Litchfield Academy

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Litchfield Academy
Litchfield Academy, Litchfield, Maine, 1895.jpg
Litchfield Academy photographed for History of Litchfield and an account of its centennial celebrations, 1895
Location
466 Academy Road

Litchfield Corner

Litchfield
,
Maine
04350

Kennebec
Coordinates 44°07'24.6"N 69°52'08.0"W
Information
School typeHigh school
Established1845
Closed1988

Litchfield Academy is an historic school building in the town of Litchfield, Maine. The school was incorporated in 1845 and built in 1852 in the Litchfield Corner neighborhood. The school closed in 1988 and, since 2004, it has served as the town's Senior Center. [1] [2]

Contents

History

Before the Academy building was constructed, an earlier high school operated in Litchfield Corner. In 1845, the high school was incorporated as Litchfield Academy. Tuition was $3 for the 12-week term. [1]

In 1849, the Maine State Legislature granted the trustees of Litchfield Academy one-half of township No. 13 in Aroostook County. The sale of the land netted $5,650 to support the construction of a new school building. In 1852, a building measuring 33 feet by 40 feet by 20 feet was constructed "after the North Yarmouth plan" at Litchfield Corner. [3]

In 1903, the town of Litchfield began offering free high school education to local students by paying for their tuition at Litchfield Academy. [4] The Academy's library had more than 1,000 titles in 1920. [5]

According to the town report in 1923, the Academy offered courses of study for college preparatory, scientific, commercial, and agricultural. [6]

In 1926, students and supporters of the Academy published The Litchfield AcademyCook Book. [7]

The town purchased the building in 1954 and added two rooms in 1955. [4]

In 1966, Litchfield Academy stopped offering high school classes. The town then paid for local high school students to attend Monmouth Academy. In 1971 a wing was added to Litchfield Academy and the school became known as the Libby-Tozier School, in honor of longtime teachers Elisie Libby and Irene Tozier. The Litchfield Academy portion of the new building continued to be called its original name. [4]

The last students attended class in the Academy in 1988. That same year an addition was constructed onto the 1971 wing that added a library, classrooms, offices, and a gymnasium. Afterwards the Academy ceased being used for classes. [4]

In 2004, the town established a Senior Center in the Academy overseen by a seven-member Seniors Advisory Committee. [8]

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 "Early Schools of Litchfield". www.historicalsocietyoflitchfieldmaine.org. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  2. ↑ Litchfield Yesterdays: 1795-1995 Bicentennial Edition. Litchfield, Maine: Litchfield Bicentennial Committee. 1995. pp. 43–44.
  3. ↑ History of Litchfield and an account of its centennial celebrations. Augusta, Maine: Kennebec Journal Print. 1895. pp. 474–475.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Litchfield Chronology". www.historicalsocietyoflitchfieldmaine.org. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  5. ↑ Litchfield (Me.) (1920). "Annual Report of the Municipal Officers of the Town of Litchfield For the Year Ending February 11, 1920". Maine Town Documents.
  6. ↑ Litchfield (Me.) (1923). "Annual Report of the Municipal Officers of the Town of Litchfield For the Year Ending February 16, 1923". Digital Commons, the University of Maine. Maine Town Documents.
  7. ↑ Anderson, Addie (1926). The Litchfield Academy cook book. Litchfield Academy (Litchfield, Me.). Richmond, Me: W. F. Dunham printer.
  8. ↑ "Senior center to open". Lewiston Sun Journal. October 12, 2004. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
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