The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-08-15


Professor Curtis, Secretary of the Fac.
ulty; Col. T. NJ. Scott agent of the
Board of Directors), Business Mana.
ger; Prof l.. l.. McInnis (ex-ofiicio)
Secretary; J. ID. Read, NJ. d., Surgeon
G. A. Rogers, Assistant to Secretary; b
Sbisa, Steward; C. A. Lewis, Foreman
of Carpenter Shop; J. H. Alsworth
Foreman of Farm; G. E. Eberspather
Foreman Garden and Orchard; j. s.
Fowlkes, Esq, Bryan, Fiscal Agent.
First Endowment of an American College
In 16l9-one year before the Pill.
grim Fathers came to the land named
New England by Captain John Smith
Sir Edwin Sandys, president of the
Virginia company in old England
moved the grant of 10000 acres OF
land for the establishment of Uni
versity at Henrico. The proposed
grant, which was duly made, included
1000 acres for an Indian college; the
remainder was to be "the foundation
of seminary of learning for the
English" The very same year the
bishops of England, at the suggestion
OF the king, raised the sum of 81 800
pounds for the encouragement of In
dian education. Thus, by the com
bined authority of church and state,
was anticipated by more than two
centuries the endowment of such in
stitutions as are now represented by
the Hampton school and by the Uni
versity of Virginia.
1t was not from lack of generosity
or good will toward the cause of higher
education and the improvement of the
Indians, that these, the earliest of all
American endowments, bore no imme-
date fruit beyond the subscription of
ESQ in 1921, for preparatory or col
legiate school at Charles City, and the
appropriation of 1000 acres of land,
with five servants and an Overseer to
improve the same. The Virginia com
pany was thoroughly in earnest with
regard to its educational project. Ten
ants were sent over to occupy the uni
versity lands, and Mr. George Thorpe,
a gentleman of His Majesty's privy
came over to be the superin-
tendent of the university itself The
first beginning of philanthrophy
toward the Indians and of educational
for the English in Amer
lea was suspended by reason of the
Indian massacre in the spring of 1922,
when Mr.. Thorpe and $40 settlers, in
Guiding tenants of the university,
we're cut off by an instruction of
3avagcs.
1t was only two years after this ter
rible catastrophe that the idea of a
in Virginia was revived.
Various obstacles interviewed and it
was not endowed by royal grant until
1851. In that year the colonial as
'embly sent the Rev. James Blair, the
or representative of the
bishop of London, back to England to
secure charter for the proposed col
ege. Virginia's agent went straight
% Queen Mary and explained the edu-
3ational ambition of her colony in
america. The queen favored the idea
u college, and William wisely con-
'urred. The royal pair agreed to allow
$1,000 out of the quit-rents of Vir-
,inia toward building the college. Mr..
Blair then went to Seymour, the at
orney-general, with the royal COM
nand to issue a charter. Seymour de-
hurried. The country was then en-
aged in war, and could i'll afford to
liant college in Virginia. But Mr.
Blair urged that the institution was
o prepare young men to become
minister's of the Gospel. Virginians,
e said, had souls to be saved as well
S their English countrymen. "Souls"
aid Seymour, damn your souls
lake tobaccoW