Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts, had declined by 1902, but new Headmaster Frank Boyden turned it around and by 1904, the academy was growing dramatically and had begun to establish itself as one of the leading institutions in the nation. Boyden appears in the photograph in the back row to the far right.  He was 23 when he became headmaster and he held the post until 1968. When he arrived, the school had only 14 students and was short of funds. Boyden used personal persuasion and a seemingly unlimited store of energy to convince local families to send their children to the academy. By 1903, 44 students were enrolled. Boyden worked hard to link the town and academy and won several crucial battles with town dissenters. Among those pictured here (standing, fourth from right, middle row) is Minnie Ellen Hawks (1872-1957), an 1889 graduate. She taught at the academy from 1902 to 1944.