The Academy's History

[The Headmistress]

The Academy's History »

Mutants were virtually unheard of at the start of the 20th century. It was only due to an accidental lapse in a young mutant’s control that humans even found out about their cousin race. On a dry spring day of 1902, a fight broke out between a young mutant and some fellow classmates. This boy, Silas Bedell, was endowed with the ability to control and manipulate fire and allowed his anger to get the best of him. Without realizing it, the young boy set fire to the school building. Soon, half of the town was ablaze. Eventually, the fire burned itself out but the town had suffered immense property damage as well as countless human casualties.

The people of the town learned the cause of the fire and scraped together a party of frightened but determined volunteers to hunt the boy down and bring him to justice. The party rushed to the boy’s house and beat down the door. His father and mother, well known citizens of the town Richard and Claire Bedell, tried to quell their anger and protect their son; however, the boy was knocked unconscious and forcibly dragged out of the house. His parents, without powers themselves, could only watch and mourn as their son was lynched from a tree on their own property.

The father felt utterly responsible for his son’s death. He had often tried to work with his son to teach him to keep his anger in check, but he had failed and his son was now dead by the hands of ignorant and scared humans. Only days after the killing, the father became obsessed with his new idea. He dragged the rest of his family away from their hometown and into a vast, vacant part of Vermont. There he began to set his plan into motion. With the building’s blueprint drawn up, he hired contractors to build his mansion. In 1905, the building was complete.

When Richard’s wife asked what he planned to do with such a large living space, Mr. Bedell replied, “This academy will forever be a home to children with odd gifts. Children may come here to learn. They will be taught how to control their powers so that no other child is killed for something they could not govern. The academy shall be open to all gifted children. It is a place where they can feel like they belong, a place where they will not have to worry about being judged for who they are.”

“What will you call it?” Claire asked next.

“Silas Academy. School for extraordinary students.”

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