"Rösler's Report on the Akim Boarding Schools in 1886"

Rösler writes about the change in teachers in terms of Agyei's having a high opinion of himself, and a lot of trouble being cause between himself and the pupils as a result. However he was prepared to accept Rösler’s investigation of what was occurring, and Rösler's encouragement to attempt to do things in a different way. At the end of the school year there were 18 pupils, of whom one - Elieser Agyemang refused to accept the discipline meted out to him for an incident, while the other, Gottlob Bre of Kwahu, returned to Khahu saying he was too old for school and asked for employment by the mission. 7 out of 9 pupils were accepted from the top class of the two schools, two had disqualified themselves by their conduct, including a son of the chief of Begoro. One of the pupils who died was Kames Amaning, who when asked if he feared to die said that he did not: his way was bright and prepared for him. 'He exhorted the pupils standing around him to obedience and industriousness, and repeatedly asked people to pray with him.’ The other death was of the senior pupils, Joshua Ampong, who died after a mere 5 days' illness. There was a lot of talk of poisoning. The pupils had undertaken a l7-day preaching tour of West Akim, partly to calm them after these deaths. On their return they visited Ata, who dashed them - greeted them in a friendly way, and exhorted them to obedience and industriousness. The Kibi school received 20 new pupils at the beginning of the new academic year, and the total number of pupils was 40 as a result. He gives a pathetic picture of a joyless Christmas in Kibi, with little water, and though the pupils held their own Christmas they did not feel the joy that the birth of the Saviour should bring with it. Now the school cannot begin again on 3lst January, because there is not a single Christian in Kibi. It cannot be even temporarily in Begoro, since there is not enough room even for the Middle School. The Christians furthermore have claimed that even if Ata lets them return to Kibi they will not, and want to settle in another place.

28.01.1887

28.01.1887

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