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Weiser Academy

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State of Idaho of the foreclosure of the Weiser Academy, by the order of the 4th Judicial District of the State of Idaho. Irving Metcalf is the plaintiff, and the Weiser College and Academy, a corporation; the Congregational Educational Society, a corporation; Herman Haas and Bernard Haas, co-partners; Herbert A. Lee and Emma Lee are defendants and gave a detailed description of the property.

“During the four years, leadership had devolved successfully upon six different men. In the absence of endowment, of a financial agent, and a president thoroughly identified with the work, financial difficulties arose.

Financial affairs of the Weiser Academy are now being straightened out and it is hoped that it will open for school in September. The academy was sold at a sheriff’s sale at the courthouse last Saturday and was bid in by Mr. Mark L. Thompson of Cleveland, Ohio. He made the bid for the Congregational Educational Society of Boston, Mass., to clear the title. The mortgage amounted to $7,000 and was for money advanced to the school. Some local creditors have taken the furniture on a judgment. Unpaid teachers will be reimbursed.

Dr. Theodore Clifton, of the Western Society of the Congregational Education Society which has purchased the Weiser Academy property, is in Weiser to look over the situation and says the academy will be open in September.

He is a brilliant lecturer and will speak at a Weiser mass meeting at the City Chambers and citizens of Weiser at the Opera House Sunday evening at 8:00 o’clock. The title of his lecture is – “Our Republic and Christ’s Kingdom”. No admission.

Dr. Clifton represents the Congregational Education Society with its principal offices in Boston. However, as the Western Secretary of the society, his office is in Chicago. His district spreads from Burraco, New York, to San Francisco. The society is 90 years old and has helped 30 colleges and many academies. Nine thousand men have been aided in getting an education and entering the ministry. At the present time, 7 colleges and 20 academies are receiving aid from the society, besides 15 mission schools in Utah and New Mexico. None of the schools aided by this society are sectarian.

Coming to the matter of the Weiser Academy, Dr. Clifton said the school had really done great work. The Education Society earnestly desires the reopening. The society has taken possession of the…

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property, has paid the debt to Metcalf, has employed Rev. Ludwig Gree, a man of culture and great experience in college teaching, as the Academy principal, and he is arranging for an excellent faculty. The society is also assuming the operating expenses for this year. It only remains to pay the local indebtedness and thoroughly repair the building and school so it will go on permanently. These two items will cost around $3,000. The society wants to find out if the community really wants this academy, and this is a chance to find out. The society and Dr. Clifton feel that, in view of the benefit of the school to Weiser and the surrounding territory, the Weiser people should assist in the payments of these debts and in improving the property to meet requirements.

The last of the presidents, Rev. David R. MacDonaco, D.D., wished to lease the school for five years. The Congregational Educational Society refused this offer, but after a year’s vacancy, reopened the school in 1905 under Prof. Ludwig Thomsen, an able teacher. For some mysterious reason, however, it was closed after one year.

Weiser Academy put an educational announcement in the July 19, 1905, Signal, to-wit: “Weiser Academy will re-open its doors to young men and women on September 12, 1905. Professor Ludwig Thomsen, an experienced instructor, has been elected principal, assisted by an able corps of teachers, will provide every necessary facility for the training of young people to enter college or university or to enter the active duties of life. The academy has already done a grand work among many young people in its past history, its graduates now holding positions of honor and trust. One recent graduate goes this fall from Weiser to Oxford, England, as a Cecil Rhodes Scholar.

The location of the academy is unsurpassed, 2300 feet altitude, overlooking the wonderful Snake River, pure sweet water from the academy well, comparable immunity from lung and malarial disease. All buildings on a high-level bench overlooking the town of Weiser. It has four courses of study: Classical, Scientific, Musical, Business, including shorthand and typing. Substantial two buildings for young ladies and young gentlemen are separate, well-situated in close proximity to the chapel.

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Library and classrooms of Endeavor Hall are well furnished, heated, lighted, and ventilated. Teachers reside in dormitory buildings in a happy home life under the best influences.

Tuition for nine months school is $5.00 a month or if paid in advance, tuition will be $45.00. Good room and board only $3.50 per week. Rooms are furnished, exclusive of bedding and towels. All three buildings have been repaired and renovated. Prof. Ludwig Thomsen, Principal.

The painting and carpentering at the Weiser Academy is finished, and everything is now about in readiness for the fall opening next month. The buildings and grounds now present a very neat appearance. September 1905.

Weiser Academy opened in September under more favorable conditions. Classes have started in Latin, Algebra, German, English, English Literature, Physiography, and Bible studies. The students have prepared splendid tennis and croquet courts. The old sidewalk from town to the academy has been improved.

The academy was closed the latter part of 1905 and 1906. During the summer of 1907, on the initiative of Dr. B. L. Steeves, Rev. W. W. Deac, Rev. B. F. Meredith, and others, the Methodists now reopened the school as “Jason Lee Academy.” Under the presidency of Prof. J. C. Teeters, there unfolded prospects of a wider usefulness than ever before. But Boise, jealous of Weiser’s educational prospects, induced the conference to close the academy (August 1907), although 57 students from out of town were pledged.

The buildings of the Jason Lee Academy had a close shave when a sagebrush fire burned right up to the academy. Mr. Jilson who lives about a mile northwest of the academy was burning sagebrush when a wind suddenly rose and sent the fire sweeping across the foothills north of the academy. Rev. Meredith and Professor Thomas and about 150 Weiser residents made a heroic and successful fight against the flames. A small barn and some sheds were lost. Fortunately, the windmill furnished enough water, and jackrabbits ran in every direction.

Immediately on the adverse action of the conference, the writer (H. P. Lee), counseled and aided by R. C. McKinney and others, sought United Presbyterian control. A year’s strenuous effort culminated in an offer by Synod of the Columbia to open the school, using the funds from their sale of their Waitsburg Academy, providing Weiser would subscribe $1,500 per year for five years…

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towards maintenance. The response was $1630 and will probably reach $2,000.

The Oregon-Idaho College was accordingly incorporated Nov. 30, Each the directors are: Dr. D.A. White, Chairman; Dr. B.L, Zee Es, Vice-Chairman; R. Im, Crawford, Secretary; A,B. Anderson, R Surer; R, C, McKinney and C, A, Henderson, Executive Committee; Hp: J. A. Morrow and H.N. Cornes, A.J. Keller, Herman Haas and Reg! Lee of Weiser; Rev. J.S. Colvin and J.R. Baker, of Nampa:

Rev, E,S. Dubois, of Portland, Oregon, and Rev. H.G. Edgar, of Seattle, Washington. (It will be noted that many of the officers and directors were Weiser businessmen.)

The Academy folded up after ten or twelve years. It afforded a large number of students a fine Christian education and ranked with the best. It had well-trained and very fine teachers. [Many of the graduates made a marked impression in whatever part of the world they made their home.] There were several reasons for the end of the Academy, but probably the main one was that the day of Private Academies was about to end.

Public high schools were becoming commonplace and steadily improving their educational faculties.

The lone two-story building, last remnant of the Academy, still stood on the hill to the north of Weiser when Harry Pepper came in the middle of the 1920s.

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From Fern Coble Trull’s book “From Grubbing Hoe To Model T”

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