Bion R. Cram made a challenge gift to the school which helped complete the fundraising.

FRYEBURG – Trustees of Fryeburg Academy dedicated its new 16,000-square-foot Cram Library and Classroom building in the midst of the annual Alumni Reunion Weekend Aug. 16, and just in time for the start of the 2003-2004 school year.

The facility is named in honor of alumnus and benefactor Bion R. Cram, class of 1933, who made a challenge gift of $500,000, Cram was born in Baldwin and came to the academy as a boarding student in 1929. A retired investment banker, today he lives in Kennebunk and Florida. This is not only the largest gift that the academy has ever received, but it also provided the impetus to complete the fund-raising campaign in record time. Since the academy is an independent school, all of these funds had to be raised privately, To date, trustees, alumni and friends have donated more than $2.63 million to make this long-awaited community resource a reality.

The new library, which houses the academy’s growing collection as well as complete technology resources, was conceived from the trustees’ 2000-2005 long range plan which called for the addition of several new facilities over the next 10 to 15 years.

In addition, the building houses four new classrooms, including a learning center and computer lab, as well as a dedicated room for faculty research. There is also a conference room and three small meeting rooms which all open up into a large reading room that looks out through circular windows on the academy’s athletic fields. Designed by Harriman Associates of Auburn, the structure was built by RLR Enterprises of Center Conway, N.H.

Major benefactors to this project include the trustees of the Academy who kicked off this effort by donating nearly one third of the funds raised. Led by Trustee President Conrad Eastman, and Campaign Chairman, David F. Hastings III, the campaign took just two years from beginning to end.

Other major community supporters include the West Oxford Agricultural Association (also known as the Fryeburg Fair), as well as the Clarence E. Mulford Trust, and the Libra, Robert and Dorothy Goldberg, and Stephen and Tabitha King Foundations. In addition, hundreds of academy alumni also made significant pledges to ensure this project would be realized.

For more information on the academy or its programs, call 207-935-2001 extension 128, or visit the Web site at fryeburgacademy.org.