Lucius R. Paige, History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1630-1877, with a genealogical register

‘ [388] and able preachers unto their countrymen. Their diet, apparel, books and schooling, was chargeable. In truth the design was prudent, noble, and good; but it proved ineffectual to the ends proposed; for several of the said youth died, after they had been sundry years at learning, and made good proficiency therein. Others were disheartened, and left learning after they were almost ready for the college. And some returned to live among their countrymen, where some of them are improved for schoolmasters and teachers, unto which they are advantaged by their education. Some others of them have entered upon other callings; as one is a mariner; another, a carpenter; another went for England with a gentleman that lived sometimes at Cambridge in New England, named Mr. Drake, which Indian, as I heard, died there not many months after his arrival. I remember but only two of them all that lived in the college at Cambridge; the one named Joel, the other Caleb, both natives of Martha's Vineyard. These two were hopeful young men, especially Joel, being so ripe in learning, that he should, within a few months, have taken his first degree of bachelor of art in the college. He took a voyage to Martha's Vineyard, to visit his father and kindred, a little before the commencement, but upon his return back in a vessel, with other passengers and mariners, suffered shipwreck upon the island of Nantucket..... The other, called Caleb, not long after he took his degree of bachelor of art¹ at Cambridge in New England, died of a consumption at Charlestown, where he was placed by Mr. Thomas Danforth, who had inspection over him, under the care of a physician in order to his health, where he wanted not for the best means the country could afford, both of food and physick; but God denied the blessing, and put a period to his days.’²

The records of the Commissioners of the United Colonies of New England contain accounts of sundry payments for the maintenance and instruction of Indian scholars, some of them very young, from 1656 to 1672. An earlier account is preserved in tile ‘Massachusetts Archives,’ XXX. 9, which may serve as a sample:—

An account of expenses layd out for ye country from August 1645 untill this 8th of October 1646.