200 Transformative Years

1820

The Story Begins…

Brewster’s roots were planted in 1820, when the Wolfeborough and Tuftonborough Academy was founded and the first students arrived in 1821. In its earliest decade, the Academy educated many local and not-so-local residents including Henry Wilson (who later became Ulysses S. Grant’s vice president) and a young man named John Brewster, who became a successful Boston businessman and banker.

In 1886, the estate of John Brewster, under the direction of his son William, established Brewster Free Academy for students under the conditions “that no restriction shall be placed upon any person desiring to attend and receive instruction from said school or academy on account of his or her age, sex, or color, provided only he or she is of good moral character.” At that time, the gift was considered to be the largest philanthropic donation of its kind. Serving as a school for the local population

for more than 140 years, Brewster Free Academy transitioned to its more traditional and current role as an independent school in 1965 when Kingswood Regional High School opened up just down the street. Since that time, Brewster has celebrated significant and purposeful growth in enrollment, successful program evolutions, and a campus revitalization that has honored its beautiful lakeside location and local impact.

In the pages that follow, we invite you to enjoy some of Brewster’s important moments and interesting tidbits from the archives, knowing that there will be more coming as we reflect on our Bicentennial year.

SPECIAL THANKS to Shirley Richardson, author of The Brewster Story: A Definitive History of Brewster Academy, which has been a wonderful resource as we celebrate Brewster’s rich history and 200th birthday.

THE BEGINNING

Local leader and businessman David Pickering donated one acre of land for the Wolfeborough and Tuftonborough Academy’s first building. In this image, one of the earliest known photographs of the nascent school, townsfolk gathered to observe the Paul Revere bell being erected in the belfry.

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Brewster Free Academy On June 11, 1887, trustees of the Wolfeborough and Tuftonborough Academy petitioned the New Hampshire state legislature to allow the school to operate under the name of Brewster Free Academy, as directed by the estate of John Brewster. Such began a new and enduring testimonial from the vision of an accomplished and devoted student from the past.

DIVERSE THINKERS WELCOME

1886 A GENEROUS BENEFACTOR

John Brewster (1812-1886), student, founder, and benefactor of the Academy, grew up in Wolfeboro on his family’S farm. John left home to become a teacher (briefly), before joining his uncle in the dry goods business. After pursuing this successful occupation for 16 years, he transitioned to banking where he enjoyed a profitable career at Brewster, Basset & Co.—which later became Brewster, Cobb & Estabrook. (Yes, Arthur Estabrook, who also figured prominently in Brewster’s founding!)

1917 Cup For Debate The classical academic requirements in the early 1900s included the expectation that all students learned and practiced the skill of debating. It was common for students to practice their elocution skills at “Scott’s Palace,” the home of Dr. Nathaniel Scott who offered boarding and study space to students in need. This trophy represents the championship won by the debate team of Francis Sargent, David Thomas, Harold Melvin, Edward Storry, and Coach Steffins in April 1917.

Since the beginning, Brewster has been a place that welcomed differences.

That was crystal clear in John Brewster’s mandate for the school he helped create:

“No restriction shall be placed upon any person desiring to attend and receive instruction from said school or academy on account of his or her age, sex, or color, provided only he or she is of good moral character.”

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1889

Ring the Bell WOLFEBORO

Our backyard—idyllic downtown Wolfeboro— has been captured in timeless postcards, Peter Ferber landscapes, and countless personal photographs featuring the quintessential backdrop that never disappoints! Proud of its designation as “The oldest summer resort in America,” the town is a large part of the Brewster experience for students, their families, and employees!

Early athletic traditions began in the Brewster Free Academy era when teams traveled by steamboat across Lake Winnipesaukee, competing against Tilton School and arriving home to the sight and sounds of students and faculty standing at the lakeside wharf singing “The Red Light on the Wharf at old BFA.” (That Red Light is dedicated to former Head of School Burtis Vaughan, and was recently rededicated at a ceremony with his family and friends.) The traditions have evolved over the years and include the rubbing of the bronze Bobcat mascot on game days for good luck!

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1948

1935 LIVES OF PURPOSE

1911 Full Dance Card The Brewster archives hold many dance cards from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s. Music was a cornerstone of the curriculum as well as a welcomed diversion during war and conflict. The waltz, two step, schottische, and duchess were all popular. Dances were more formal during this timeframe and always had a unique theme for each scheduled dance, as seen in this nautical event.

On Track

This domestic science class (left) was part of the three tracks of study at Brewster beginning in 1911: classical, scientific, and commercial. The classical and scientific were designed to meet the admissions requirements of various colleges and technical schools. Classes in stenography, bookkeeping, domestic science, typing, correspondence, and commercial law were a part of the commercial program intended for those entering the business field.

With the sudden death of Principal Ralph Bearce (below) in 1935, his friend Walter Greenall applied for and was hired as the fifth Principal of the Academy. Mr. Greenall recognized that during the Depression years, schools must “prepare their young people for the necessary duties of life,” and embraced President Roosevelt’s work project focus— introducing a service component to the student experience.

1921 Facebook The first publication of the Senior Yearbook (The SYB) appeared in 1921.

Over the years, we’ve added a student newspaper and literary/arts magazine to the publications roster. But the custom of portraying student faces and events remains alive and well today in the yearbook, now called The Winnipesaukean.

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1956 “BREWSTER - 9 NEW HAMPTON - 3” This baseball belonged to Jim Smith ’56, and is part of a Brewster sports memorabilia collection lovingly donated to the school archives by Jim’s daughters, Jill and Heidi Smith. Signed by the team, it is a reminder of a saying often heard at graduation time: “Once a Bobcat, always a Bobcat.”

Hit and Run The baseball diamond (Mudge Field) is located in the same location today and provided an on-campus facility for the early organized sport of baseball at Brewster. Legend has it that a local character, “Joe,” who lived next to the field was a daily supporter of the Brewster athletes and became a staple fan for developing Brewster teams.

1892

B R EWST ER C R A B S

This is one of our favorite early Brewster teams and uniforms—the girls’ basketball team of 1892 (above). They were known as the Crabs back then! (In that era, it wasn’t uncommon for teams to choose their own mascot.) And on the gridiron (left), records indicate that the football field (AKA “The Brewster Oval”) was constructed down by the lake (now Palazzo Field) and charged an admission fee of 15 cents.

1941

A Time of War For the class of 1941 and fellow underclassmen, the conflict in Europe that began in 1939 created an uncertainty of what their roles might be which became abundantly clear on that Sunday, December 7, 1941. Football player Ned Bullock ’41 stated, “Everyone in school knew the war would soon come. We were kind of preparing ourselves ahead of time.”

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1954

Lucky Thirteen This football jersey was donated to the archives by David Carlson ’54. David has been the longest-serving Board of Trustee member at Brewster (27 years), an active and passionate alumnus, and a proud grandfather of Christopher ’15. We salute our lucky thirteen!

1982

Roar Bobcats

It was time for the Bobcats to take to the water in the early 1980s. Led by Coach Andrew Wooden and some notable determined sailors like Jon Pinckney ’84, the Sailing team was a consistently successful presence in New England. Along with the revitalization of the crew program, these athletes helped draw attention to the competition on the lakeside of campus. And in 1987, the Pinckney Boathouse was completed, becoming a coveted facility to maintain the fleets, teach the skills, and treasure the sacred waterfront endowed to us.

GO TEAM!

A varsity jacket patch worn by the very successful football teams of this era.

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1978

1902

A NEW LIBRARY

THE KENISON MEMORIAL LIBRARY HONORS ARTHUR KENISON CLASS OF 1899 AND HIS THREE SONS, ALL OF WHOM SERVED IN THE U.S. NAVY IN WWII. IN 1978, STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES FORMED A HUMAN CHAIN TO MOVE THE LIBRARY’S 20,000+ VOLUMES FROM THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE AC TO THE NEW LIBRARY LOCATION.

THE ORIGINAL AC

TAKEN SHORTLY BEFORE THE 1903 FIRE THAT DESTROYED THE ORIGINAL ACADEMIC BUILDING, THIS PHOTO SHOWS CROWDS OF TOWNSFOLK TAKING IN A GAME OF BREWSTER BASEBALL!

BRE WSTE R ACADE M Y

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1924

Trailblazer Esther Lord Class of 1924 (left) was the first of three Lord Sisters to graduate from Brewster, having followed in the footsteps of their mother, Elizabeth Lord Class of 1893. Esther made history at Brewster in the Fall of 1921 as a member of the school’s first girls’ field hockey team (below), marking the first time girls were awarded letters in athletics. Her loving family established The Esther Lord Page Memorial Scholarship Fund in 1973, which is awarded annually to a returning student whose academic standing and recognition scores reflect a high level of investment and serious commitment to “doing it all and doing it right.”

CIVIL AIR PATROL

DURING WWII, BREWSTER BOYS AND GIRLS TRAINED TO SPOT ENEMY AIRCRAFT FROM A WATCHTOWER CONSTRUCTED ON CLARK ROAD ON LAND THAT IS NOW OCCUPIED BY THE HOME OF LONGTIME BOBCATS LYNNE AND TJ PALMER. GIRLS WERE ALSO TRAINED IN MORSE CODE. AT THE END OF THE WAR, AS TOWNSPEOPLE SPONTANEOUSLY GATHERED IN WOLFEBORO TO CHEER THE VICTORY, A BONFIRE SOON BLAZED ON CAMPUS AND JUBILANT STUDENTS DANCED FOR HOURS.

1942

Much More to Share

Two centuries can hardly be captured and celebrated in a single story! But we hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into the past of the place we share and hold dear. In coming issues of this magazine and on our social media channels, we’ll be sharing even more gems from the archives, as well as special interviews with some of Brewster’s leaders, including former Headmasters Michael Cooper and David Smith! Until then, be well, Bobcats!

Brewster’s Pastime

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