A plain and faithful narrative of the original design, rise, progress and present state of the Indian charity-school at Lebanon, in Connecticut

by Eleazar Wheelock

Center reached home, but died soon after. Negyes, I hear, was captivated by a young Female and married. Mr. Kirtland and Joseph set out for the Mohawk Country November 4th, and returned November 27th, and brought two Mohawk Lads with them, viz. Moses and Johannes, by whom Sir Wm. Johnson informed me that he expected to be able to send the Rest when they came in from hunting. I informed the Hon. Commissioners of the State of the Case, and by a Letter from the Reverend Dr. Chauncy, Chairman of their Committee, in the Name of the rest, was desired to let them have in their Pay and under their Direction these two who came last with Joseph, which I consented to, provided they would remit the necessary Charges which I had been at in procuring and cloathing them, and give me as I afterwards charged them for their Support and Tuition, upon which Conditions they took them. I immediately sent to Sir Wm. Johnson for other six to partake of Sir Peter Warren's Legacy. These three, viz. Joseph, Moses and Johannes, continued with me in the Pay of the Commissioners till May 27, 1762, when I offered said Committee my Accompt, the whole Amount of which, that is, for cloathing and furnishing David with Horse and Money for his Support in his long Journey of several Months, the Expence of the Boy's Journey home above 200 Miles. The Expence of Kirtland's Journey (excepting his Horse) into that Country to bring down Moses and Johannes. The pasturing the Horses of the first three the time they continued here, in a dry and difficult Season; the cloathing all five, and repairing their Cloathing the whole Time they tarried; the Boarding and Schooling them, finding Washing, Lodging, Firewood, Candles, Books, Paper, &c. I say, the Amount of the Expence for the Five and in the whole Affair for near twelve Months, Errors excepted, was but just 58l. 17s. 7d. 1-4th. Sterling. But in this Accompt I charged nothing for several expensive Journeys in this Government, taken by myself, and another preparatory and necessary to the Design of David's Mission, nor for any Labour, Care or Pains of my own therein from first to last—For their Board, Washing and Lodging but 5s. per Week; the lowest common Price in these Parts was 6s. L. M. What Cloathing, &c. they had of me, I charged at the lowest Cash-price, and what I got for them of our Traders, Shoemakers, Taylors, &c. I charged just as they charged me, without any Advance in one Instance. I charged nothing for extraordinary Trouble and Care for Center, in his declining State; nor did the Physician charge for what he did for him. And there were other Provisions made to prevent Expence of Money in their Journeyings more than is common, for which there was nothing charged, by all which the Accompt was somewhat less than it would otherwise have been——But then on the other Hand it may be considered,

1. That Provisions of all Sorts were then, and still are, at an higher Price than ever before in these Parts, occasioned by the preceeding Wars and extreme Drought. When they are reduced to their usual Price, the Expence of educating Indian Youth will be much less.

2. The Circumstances of this Undertaking were extraordinary, and the necessary Expences of it were consequently so, and such as there may never be such Occasion for again. This was the opening a Door which never had been opened for such a Purpose to these Nations; and it was thought by many who knew their great Fondness for their Children, that it could not be soon accomplished, i. e. to make either Parents or Children willing to comply with an Invitation to come such a vast Length, and under such Circumstances as have been mentioned. But the Report of David confirmed by the Boys on their Return, has given such Conviction of the Sincerity and Kindness of our Intentions towards them, as has removed all Objections. And nothing more is now necessary to our obtaining as many well-chosen Boys and Girls as we please, but to employ some faithful Missionary among them for that Purpose.

I have been the more particular in this Account, because I would remove the unreasonable Prejudices raised against this Method, by partial and unfair Accounts, and a Cry of enormous Expences, &c. And to let the World know there is nothing in it worthy to be objected by one who is in earnest to accomplish this great and important Design.

What I have done for this School since its Beginning, in many expensive Journies; (for none of which have I ever charged any Thing at all); in constant Care for their Health, in Endeavours to cure their savage Disposition, and form their Minds and Manners to right Rules of Virtue and Religion, in extraordinary Care and Trouble for several of them in Sickness, in Expences by Company, not only of English but Indians at my House, occasioned thereby; and incidental Charges in many Instances, none are able justly to estimate, or likely so much as to think of many of them, but one who is intimately acquainted with the Business: In Consideration for which I have had the Assistance of several of them a few Times in an extraordinary Croud of Business; and of late some Advantage by the School to two of my own Children. Which Reward I suppose impartial Judges will not think to bear a very considerable Proportion to these Expences which are not charged, and which in my Judgment is not the one Tenth Part of them.

Mr. Moor's Grant contains about two Acres of Pasturing, a small House and Shop; for the Use of which from the first I have received about £. 4 lawful Money, clear of the Charge of Repairing, which is not equal to the Money I have paid to Physicians which is not charged.

I have professed to have no View to making an Estate by this Affair: What the Singleness and Uprightness of my Heart has been before GOD, he knows; and also how greatly I stand in need of his Pardon.

My Accompt with the School has been charged after the following Manner, viz. For the whole Expence of Cloathing, Boarding and Tutoring the Boys from December 18th. 1754, to November 26th. 1760. at the Rate of £. 16 lawful Money per Annum, for each; but when their Number was so increased I found it necessary to come nearer to the true Value of it, and have since used greater Exactness; but have never charged higher than at the lowest Money Price for what they have had of me, and for what I have bought for them of our Traders, Shoemakers, Taylors, &c. I have charged just what I have given, and no more. I have charged for their Tuition, as for English Scholars, i. e. for Latin Scholars, and such as were savage and needed much Care and Instruction, at 2s. L.M. per Week, or £. 4 10s. per Annum; and for others proportionally. The whole School, one Year with another, has not quite cleared my Expence for the Master. Last Year it did a little more; and since the 27th of May last, it has over-done my Expence for the Master 15s. 8d. besides the Tuition of the Girls. I have charged for the Girls but 4d. per Week, i. e. for one Day's Schooling and Dinner; and the whole Expence for their Education will be but little more than their Cloathing.