Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1838-04-28


10 cient. The few attempts which were oc
8 casionally made to establish seminaries @
ID learning Of Qhigher order, were almost en-
i. tirely unsuccessful; and the only literar,
!. advantages could be obtained were thos
" afforded by our neghborhood schools
: which were generally conducted by incom
= peient teachers; and will my languag,
% be called too strong, if add that many o
o them we're but little better than mere nur
series Of idleness and vice?
1t became necessary, therefore, to de-
pend, in great degree, upon other State:
G for the advantages Of education. But the
g numerous and obvious difficulties which
+ presented themselves to the attainment oil
' an education in Ibis way, excluded large
majority of our Youth from participation
in its benefits while the many and vari-
GUS evils 10 Which they were exposed dur
ing their temporary exile, gave TO il OBJ
jections of insuperabe weight, Under
these circumstances, as the wealth and
population of our State increased, feel
ing favorable to rs emancipation from
dependence SO reploachful and humlia,-
ing, began to spring up in the public mind,
and an anxiety was manifested by many
of our citizens to build up within our own
borders, seminares of learning, which
should afford to the rising generation the
best opportunities ofinstruction. Among
the first fruits Of private liberality and
OF decisive feeling upon this subject, was
the establishment ofthis Institution, con-
else history of which | proceed to give.
The propriety, or rather, the expedien-
cy, of establishing this seminary of learn
ing, was first agitated at meeting of the
Mississippi Presbytery, held at Baton
Rouge, in April, 1899. No decisive step,
however, was taken in relation to il, until
January 1880, when full meeting of the
Education Society of Presbytery was held
at Bethel Church, Claiborne county, Mis-.
slsslPpl. AT this meeting, report was
made by the Rev. Mr.. CHASE, embracing
facts which demonstrated in a strong and
manner, the necessity which ex- {
sted for the establishment of''an Institution
which could furnish to the rising genera S
ion suitable training for the high re- {
possibilities which were soon to devove
ipon them" The undertaking, however,
vas viewed with disirust, and was regard q
d as a project greatly to be desired rather c
nan as likely TO be accomplished. The 4
bortlve attempts which had so often been S
made previously. were remembered with q
apprehension. & we're considered as omn .
us OF the fate Of similar efforts. Some Of
Is warniest friends were fearful that il was {
premature, and il would probably have c
zen abandoned as hopeless enter c
rise, at least for the present, had it |
lot met with the able and Jealous sup c
ort Of the present Secretary of the b
'oard Of Trustees. His exertions and a
is influence, aided by the greater expe- v
fence and the no less persevering endeav- Il
RS OF the highly respected President of o
his Institution. triumphed over the doubts a
[ the irresolute and iimid, and secured 81
lvorable result. A resolution was pass d.
d that an effort should be made to estab- RI
sh on institution of learning; and CON- b.
llttees we're appointed to solicit funds, to tn
elect locations, to draft laws, and present OF
ne whole matter to the next meeting of /
he Presbytery. This was held at Pisgah. ia
ike county, April 9th, 1880, when the y
hole matter was definitely acted upon III
nd adopted; laws were passed, the present is
cation was fixed, and Board of Trustees co
as chosen, consisting Of twelve members. en-
the same time, the Rev. JEREMIAH CHAM. de
sRLAIN, D. ID. was appointed President, co
ith power TO select his assistant. an
Thus, in about a year from the period mt
hen the subject was first proposed, the an
undation of this Institution was laid m'
was considered as bold and doubtful
the past afforded no encour. 50
:ement--the future nothing but uncer- rel
inty. The work Of christian phianthro. in
:, It made no lofty and extravagant pre-. tt
nslons, but relied upon the literally of ceE
friends, and the judgement of an impair pla
y public, to sustain it. II was now to TIL
ke ITS stand as an institution Of learning. but
trends we're far from being ample; vel or
ey hoped, by patient and carried ex. Gle
non, by prudent and discreet manage reg
ent, and by atfording the best opportuni. evi
IS OF instruction in their power, to render VIII
worthy of public confidence and patron. stu
9: It's objects, see laws. we
The first session closed on the qoth Of car
Ptember, 1880, with twenty-five stu. off
nts, most Of whom we're engaged in the not
nor branches of education. About this non
le, a liberal donation Of ESQ acres Of and
ID was made by the late Robert Coch- inst
J, and measures were taken to erect 4
table buildings upon it. On the 10th Of CON
Fehoer' o. lne same year, the Board of LAIl
IL IL