THE UNIVERSITY OF HENRICO.

BY JOHN S. FLORY.

The idea generally prevails that the early Virginians were averse to education. The notorious declaration1 of BERKELEY'S FAMOUS REMARK.

Governor Berkeley is quoted by historians as conclusive evidence of this opinion, and the subject is dismissed as if the last word had been said. Governor Berkeley, however, it should be remembered, was the instrument of an arbitrary king, and in no sense did he express the feelings and aspirations of the real founders of Virginia. More than a score of years before Sir William came to this country, the promoters of the colony, both in England and America, were making enthusiastic and praiseworthy efforts to establish a system of education on Virginia soil. The King's active interest in the project at that time would have done him great honor, had he not later, in violation of the laws of his own realm, destroyed the work he had himself previously fostered. By his arbitrary measures with the Virginia Company, which will be noticed at the proper place) one of the noblest enterprises connected with the planting of the new world came to an untimely end.

EARLY EFFORTS.

The facts connected with the founding of a College at Henrico, now discoverable, are scattered and meager, and frequently the statements concerning it are confusing. Enough remains, however, to give a tolerably clear conception of the purpose of those who promoted the enterprise,

"I thank God there are no free schools, nor printing, in Virginia, and I hope we shall not have these hundred years." Written in a letter to England in 1671.

and of the methods by which they sought to achieve their object.

The year 1619 is famous in American history as marking the beginning of real growth in the Virginia colony. The arrival of Sir George Yeardley, April 19th, marks a new era. The liberal policy that he announced for the government of the colony infused new life into the gloomy planters. To have a voice in the management of their own affairs was a privilege they had scarcely dared hope for. Yet, if Sir George possessed any authority to convene the deliberative body that met in July of this year, the fact has been lost to history. The Company, however, in the following year, signified their approval of his course of action, and certainly the feeling of contentment and the hopefulness that his policy fostered throughout the colony at this time was most helpful. To the subsequent effects of this policy I shall refer later.

Governor Yeardley was ably seconded in his efforts to improve the condition of the colonists, by the able treasurer of the Company, Sir Edwin Sandys. Through his influence, the introduction of virtuous maids to become wives of the planters brought, into their lonely cabins, the first rays of domestic felicity. The introduction of African slaves, too, while disastrous in the end, had the immediate effect of making life more easy. But of all the generous measures that make this year famous, none speak more highly of the noble purpose and the penetrating foresight of the promoters of the colony than their purpose to establish a college at Henrico.

When Sir George Yeardley sailed from England on the 29th of January, 1619, the King had already issued orders

KING'S ORDERS FOR £15,000 ABOUT 1619.

to the various archbishops in his realm, commanding the collection of 15,000 pounds for the purpose of erecting a

college in Virginia. This action of the monarch had doubtless been solicited by the Virginia Company and may have been performed as much as a year before the above date. The proposed institution was to be "for the training and bringing up of infidels' children to the true knowledge of God and understanding of righteousness." One who gave

TO EDUCATE INDIANS.

liberally for the support of the school but who refused to reveal his name, thus minutely and clearly states his desire. in regard to the use of his donation: he directs that it be applied "for the maintaining of a convenient number of young Indians, taken at the age of seven years or younger, and instructed in reading and understanding the principles of the Christian religion unto the age of twelve years, and then as occasion serveth, to be trained and brought up in some lawful trade with all humanity and gentleness unto the age of twenty-one years, and then to enjoy like liberties and privileges with our native English in that place." The Company, on accepting this donation, directed that "such of these children as we find capable of learning shall be put in the College and brought up to be scholars, and such as are not shall be put to trades, and be brought up in the fear of God and Christian religion."3 About the same time, the Virginia Assembly, in considering the problem of fitting Indian boys for the College, added, "that from thence they may be sent to that work of conversion."

I have brought together these various statements in regard to the purpose of the College that a clear conception may be had of the real design. From the last quotation cited, it is evident that the colonists themselves understood that the College, in addition to civilizing and christianizing young

3

Proceedings of the Virginia Company of London, Vol. I, page 42. Proceedings of the Virginia Company of London, Vol. I, p. 43. The Governors of Virginia, Smith, p. 72.

Indians, should also prepare some of them as missionaries to their own people. The gentleman who refused to give his name entertained the lofty idea of preparing the Indians for citizenship—an ideal that has never been realized. It is probable, however, that neither of these ideals represents fully the aim of the Virginia Company. Their object was the "civilization" of the Indians, which necessarily included instruction in the fundamental principles of Christianity. By teaching them the arts of civilization, the Company thought the Indians would become producers, and aid in subduing the savagery of the American wilderness. Such as showed talent to learn were to receive scholarly training, presumably for the purpose of teaching others of their kind. Whether this higher training was to be chiefly secular or chiefly religious is uncertain, but probably the former. There is every evidence that the result sought was practical, and that the whole plan of education was directed towards making the Indians useful members of the community. Probably the College would have assumed something of the character of the industrial schools for negroes of the present day.

At the sailing of Governor Yeardley, about 1,500 pounds of the sum ordered by the King had been collected and was in the treasury of the Virginia Company. This Company

WHITES ADMITTED; LAND GRANT.

now enlarged the original design of the College by providing for the admission of the English also to its advantages. At the same time they made, for the use of the institution, a grant of an immense tract of land on the northern side of the James River, extending from the Falls of Henrico, about ten miles in length, and consisting of ten thousand acres. The name of the school was also now enlarged so as to read, The College and University of Henrico. One thousand acres of this tract was to belong to the College, or school for

Indians, and the rest to the University proper, which was designed for the English. By the terms "College" and "University," we are to understand simply two departments of the same institution, intended for Indians and English respectively, and with this distinction the terms will be used hereafter in this paper.

UNIVERSITY ON PAPER ONLY.

Notwithstanding the enormous tract of land bequeathed by the Virginia Company, the University seems never to have commanded any resources. This was intended as a theological seminary to train ministers for the Church of England in America. The fact that comparatively few of these were as yet needed, according to the existing plan of colonization, and that the College was to provide religious instruction for the Indians, made it important that the College rather than the University be put in operation as quickly as possible. Consequently the University took a second place, as being of less immediate importance. With these statements, the University as a separate school or department may be dismissed. This is as near a reality as it ever

came.

REVENUES For the CollEGE.

The money raised by the archbishops at the King's command was originally intended for the erection of the College. During the year 1619, however, the Company decided to use it for another purpose. They agreed to employ it in providing an annual revenue for the school, and at the same time they turned over, for the time being, the whole of the ten thousand acres of land to the College, intending to erect the University, or divinity school, later on, when the College for Indians had been established. This revenue was to be created by cultivating the college lands; and, in order that

5

Hawks's Ecclesiastical History of the United States, p. 37.