The Hometown Treasure June 2011 | Page 47

ometown Free Estimates! 59323 CR 35 Middlebury, IN 46540 We Specialize In Customer Satisfaction! Custom Built Vinyl Windows 1-888-660-1128 - Voice Mail Standard Sizes in stock for your new house! Shop & Buggy Shed Thermo Pane Windows Installation Available! BEFORE YOU BUY Check our quality and lower prices! It will be worth your time. Stop by and see our workplace showroom! istory thorough course of female education. The course of study was decidedly Christian oriented and met the demands of physiological law and provided for manual labor with a liberal character. In 1837 a one and a half story work shop was constructed on the grounds of the college which was located in Ontario, Lagrange County, and later that same year, a 30x50 foot building two and a half stories high was built as the college building itself. By 1840 the building was ready to be used for a school and for 12 years it stood upon 20 round posts cut from local forest trees. The school opened on the second Wednesday of November, 1838, in the village of Ontario, which at that time was home to only 15 to 20 families. The school was first taught by Cyril Wilson and Beulah Wilson until July 4, 1839, when a terrible sickly season came on. Tradition tells us that after July 20, there was only one man, a Mr. Salmon, who was able to go around to the village’s families “and he only just able to carry a pitcher of water to each.” LaGrange County was organized in 1832 and the first census in 1840 found a population of 3,663; it was estimated that in 1837 the county would have had a population of around 2,000 so it was difficult to raise the funds needed for the college. After 30 years of difficulty in raising the money needed, the trustees authorized the solicitation of a permanent endowment fund of $10,000 for the institution to survive off of the interest. By 1867 this amount was raised. There were 40 acres of land connected to the college and buildings were erected on them including a large barn. The average attendance of the college for the first 22 years of its existence was 40 students, with actual attendance varying from under 20 to over 100. The students were mainly farmers. The principal was paid around $400 annually with assistants paid around $1.50 a week. Many of the students who attended the LaGrange Collegiate Institute became very successful and prominent men and women for the times. This institution did much for local education during its ex ?7FV?6R??F?&?Vv?F?R?V?F??6F????b??v?66?????@?&W&F?'?66????2v??6?vW&Rg&VRF???6???G&V???F?RG&??vR?bF?R??7F?GWF???&V6?R6???FVBF?@?F?R66????v2?6VB??&V6V?fW'6???????vRCp??vR??Vf7GW&RF????W"?VVG3??( "6??v?R?V?p?( "F?V&?R?V?p?( "6?FW"( "&6V?V?@?( "66V?V?B( "&??( "?7GW&Rv??F?p?F???W'6V?bff?#??F?RGf?FvR?`?F?RV?W&w?Vff?6?V?@?f????v??F?w2????????S?#c?Cc2?C?( "f?????C3??cS#?( "F?R???WF?v?G&V7W&P???'?6&???FW'6???( ?&W6??fVB?F?B??f?Wr?bF?R&?7V7G2&Vf?&RW0?vR&Rv'&?FVB??V?FW'F???rF?W7F&?6??FW&'????7F?GWF???F?&R??6FVB??F??2?V?v?&?&???BF?&P?FV????FVBF?R?w&?vR6???Vv?FR??7F?GWFR?( ?F?@?v2F?R&Vv?????r?bF?Rf?'7B?B???6???VvR??6FV@????w&?vR6?V?G?v??6?v2??FV?VBgFW"?&W&???6???VvR????????F?Rf?'7B?VWF??r&?WBF?R?76?&??G??bF?R6???VvP?v2?V?B??fV''V'?b??3r????vR??F???V??2??v??v2g&????F&??6?V?G???Wr??&??v2F?P?f?V?FW"?bF?R??7F?GWF????B6???F?W"V??R6W'fV@???F?R&?&B??B?2??B???v?v???V??2f?V?FVBF?P?6???VvR??F??2&V?"v???RF??FVBCR?F?F?P?6W6R???F?W"C?v2&?6VBf?"F?R'V??F??r'??7V'67&?F????66?&F??rF??'F?6?Rw&?GFV?&?WBF?P?6???VvR???#?'?????????F?R6???VvRV?'&6V@?f?fRFW'F?V?G2?b??7G'V7F????&W&F?'?? ?6FV?266?????6???Vv?FR6?W'6R?gV??F?V???v?6??6?W'6R???'&VwV?"?"6??'B6?W'6Rf?"F??6RGf?6V@????fR?"F??6R??V7V?"6?&7V?7F?6W2??B???V?R#??????