The Daniel Hand donation and legacy has been preserved. On Nov. 22, 1884, Daniel Hand donated the land and the cost of construction of the Hand Academy to the people of Madison with three conditions: “Said property to always be known as Hand Academy...Nor shall the same be used for any other purpose, and said town shall employ a suitable teacher or teachers...at least eight months a year.” The land and building was valued at $15,100. It replaced the Lee Academy, where tuition was $4 per 12-week term. The Hand Academy was a private, tuition school and cost $862.84 to operate the first year. In 1887 tuition was waived and it became a free public high school.

In 1958, the town voted to build a new, larger high school on Green Hill Road. The town approached the trustees of Daniel Hand estate, The American Missionary Society, and received a release of the three conditions with the agreement that the new high school would be named “Daniel Hand.” The documentation is available for review at the Town Clerk’s office.

Gus R. Horvath

Madison