LaGrange Collegiate Institute Rufus Patch, Principal
Mrs. Mary D. Patch Principal Female Department
Miss Mary E. Abbott Teacher of Instrumental Music

Tuition per Quarter of Twelve Weeks
For Common Branches, Including Arithmetic, Geography and Grammar  $5.00
For Higher Branches, Including Languages, Latin, Greek, French & German $7.00
Instrumental Music, (Piano of Melodeon) $10.00
For Use of Instrument $3.00
Room Rent $3.00 to 4.50
Board in the Family of the Principal, per week $2.50

Rooms are furnished with bedsteads, chairs, tables and stoves. Those for which the highest prices are charges are fitted up for self-boarding.

The Fall Term of sixteen weeks, begins the first Tuesday in September
The Winter Term of Twelve weeks, begins the first Tuesday in January.
The Summer Term of twelve weeks, begins the first Tuesday in April.

    PRELIMINARY MEETINGS- The first insertion in the "Records of the Board of Trustees of LaGrange Collegiate Institute" is as follows:

    The Board of Trustees of LaGrange Collegiate Institute held their first meeting on the 6th day of February, 1837,- immediately after their nomination as recorded above,-and organized by choosing Nathan Jenks President, Mills Averill Secretary, and Dr. Joshua T. Hobbs Treasurer; and issued a prospectus a part of which we here insert:

    "The trustees propose the establishment of a seminary at-- LaGrange Co., Ind., to be denominated "The LaGrange Collegiate Institute," the plans and principles of which, like those of the Oberlin Collegiate Institute in the State of Ohio, are to be the following:-
    I. It shall embrace Five Departments of Instruction;
     A Preparatory or Academical School;
     A Collegiate Course
     A Full Theological Course;
     An Irregular or Shorter Course for those advanced in life or in peculiar circumstances;
     A Thorough Course of Female Education.
    II. The several Courses of Study shall be decidedly of a christian character, exclusive of demoralizing pagan authors and sectarian principles, and designed to impart the greatest amount of practical knowledge while they impart best mental discipline.
    III. To meet the demands of Physiological Law, and the indigence of promising youth, the Manual Labor System shall be incorporated with all the scientific departments as an essential part.
    IV. A liberal charter shall be obtained as soon as may be, empowering the Trustees to fill their own vacancies.
    The grand principle upon which this institution shall be based is this:-Corporate bodies and public institutions, no less than individuals, are bound to do right, irrespective of worldly expediencies, popular favor, or any consequences. Therefore this institution will allow free discussion, and openly sustain the great moral enterprises of the day- such as Revivals, Temperance in all things, the satisfaction of the Sabbath, Moral Reform, Christian Union, and human rights under whatever color or circumstances.
    As this is a great work of public utility, which cannot be done by individual enterprise, the liberal co-operation of the philanthropic and pious is solicited."

    Two days later, Feb. 8th, 1832, the Trustees located the proposed institution upon its present site.

    Feb. 10th. In order to secure a conditional subscription of Five Thousand Dollars from Nathan Jenks, it was decided to raise as speedily as possible by subscription an additional Ten Thousand Dollars.

    Under date of May 18, 1837, it is recorded "Messrs Salmon, Mills and others having come on from Ontario County, N. Y., with a view of commencing work upon the School Buildings, and Mr. Mills having made a contract with Mr. Jenks in relation to the same:-
    "Resolved. That Mr. Ansel Dickinson and Mr. Mills be, and they are hereby constituted, a committee to construct a suitable workshop upon the College grounds."
    The building erected in accordance with this resolution is 18 by 26 ft., one and a half stories high, and has done service during the last 35 years as a workshop, school house, dwelling, and dormitory, and is still in good condition.
    June 3d, 1837. reference is made to the progress of agents in securing funds and they are requested to make an estimate "of the probable expense of the contemplated public buildings."
    Two days later, June 5th, we read:-
    "Resolved. That we will proceed immediately to erect a building 30 by 50 ft., 2 1/2 stories high as a collegiate building."
    The raising was a memorable occasion. No intoxicating liquors were furnished as the custom of the period required, a prayer was offered by Rev. Christopher Cory, donations were volunteered, and the assembled multitude, under the guidance of S. R. Mills, united with hearty good will in putting up the frame. James C. Keith,  furnished "early potatoes" for the accompanying feast, and places the date as early as the 1st of August.
    The frame thus erected was not immediately enclosed. The "Records" are silent on this point, but we conclude that the roof and siding took their appropriate places previous to Dec. 1838, as an exhibition was held in the building early the following spring. During the Summer and Autumn of 1840, it was brought by Charles Doolittle, (carpenter) and Nathan Reynolds, (mason), to such a state of completeness that it could be permanently used for school purposes. These young mechanics had enjoyed the advantages of the school the year previous.

    For a period of nearly twelve years the building stood upon twenty round posts cut from large forest trees. In the Spring of 1849, Messrs. Addison and Wear Drake, recently members of the institution, substituted the present stone foundation, fifty dollars of the expense having been met by the students. The inside received its first coat of paint in 1852. The building was replastered and otherwise repaired in the Autumn of 1849, at an expense of about $300. In 1861, it was again thoroughly repaired and certain changes were made for the purpose of placing it more immediately under the direct care of the Principal and his family. Soon afterward a barn was erected, and improvements were made on the premises. For these several outlays, donations amounting to nearly two thousand dollars were received. Subsequently $600 have been applied to making fences, painting the main building, and fitting up a new school-room. By permission of the Trustees, a Boarding House has been erected upon the premises at private expense.

    LaGrange County was organized in 1832. Its first census in 1840 found a population of 3663, and as it more than doubled within the next decade, we may safely estimate the population in 1837, at about 2,000. It will therefore be easily understood by those well acquainted with the circumstances of new settlements, that the requisite funds were secured with great difficulty.
    While others felt that they were doing what they could, the chief burden of the original outfit was borne by Nathan Jenks, and to his enterprises and liberality we are chiefly indebted for the existence of the institution.
    Rev. John J. Shipherd, of Oberlin, attended meetings of the Board on the 25th, 26th and 27th of September, and on the 4th of October, 1837. Under the date last named we find the record:-
    "Rev. J. J. Shipherd declined acting as the general agent of this Board on the ground that, at present, the prospect before him would not warrant the undertaking."
    The reasons for this decision are manifest, pointing to the extreme difficulties through which the institution was compelled to struggle. Six years later Mr. Shipherd was engaged in a similar, but more successful enterprise at Olivet, Mich., where he soon after died.

    After some thirty years adverse experience in managing the pecuniary affairs of the institution, the Trustees authorized the solicitation of a Permanent Endowment Fund of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000), the income of which should be applied to the support of instruction in the institution, the principal to remain unexpended. The response to this appeal was unexpectedly prompt, and in June, 1867, the amount was secured. The following is a copy of one of these Endowment Notes with the signature omitted.

    "$100. Five Years after the date I promise to pay the Trustees of LaGrange Collegiate Institute the sum of One Hundred Dollars, with interest annually, as part of a Permanent Endowment Fund:-
    Provided, Ten Thousand Dollars shall be secured for this purpose by reliable pledges previous to August 15th, 1867.
    Lima, April 24, 1866.

   At the same time, Eight Hundred Dollars were given for the general purposes of the institution.

We received one donation of    $500.
We received Four donations of   $250 each.
We received One donation of   $200.
We received Thirty donations of   $100 each.
We received Forty-six donations of   $50 each.

    And the remainder in smaller sums. Of the Seventeen Millions of dollars donated for educational purposes in the United States, within the last ten years, we believe no similar amount was given more spontaneously, or more closely indicated the popular favor. As the original notes are redeemed, we reloan the principal, thus carefully preserving the entire Fund for the permanent benefit of the institution.

Our domain of 40 acres; The School Building (described above); The small building (the first erected); A large and commodious Barn; Estimated to be worth in the aggregate..............................................................................$7,000.00
And the Endowment Fund............................................................................................................................$10,000.00

OUR CHARTER- "AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE LAGRANGE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE.