The majority of Lincoln Academy students live in local sending towns, including Newcastle, Damariscotta, Bristol, Jefferson, Nobleboro, South Bristol, Nobleboro, and Edgecomb. Similar to other town academies, the sending towns pay tuition for these local students. The school also has residential students who come from China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Spain, Turkey, Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, and the U.S. 84 residential students live in two dormitories on campus: the Hall House, renovated from a classroom building in 2013, and a new dormitory built in 2015. Lincoln has 585 students, 64 teachers, and 30 supportive staff members. The school mascot for Lincoln Academy is the eagle and the school colors are black and white. Finis Opus Coronat was originally adopted as the motto of the Class of 1907, eventually used as the school motto. Lincoln Academy publishes an annual alumni magazine called Aerie.
Founders
Rev. Kiah Bayley
Samuel Nickels
Rev. Jonathan Ward
Rev. Alden Bradford
Hon. Thomas Rice
Rev. William Riddle
Thomas McClure
Rev. John Sawyer
William McCobb
David Dennis
Mr. Matthew Cottrell
Henry Knox
Mr. Moses Carlton
History
In 1801, the General Court of Massachusetts established Lincoln Academy in regards to promoting "Piety, Religion and Morality." 178 people from nine towns signed the original petition and donated over $3,000 to found the school. Lincoln Academy opened in October 1805 in a wooden building on River Road in Newcastle with 74 student attending that year. The tuition cost $257 per year and was paid by students' families. Later in 1828, a fire destroyed the original building and a new one was constructed on Academy Hill road. To this day, the building supporting the bell tower serves as the central building of the high school. Lincoln Academy formerly served as a "fitting school for Bowdoin College" from 1805 until 1903. The Maine Legislature then passed a law that mandated secondary education be funded by the local towns. As a result, many adults enrolled at LA causing an increase in enrollment and a dramatic change in the nature of the student body. By 1906, the school body was composed of those preparing for Bowdoin College with a required exam for admission. The exam was later discontinued in the 1930s resulting in Lincoln becoming a public high school. Enrollment increased during the 50s and 60s and increased again upon the closure of Bristol High School in 1969. In the 1970s, the school eliminated differentiated diplomas and course and graduation requirements were increased. Later, the school joined the Bath Regional Vocational Program and then Rockland Vocational Center. Today, Lincoln Academy serves as a private high school for students from surrounding towns.. In 2018, the school is met with a dip in enrollment due to fewer Chinese students studying abroad as Lincoln Academy's majority of international students are from China. One possibility brings concerns that President Donald Trump's "restrictive views on immigration" turn away international students. The President's aim to limit visa applications and banning travel from some countries adds to international students' difficulty to study abroad in the United States. The school also stated that "American-style" education models are being used in China creating less of a demand to study in the United States. In addition to Lincoln Academy, schools across New England have also suffered from a decline in international student enrollment due to a decreased interest in traveling and studying in the United States. In 2011, Lincoln Academy was $1.25 million in debt with a $5 million endowment. Over a several years, the school has unfortunately fell into a $10 million debt with only $7.5 million endowment in 2016. There was some conflict within the Board of Trustees as to finding solutions to the fixing the debt.
2015 Expansion
On April 17, 2015, Lincoln Academy celebrated with Maine state senator Angus King the grand opening of the newly constructed Cable-Burns Applied Technology and Engineering Center and a new dormitory for residential students. The ATEC building offers flexible, modern classroom space for traditionally-offered course such as Digital Media Production, Small Engines, Digital Photography, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Computer-Aided Design, as well as new courses such as Engineering, Invent to Learn, and Metal Sculpture. The new dorm houses 54 residential student and five faculty families. Having 84 residential student on campus has expanded the diversity of the Lincoln Academy student population and has allowed the school to maintain its budget and wide range of classes during a time of shrinking student population of the Midcoast. On September 25, a new synthetic surface field was dedicated in honor of Lincoln Academy graduate, William A. Clark II. The field's construction was possible because of an anonymous donation. Prior to the construction of the field, Lincoln Academy "has struggled with maintaining an adequate baseball and soccer field." Because of construction of the new dormitory and ATEC building, the conditions of the fields declined, according to school officials. The school also plans on building a new baseball field.
