Andover

Andover, a village of Essex county, Massachusetts, 23 miles N. of Boston. Settled in 1643 from its English namesake, it is famous, even in Massachusetts, for its educational institutions. The Phillips Academy, instituted in 1780, is liberally constituted and well attended. The Andover Theological Seminary of the Congregationalists, an offshoot from it, was founded in 1807, for the purpose 'of providing for the church a learned, orthodox, and pious ministry.' Largely endowed, it offers free residence and instruction, and is frequented by students of various denominations. There is a valuable library of 30,000 volumes, and the Bibliotheca Sacra, a quarterly edited by the professors, is one of the leading theological organs of New England. The Abbot Female Academy, for the education of female teachers, and the Punchard High School, are also flourishing institutions.