Living Legacy at Hebron Academy
I’m on a long adventure to visit and write about one place in every Maine town. My focus is our state’s history and everyday way of life. Hebron, in Oxford County, is the thirty-first town to be featured. The process for selecting sites is extensive; there are many factors to consider before deciding on a location. The choice of Hebron Academy fits my criteria beautifully.
However — for the first time since beginning this statewide journey — I drove away from the visit with a clear realization: a blog post will be insufficient to convey the breadth and depth of this profound academic institution. Let this feature serve only as an invitation to further explore Hebron Academy’s 216 years of history and influence in Maine. This will simply be a brief introduction.
Hebron Academy is a college preparatory boarding and day school. Last year, 230 students — representing eighteen countries — were enrolled. Two out of every three live on campus. Three out of every four faculty members do the same.
There is a deep sense of history as you walk the impressive grounds of Hebron Academy. Students from a wide variety of backgrounds sit in its classrooms long before they begin their life’s work. This shared experience links individuals such as Leon Leonwood Bean (you may recognize the name more quickly if his initials are used: L.L. Bean), John Brown Russwurm (abolitionist), Tim Sample (humorist), and Hannibal Hamlin (Abraham Lincoln's first vice-president).
John D. Long, whose distinguished career included serving as Secretary of the Navy under President McKinley, was a Hebron student and president of the board of trustees.
In addition to those whose names might be familiar to the pubic is a far larger number of individuals who used the foundation of this early education to impact their circles of influence around the globe and away from the limelight. This legacy of Hebron Academy exceeds the scope of measurement.
Hebron Academy is in its third CENTURY of preparing students for college. How does a school retain its vision and vitality for this many generations? Certainly the question has a number of possible answers. I found some clues in Harold E. Hall’s 1979 book on Hebron Academy. In one of the most surreal moments since launching Maine Features, I came across a used copy of his work in an antique shop only a couple hours after the school accepted my request to feature them. Of course I bought it.
In reading Hall’s account, I noticed some recurring themes. One was the longevity of the staff, faculty, and board of trustees. Portraits of these individuals can be found throughout the buildings on campus. In many cases, their lengths of service spanned decades. One married couple — Charles and Amy Dwyer — dedicated a combined eight-five years to serving Hebron Academy!
Another theme was the vibrant and meaningful relationship between faculty and students. One account, from the November 1891 issue of the Hebron Semester, stated the following:
A more social, happy, and friendly company of youths never met together. The instructors were open hearted, courteous, and familiar to that degree that they gained the applause of every student — the main thing to create unhappiness being the thought of separation at the close of the term…
It doesn’t take long to see that those who choose this career are not just logging a set number of hours, but giving of themselves as they invest in the young people under their care.
The last theme that stood out during my research was the clarity of purpose. The mission statement of Hebron Academy is “to inspire and guide students to reach their highest potential in mind, body, and spirit.” It is both a lofty and well-rounded goal. The school extends beyond the classroom to the 1500 acres that it owns. There is an emphasis on physical activity and outdoor exploration. Whether a student grew up in Maine or arrived from the other side of the globe, they will have the opportunity to see and experience the state’s natural beauty.
I found Hebron Academy to be a place of weighty distinction with both a rich history and modern relevance. The school offers not only a high quality education, but also a community in which lifelong memories and friendships are created. You can learn more by visiting their website.
I’m on a mission to visit every town in Maine. Check here to see if I’ve featured yours yet: All The Visits.
