CHEROKEE PHOENIX
Wednesday October 29, 1828
Volume 1 No. 35
Page 3 Col. 3b

 A letter just received from one of the faithful Missionaries of the American Board, at Dwight, in the Arkansas Territory, states that the interest hitherto felt both by Parents and children in education and general mental improvement, is increasing.  A diagram enclosed, with the accompanying calculations, shewing (sic) the process of ascertaining the altitude of a perpendicular at the foot of a hill, from the hill's ;side, the work of James Madison Payne, an Indian boy, twelve years old, proves (as the writer well observes) that the red children of the forest are "as capable of being interested in right lines, angels, and parallelograms &c. as any other youth.- The boy, above mentioned, entered their school at the age of 6 years, totally ignorant of the English language; and now, speaks and reads it with fluency and accuracy; and within the same time has obtained a good knowledge of Geography, English Grammar, and the rules of Arithmetic, and besides has made some progress in Surveying, and the mensuration of heights and distances.  Others in the schools are nearly as far advanced.- The adult scholars begin to feel, that the time is at hand, when they who have been enjoying the privileges of the schools will exercise the greatest influence in the nation.

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Special Collections . Hunter Library . Western Carolina University . Cullowhee, NC 28723 . 828-227-7474