Academy
was incorporated in 1806, with Miss Hinsdale as principal. It has
continued ever since, usually with a lady at the head, and for the last
few years especially has done good work under Miss Salisbury. The
Maplewood Young Ladies' Institute, the most noted school of education
that has ever existed in Pittsfield, has this year closed an existence
of forty-three years. Its loss will be mourned by many friends in the
town and elsewhere. Among the illustrations is given a view of the
avenue and the chapel; behind the latter stands the meeting-house of
1793, of late years used for a gymnasium.

About the time of Shay's Rebellion the first newspaper, the American
Sentinel, was published. It was printed on a sheet ten by eighteen
inches in size, and gave the greater portion of its space to two or
three prosy essays. Three other newspapers appeared and vanished in turn
until, in the year 1800, the Pittsfield Sun was established by Phinehas
Allen. It remained in his hands for nearly three-quarters of a century,
and to this day gives its support to the Democratic party. James Harding
is the editor. The Argus was started in 1827, as a rival, by Henry K.
Strong. Four years later it was removed to Lenox, and united with the
Berkshire Journal. In 1838 the name was changed to the Massachusetts
Eagle, and soon afterwards it was brought back to Pittsfield. In 1852 it
was given the name, The Berkshire County Eagle, which it bears to-day.
Both of these papers are weeklies. The Journal is of later date, and is
issued daily. Joseph E. See is editor. In mentioning the educational
facilities of a community it would be an act of thoughtlessness to omit
its bookstores. There is but one in Pittsfield. It contains a large
supply of books, selected with judgment, and is well managed by Mr. J.B.
Harrison.

Rev. John Todd became, in 1839, a worthy pastor to the Church, over
which Thomas Allen presided many years before. His early life had been a
struggle for an education against poverty and ill health. It is
interesting to read his estimate of the new congregation to which he was
called after having been for five years pastor in Philadelphia: "It is a
great, rich, proud, enlightened, powerful people. They move slowly, but
they tread like the elephant. They are cool, but kind, sincere, great at
hearing, but very critical. I have never had an audience who heard so
critically. There is ten times more intellect that is cultivated than we
have eve