| Alden Partridge |
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In 1819 , he founded Norwich University in his hometown of Norwich. The School was originally named the "American Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy." The University is now located in Northfield, Vermont, and is the nation's oldest private military College . Norwich University is nicknamed the "Birthplace of ROTC" because it was the first school to offer the Reserve Officers Training Program . Partridge later founded military schools in Virginia , New Hampshire , Mississippi , Pennsylvania , and Delaware . An avid solo wilderness hiker, Partridge had previously climbed Mount Monadnock and Mount Moosilauke in New Hampshire when in 1818 he walked 76 miles from Norwich to climb both Camel's Hump and Mount Mansfield in two days. It rained the entire journey, according to his journal, and while a friend joined him climbing Mansfield, he hiked the balance of the expedition alone. One of America's first Exercise enthusiasts, Partridge became a strong proponent of Physical Education as an essential part of school Curriculum . As part of that program, he often led his classes on hiking expeditions in the many local mountains of New England . On one climb of Vermont's Green Mountains in 1822 , Partridge led 27 pack-laden cadets on a 150-mile hike from Norwich to Manchester in just four days. Partridge wrote widely about his travels, both in local newspapers and in books. As surveyor-general for his state, he took part in surveys of the national boundaries defined by the Treaty Of Ghent ending the War Of 1812 . Elected four times to Vermont's state assembly, he was an unsuccessful candidate for national office. EXTERNAL LINKS REFERENCES
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