High School in Liberia
Our Presbyterian friends are engaging with commendable diligence in sustaining a school
of high grade in Liberia. The following from the Foreign Missionary exhibits the facts in the
case.
“More than a year ago it was decided to commence a Classical and High School at
Monrovia, in Liberia, and fifteen complete sets of the usual Latin and Greek classics, including
lexicons and grammars, were sent out to the Rev. H. W. Ellis, with instructions to commence the
school as soon as a suitable room could be procured. This measure was hailed with much
satisfaction by the citizens of Liberia. Out latest accounts state that the school consists of sixteen
scholars, and that their progress for the time has been very good.
“Early this spring a benevolent gentleman in the South forwarded to the Rev. A.
Alexander, D.D., five hundred dollars, for the purchase of a library and philosophical apparatus
for the school, and since that time he has sent one hundred dollars more. The apparatus
designated by Dr. Alexander has been purchased for SI 70; 254 volumes of miscellaneous,
historical and scientific books have been purchased, and 130 volumes, or ten sets more, of the
Latin and Greek Classics.
“For building a suitable school-house a liberal donation of one thousand dollars has been
received from another quarter. With this timely aid, a house of galvanized and heavy sheet iron
has been procured, which fully meets the present wants of this infant institution. This building is
40 feet by 20 feet, and 1 1 feet high to the square. As there are no joists, the elevation of the roof
makes the rooms sufficiently high and pleasant. A recitation room is partitioned off, leaving a
safe and suitable place for the library and apparatus. The iron walls will effectively exclude the
white ants. The roof is also of sheet iron, and when covered with the native thatch, will
effectually protect the rooms from the heat. The floor only is of wood. The entire house, with
the boards for the floor, ready to be laid down, benches, desks, tables, and book-cases, with the
books and apparatus, will be sent out by the first good opportunity.”
When will the Baptists of the South take hold of the work of education in Liberia in the
same earnest manner?
The Commission
December 1849
p. 48
