d. They thought to repeat the history of Oberlin by
planting in the woods of northern Michigan an institution of learning such
as the fathers planted in northern Ohio. But the conditions were very
dissimilar. Oberlin was in the zone of quick settlement. Cities and towns
soon sprang up all about it, and it became in a few years the center of a
large population. But the northern Michigan region developed very slowly
and it was a long time before there were enough people to maintain a
college or to justify its presence. But from the first there was in
operation a school of high order, and it performed a splendid service in
those early years, doing the educational work for all that region, and
supplying teachers for the public schools throughout a wide territory. It
is now conducted as an Academy and is doing an excellent work, sending
forth each year large classes of young people well prepared to enter any
college or university in the country. The Academy has been maintained very
largely by the gifts and sacrifices of the people of the community, and is
an important factor of the work that is being wrought out in "The Larger
Parish."

The people of this community are unusually homogeneous. There are no Roman
Catholics, few foreigners, and no colored people. They are hardworking and
industrious, none of them possessing large wealth, and none of them being
very poor. All are compelled to toil for their daily bread. There, if
anywhere, it is possible to live "the simple life," and in such healthful
conditions the community life has developed. Though the presence of the
Academy has been a means of culture and the center and inspirations of
literary life, it is by no means true that all the people in the wide
parish are well educated. A few miles from the village primitive and
pioneer conditions are found, and there is no lack of genuine missionary
ground.

The social life of this community is very satisfactory. There are no
classes or cliques. The people mingle together freely on a common basis,
and exemplify to an unusual degree the principle of brotherhood. There has
never been a saloon in the community, and the people are for the most part
steady-going and law-abiding. They are loyal to their home institutions,
crowding the church on Sunday and taking a lively interest in all things
that pertain to the welfare of the village and the surrounding country.
They are dependent upon themselves for literary and musical
entertainm