Obadiah Wheelock Albee left his mark on Marlborough’s school system

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Obadiah Wheelock Albee distinguished himself as a Marlborough educator of indomitable perseverance and conviction. Photo/Courtesy of the Marlborough Historical Society

Obadiah Wheelock Albee distinguished himself as a Marlborough educator of indomitable perseverance and conviction. Photo/Courtesy of the Marlborough Historical Society

MARLBOROUGH – There have been many major contributors to the city’s education and recreational systems, including Obadiah Albee, Abraham and Silas Gates, Horatio Alger, Ezra Cutting, Joseph Hannagan, Lou Ghiloni, Ernie Holt and Anna Walker. But Albee in particular stands out.

Obadiah Wheelock Albee (1808-1866) laid down the principal foundations of Marlborough’s educational system. Albee graduated from Brown University in 1832. In 1833 he became principal of the Gates Academy (located where the Walker building is now). At this time education in the community sprang into a new life. Previously schools in the area had not made much progress. When Albee took over Gates Academy, it was such a success that not only students from Marlborough attended, but many from the surrounding towns and some from even out of state.

Albee made education available to everyone not just the wealthy. The students who completed the courses offered from Gates most often attained positions as teachers, lawyers, clergymen, doctors or manufacturers. Albee was a superior educator. Many of his top students returned to the community and were successful in banking, business, medicine and industry. One such student was John Frye, who would go on to be the founder of the Frye Boot Company, a leading footwear manufacturer for over 150 years.

He remained as principal from 1833 to 1851 and continued to teach until 1860. In 1851 the town of Marlborough took over the school. At that time the attendance at the school became so large the community had to make plans to build a new school building.

Albee was not only a proficient teacher and educator, he was also liberal-minded and a public-spirited citizen, He held the position of the Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue, Seventh Massachusetts district. He served as a member of the Massachusetts Legislature for six years, two of them in the Senate, where he was the author of the Personal Liberties Bill.

He distinguished himself not only as an educator of indomitable perseverance and the courage of his convictions but as a friend and molder of character of the rising generation. Aside from his public spirit, there can be no reasonable doubt that in his day he did more than any other man in the community to awaken interest in education.

Albee is buried in the Maplewood Cemetery on Pleasant Street where there is a large monument for him and his wife, Margaret. This monument has engraved on it: “This monument was erected by a few of his pupils to whom his memory is dear for the services he rendered and the impulse he gave the cause of education.” Indeed, Marlborough owes a lot to Obadiah Wheelock Albee.

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