[Rocky-River Church 30th April 1835 p. 87 ]
Adjourned to meet tomorrow morning at the church at 8 o’clock Rocky River Church 30th April 1835 Presbytery met according to adjournment and was constituted with prayer present as on yesterday Mr. John
A letter was received and read from Revd James McRee on the subject of this proposed manual labor school which letter the Presbytery gratefully acknowledge, as coming from a venerable and beloved Father in the Ministry. . .
The committee appointed at our last slated session to examine and recommend Land suitable for the contemplated Manual Labor School, reported that they had examined various situations within the section of country prescribed, and had not been able to find any site which could be obtained, that they were willing to assume the responsibility of recommending for its location which report was accepted and the committee discharged. The Reverend Messrs. R. H. Morrison, P.J. Sparrow and W. S. Pharr with Messrs. Wm L. Davidson and Wm S. Allison were appointed a committee to purchase land for the proposed

[p. 88]
Manual Labor School with instructions to contact for two tracts of land belonging to W L. Davidson Esq. in the upper end of Mecklenburg County; unless in their opinion they can make a more judicious purchase.
Resolved that the above committee be authorized to employ an agent or agents to solicit funds as soon as the location of the school shall be determined
Resolved further that when the prospect of obtaining funds will justify it the above named committee shall be authorized to designate five persons whose duty it shall be to contract for materials and make arrangements necessary for buildings
Resolved that in case any members of Presbytery be employed as agents their pulpits shall be supplied during their absence
Revd. Messrs R.H. Morrison, Dr. Robinson, and A. J. Leavenworth with Messrs. Phifer and McRee were appointed a committee to prepare and present to Presbytery as soon as possible a general outline of the principles of the contemplated school.
After a short recess the above named committee made the following report which was accepted and considered article by article and adopted and is as follows
1st The Institution shall be under the control and direction of the Concord Presbytery
2nd The great and leading objects shall be the education of young men for the Gospel Ministry and the extending of the means of education more generally among all classes of the community
3rd Its privileges shall be accessible to persons of all religious denominations of good moral character
4th The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament shall

[p. 89]
contain the supreme rule of control in all the regulations of this Institution
5th For the formation of health and to diminish the expenses of Education all the students of this institution shall be required to perform Manual Labor, agricultural or mechanical in the manner and the to the extent deemed proper and necessary by its directors.
6th This Institution is designed to afford the competent means for the acquisition of an accomplished classical education.

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