Noyes Academy facts for kids

The Noyes Academy was a special school founded in 1835 in Canaan, New Hampshire. It was one of the first schools in the United States where students of all races and genders could learn together. People in New England who wanted to end slavery, called abolitionists, started the school. Even the president of nearby Dartmouth College supported the idea of admitting Black students.

However, many local people didn't like the idea of Black students being in their town. After only a few months, hundreds of white men from Canaan and nearby towns gathered. They tore down the school building. Later, a new school called Canaan Union Academy was built in its place, but only white students were allowed there.

Why the Academy Was Needed

Before Noyes Academy, there was an idea to start a college just for African Americans in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1831. But people in that city strongly opposed it, so it never happened. This strong opposition led to the creation of the New England Anti-Slavery Society.

After this, a simpler idea emerged. People thought it would be better to help Black students get into schools and colleges that already existed. They realized that an integrated preparatory school was needed. This type of school would prepare Black students for college or for jobs like ministers.

Founding the School

The Noyes Academy was started by men from New England who supported the abolitionist movement. Key founders included Samuel Noyes, who was the uncle of John Humphrey Noyes, and attorney George Kimball from Canaan. Samuel Edmund Sewall of Boston also helped.

At this time, public education was growing, but many schools kept Black and white students separate. George Kimball explained why the academy was so important:

It is sadly true that Black people, even in free states, have been kept out of our free education system. This is despite their hard work and taxes helping to build and maintain it. This school aims to give back to this overlooked group the chance for learning and moral instruction. We want to open a source of pure learning for everyone who seeks it.

The plan for the school was approved by the New Hampshire Anti-Slavery Society. They believed in schools that would not exclude young people of color because of laws or prejudice. They strongly recommended the proposed Academy in Canaan.

The school's founders and supporters agreed to have students of all races. They announced this in a newspaper called The Liberator in February 1835. The announcement stated that the school would prepare students for any college in the United States. It also said that the school itself would offer excellent classical education. A teacher named William Scales was hired, and a long list of subjects was announced. Mary Harris was also hired to teach in the "female department," but the school was destroyed before she could start.

Opening Day

The school opened in March 1835 in a "neat and handsome building." It had 28 white students and 17 African-American students. Most white students were from local families. However, many Black students traveled long distances, some even from Philadelphia, to attend. This was because there were very few other places where they could get an education.

These Black students were described as modest, polite, and well-behaved. Their journeys to Canaan were often difficult. They faced segregation on steamboats and stagecoaches. Sometimes, they were not allowed in the main cabin and had to stay on deck, no matter the weather. On a 200-mile trip, they often couldn't find food or a place to stay.

Several important African-American abolitionists of the future attended the school. These included Henry Highland Garnet, Thomas Paul, Jr., Thomas S. Sydney, Julia Williams, Charles L. Reason, and Alexander Crummell. Julia Williams had previously attended Prudence Crandall's school for Black girls. That school was also destroyed by an angry crowd in 1834. Henry Highland Garnet and some other students lived with George Kimball.

The School's Destruction

Many local people strongly disliked the idea of Black students attending the academy. They called the school a "nuisance" at a town meeting. People who supported slavery also visited the town, adding to the tension. Those against integration tried to make school officials look bad. They also created fear about the mixing of races.

On July 31, 1835, the town voted to remove the Noyes Academy. A committee was chosen to carry out this vote.

The committee chosen by the town began their work at 7 AM on August 10. They believed this task was important for the town's good, the state's honor, and the well-being of everyone.

Early that morning, about three hundred people from Canaan and nearby towns gathered. They brought nearly one hundred teams of oxen and all the tools needed. Many respected and wealthy farmers helped.

The work began with little noise, considering how many people were involved. The building was safely moved to the common land near the Baptist meeting-house. There it stands, a reminder of the foolishness of those trying to destroy what our ancestors achieved.

The building was badly damaged and almost impossible to repair. It was later completely destroyed by fire.

George Kimball helped the Black students leave town safely at night. He soon moved to Alton, Illinois, which became a center for the movement to end slavery. Four students—Alexander Crummell, Henry Highland Garnet, Thomas Sydney, and Julia Williams—then enrolled at the Oneida Institute in New York. This college was a strong supporter of abolitionism and was one of the first to admit Black and white students equally. Thomas Paul, Jr., was one of the first Black graduates of Dartmouth College in 1841. He later taught at the Abiel Smith School, a school for Black students in Boston.

The events at Noyes Academy caused a lot of anger against abolitionists. It even helped elect a politician who was very much against the anti-slavery cause.

The Canaan Union Academy, which only allowed white students, was built on the Noyes site in 1839. It operated until about 1859 and again from 1888 to 1892. Today, the building houses the Canaan Historical Society and Museum.

Historical Marker

A state historical marker at the school's site tells its story:

Noyes Academy

Started in 1834 by Samuel Noyes and other Canaan citizens, it was the first known upper-level co-ed school in the US open to African Americans. The school opened in 1835, but months later, angry opponents used oxen to drag the Academy building down Canaan Street and forced the Black pupils out of town. This short attempt at equal education helped start the public careers of Black leaders Henry Highland Garnet, Alexander Crummell, and Thomas Sipkins Sydney. Garnet was the first African American to preach in Congress (1865).

2015