Bryan Co., OK; Armstrong Academy - School History --------------------------------- Submitted by the Bryan County Heritage Library Located in Calera, OK Written by Typed for the archives by Trudy Marlow --------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ---------------------------------------------------- ARMSTRONG ACADEMY In 1842 a step forward was taken when the Choctaw Council made provision for a comprehensive system of schools. Spencer Acad- emy was opened in 1844 near Doaksville under the auspices of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign umMissions. In that same year the Methodists established a school at Fort Coffee near Skullyville. Two years later they opened a school for girls called New Hope, also near Fort Coffee. The Council provided money for the support of the Goodwater, Pine Ridge, Wheelock, and Stockbridge schools, which had been established earlier by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. In 1844, when the Choctaws decided to establish a school for boys in the western half of Pushmataha district, the Reverend Ram- say D. Potts was selected to Mission association agreed to bear a third of the expense, while the Choctaw Nation made up, the remainder of the cost of operation. In a letter to Captain William Armstrong under date of September 1, 1845, Potts described the school as being located "two miles south of the road leading from Fort Towson to Fort Washita, fifty-five miles west of the former and thirty east of the latter. It is near the dividing ridge of the waters of Boggy and Blue river and twenty miles north west of the nearest point of Red river." This site is about three and one-half miles northeast of the present town of Bokchito in Bryan county. There was sufficient wood available and a good spring of water, items that were important factors in the choosing of sites in the early days. A small stream flowed through the grounds with enough volume of water to run a grist mill a large part of the year. This school was given the name of Armstrong Academy in honor of the popular agent of the Choctaws, Captain William Armstrong. It was destined to become an outstanding center of the educational life of the Choctaws for a number of years. The academy really did not get under way until December 2, 1845, because the buildings were completed late. For the support of the school the Choctaw Council appropriated $2,900 and the American Indian Mission association $1,000 annually. The school operated under the following trustees: Major William Armstrong, P.P. Pitohlyn, George W. Harkins, Thompson McKenney and Robert M. Jones. It was originally planned that the school should take care of thirty-five pupils, but because of the late start on account of the unfinished buildings it was not filled the first year. Of the thirty-three who were enrolled at the opening, twenty-four were full bloods. In their classes eighteen of them began with the alphabet, four with two letters, four with easy reading, three in McGuffey's First Reader and two in the Second Reader. The school was attended only by boys and the manual labor plan, which was stressed, consisted chiefly in clearing and cultivating the farm which provided largely for the support of the school. Armstrong Academy had a good teaching staff: Potts was Superintendent; Mrs. Potts, Mr. and Mrs. P.P. Brown Jr., and Tabitha Chenoweth were the teachers; and H.V. Jones was the director of the farm. Eventually, several native assistants were added to the staff. This school had as its objectives the Christianizing and civilizing of the Choctaws on the manual labor plan. In an interesting report under date of September 11,1849; Brown gives a graphic account of the academy: In accordance with the instructions of the Board, I submit the annual report of the literary department of the Instution. Num- ber of pupils-The whole number which have attended this session, including day scolars, beneficiaries, those boarded by their parents, and the various changes that have taken place from different causes, is sixty-five. The average attendance has been about fifty-five, which makes our number considerably larger than it has ever been before. Of the number, 5 studied Algebra; 11 studied Emerson's arithmetic, 3rd Part; 24 studied Emerson's arithmetic 2nd Part; 18 studied Emmerson's arithmetic 1st Part; 22 studied Fowle's Geography; 5 read in McGuffey's Fourth Reader; 30 read in McGuffey's third Reader; 7 read in McGuffey's First Reader; 4 read in Webster's Spelling Book; 54 attended to writing; all to spelling; 7 were day scholars; 6 were beneficiaries; 2 were boarded by their parents. The other were all appropriation pupils, or pupils selected by the Trustees. Our regular number of appropriation pupils is forty-five and is never to exceed this. In this report I include all who have attended any portion of the session. Several changes have taken place; some from death, some from boys leaving school and not returning, and some from expulsions. Order of Daily Exercises-During the fall and winter, the first bell rang at 4 o'clock a.m. for the boys to rise, whose duty was to build fires and sweep out the sitting room. At 5 o'clock all rose, and fifteen minutes after the roll was called. Breakfast took place at 6, after which the boys went to work. At 8 o'clock the bell called the boys together to wash themselves and prepare for school, which convened at half past 8. At 11, fifteen minutes recess was given for rest and recreation. From 12 to 1 an intermission took place for dinner. At 3 o'clock p.m. another recess of fifteen minutes occured, the same in the morning. At 4 school closed, and the boys went to work until supper, which generally took place a little before sunset. After supper the boys assembled in the school room to prepare the morning lessons. The activities of the Armstrong Academy were directed by the Reverend A. S. Dennison, who succeeded Potts as superintendent in 1854. Moffat continued to teach in the academy, serving at the time as pastor of the Philadelphia Baptist church nearby. During the Civil War the Choctaw Nation sided with the Confederacy, and the academy was closed. In 1862 the Choctaw Council adopted a constitutional amendment providing that "in the fall of 1863 the Council should meet at Armstrong Academy, which should he the permanent capital of the Nation with the name of Chahta Tamaha." The large brick school building became the office building-the capitol - of the Choctaw Nation. A part of the building was also used a Confederate hospital. Chahta Tamaha remained the capital until 1883, when the move was made to Tuskahoma. During that period the commercial activities in the vicinity increased. Upon the movement of the Beat of government, the school was reestablished, but admission was limited to Choctaw orphan boys. Again the school was placed with the Presbyterians, and they continued in charge until the federal government took control. The school continued to operate until February, 1921, when everything connected with the academy was destroyed by fire. The federal government refused to rebuild; thus, the operation of Armstrong Academy ceased. Copied.