The History of Dartmouth CollegeSmith, Baxter Perry
History
The History of Dartmouth College
Smith, Baxter Perry
Dartmouth College -- History
"The number of my students belonging to the college and school has
been from forty to fifty, of which from five to nine have been
Indians. The English youth on charity are all fitting for
missionaries, if God in his providence shall open a door for their
serving him in that capacity, and they have been about twenty.
"My students have been universally well engaged in their studies, and
a number of independent as well as charity scholars, have only by
turning a necessary diversion to agreeable manual labor, done much to
lessen the expense of their education the last year."
In an appendix to this "Narrative," dated September 26, 1772, after
referring to a prospect of obtaining sons of some of the Caghnawaga
chiefs, President Wheelock says: "One was a descendant from the Rev.
Mr. Williams, who was captivated from Deerfield in 1704. Another was a
descendant from Mr. Tarbell, who was captivated from Groton [in 1707],
who is now a hearty and active man, and the eldest chief, and chief
speaker of the tribe. The other was son to Mr. Stacey, who was
captivated from Ipswich, and is a good interpreter for that tribe."
In view of all the facts within our knowledge, it seems more than
possible that the influence of these and other captives, now venerable
with age, upon their red brethren, on the one hand, and dim but
precious memories of their own childhood, on the other, had aided
materially in determining the location of the college. The patronage
of the Canadian tribes was President Wheelock's main reliance for
Indian students after his removal to Hanover.
In regard to the missionaries sent out by President Wheelock at this
period, his biographer says: "Some went into the Mohawk and Oneida
country, others to the Indians upon the Muskingum, and several to the
tribes within the bounds of Canada. They found the Indians, the
Oneidas excepted, universally opposed to them."[29]
[29] Memoirs of Wheelock, p. 63.
Perhaps it will be safe to make a slight abatement from the somewhat
sweeping statement which closes this quotation.
In his "Narrative" for the period between September, 1772, and
September, 1773, President Wheelock says: "My crops were considerably
shortened the last year, by an uncommon rain at the beginning of
harvest, and by an untimely frost, yet the benefit of that which is
saved is very sensible. I have this year cut about double the quantity
of hay which I cut last year, namely, about thirty tons. I have reaped
about twenty acres of English grain, which crop appeared to be very
heavy before harvest, and proved too much so, as a considerable part
of it fell down of its own weight before maturity; however, though it
be much less than the prospect was, it is a very considerable relief.
I have about twenty acres of Indian corn on the ground, which,
considering the newness and imperfect tillage of the land, promises a
considerable crop.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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