P 
Life and Character of George Graham. 87 
District in Mexico, 900 miles from the sea coast. This machinery had 
to be made in pieces of about 100 pounds, in order to be transported 
over the mountains on the backs of mules. 
In 1832, Mr. Graham was elected trustee of the public schools; and 
as such made many needed reforms, and introduced new regulations. 
He constructed rules for the government of schools, teachers, and 
scholars. These were printed, framed, and hung up in every school 
house. He introduced the system of school examinations, and used to 
march at the head of the procession of children through the streets on 
the last day of school, to some church where rewards of merit were 
distributed by the mayor. 
In 1834, he applied to the city government for funds to build a model 
brick school house for 500 pupils. The council had proposed to erect 
a wooden house of two stories for $1,200. This did not suit Mr. 
Graham, who said he did not wish to see the scholars burned to death in 
a trame building. Following his own ideas, he appointed an architect 
to erect a brick school house, and guaranteed payment in case the 
city refused. The building was completed in 1854, afterward re- 
modeled and enlarged, and still stands on Race street, opposite the. 
Arcade, devoted to other than educational purposes. Eight other 
school houses were soon erected in various wards of the city, by money 
procured on bonds, payable 25 years from date. About the same time, | 
he, with John P. Foote and Calvin Fletcher, organized the Mechanics’ 
Institute. For several years the three paid the rent of a building 
suitable for the purpose. 
In 1836, Mr. Graham and other citizens fitted out a body of troops, 
and sent them to Texas to defend it from the threatened invasion of 
Santa Anna. These troops, with a regiment from Louisville, comprised 
the main part of the army which fought at San Jacinto under Generals 
Sherman and Houston; the army captured Santa Anna, thus securing 
the independence of Texas. 
In 1838, he was elected President of the Jeffersonville Association, 
which was organized in 1836, to build-a canal around the Falls on the 
Indiana side of the Ohio. Five hundred and forty acres of land were 
laid off in lots. Surveys were made by the company and by Col. Long, 
U.S. engineer; and from these surveys it was estimated that for 
$1,800,000 a canal 60 to 80 feet wide, with locks 400 feet in length, to 
pass the largest boats, could be built. This was about the amount re- 
quired to enlarge the Louisville canal. During two sessions of Con- 
eress, Mr. Graham was in Washington, and labored hard to get aid for 
