HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COLLEGE.
INTRODUCTION-LOG-CABIN SCHOOLS.
Character of First Western Ministers-When and by whom "Log Cabin " Schools begun-Mr. Dod's School on Ten-mile and in Washington-Mr. Smith's School at Buffalo-Dr. M'Millan's School at Chartiers.
THE early history of most nations, ancient or modern, is obscured and deformed by incredible traditions and monstrous legends. The laborious researches of Niebuhr, Arnold, and others, have contributed much to separate the precious from the vile, and to ascertain, with some precision, where true history begins. The American people have this great advantage, in regard to the story of their rise and progress, that no fabulous period belongs to the outset of their history. This is especially true in respect to that portion of them who first sought homes and formed settlements in the eastern part of the Valley of the Mississippi. Though much obscurity rests upon the unimportant details of the first years of trial and sorrow, through which those who succeeded the hunters, trappers and Indians traders of Western Pennsylvania, were compelled to pass, the prominent features of the men of those times, and of the measures they pursued for elevating their physical, intellectual and moral condition, are now well ascertained, and rest on no uncertain tradition. The ScotchIrish emigrants, who began to pour out on the Western frontier, a little before the last quarter of the 18th century,