Report-1844, June 9

Transcribed report on the activities of the Indian Manual Labor School from J.C. Berryman, Superintendent Manual Labor School to T. Hartley Crawford, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington City dated Jun 9, 1844

.

Indian Manual Labor School
June 9th 1844 —–

Sir

    In complian with your instructions of the 23: April last, I herewith transmit to your Office a brief report of the State of this School. The account on the other side of the sheet is substantially correct. It is not practicable for us to show in detail precisely what each pupil costs.  Because our supplies of goods groceries and other provision are purchased at wholesale, and the children are comfortably furnished out of these, Some requiring more and some less. Also the farm. Mills, and mechanic shops yield a considerable part of the support of the school; the amount of which we cannot exactly ascertain. But in consequence of these resources we do not actually have to pay out the Sum of $100, per annum on each scholar; though we should have had to expend that much on each had not our Society gone to the expense of erecting these shops and mills and making a large farm.  Still, besides what we receive from the government, our society continues to appropriate liberally of her funds annually to carry on this school and other missing among these Indians.

    My account current is So kept as to shew exactly the amount of monies I receive from every Source, and how these monies are applied; And I have bills of purchase, receipts and vouchers for all that I expend.

    Our number of scholars for the first two quarters of the year beginning Sept. 15 1843 was 110. and for the third quarter 115. and this last is the number with which we have commenced the fourth and last quarter for the current year. You will perceive from my account that the number of Delaware children for the first and second quarters of the present year is smaller than it was last year.  This is because formerly we have reported the Munsee children as Delawares, which is not done in this report.  The numbers of Delaware children now on our roll is 38: 14 of whom are females, besides 9 Munsee girls and 3 Munsee boys who are in fact Delawares and living on Delaware land, but not identified with them in their monied interests. Some of our more advanced scholars have left the school this Spring and gone home. Some of these bid fair to become useful men and women. Those now in school are generally advancing in thier studies; and both they and their parents seem to be becoming more and more interested in education. I feel very confident that we need nothing but the continued patronage of the Government and the Church, and of course the blessing of God upon the whole to crown our efforts with transcendant success in the christianising and civilising the Indian tribes. And without intending to Speak disparagingly of any branch or appendage of my country’s Government, I will venture to say that if these frontier tribes of Indians be civilized and christianised they will be a better defence of our borders on which they live than all the troops you can station here.

With Sincere respect
I am your obt. servt.
J.C. Berryman.

Hom. T. Hartley Crawford
Com. Ind. Affs.
Washington City

Cer.

   By amount paid me at Washington City and per agreement with Delawares, ratified by the department Apr. 22nd 1844 $2355.42

   The amount paid by the Department to Rev. E.R. Ames in April last wus due on account rendered by me on 15th of Sept. 1843. And as the treasury of the M. E. Church had furnished this Institution with the means of carrying on its operations, that amount was paid over by Mr. Ames to the Society’s treasury.

Respectfully Submitted
J.C. Berryman. Supt.
Hon. J. Hartley Crawford
Com. Ind. Affs.
Washington City

.

[Transcribed from the National Archives Microfilm Series MS574, roll 63, frames 341-343 by Debby Williamson August 1992]