Letter-1841, March 15

Dear Brother:

   Our school at this place is in a prosperous condition. We have 75 Indian children in the institution, 42 males and 34 females. They have attended school six hours per day during the winter, and worked four hours, excepting the boys who work in the mechanic shop; they work the whole time during one week, and then attend school one week. We have ten boys learning trades; that is, 2 learning the blacksmith’s trade, 4 learning the house joiner’s trade, and 4 learning to make shoes and boots.

   The boys are generally well pleased to learn some useful trade. We have quite a number on the reserve list waiting for room in the shops. We intend commencing a wagon-making shop in the course of this year, and hope by next fall to take into the shops as many as 20 boys.

   We have been compelled to reject a large number of scholars recently, as we are greatly crowded with those we now have in school; but we expect to have building enough by fall to accommodate 150 children. We feel greatly encouraged with the prospects of the institution, and believe that the expectations of its friends will be fully realized. The children have already made much greater proficiency in learning than many of us anticipated….

T. Johnson.
March 15, 1841.

[Christian Advocate Journal, May 5., 1841. Baker University files]