Governor William Henry Harrison and other leading citizens of the Indiana Territory established the Jefferson Academy in 1801. It was named for the new President, Thomas Jefferson, whose portrait can be seen above the fireplace. The headmaster of the school was the village priest, Father Jean Francois Rivet, former professor of Latin at the Royal College of Limoges, France. The classes were conducted in the main room of the rectory.

At age 15, students would come to the college for three years of instruction in Latin classics, such as Caesar, Cicero and Virgil. There was also some English literature, Euclid’s “Elements” of Geography. Tuition for one year was $16 plus a cord of firewood. The teacher was paid $400. Of about 25 scholars, only about eight were taking the full classical course, the rest were in the primary or elementary program. The academy was chartered as Vincennes University in 1806.