Tullahassee Mission Robert McGill Loughridge

tullahassee mission 1st floor



tullahassee mission 2nd , 3rd floors

the seminoles, spoke same language creeks, did not have schools or churches; board of foreign missions directed loughridge visit them , learn whether or not willing establish mission , school. in summer of 1846, visited them interpreter, , learned of chiefs willing have schools , allow preaching in nation. in april 1847, hon. walter lowrie, secretary of board of foreign missions, new york, visited mission, , gave new life christian cause of education entering agreement chiefs enlarge koweta mission, , establish tullahassee mission, accommodate eighty students, forty boys , forty girls; schools funded both presbyterian church , creek school fund.

there large brick building, 3 stories high, erected tullahassee school; building admirably arranged , boarding school both boys , girls; located on ridge, in arkansas district, 1 , a-half miles north of arkansas river. rev. h. balentine sent board in charge (with other missionaries) of koweta mission, while loughridge appointed superintendent of tullahassee mission. result of transfer moved tullahassee supervise construction of building , make other preparations before opening school. william s. robertson, a. m. of new york, appointed principal teacher, , other assistant teachers sent board. first day of march 1850, school commenced; main building had out-buildings, stables, corn-cribs, fences, etc.; cattle, horses, wagons , teams purchased; furniture building, , kinds of supplies, books, papers, etc. had been provided. school opened thirty students, both boys , girls. missions full number of eighty not reached until fall, loughridge , robertson decided best start few students, , let teachers become more experienced before students arrived. school had large bell donated board , hung in cupola of building, , used range of different activities @ school , church. supporter of mission, dr. wells fort gibson, donated weather vane designed indian standing bow , arrow, pointing course of wind blew past top of main building. number of excellent , well-qualified teachers , assistants came time time, loughridge wanted best staff school. students exercises conducted on manual labor plan, , 6 hours each day spent studying.

the students did chores 2 hours each day: boys worked on farm, in garden or chopped firewood, while girls did household duties, assisted sewing, cooking , washing, , took care of dining room. students provided 3 meals day, , given plenty of time sleep , play. religious study regularly kept up, , included church on sunday , praying each morning , evening every day of week. every night @ dinner, along singing , praying, every student had recite verse, or part of verse, of scripture bible.

the school maintained , equipped of time, self-denying, devoted teachers , assistants, worked faithfully , cheerfully, , content salaries of $100 per year .