South Lancaster Academy

On April 19, 1882, the "New England School", yet unnamed, opened its doors. Nineteen students started classes and five more joined these a few days later. Stephen Nelson Haskell was the founder and builder of the school; Goodloe H. Bell was the first principal. The following year in 1883, the school was named South Lancaster Academy.[9]

In 1885, the school expanded to include college preparatory. Teacher training was added in 1886, with development of a "normal school", the J. T. Browning Missionary and Industrial School.

In 1918, its standing as a junior college was formally recognized and the school name was changed to Lancaster Junior College.

In 1922 degree-granting powers were conferred by the Massachusetts legislature. Once more the school's name was changed to Atlantic Union College with the school beginning to operate on the senior college level, offering a four-year theological course. During the same period the college became a separate institute with the academy having its own board of trustees and faculty.

Since 1967, South Lancaster Academy has been a twelve-grade school. The academy attempts to maintain the historic ideals of Seventh-day Adventists on matters of morals, dress, and conduct, as its reasons for existence. South Lancaster Academy is operated by the SDA churches of Atlantic Union College, Leominster, South Lancaster Village, and Sterling. South Lancaster Academy is operated by the Southern New England Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and the Atlantic Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.[10]

• 1882 Organized as a preparatory school on Feb 5th, under the leadership of Stephen Nelson Haskell (1833-1922)
• 1882 On April 19, first day of class for "that New England school"
• 1883 On Dec 12th, incorporated and formerly named as South Lancaster Academy
• 1887 In May, certificates were given to thirteen students who had completed the intermediate course of eight grades.
• 1888 On May 12, first SLA graduation ceremony was held.
• 1912 On Oct 27th the cornerstone was laid for the new Normal School.[11]
• 1913 Browning Normal school dedicated
• 1918 Renamed Lancaster Junior College, after advanced work was carried on for several years in theology, teacher training, and business.
• 1922 Renamed Atlantic Union College, after offering a four-year theological course and being authorized degree-granting powers conferred by the Massachusetts legislature. The Academy and College became separate institutions with the Academy having its own board of trustees and faculty.
• 1965 With the opening of Pioneer Valley Academy, SLA was no longer used as a boarding school.[12]
• 1965 Browning Elementary is re-situated at its current location on George Hill Road.
• 1967 South Lancaster Academy re-situated at its current location on George Hill Road in South Lancaster, MA.
• 1985 Administrations of Browning Elementary and South Lancaster Academy are combined into one.
• 2009 South Lancaster Academy/Browning Elementary is officially renamed to South Lancaster Academy with Browning Elementary being included as part of the school brand but not in title.

South Lancaster Academy is accredited by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities.

The required curriculum includes classes in the following subject areas: Religion, English, Oral Communications, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education, Health, Computer Applications, Fine Arts, and Electives.

All students take religion classes each year that they are enrolled. These classes cover topics in biblical history and Christian and denominational doctrines. Instructors in other disciplines also begin each class period with prayer or a short devotional thought, many which encourage student input. Weekly, the entire student body gathers together in the auditorium for an hour-long chapel service. Outside the classrooms there is year-round spiritually oriented programming that relies on student involvement.

South Lancaster Academy offers five main sports: •Basketball (boys & girls) •Volleyball (boys & girls) •Cross Country (boys & girls) •Soccer Co-Ed •Baseball (Boys)

• 1882-1884 Goodloe Harper Bell
• 1884-1885 Dores Alonzo Robinson
• 1885-1888 Charles Cornell Ramsay
• 1888-1894 George W. Caviness
• 1894-1899 Joseph Harvey Haughey
• 1899-1907 Frederick Griggs
• 1907-1909 Benjamin F. Machlan
• 1909-1913 Charles Smull Longacre
• 1913-1916 Benjamin F. Machlan
• 1916-1917 William G. Worth
• 1917-1920 Mahlon Elsworth Olsen
• 1920-1920 Otto Marion John
• 1921-1922 George R. Lehman
• 1922-____ Irvil Atwood Armstrong (1887-1936) First Principal after College faculty separated
• c1930-____ Linton Garfield Sevrens
• 1944-1945 William Burton Higgins
• 1945-1952 Chester Everett Kellogg
• c1952-____ Harold F. Lease
• c1955-____ Edwin Charles Harkins
• c1961-1966 Lloyd Stanley Davis
• 1966-1967 Don Lake
• 1968-1969 J. Melvyn Clemons
• 1969-1970 F. Maynard Yeary
• 1970 1973 - Dale Twomley
• 1976-1989 Alfred Peder Aastrup
• 1989- 1996 Dr. Ian Kelly
• 1996 - 1998 Jeff Foote
• 2000 - 2001 - Gary Force
• 2001 - 2002 Sandy Durand
• 2002-2007 Allyson E. Cram
• 2007-2014 Ron Huff
• 10/2014-7/2015 Theresa Robidoux, Interim
• 2015–2018 Jeffrey Lambert
• 2018–present David Branum

• List of Seventh-day Adventist secondary schools
• Seventh-day Adventist education

• Rowena Elizabeth Purdon, That New England School, The College Press, 1956

• Official website