Letter-[1843]

Transcribed description of the Manual Labor School dated 1843

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[1843]

    Our school is gradually assuming a more permanent character and gaining upon the confidence of the Indians in general as well as those white persons who make themselves acquainted with its management and its beneficial results on the surrounding country. We can truly say for ourselves, and we do say with gratitude, that it so far has fully come upto the most sanguine expectations of those who first laid the plans of it. During the school year just now closing the children have not only been very regular in attendance, but have manifested a spirit of contentedness and subordination and a teachableness that is unprecedented in all the former history of our Indian schools. The children from the different Tribes meet here and associate together as a band of brothers and sisters, and as they do not understand each other’s language, they adopt the English as a common language and use it on all occasions and nothing facilitates their acquisition of the English language more than this singular circumstance. It also has a distinct tendency to produce amity between the Tribes to which the children belong and this is a circumstance of no small value.

    By our method of employing them regularly when out of school at some business suited to their age and sex they are always under the watchcare of someone to restrain them, and thus they are prevented from contracting habits of idleness and vice which they otherwise would do. At the same time, our discipline is of that mild and parental character which causes them to feel easy and at home when once they have become a little accustomed to it.

    The boys and girls are at all times kept at a separate distance from each other, and not a single case of scandal has occurred within the last two years, and but one before – and in that case the offending persons were immediately expelled from the School. I think I am safe in saying that I never knew a more moral and orderly set of children than we now have in school and I very much doubt if the same number of children can be found collected at any place who will excell these in regard to orderly deportment and rectitude of morals. A large proportion of them give good evidence of a work of grace upon their hearts and are decidedly pious.

    This to us is altogether the most encouraging feature in the character of our school: for however others may think, we have long since been convinced that religion, the religion of the Bible, is the thing, the very thing to civilize Indians, and if we only get rightly at the matter, one Bible will do more towards subduing the wild savage than five hundred guns. Because the religion of the Bible is a religion of love, it teaches us to love all men as brethren.

    We have two vacations in the year at which times the children generally go home to their friends, and while there, associating with their relations and acquaintances, the example of many of them has had a very good effect in inducing those with whom they associate to adopt the ways of civilized people. Besides this our young people frequently attend meetings with the adult Indians and are becoming leaders in the fashion in regard to dress etc.

    Our farming and domestic operations too, are being copied by some of the Nations in the surrounding country. But perhaps I have already accompanied this report with more remarks than modesty would justify, and probably more than anybody will have patience to read.

Apprentices

William R Ketchum has been at the Blacksmith Trade about one year and a half. He will make a good workman.

Howard O Ketchum, Henry Foxall and Alex Beauchemin work at shoe making. They make very good shoes.

Thos. Coke and Stephen Rogers work at the carpenter’s trade.

Wm. Marshall, Samuel Tiblow, and David Gregory work in the wagon shop. All bid fair to make first rate mechanics.

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[Transcribed from National Archives microfilm series M234, roll 781 frames 263,264, by Roger Berg Jr., Jan 1993.]