The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-04-25
Hon. John e. Calhoun,
Secretary Of War. !
To biz rxeel,rncy Gov. Cass.

SRI have the satisfaction to inform
your Excclleucy, that agreeable To your ap.
pojnlt.l nj aud instruction, | left Detroit
carly in Tire mornn., of the I'D Hl,nno, &c
companied by Col. Godfrey, for the esab-
lislinent made by the u list Missionary
Snci,ty upon the river 81. Jnscph,, Of i.ak1
Michigan, To which 7Sucleiy is eonlided the
expenditure of certain funds appropriated
hy the treaty Of Chicago, Cor agriculu
~ purposes anons the Ottawa and
pottauatanic Indians, and beg leave IN
report the following ~ The result of my ex
animation into the " situation aud pros
poets eflha establishment"
arrived there eafly on Sunday morn
ing of the 3lst az October, aud my APP
p.aruncc hrlng unexpected, every thing il
j. presumed WAS found IN It's current state,
no previous preparation having been made
~ give u better face tp,lhe affairs Of The IS
tld.ishment than its ordinary aspects l.
very member IT this institution bring on
this day engaged IN dc, otional exercises, ]
could not proceed until the next in ms in
tended examination, which wag ccnnscn-
rcd with the sch80, in which the alphabet,
apt Hing, reading, writing and arithmetic
are taught. Ii IS composed Of SIXTY three
scholars Of both seses, and from the full
bloodcd Indian TO the qntdrooa, and Of VA
-'ens ages from childhood 10 manlleaa -
IHne paper tnar. d A. hereto annexed, will
exhibit their ages, SEXES aud degrees of ma
tive blood, and the time when they enter
cd the Institution. The at Rlgemcnt Of
this schouliis order, and the improvement
Of its pupils, excited in me dcIightful scnsa
,ions; To behold, at the distance of nearly
two hundred miles lraia the least hab;ta
ton of civilized man, mn institution arising
out Of the wilderness, tNhlhtug without
cultivated fields, and smiling within with
cheerful, eonteOttd c0anteuances--With or
der aBd IN admirable ecGHony-e 81 ening
ia portals to the rude children ofthe fOrest,
au1 inviting them 10 enter and he made
acquainted with the bcufls resulting rom
domestic life -; with letters which cnla,ge
The sphere Of happiness aud know ledge
with agriculture, W4Iich dlspes all fears of
aprcelous subsistence and above all, with
tho Christian rrlsinn, which ensures to
those who observe its commandments IN
terrnlnabie happiness, Is spectacle con
soling 10 hsmmty, IN the highest degree
praiseWoFthy 10 the founders of it, and de
serving all the fostering care Of bcueyo
lent and enlightened government. From
the i,'nits nf this germ, See, OF imagine
see, the Indian progressively reclaimed
from vagrani i savage state aud a
hope once iondly cherished of an event SO
desirable, and which long since abandon
e1, Is now rcsuscItated with Increased OK
peetation.
Iexaaaned, separately, with FEW excep
tons, every pupil, both in and out of school,
and found them ueinnly satisfied, but con
tented and happy; and was greatly surpfi
scd nj the distinctness with which they pro
nounced English words, and with their
general improvement The table marked
A. before referred to. will Indicate the var
Gus stages of thrir advancement in cduca
tion. The busle is sounded AT four O'Clock
IN the morning, when persons Of every de
scripiiuns nf persons repair tn the
school house, whore the business Of the
day is commenced with religious exercises
after which, they disperse to their yariouf
ayocatiens, unul breakfast, which IS gene
rally prepared litlle after sunrise. BE
sidcs the Rev NJ. Mccoy, the supc,in
tcndcnt, aud his wife, m exeellcn, and Il
miahle womln, there are male 81 . female
teachers al of whom, from Il sens" OF the r
missionary OH. atlous, devote thrmsrite.
without remuneration, To- the diversified
labefs ot the institution, aud one Of them.
Robert SnmmeS"ell, Is G,oreoyer a hlck
smith. There are SIX men engaged iuthrir
Agricultural uprratiDas, and IN telling tim
BIER for fences. For buildings, iirewood, &c.
There are also Indian women " ho serve ~
domestics, one OF wtsam likewise takes care
of several of the lndian chill iren. The
boys ADD sr's are in separate classes. The
latter are under the tuition of governess.
Miss G1odrid5r, n itfy Will qutt "a Tor So
arin 10 an undertaking, and whlcnis ma
infested by the impr eyemeni of the achnl
ars, their great pr0prlciy of 'naancrs, neat
ness Of dress, bat, above all, By their attach
ment u her. The male teachers are also
industrioasly and unremittinsly cmpioyrt!
IN instrhcting the boys committed Ia their
charge. IL short, | never remember 70
have witnessed as much order in any pri
mary school, in which children of all ages
were mingled together, IA IN this. Two %!
the boys are learping, as apprentices, the
trade OF 4 5lacksmi,ti, aud the others who
are large enoeSh areDccasionally occupied
on the farm. All the girls, except three
or fDur, Who are very young and noyitates
can spin, knit and sew, and 60 through all
the graddtiens Of domestic service with u.
much skill aud facility AS their firer ais
tiers Of mare cultivated life. Tsu uf them
weave pl4ih cloth, and two hundred and
ninety fur yard. OF this fabric have beer
m ,nufarfurrd in the loo,2s of this nsitu
ton sire February LIST. iNeahquet VI
Luther Rice, and Anthony Bodies, hay,
made such proficiency in the English i.n
guase, as To enable them 10 interpret be
tween the missionaries and the Indians
and even religious discourses have bee
explained to their red brethren, in n man
ner highly credi'ablc To the boys, and salts
flctory TO the missionaries. l.nther Ric'
who is not yet fifteen years Of age, wffe