The History of Dartmouth CollegeSmith, Baxter Perry
History
The History of Dartmouth College
Smith, Baxter Perry
Dartmouth College -- History
James Murch, one of the more enterprising among the early settlers,
was also from Connecticut, where he had formed some acquaintance with
President Wheelock and his plans. Upon him it seems to have devolved,
in some measure at least, to set forth in homely but vigorous language
the leading attractions of this locality.
Reverting to the "Narrative," we give President Wheelock's own graphic
account of labor and privation, which, in view of all the
circumstances, has few parallels in history:
"After I had finished this tour [of exploration] and made a short stay
at home, to settle some affairs, I returned again into the wilderness,
to make provision for the removal and settlement of my family and
school there before winter. I arrived in August [1770], and found
matters in such a situation as at once convinced me of the necessity
of being myself upon the spot. And as there was no house conveniently
near, I made a hutt of logs about eighteen feet square, without stone,
brick, glass, or nail, and with thirty, forty, and sometimes fifty
laborers appointed to their respective departments, I betook myself to
a campaign. I set some to build a house for myself and family, of
forty by thirty-two feet, and one story high, and others to build a
house for my students of eighty by thirty-two, and two stories high."
His family and about twenty or thirty students arriving before the
completion of his house, difficulty in locating having arisen, he
says: "I housed my stuff with my wife and the females of my family in
my hutt. My sons and students made booths and beds of hemlock boughs,
and in this situation we continued about a month, till the 29th day of
October, when I removed with my family to my house."
A few last words to one who for a long period had regarded his work
with more than fraternal interest, and himself with more than
fraternal affection, fitly portray the state of President Wheelock's
mind and heart in those days of toil and trial and hope:
"From my Hutt in Hanover Woods in the Province of New Hampshire,
August 27, 1770.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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