66 HULLETIN OF THE LABORATORIES 



Smith, who afterwards became his wife. After teaching at Lowville 

 long enough to pay off the debts incurred for his education, he came 

 to Ohio, whither at his suggestion his father and family had already re- 

 moved. Visiting Ciranville in 1833, he was asked to accept for a few 

 months the position of Professor Drury, who had been appointed to a 

 place in the Faculty but had not yet arrived. In this ])osition he was 

 known as a very popular and effective teacher. 



As his temporary term of employment at Granville drew to a close, 

 he wrote letters to the Postmasters of several towns in Ohio, inc^uiring 

 for a possible opening as a teacher The Postmaster at Dayton alone 

 responded. He accordingly went to Dayton and found that a princi- 

 pal was to be chosen for the Dayton Academy. He and another ap- 

 plicant were called before the trustees to make a statement as to what 

 they each considered the best method of conducting such a school, and 

 as a result of this test he was immediately chosen. The terms proposed 

 to him and accepted were that he should take the building rent free, 

 assume all financial risks and receive all profits. A brother and sister 

 were at once taken as assistants, and two other sisters were afterwards 

 added, as the school rapidly grew in numbers. In 1838, he was an 

 active promoter of the first movement to provide for public schools in 

 Dayton. In 1839, the trustees of the Academy insisted that he should 

 begin to pay rent for the use of the building, and not deeming this 

 equitable he resigned and opened a school at his own house. This was 

 afterwards removed to the basement of the Baptist church and contin- 

 ued with success for about two years when signs of failing health caused 

 him to seek employment of a different nature. He then purchased a 

 sawmill and managed it for two years and a half with financial success, 

 but entered so actively into the labor of his business that his health was 

 injured, rather than benefitted, by the change. A trip to the South, 

 followed by another to the East, brought renewed health, and he was 

 then persuaded to enter the educational field again, as principal of 

 Cooper Seminary, founded in 1844. I'his school opened its doors in 

 September, 1845, and enrolled one hundred and seventy-four young 

 ladies during its first year. The Seminary made a noble record for 

 thorough work, honestly living up to the statement of its advertisement, 

 "'j'hose who dislike to study or are unwilling to comply cheerfully with 

 all school regulations, or who go to school merely because they are 

 sent, will do well to seek some other place in which to idle their time 



