined the aim and object of the school, gave it the name; Bellows Free Academy, arranged for the appointment of a Board of Trustees, designated the general plan of administration, and selected Fairfax, his native town, as its site.

The object of Bellows Free Academy, as stated in the will of the founder, is to further the education of children and young people, so as to fit them for usefulness. "Mr. Bellows further stipulated that the school should be free and should offer such means and facilities for education as the times may demand.

These and all other specifications of the will were carefully followed, and the institution was formally opened on the thirty-first of August, 1904, when appropriate exercises were held in the Assembly Hall of the Academy.

The aim of the school is to develop character in its best and highest form and to foster those social instincts which make man a helpful and cheering influence in the world.

Three courses of study-Classical, Latin-Scientific, and English-are offered.

The scope of the work is broad and practical, as is indicated by the curriculum. N ot only do those who desire special scientific training or preparation for college, receive the best of advantages, but those whose education must be confined to a course in a secondary school, will find the work admirably suited to their needs.

 

 


Main Entrance to the new school in 1904


Assembly Hall in the new school in 1904


Physical Lab in the new school in 1904


Chemical Lab in the new school in 1904


Grammar School in the new BFA in 1904


Stairway in the new school in 1904


Lower Corridor in the new school in 1904


BFA Campus in 1904


Principal's House in 1904


Transportation for Bellows Free Academy in 1908


Many of our former students still remember these early school buses


An early photo of Hiram Bellows

Brief Biography of Hiram Bellows by 1998 6th Grade

Hiram Bellows Will -Large File - Long Download First Time

Work begun on Fairfax Academy April 23, 1903

Supreme Court Hearing May 19, 1903

Fairfax is Booming September 14, 1903

Handsome Building Near Completion December 5, 1903

Workmen install Steel Ceiling February 26, 1904

First Teachers for BFA Hired - Bell Purchased March 14, 1904

Large Gang Working On Interior March 21, 1904

School Furniture Plans May 7, 1904

New Road to New School May 20, 1904

Farewell NHI - Welcome BFA May 31, 1904

Academic Requirements in 1904

BFA Grounds Being Graded June 27, 1904

BFA Opening Prospects July 27, 1904

Opening Arrangements July 29, 1904

Formal Opening Scheduled August 13, 1904

M. D. Chittenden Moves To Town August 17, 1904

School Street School House Moved September 14, 1904

Artesian Well Being Dug for BFA October 27, 1904

Bellows Free Academy in New Commodious Building November 24, 1904

The First Commencement June 16, 1905

School Opens for 1905/1906 School Year September 6, 1905

Increased Registrations for 1905/1906 School Year September 15, 1905

BFA Makes Plans for Athletics September 21, 1905

The First BFA Baseball Game September 30, 1905

Fairfax Barge Dispute October 19, 1905

BFA Trustees Develop Water System - December 16, 1909

Contributions of Successful Vermonters

Newspaper Accounts of BFA Fire & Photo of Burned Building

Read the Story about the BFA Fire by residents

The Fire - The War - Its effects - Report by Homer E. Hunt - December 29, 1941

The New BFA - 1942

Meet the Freshman & Senior Class of 1942/43

The Closing of One Room Schools in Fairfax - June - 1944

Increased Enrollment Predicts Housing Problem In Next Five Years - January 27, 1949

Our Bus Drivers In The Late 60's - Early 70's

First Addition To BFA In 30 Years - Spring - 1971

Remembrances by former students

Check out our oldest surviving graduate of BFA