Report-1851, January 29

Fort Leavenworth, I. M. L. School, Jan. 29, 1851.

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Rev. E.W. Sehon.

   Dear Brother: Having learned that the secretary of the St. Louis Conference Missionary Society failed to furnish you with the last annual report, as required by the discipline, I will forward to you all the statistical and other important information which I can command at this time, relative to the missions embraced in the bounds of the Lexington district, St. Louis Conference. Though in many particulars I fear the information will be but very meagre, yet as I have no time now to seek for farther information among the missionaries, I hope you will accept this, not only as supplying to some extent the lack of the report referred to above, but also as my second quarterly report from these missions. All the missions within the bounds of this district, prior to the General Conference in May, 1850, belonged to the Indian Mission Conference, and at that time were added to the St. Louis Conference; and at the last session of the St. Louis Conference, they were attached to the Lexington District. They are five in number, each of which I will notice in order:–

1.   Fort  Leavenworth Indian Manual Labor School. — This institution is under the superintendence of Rev. Thos. Johnson, in whose prudent and judicious management of its interests the Church has every reason to be satisfied. There are about eighty children in school this winter, though considerably more than this number have obtained their outfit of winter clothing here. The attendance during the past year, and up to this time, has been more regular than it formerly had been. As a consequence, we think the children have improved much more than they have done before, in the same length of time. Indeed, if we consider that they have to acquire the language in which they learn their lessons, it is a matter of wonder that they advance as rapidly in their studies as they do. And the facility with which they acquire the use of the English language, affords a striking evidence of the practicability of giving to the rising generation of the Indians a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, through the medium of the English language. These children are taught spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, and geography. A part of each day, except Sabbath, is devoted to some kind of useful manual labor. They are required to be present at family worship twice a day, and to attend public worship at the regular hours on Sabbath. We have at this place a very interesting Sabbath school, of more than one hundred scholars. Some of the little Indian girls, in the course of a week, besides ·their other studies and duties commit from twenty to sixty verses in the New Testament, and recite them in Sabbath school. It is truly delightful to meet in this Sabbath school, and hear all these little Indians unite with their teachers in singing the praises of God. Indians mostly sing well. We think this school gives promise of much usefulness.”

(Report from other missions follow – letter signed by J.T. Peery.
Kansas District – J.T. Peery, P. E.

Fort Leavenworth M.L. School, T. Johnson.

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[Copied from the Annual Reports of the Board of Missions, Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Copy in MSS. Dept., K.S.H.S.]