Univ. of California*
 
 EARLY QUAKER EDUCATION 
 IN PENNSYLVANIA 
 
 SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE 
 OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, IN THE FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 
 
 Published by 
 
 College, Columbia 
 
 NEW YORK CITY 
 1920
 
 Copyright, 1920, by THOMAS WOODY
 
 PREFACE 
 
 The purpose of this monograph is to present to the students 
 of education, especially to those interested in the historical 
 phase of it, some materials relating to education among the 
 Quakers in Pennsylvania previous to 1800. Since the greater 
 part of the source material on the subject is almost inaccessi- 
 ble, it has been thought desirable to incorporate in this work 
 many reports on schools, such as may be convenient refer- 
 ences for others who are interested in the early educational 
 history of Pennsylvania. 
 
 The manuscript records which furnish the most direct 
 light on this study are found in various depositories in 
 southeastern Pennsylvania. Those that have been pre- 
 served and made accessible to the writer have been examined 
 by him in person. With the exception of a few cases, the 
 minutes of the preparative meetings have not been well kept ; 
 hence, that source of information is very limited. 
 
 If this work possesses merit, it is by reason of the coopera- 
 tion of many men and women. I am obligated to the 
 members of the Society of Friends who, as custodians of 
 records, have been instrumental in forwarding the investiga- 
 tion. It is also a great pleasure to acknowledge the friendly 
 encouragement and assistance given by Albert Cook Myers, 
 of The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. I wish also to 
 thank Professor Paul Monroe for the initial encouragement and 
 continued interest during the progress of the investigation. 
 
 T. W. 
 
 Teachers College, New York 
 July 1 1, 1917
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 <>, ^ 
 
 I Origin of the Quakers .... 1-13 
 
 II Meeting Organization : Its Connection with 
 
 Education . ... . . 14-25 / / 
 
 III Educational Ideals of the Quakers . 26-40 
 
 IV Education in Philadelphia . . . 41-84 ti '. 
 V Schools of Bucks County . . . 85-104 
 
 VI Schools of Montgomery County . 105-121 
 
 VII Schools of Chester County . . .122-146 
 
 VIII Schools of Delaware County . . 147-166 
 
 v IX School Support, Organization, and Cur- 
 riculum . * . . . . . 167-203 
 
 X Masters and Mistresses . . . 204-227 
 
 XI Education of Negroes and Indians . . 228-267 
 
 XII Conclusion . . . . 268-271 
 
 Bibliography . . . .. . 272-282 
 
 Abbreviations . . . . . 283 
 
 Index ...... 285-287
 
 EARLY QUAKER EDUCATION 
 IN PENNSYLVANIA 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 ORIGIN OF THE QUAKERS 
 
 Reforms, discoveries and inventions are, at the outset, con- 
 ceived by individual minds; seldom, if ever, are they the 
 simultaneous product of several. The original connection is 
 seen and made by an individual, and afterwards may be 
 accepted by his fellows, who may appropriate the new idea to 
 themselves and make its applications manifold. The novel 
 idea or relationship, once seen, thoroughly comprehended 
 and expressed becomes either the common property of many, 
 extending far afield from its original source, or is rejected 
 because it fails to prove attractive to human interests or 
 necessary for the satisfaction of human needs. By this 
 means changes are wrought in a group or society of individ- 
 uals, and the belief or the contribution of one individual 
 becomes the faith or the possession of a nation. The meaning 
 of the above statement is at once made clear by mere mention 
 of a few names, such as Luther, Bacon, Pestalozzi, Confucius, 
 Whitefield, Gcethe and Fox. It is with the ideas and the 
 formally stated doctrines of the last mentioned that we are in 
 this connection chiefly concerned. 
 
 In a study of education among the Quakers it is desirable, 
 if not absolutely imperative, to go back to the origin of the 
 society and note, at least in part, the tenets of the society and 
 the reasons for its foundation. For this purpose the best 
 materials are to be found in the life and works of George 
 Fox, the founder of the Society of Quakers. It would, per- 
 haps, be unnecessary at present to make any considerable 
 study of beliefs or tenets, if it were not for the fact that, in 
 times past, some of the expressions of their belief have been 
 misconstrued. For instance, reference may be made here 
 to the so-called doctrine of inner light which was promulgated 
 
 (i) 
 
 An essential 
 in leaders 
 
 Brief study 
 of Quaker 
 beliefs 
 necessary
 
 2 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 by George Fox at the very beginning of his work in 1647. l 
 It will be of advantage to first sketch briefly the early life of 
 / this exponent of Quakerism. 
 
 George Fox was born July, 1624 (old style), at Drayton-in- 
 
 Fox's youth the-clay, 2 in Leicestershire, England. His father, Christo- 
 
 and early pher Fox, otherwise known as "Righteous Christer," was a 
 
 education weaver by trade and ' 'an honest man. ' ' His mother, he says, 
 
 was of the stock of martyrs. 3 
 
 His earliest life was spent in the home of his parents, under 
 whose tutelage he received a careful religious training. He 
 says of himself that he was unusually grave for a youth of his 
 age and that his thought constantly turned to subjects of 
 religious nature. This characteristic religious disposition, 
 noticed by his mother, was the cause of a more indulgent 
 attitude toward him than was granted the other children in 
 the family, especially in regard to their religious instruction. 
 Of his school education we have but a meagre account; 
 , according to Sewell, his only education was received in the 
 home and consisted of the bare necessaries such as reading 
 and writing. 4 The essence of his religious education seems 
 to be adequately summarized in his own words as follows: 
 
 The Lord taught me to be faithful in all things, and to act faithfully 
 two ways, viz., inwardly to God, and outwardly to man; and to keep 
 to yea and nay in all things. 5 
 
 As he advanced in years some of his people, being aware 
 of his religious tendencies, would gladly have had him enter 
 the priesthood, but others dissenting, he was placed with a 
 man who was a shoemaker, grazier and dealer in wool. 6 In 
 this employment he seems to have given much satisfaction to 
 his employer, and, as for himself, he too enjoyed the work of 
 shepherd, affording, as it did, ample opportunity for close 
 communion with nature and limiting his connections with 
 the corrupt society of mankind, from which he sought to free 
 himself. 7 
 
 Journal, I, 53. 
 2 Now called Fenny Drayton (see Friends Library, I, 28). 
 'Fox, Journal, I, 49. 
 *Sewell, Hist., I, n. 
 5 Fox, Journal, I, 49. 
 Ibid., 50. 7 Sewell, Hist., I, 12.
 
 Origin of the Quakers 3 
 
 About the age of nineteen, his dissatisfaction with the , 
 world and the people about him caused him to leave his rela- 
 tions and acquaintances and to seek out a more lonely 
 existence in some place where he was quite unknown. This Beginning 
 decision being made, he journeyed "at the command of 
 God," first to Lutterworth, Northampton, Newlort-Pagnell, ] 
 and came finally, in 1644, to Barnet. During these days he 
 was often in great despair and questioned whether he had done 
 rightly in leaving his parents and friends. In these periods 
 of misgiving he consulted often with priests concerning his 
 condition and sought thereby a remedy, which, however, he 
 did not find. Driven by sheer desperation he continued to 
 travel, and, after leaving Barnet, came to London where he 
 remained for a short time only, having come now to a decision 
 that he should return again to the home of his parents. 8 
 
 The return to his native village, however, was no cure for 
 his mental ill, though his conscience was thereby somewhat 
 stilled. He continued his visits to various priests, especially His return 
 one Nathaniel Stevens, with whom he was wont to argue home 
 religious questions, and who, after Fox had enunciated certain 
 beliefs, which will be mentioned later, became one of his 
 most cruel persecutors. 9 Each succeeding experience with 
 the priests was but a repetition of a former and it became 
 clear to him that they saw nothing but the externals of his 
 condition and had not the power to penetrate to the inner- 
 most complexities of his situation. According to his view 
 their recommendations met only the demands of the ecclesias- 
 tics; his need was genuine and he was enabled to see the 
 narrow limitations which hamper the activity of one man 
 who attempts to parcel out salvation to another. 
 
 George Fox was now in his twenty-second year. It is 
 pertinent that mention be made at this place of three funda- 
 mental beliefs or principles, whose truth, up to this time, had 
 made itself manifest in his mind. The second of these is the 
 one which, being so often misquoted, has become the basis 
 for the belief on the part of many, that the Society was 
 opposed to education. 
 
 8 Fox, Journal, I, 51. 
 'Ibid., 52.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Three of 
 Fox's con- 
 clusions; 
 fundamental 
 
 But not 
 untried 
 
 1 . And the Lord opened to me that, if all were believers, then they 
 were all born of God, and passed from death unto life, and that none 
 were true believers but such ; and though others said they were believers, 
 yet they were not. 
 
 2. The Lord opened unto me, that being bred at Oxford or Cam- 
 bridge was not enough to fit and qualify men to be ministers of Christ; 
 and I wondered at it, because it was the common belief of the people. 
 
 3. At another time it was opened to me, that God, who made the 
 world, did not dwell in temples made with hands. . . . But the 
 Lord showed me clearly that he did not dwell in these temples which 
 men had commanded and set up, but in people's hearts; for both 
 Stephen and the apostle Paul bore testimony that he did not dwell in 
 temples made with hands, not even in that which he had once com- 
 manded to be built, since he put an end to it; but that his people were 
 his temple, and he dwelt in them. 10 
 
 These doctrines which he began to promulgate in 1647 
 were recognized as fundamental, and their influence is 
 plainly to be seen in the organization and discipline of the 
 society which finally resulted. 11 
 
 It may well be mentioned here that though these tenets 
 were incorporated in the foundation principles of the Quakers, 
 they were by no means new, in the sense that they had never 
 been accepted, in part, at least, by any other group of people. 
 J. Brown, writing concerning the Quakers, states that 
 Caspar Schwenkfeld, a Silesian of high birth, had promul- 
 gated the same doctrines of inner light, direct revelation and 
 the inadequacy of the sacraments at least two centuries 
 before the time of Fox in England. 12 The dispersion of 
 Schwenkfeld's adherents in 1547 led to the spread of their 
 doctrines outside of Silesia, being embraced by a part of the 
 Mennonite Church of Amsterdam, whence their entrance was 
 made into England, and found acceptance in the minds of the 
 Quakers. 13 This view is held also by other students of 
 Quaker history, 14 and the similarity of doctrine is clearly seen 
 in the statement of the Mennonite creed, as given by B. L. 
 Wicks, a student of Mennonite history. 15 Further, it is 
 
 "Ibid., 53. 
 
 "Myers, A. C., Immigration of Irish Quakers into Pa., 5. 
 
 12 Brown, in Traill, H. D., Social England, IV, 258. 
 
 u lbid. 
 
 "Barclay, R., Inner life of Religious Societies of the Commonwealth, 77. 
 
 "Wicks, B. L., The Amish Mennonites, 13-18.
 
 Origin of the Quakers 
 
 known that some of the earliest preachers among Quakers 
 went to Amsterdam and vicinity and found there a kindly 
 reception by a part of the people, making converts among 
 both the Baptists 16 and the Mennonites. 17 An instance of 
 their kindly attitude toward Quakers and also of the recogni- 
 tion given their belief on the part of the Quakers, is shown in 
 the account by Thomas Chalkley, concerning his journey of 
 some nine hundred miles in Holland, Friesland and Ger- 
 many. 18 
 
 As I have had great peace and satisfaction in my travels in Holland 
 and Germany, so, for inciting others under the like exercise, I may truly 
 say that there is encouragement for faithful ministers to labor in the 
 work of the gospel. I know not that I ever met with more tenderness 
 and openness in people than in those parts of the world. There is a 
 great people whom they call Mennonites, who are very near to truth, 
 and the fields are white unto the harvest among divers of them, 
 spiritually speaking. 19 
 
 At Kriegsheim in the Palatinate Quaker exhorters like 
 Ames and Rolfe, who had been sent out by the direction of 
 George Fox, 1657, succeeded in winning converts among the 
 Mennonites, though they were received unfavorably by the 
 magistrates who fined those who offered to give them any 
 entertainment. 20 It is from this same district that both 
 Quakers and Mennonites made their voluntary departure 
 and came to settle in Pennsylvania. Their prompt attention 
 to school affairs on their first arrival is very similar to that 
 of the Quakers, though in their case it was often the work of 
 the laity, and not through the church organization. 21 
 
 A still more extensive missionary journey was undertaken 
 at a later date, 1677, by several Quakers, among them Fox, 
 Penn, Furly, Barclay and Keith. They visited Brill, Leyden 
 and Haarlem where they held meetings, preaching to both 
 Quakers and Mennonites. 22 The tour continued up into the 
 
 "Sewell, Hist., I, 284. 
 "Pa. Cer. Soc., IX, 166. 
 
 18 Chalkley, Journal, Friends Library, VI, 27. 
 "Ibid. 
 
 M Besse, Sufferings of the Quakers, II, 45of . 
 21 Pa. Ger. Soc., IX, 401. 
 
 M Pa. Mag. of Hist., II, 250; Seidensticker, Erste deutsche Einwander- 
 ung in Amerika, 29-33. 
 
 Kindly 
 reception 
 given to 
 Quaker 
 ministers 
 
 Journey of 
 Fox, Penn, 
 Furly, Bar- 
 clay and 
 Keith
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Increased 
 number of 
 ministers 
 
 The number 
 of adherents 
 estimated 
 
 Rhine region where Penn and his party came into touch with 
 members of the Pietist group. It is doubtless true that this 
 journey and the impression which was made by Penn must 
 have played an important part a few years later when he 
 opened his colony to settlers on the well known liberal 
 principles. 
 
 In the presentation of the foregoing material it has been 
 pointed out: (i) how the doctrines of the Quakers were 
 rapidly spread broadcast by the itinerant preachers; and (2) 
 that there was a great similarity between Quaker and Men- 
 nonite in doctrine and belief. 
 
 The work of spreading the new gospel, as instanced by the 
 work of Ames and Rolfe in 1657, was carried rapidly forward; 
 as early as 1654, seven years after George Fox had begun to 
 preach, he had enlisted the services of some sixty preachers 
 who travelled continually up and down the country. 23 
 Such a number of leaders bespeaks a considerable following, 
 though we have no record of a census of the followers made 
 during Fox's lifetime. Brown is apparently willing to accept 
 Barclay's statement that by 1675 they numbered ten thous- 
 and in London and by the end of the century, sixty thousand. 24 
 It does not seem that this is too large an estimate. It can 
 be estimated from the work of Besse on Sufferings that 
 between 1650 and 1689 there were approximately fifteen 
 thousand individual cases of "sufferings." 25 Since his work 
 is compiled from "authentic records" it may be considered to 
 be fairly accurate, though the errors, if any, would likely be 
 to make the number too small rather than too large. As a 
 matter of fact his collection includes some cases between 1689 
 and 1 700, but the vast majority of them are from the period 
 above stated. Certainly we must suppose that if such a large 
 number actually came under the hand of English tolerance, 
 then the total number of adherents very probably equalled 
 or exceeded the estimate previously mentioned. Whatever 
 objection may be made to the accuracy of these figures they 
 may certainly be taken as fairly indicative of the growth of 
 the sect; for that purpose they are intended. 
 
 M Brown, J. in Traill, Soc. England, IV, 259. 
 "Ibid. 28 Besse, J., Sufferings, II, 539-638.
 
 Origin of the Quakers 
 
 Just as the church discipline and organization are traceable 
 to the hand of Fox, so also is the attitude on educational 
 affairs. It has been said that the doctrine of the inner light 
 made all education unnecessary, and this perverted idea has 
 doubtless possessed even some members of Quakers to the 
 extent that they came to regard learning as an instrument of 
 Satan, a thing to be carefully avoided. However true this 
 statement may have been of some members of the group, it 
 certainly is not representative of the belief and practice of 
 the Quakers as a whole. Some of the more ignorant may 
 have interpreted the inner light to mean just that thing ; but 
 it is certainly true that such an idea was never expressed by 
 George Fox, nor did it become the accepted belief of the 
 organization, as is shown by their practices. The actual 
 practice, educational, among Quakers is to be followed in this 
 monograph. A later chapter will be devoted to a considera- 
 tion of the views on education held by various individuals 
 who have left some tangible monuments to their beliefs. In 
 the present chapter, however, it is intended to indicate 
 merely the position assumed by Fox in regard to the question 
 at the outset of his labors. 
 
 As has been previously mentioned (page 2) George Fox 
 had the advantage of only a limited education. Opposition 
 to the higher education, if he exhibited such, might find an 
 explanation in this fact, assuming that not having shared its 
 delights and advantages, he chose to deprecate it altogether. 
 From a study of his utterances and his actions throughout 
 his career it seems, however, that the facts point rather to a 
 true appreciation rather than deprecation of education. 
 The evidence appears to support, in a very satisfactory man- 
 ner, the following points: 
 
 1 . That he placed a great emphasis on moral and religious 
 training. 
 
 2. Education should be of practical value; apprenticeship 
 education recommended. 
 
 3. That the establishment of schools was believed to 
 be necessary. 
 
 4. The objection to classical training was its inadequacy 
 to prepare for a minister of the gospel. 
 
 Fox's doc- 
 trine the 
 basis in their 
 educational 
 practice 
 
 Fox's educa- 
 tional creed
 
 8 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 5. That the scope of education was not limited to Quakers 
 alone, nor even to the Whites, but should include also Negroes, 
 Indians and the poorer classes of society as well as the rich. 
 The remainder of this chapter will be devoted to a brief con- 
 sideration of the foregoing statements. 
 
 First, in regard to moral and religious instruction, it 
 seemes hardly necessary to do more than state simply 
 that he did urge moral education at all times. His whole 
 life being permeated with the desire to propagate his newly 
 founded society, it certainly is to be expected that he would 
 recommend and insist on instruction of that nature. If proof 
 be desired, however, it may be found in statements made 
 from time to time, which are quoted below. The system 
 of moral education based on the utterances of Fox was 
 chiefly a prohibitory one, and it might well be questioned 
 whether the result would not be passive rather than active 
 virtues. 
 
 . . . . in warning such as kept public houses for entertainment, 
 that they should not let people have more drink than would do them 
 good; and in testifying against their wakes and feasts, May games, 
 sports, plays and shows, which trained up people to vanity and looseness 
 and led them from the fear of God; . . . in f airs also, and in markets 
 I was made to declare against their deceitful merchandise, cheating and 
 Prohibitions, cozening; warning all to deal justly, to speak the truth, to let their yea 
 moral, social be yea and their nay be nay; ... I was moved also to cry against 
 and educa- all sorts of music, and against the mountebanks playing tricks on their 
 tional stages, for they burdened the pure life and stained the people's mind to 
 
 vanity. I was much exercised, too, with schoolmasters and school- 
 mistresses, warning them to teach their children sobriety in the fear of 
 the Lord, that they might not be nursed and trained up in lightness, 
 vanity and wantonness. Likewise I was made to warn masters and 
 mistresses, fathers and mothers in private families, to take care that their 
 children and servants might be trained up in the fear of the Lord; and 
 that they themselves should be therein examples and patterns of 
 sobriety and virtue to them. 26 
 
 I was to bring them off from all the world's fellowship and prayings 
 and singings, which stood in forms without power: . . , 27 
 
 These prohibitions and many others that were enunciated 
 from time to time in his speaking and writing, were to be in 
 time a part of the discipline of the organization, and were as 
 
 
 20 Fox, G., Journal, I, 73; also 264-265. 
 "Ibid., 71.
 
 Origin of the Quakers 
 
 religiously imposed on all members as the ardor of the meeting 
 and the difficulty of the task would permit. The cases 
 coming up before the monthly meetings for discipline are 
 largely composed of infringements of the regulations, which 
 grew out of Fox's recommendations. These are, without 
 question, of very ascetic nature. One instance which illus- 
 trates the incorporation of these ideals in the discipline of 
 the organization may be cited in this connection. 
 
 All Friends, train up your children in the fear of God; and as they are 
 capable, they may be instructed and kept employed in some lawful 
 calling; that they may be diligent, serving the Lord in the things that 
 are good; that none may live idle and be destroyers of the creation, and 
 thereby become burdensome to others, and to the just witness in 
 themselves. 28 
 
 Second, the emphasis placed on the values to be derived 
 from a practical education, to be gotten, to a large degree, 
 through a careful system of apprenticing the children of 
 members to people, members if possible, who would also be 
 careful in regard to their moral instruction, is unmistakable. 
 The practice as recommended, indicated below, became the 
 general rule in Quaker communities, as is adequately evi- 
 denced in the meeting records. In this connection, however, 
 it should be kept in mind that apprenticeship education 
 could be legally enforced. 
 
 Being in London, it came upon me to write to Friends throughout the 
 nation, about putting out poor children to trades. Wherefore I sent the 
 following epistle to the quarterly meetings of friends in all counties: 
 
 MY DEAR FRIENDS, 
 
 Let every quarterly meeting make inquiry through all the monthly 
 and other meetings, to know all Friends that are widows, or others that 
 have children fit to put out to apprenticeship; so that once a quarter 
 you may set forth an apprentice from your quarterly meeting; and so 
 you may set forth four in a year in each county, or more, if there be 
 occasion. This apprentice, when out of his time, may help his father 
 or mother, and support the family that is decayed; and in so doing all 
 may come to live comfortably. This being done in your quarterly 
 meetings you will have knowledge through the county in the monthly 
 and particular meetings, of masters fit for them, and of such trades as 
 their parents or the children are most inclinable to. Thus, being placed 
 
 Kept promi- 
 nent place 
 in the church 
 
 Apprentice- 
 ship educa- 
 tion recom- 
 mended 
 
 28 Friends Lib., I, 129.
 
 10 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 And executed 
 in various 
 meetings 
 
 Establish- 
 ment of 
 school 
 advised 
 
 out with Friends, they may be trained up in truth; and by this means in 
 the wisdom of God, you may preserve Friends' children in the truth, and 
 enable them to be strength and help to their families, and nurses, and 
 preservers of their relations in their ancient days. . . . For in the 
 country you know, you may set forth an apprentice for a little to several 
 trades, as bricklayers, masons, carpenters, wheelwrights, ploughwrights, 
 tailors, tanners, curriers, blacksmiths, shoemakers, nailers, butchers, 
 weavers of linen and woolen stuffs and serges, etc., and you may do well 
 to have a stock in your quarterly meetings for that purpose. All that is 
 given by any Friends at their decease (except it be given to some partic- 
 ular use, person or meeting) may be brought to the public stock for that 
 purpose. This will be the way for the preserving of many that are poor 
 among you, and it will be the way of making up poor families. In 
 several counties it is practised already. Some quarterlies set forth two 
 apprentices ; and sometimes the children of others that are laid on the 
 parish. You may bind them for fewer or more years, according to their 
 capacities. . . . 29 
 
 G. F. 
 London, ist of nth month, 1669. 
 
 The following lines, taken from the meeting records, are 
 sufficient proof of the working out of this recommendation 
 concerning apprenticeship education. 
 
 It is agreed and concluded upon by this meeting, that the meeting 
 take care of all Friends children that are left as orphans and unsettled, 
 to inspect and see that all such be taken care of and settled in the best 
 and suitablest manner, according to their capacity, that thereby they 
 may discharge their duty and all such be eased by taking such due care. 30 
 
 Third, the establishment of schools was believed to be 
 necessary; for a proof of this attitude may be cited his action 
 in regard to the establishment of schools at Waltham and 
 Shacklewelt. 
 
 Then returning towards London by Waltham, I advised the setting 
 up of a school there for teaching boys; and also a girls' school at Shackle- 
 well, for instructing them in whatsoever things were civil and useful. 31 
 
 This statement would certainly indicate a liberal attitude 
 towards education. Fox himself makes no further comment 
 on what the nature of the school was to be. His interest in 
 these schools, it is asserted, never nagged, and many visits 
 were made in behalf of their prosperity. 82 
 
 29 Fox, G., Journal, II, ;6f. 
 
 30 Min. Middletown Mo. Mtg., 9 2 1699. 
 
 31 Fox, Journal, II, 57. 32 Friends Lib., 1,72.
 
 Origin of the Quakers 
 
 ii 
 
 Fourth, the poplar idea that has at times prevailed, that 
 Quaker? objected to giving an education such as was enjoyed 
 by other sects, was probably founded on a misunderstanding 
 of certain statements made by Fox with regard to education. 
 Let us examine some of these statements, and seek to learn 
 his intended meaning. 
 
 I saw that to be a true believer was another thing than they looked 
 on it to be; and I saw that being bred at Oxford or Cambridge did not 
 qualify or fit a man to be a minister of Christ; what then should I 
 follow such for? So neither these, nor any of the dissenting peoples 
 could I join with, but was a stranger to all, relying wholly upon the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. 33 
 
 I was to bring people off from Jewish ceremonies and from heathenish 
 fables, and from men's inventions and worldly doctrines, by which they 
 blew the people about this way and the other way, from sect to sect; 
 and from all their beggarly rudiments, with their schools and colleges for 
 making ministers of Christ, who are indeed ministers of their own making 
 but not of Christ; . . . M 
 
 They could not know the spiritual meaning of Moses; the prophets 
 and John's words, nor see their paths and travels, much less see through 
 them, and to the end of them into the kingdom, unless they had the 
 spirit of Jesus; nor could they know the words of Christ and of his 
 apostles without his Spirit. 35 
 
 Then we came to Durham, where was a man come from London to set 
 up a college there, to make ministers of Christ, as they said. I went, 
 with some others, to reason with him and to let him see that to teach men 
 Hebrew, Greek and Latin, and the seven arts, which were all but the 
 teachings of the natural man, was not the way to make them ministers 
 of Christ. 36 
 
 These statements represent a small selection from many 
 similar ones, and may be fairly taken as indicative of his 
 position concerning this one point. They are the most 
 drastic prohibitory statements made on the subject in all of 
 his works. But even here we fail to find either (i) a con- 
 demnation of general or ordinary education or (2) a wholesale 
 condemnation of classical education; indeed we read no 
 objection to a minister's possessing a knowledge of classical 
 authors, such as was the case of both Penn and Barclay, pro- 
 
 But classical 
 education 
 not the first 
 essential for 
 ministers 
 
 M Fox, Journal, I, 53. 
 "Ibid., 72. 
 K Ibid., 69. 
 "Ibid., 327.
 
 12 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Summary of 
 
 educational 
 
 statements 
 
 Education 
 not limited 
 to Friends 
 
 vided he possess also the "light." His statements may be 
 summarized as follows: 
 
 1. Classical training is inadequate as a preparation for 
 ministers of the gospel. 
 
 2. Divine guidance is the one requisite for their prepara- 
 tion. 
 
 3. There is no objection to the classical learning if it be 
 added to the qualification under (2). 
 
 Fifth, their conception of the scope of education did not 
 limit it to their own people alone, but extended it rather to 
 all peoples, Negroes and Indians, the rich and the poor. This 
 is made perfectly plain in his address sent to the Governor 
 of the Barbados in 1671. 
 
 Consider, Friends, it is no transgression for a master of a family to 
 instruct his family himself, or for some others to do it in his behalf; but 
 rather it is a very great duty incumbent upon them. . . . We 
 declare that we esteem it a duty incumbent on us to pray with and for 
 those in and belonging to our families; .... and to teach, instruct 
 and admonish them; . . . now Negroes, Tawnies and Indians make 
 up a very great part of the families in this island ; for whom an account 
 will be required by him who comes to judge both quick and dead, at the 
 great day of judgment, when every one shall be rewarded according to 
 the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or whether they 
 be evil. 37 
 
 The effect of the above statements must tend to convince 
 even the skeptical that any statement or belief, to the effect 
 that the founder of Quakerism was opposed to education, is 
 chiefly a myth based on either ignorance or gross mis- 
 understanding. 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 The origin of the Quakers and the organization and dis- 
 cipline of the Society are due almost entirely to the influence 
 which first came from the founder, George Fox. He extended 
 his belief in his native country and even into foreign countries 
 by (i) preaching, (2) letters, (3) extensive travels on his own 
 part, and (4) through the agency of many capable men whom 
 he attracted to his service. For this service the leading of the 
 
 "Ibid., II, 105.
 
 Origin of the Quakers 13 
 
 inner light was deemed the only preparation which was abso- 
 lutely necessary. The society experienced a rapid growth in 
 numbers and, due to the policy of its founder, laid great stress 
 on the moral and practical education of their youth. A great 
 similarity existed between the beliefs of Quakers and those 
 of the Mennonites, both of which came to form a large part of 
 the population of the colony of Pennsylvania. The Men- 
 nonite beliefs are thought, by some special students of their 
 history, to have been the determining influence in forming 
 those of Friends; but this is not clearly proven. It is 
 pointed out, by certain references to utterances of George 
 Fox, which to a great extent formed the basis for Quaker 
 practices, that the common belief in their objection to educa- 
 tion is erroneous. The system of moral education was 
 exacting and full of sweeping prohibitions, and, in those 
 respects, according to modern ideals, quite inadequate.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 An 
 
 organization 
 
 developed 
 
 The place of 
 organization 
 in the estab- 
 lishment 
 of schools 
 
 MEETING ORGANIZATION: ITS CONNECTION 
 WITH EDUCATION 
 
 The organization of meetings in the Society of Friends was 
 based almost entirely on the recommendation of its founder, 
 and still obtains without many variations from the type 
 which was thus early begun. The organization thus planned 
 was not developed completely at one time, but depended 
 rather on the growth of the society in this or that section of 
 the country. Meetings, as at first established, were not so 
 specialized in their functions as they came to be later; there 
 were those for worship and sufferings, the latter becoming 
 in due time a specialized part of the yearly meeting, and for 
 taking action in regard to poor members. The time was 
 further occupied in disciplining those members who were not 
 faithful to the doctrines of the church. 
 
 It is of particular importance for us to understand the 
 ordinary arrangement of the meetings and their relation to 
 each other, since it was by virtue of this organization of the 
 church that its schools were set up. Perhaps no other factor 
 played so important a part in the success which was met with 
 in setting up schools, as that through the organization of the 
 meetings all localities were kept in closer touch with each 
 other than would otherwise have been possible at that time. 
 As it was, the local meetings were literally forced to listen 
 to the school-proposition, even though they were in the back- 
 woods of America, or inhabited the Barbados. The chief 
 means of communication established were church letters, 
 travelling ministers, representatives from the constituent 
 meetings, and reports of general meetings which were dis- 
 tributed to all those belonging thereunto. 1 
 
 betters, London Yearly Meeting, 4 10, 14 1717. 
 
 (14)
 
 Meeting Organization: Connection with Education 15 
 
 Originally the purpose of the church organization seems 
 to have been twofold. It was realized that among those who 
 became members some would be less constant in their 
 behavior than others ; hence some sort of oversight was neces- 
 sary to keep each and every one in line. In the second place, 
 there were many adherents in limited circumstances and the 
 Quakers' belief made it imperative that these people be taken 
 care of in the best manner possible. 2 Realizing the existence 
 of these conditions among members, it was clear to Fox that 
 a definitely organized meeting was necessary whereby (i) the 
 necessary assistance could be extended to those in need, (2) 
 discipline could be enforced for the maintenance of the 
 religious life of the organization, and (3) new meetings could 
 be officially established when and where they became neces- 
 sary. 
 
 The earliest mention that is made of a meeting established 
 for these purposes is in the case of Balby, in Yorkshire, in 
 i6s8. 3 This statement is not exactly accurate, it seems, for 
 we have also mention made of a general meeting, or what 
 came to be known as a yearly meeting, as early as 1654 when 
 one was held at Swannington in Leicestershire. 4 The meet- 
 ing at Balby seems to have been of considerable importance 
 and is frequently mentioned as one of the stopping places of 
 George Fox. He recounts a meeting held at that place in 
 1660 "in a great orchard of John Killam's where it was sup- 
 posed some thousands of people and Friends were gathered 
 together. " 5 The business of the yearly meeting seems to have 
 been to devote some time to the affairs of the church ; at any 
 rate, this idea is expressed by Fox in writing of a similar 
 meeting held at Skipton in i66o. 6 The characteristic of 
 these meetings, that is always mentioned, is that they were 
 attended by representatives from various towns and counties. 
 The yearly meeting is still a representative body. 
 
 The smaller meetings for worship were, of course, the first 
 established. Aside from the question of worship, however, 
 
 * Friends Lib., i, 68. 
 
 *Ibid. 
 
 4 Fox, Journal, i, 179. 
 
 8 1 bid., 362. 
 
 'Ibid., 363. 
 
 Purposes of 
 the organi- 
 zation 
 
 Early 
 
 meetings 
 
 established
 
 i6 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Meetings 
 develop from 
 larger to the 
 smaller 
 
 Number of 
 monthly 
 meetings 
 setup 
 
 the development of the organization was from the larger unit 
 to the smaller. We have noted above the beginning of the 
 general or yearly meeting. As the sect grew in numbers, and 
 the labor of caring for these, sometimes in a physical sense 
 and again in the religious, increased, it became necessary to 
 have a finer organization, the smaller units of which would 
 reach the smallest communities. By 1665 there were 
 established (i) the yearly and (2) the quarterly meetings, and 
 in 1666 Fox recommended the establishment of a smaller 
 unit, the monthly meeting, saying: 
 
 Then I was moved of the Lord to recommend the setting up of five 
 monthly meetings of men and women in the City of London (besides the 
 women's meetings and the quarterly meetings) to take care of God's 
 glory, and to admonish and exhort such as walked disorderly or care- 
 lessly, and not according to the truth. For whereas Friends had had 
 only quarterly meetings, now truth was spread, and Friends were grown 
 more numerous, I was moved to recommend the setting up of monthly 
 meetings throughout the nation. And the Lord opened to me what I 
 must do, and how the men's and the women's monthly and quarterly 
 meetings should be ordered and established in this and other nations; 
 and that I should write to those where I did not come, to do the same. 7 
 
 Immediately after this, there is mentioned the establish- 
 ment of monthly meetings in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, 
 Huntingdonshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and War- 
 wickshire and many others. 8 Three years later (1669) he 
 reports fourteen monthly meetings in the county of York. 9 
 ! The rapid increase in the number of meetings and the extent 
 of territory covered by them is a fair indication of the phe- 
 .nomenal growth of the society. 
 
 Following his resolve and subsequent exertions toward 
 setting up of monthly meetings, during which he made very 
 extensive campaigns, there came the great step which was 
 taken to organize all under the general leadership of a yearly 
 meeting, that of London. This was accomplished in 1672. 10 
 This general meeting of ministers drew up a resolution or 
 minute to this effect: 
 
 , Journal, 1 1 , 52 
 *Ibid. 
 'Ibid., 67. 
 10 Friends Lib., I, 69.
 
 Meeting Organization: Connection with Education 17 
 
 It is concluded agreed and assented to by Friends present that for the 
 better ordering, managing and regulating of the public affairs of Friends 
 relating to the Truth and the service thereof, there be a general 
 meeting of Friends held at London once a year, in the week called 
 Whitsun-week, to consist of six Friends for the City of London, three 
 for the city of Bristol, two for the city of Colchester and one or two from 
 each of the counties of England and Wales respectively. 11 
 
 The meeting convened in the year following, in accordance 
 with the above resolution. Many of the duties performed by 
 the General Meeting of Ministers were transferred to the 
 representatives of the various meetings. The ministers, 
 though in fact subject to the approval or disapproval of 
 monthly meetings, did not relinquish their oversight of each 
 other. 
 
 The smallest unit in the organization was the particular or 
 preparative meeting. This meeting is not mentioned in all 
 localities, though it is clear from Fox's statements that he 
 recognized this as a part of the organization, for in a letter of 
 1669 he writes concerning the representatives of the quar- 
 terly meetings that, 
 
 none that are raw or weak and are not able to give a testimony of the 
 affairs of the church and Truth, may go on behalf of the particular 
 meetings to the quarterly meetings, but may be nursed up in your 
 monthly meetings. 13 
 
 This statement is given here merely for the purpose of point- 
 ing out how completely the ideas of Fox were embodied in 
 even the smallest unit of church organization. There is ade- 
 quate proof of their existence in all sections occupied by the 
 Quakers in Pennsylvania, and of their great importance in 
 carrying out the details both of relief work for the poor, and 
 in the establishment of schools. 14 
 
 There have been noted different phases of the development 
 of the meeting organization. When finally it was complete in 
 all its parts, there existed a hierarchy of meetings, the lower 
 and smaller units of which were subject to and under the 
 
 "Friends Lib., 117. 
 "Ibid. 
 u lbid., 125. 
 
 14 Min. Horsham Mo. Mtg., 3 i 1797. 
 Min. Horsham Preparative Mtg., 12 20 1757. 
 
 London 
 Yearly 
 Meeting 
 established 
 
 The prepara- 
 tive meeting 
 the smallest 
 unit 
 
 Details of 
 organization 
 worked out 
 by Fox
 
 i8 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 direction of the higher. This resultant organization may be 
 made somewhat clearer by means of a diagrammatical 
 representation. 
 
 P represents the preparative 
 M the monthly 
 
 Q the quarterly 
 
 Y the yearly meetings 
 
 DDDD 
 
 DDDDDD DDUDU 
 
 Functions 
 of yearly 
 meeting 
 
 P P P 
 
 The above diagram represents the relation of the various 
 kinds of meetings in the organization of the Society of 
 Friends. The yearly meeting (Fig. i, Y) is the general head 
 of the entire organization. Its functions are of a general 
 directive nature and its influence of very wide extent. For 
 example, it will be shown a little later that the Yearly 
 Meeting of London issued, very early, certain communica- 
 tions concerning education which were sent to each meeting 
 belonging to the London Yearly Meeting. In the same man- 
 ner it exercised its influence along other lines than education. 
 There is no special virtue in the number of meetings repre- 
 sented above; for example, the three Q's do not mean that 
 each and every yearly meeting had three quarterly meetings 
 under its care. The number is not specified. In the case of 
 the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting there are at present nine, 
 quarterly meetings and two half-yearly meetings. 15 The 
 same variation is also true in the number of monthly meetings 
 in a quarter, Cain Quarterly having only one monthly meet- 
 
 "Friends Yearbook, 1917, i6f.
 
 Meeting Organization: Connection with Education 19 
 
 ing, while Western Quarterly has six. 16 The same is true as 
 to the number of preparative meetings. 
 
 The quarterly meeting is representative of the monthly 
 meetings which comprise it. Its functions are chiefly direc- 
 tive and advisory, though it may often occur that a bad case 
 of discipline may be turned over to it by the monthly meeting. 
 In the case of school regulations, its chief concern was to pass 
 on the recommendations of the yearly meeting to the monthly 
 meetings and to repeat them frequently, that the lower 
 meetings might be stirred up to action. 17 It was also through 
 the quarterly meetings that the reports on the conditions of 
 schools in the monthly meetings were collected and sent to 
 the yearly meeting. It was also quite customary for the 
 monthly units to pass any of their decisions on a matter up to 
 the quarterly unit for its formal approval or disapproval. 
 Especially is this marked in educational affairs, and particu- 
 larly in the Philadelphia Quarter. 18 This is most marked in 
 the earliest years after establishment, and is due, no doubt, 
 to a lack at that time of a very close differentiation in the 
 functions of the meetings. 
 
 The monthly meetings are primarily the business units of 
 the organization. Before them come all cases of care for the 
 poor, apprenticing of children, enforcement of discipline, 
 establishment of schools, requests for permission to marry, to 
 remove to a new location and still many others. They may 
 settle some of these finally, or they may act in connection 
 with their superior meeting as mentioned above. 
 
 The preparative meeting is the smallest organization unit 
 and has its finger on the pulse of the local community at all 
 times. 19 Officially it acts as the agent of the monthly 
 meeting in carrying out the details of any piece of work that 
 must be done, and which the monthly meeting is willing to 
 delegate thus far. 20 Thus in the case of Horsham, for 
 instance, the business of the schools in the scope of the pre- 
 parative meeting is turned over to it and their organization 
 
 "Friends Yearbook, 1917, i6f. 
 
 "Min. Phila. Q. Mtg., 941728. 
 
 l *Ibid., 6301689. 
 
 19 Many of the local preparative meetings are now closed. 
 
 20 Min. Horsham Prep. Mtg., i 27 1783. 
 
 Functions 
 of the 
 quarterly 
 meeting 
 
 Monthly 
 meeting the 
 business 
 unit 
 
 Function of 
 the prepara- 
 tive meeting
 
 20 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Attention 
 of yearly 
 meeting 
 to education 
 in 1690 
 
 and maintenance are tinder the care of its school committee. 21 
 The preparative meeting is at all times cognizant of breaches 
 of discipline among its members and responsible to report 
 such to the monthly meeting for settlement. One might go to 
 great length to enumerate and explain all the detailed duties 
 of each of these branches of the organization, but it is 
 believed sufficient has been said of them, to make their action 
 in educational matters intelligible. 
 
 We have noted, somewhat briefly to be sure, the organiza- 
 tion and interrelation of the meetings in the Society of 
 Friends. It is now necessary to point out what connection 
 existed between this organization and the program put for- 
 ward for the establishment of schools. This will be done by 
 the presentation of certain extracts from meeting records 
 which seem in all cases to have been responsible for kindling 
 an interest in education in near and distant meetings, and 
 keeping that interest alive by virtue of many advices until 
 some material results were forthcoming. The selections pre- 
 sented are not continuous ; they are chosen because they are 
 representative and illustrative of the point in question. 
 
 The Yearly Meeting of London was established (see page 
 17) in 1672. Consistent with the purpose of its establish- 
 ment, as then stated, it began at once to busy itself with 
 certain important problems of the church. Among the first 
 that received a considerable amount of attention was the 
 education of the youths of members in the society, which was, 
 of course, soon extended to include others. For instance, in 
 1690, there is given out this educational advice. 
 
 And, dear Friends, it is our Christian and earnest advice and counsel 
 to all Friends concerned (so far as they are able or may be capable) to 
 provide schoolmasters and mistresses who are faithful Friends, to teach 
 and instruct their children, and not to send them to such schools where 
 they are taught the corrupt ways, manners and fashions of the world 
 and of the Heathen in their authors and manners of the heathenish gods 
 and goddesses. . , 22 
 
 And again in the year following we find the following 
 advice : 
 
 21 Min. Horsham School Com., 1792-1816, one vol. 
 M Min. London Yearly Mtg., 4 9, II 1690.
 
 Meeting Organization; Connection with Education 21 
 
 We are glad to hear that care is taken in some places, according to 
 former advices, for the providing of schoolmasters and mistresses who 
 are faithful Friends to instruct Friends' children in such method as 
 Truth allows. And we desire that Friends may go on in the care to 
 provide such education and schools, for the advantage of their children 
 and posterity. 23 
 
 More specific instructions follow in 1695. 
 
 And it is desired ... to take special care for the good education 
 and order of Friends' children in God's holy fear, . . . and also to 
 see that schools and schooolmasters who are faithful Friends, and well 
 qualified, be placed and encouraged in all counties, cities and great 
 towns, or places where they may be needed; and that such school- 
 masters, as much as may be, sometimes correspond with one another for 1695 
 their help and improvement in such good and easy methods as are 
 agreeable to the Truth and the children's advantage and benefit; and 
 that care be taken that poor Friends' children may freely partake of 
 such education, in order to apprenticeship. 24 
 
 At a much later date, 1745, very similar instructions are 
 found among those issued. 
 
 And, dear Friends, though frequently and repeated advices have been 
 given from this meeting, respective of the education of our youth in 
 sobriety, godliness and Christian virtues; yet, this being a matter of 
 very great moment for the welfare of the present and future generations, 
 we think it our incumbent duty again to recommend an especial care and 1745 
 therein. . . . We also recommend to schoolmasters and mistresses, 
 to educate the children committed to their charge, in the frequent read- 
 ing of those sacred writings and such other good books as tend to their 
 instruction in true Christianity; whereby their minds are in danger of 
 being corrupted and led aside from the way of truth and holiness. 25 
 
 A casual reading of the above statements, or any of numer- 
 ous others like them, will suffice to point out to what great 
 extent they are similar to the statements of Fox and other 
 Quakers who were interested in education.* For con- 
 venience, the content of these extracts from the yearly meet- 
 ing minutes may be summarized in something like the 
 following : 
 
 1. To educate morally, according to Friends' standards. 
 
 2. To train the individual in some practical employment. 
 
 ^Min. London Yearly Mtg., 4 I, 4 1691. 
 M Ibid., 313, 171695. 
 *Ibid., 471745. 
 *See first chapter.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 A summary 
 of important 
 points in the 
 extracts 
 
 Exemplified 
 in schools 
 set up 
 
 Influence 
 exerted by 
 means of 
 ministers, 
 epistles and 
 tracts 
 
 They are accompanied by: 
 
 1. Select schools. 
 
 2. Teachers of approved morality. 
 
 3. Selected subject matter. 
 
 4. Apprenticeship training. 
 
 5. Schools to be in all communities, the stronger assisting 
 the weaker. 26 
 
 The influence of these fundamental ideas about education 
 is clearly reflected in the type of schools that were first set 
 up in England. Those recommended by Fox at Waltham 
 and Shacklewell in 1667, for both boys and girls, represent the 
 first attempt. 27 At a later date, 1702, Clerkenwell was 
 established under the oversight of London and Middlesex 
 Quarterly Meetings, and in the latter part of the century the 
 Ackworth School, founded by John Fothergill in i77p. 28 In 
 all the schools established, of which those mentioned are 
 representative, there is always found this primary emphasis 
 on moral and useful training. 29 
 
 The great influence of English Quaker education on that 
 in America was made secure by virtue of the very intimate 
 relation between the meetings in both countries ; this relation 
 being constantly maintained through the traveling ministers, 
 and tracts and epistles sent out by the yearly meetings. The 
 same alertness, characteristic of London Yearly Meeting in 
 these affairs, was likewise assumed by the Burlington and 
 Philadelphia Meetings, from whence came numerous advices. 
 As concrete evidence of this close relation existing, and the 
 consequent communications, a few extracts thereof are 
 inserted. 
 
 There was brought to this meeting (Middletown Monthly) the last 
 London printed epistle, which was read, containing sundry weighty 
 advices and exhortations with some comfortable account of the pros- 
 perity of the Truth in divers places, as also the extracts of our last 
 yearly meeting (Philadelphia) wherein is recommended amongst other 
 things, a half collection for the next year, and some proposals concerning 
 the settling of schools in the country. . . . 30 
 
 26 Min. London Yearly Mtg., 4 10 1718. 
 
 "Fox, Journal, 11,57. 
 
 Bib. of Ackworth School (Eng.), p. VII. 
 
 ^History of Ay ton School, if. 
 
 30 Min. Middletown Mo. Mtg., II 6 1750.
 
 Meeting Organization; Connection with Education 23 
 
 That these letters of advice were not mere formalities but 
 were really seriously considered and acted upon favorably or 
 unfavorably, as in the first case below, is shown adequately 
 in the following: 
 
 This meeting taking into consideration the proposals of last yearly 
 meeting concerning the settling of schools in the country, are of the 
 opinion that the method proposed will not answer for the Friends who 
 live remote from each other in the country. . . 31 
 
 In the case of Darby Monthly Meeting, later in the cen- 
 
 ,, , . , ,, , ,. , Had definite 
 
 tury, there is an instance in which the recommendations of resu its 
 
 the yearly meeting (1778) are followed most minutely in the 
 reorganization . 
 
 In consideration of improving our school, agreeable to the recommen- 
 dations of the last Yearly Meeting in 1778, and subsequent advices 
 down to this time having been spread in this meeting and so and several 
 remarks made thereon, pointing out the advantages which may arise 
 therefrom to the present rising and succeeding ages, and the loss sus- 
 tained for the want thereof, tending to animate a desire to pursue the 
 interesting prospect. It is therefore now agreed that in future five 
 Friends be appointed and called the overseers of the Darby School, three 
 of whom shall be deemed a sufficient number to transact any business 
 within their appointment, viz. : to have the oversight of and visit the 
 school, examine the progress the scholars make in their learning, remark 
 thereon as appears to them necessary; inspect the teachers' conduct, 
 and from time to time as occasion may be, with the approbation of the 
 meeting, agree with and employ a teacher or teachers, and on sufficient 
 cause appearing, discharge any such teacher or teachers, as also any 
 unruly scholars who cannot be brought to submission to the rules and 
 orders of the school; hear and determine upon all differences relative to 
 the school which may arise between any teacher and employer, take into 
 consideration and endeavor out after some eligible plan for raising a 
 fund for the benefit of the school and as way shall open for it, pursue 
 the same accordingly, and every matter and thing tending to promote a 
 settlement for a school agreeable to the recommendations before cited; 
 and as some of our deceased brothers have made donations to this 
 meeting for the benevolent purpose of schooling children of the poor, 
 therefore, the aforesaid overseers are hereby empowered and directed to 
 receive and collect from the trustees thereof for the time being, the 
 .interest arising from the said donations, dispose thereof agreeable to the 
 intentions of the Donors, and when necessary, advise and assist the 
 trustees in taking better securities for the principal, and as future dona- 
 tions may be made for the benefit of the school, the overseers are directed 
 
 M Min. Middletown Mo. Mtg., 6 I 1751.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Works of 
 Penn, Bar- 
 clay, Sewell, 
 Turford, and 
 others 
 distributed 
 
 to extend care therein, as the same shall become necessary, and keep 
 fair minutes of all moneys received and expended and other matters of 
 importance which come before them, to be produced in this meeting 
 when called for, and preceding the quarterly meeting in the 8th month 
 annually make to this meeting a clear statement of the amount received, 
 expended and remaining in hand and outstanding and of the capital 
 under their care; what donations made within the year past and for 
 what purposes ; and of such other matters as they may judge needful to 
 enable this meeting to transmit the true estate of the school to the 
 Quarterly Meeting, and as a fundamental of their proceedings they 
 transcribe a copy of their minutes, together with such other writings as 
 are necessary for their government in what is now constituted their 
 cares. 32 
 
 A committee was accordingly appointed and directed to 
 choose their officers, that their business might be begun at 
 once and properly performed. 
 
 In addition to the advices sent out in the form of letters 
 from the yearly sessions, the meeting also furthered regu- 
 larly the distribution of books, tracts and pamphlets, 
 usually the expression of prominent Friends, such as, for 
 example, Penn's Advice to His Children, Barclay's Apology, 
 Sewell's History of Quakers, Barclay's Catechism, Turford's 
 Grounds of a Holy Life, and many others of similar nature. 
 Works of this kind were frequently pent over in lots, some- 
 times for free distribution , or to be sold to members ; as wit- 
 ness the following: 
 
 Joseph Kirkbride and Walter Faucit, having been lately in London 
 upon the service of Truth, did subscribe for 100 of Barclay's Apologies 
 on behalf of this yearly meeting, which the said meeting approves of; 
 and agreed that Samuel Carpenter pay for them out of the yearly 
 meeting stock and distribute them to each meeting according to their 
 proportion of books that they usually receive, that so they may be given 
 away by the several meetings for the service of truth. 33 
 
 Sam Nixon informs the meeting that he brought from last quarterly 
 meeting ten small books, entitled Reflections and Maxims, wrote by 
 William Penn and printed for the use of schools, which he desired us to 
 take the care of and to apply to the use intended as occasion may 
 require. 34 
 
 Produced at this meeting, 6 Barclay's Apologies, 12 Richard Davis' 
 Journals, 7 Daniel Stanton's Journals, 4 Hugh Turford's Grounds of a 
 
 32 Min. Darby Mo. Mtg., I 28 1790. 
 M Min. Phila. Yearly Mtg., 7 24 1708. 
 34 Min. Richland Mo. Mtg., 3 21 1793.
 
 Meeting Organization: Connection with Education 25 
 
 Holy Life, 8 Barclay's Catechisms; 37 books under care of Thos. Picker- 
 ing, Thos. Watson, and Robert Kirkbride to lend to the poor or others, 
 as they think useful. 35 
 
 The foregoing presentation of conditions within the church 
 organization, their method of interaction, has been made so 
 that the reader may understand that whatever activities may 
 be later noted among the Quakers in Pennsylvania in connec- 
 tion with the establishment of schools, were intimately con- 
 nected with and were in fact the result of the English influence. 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 The form of organization of the meeting in the Society of 
 Friends was due to the needs then existing, and was planned, 
 even to the smallest unit, by the founder of the society. The 
 chief purposes of the organization, when first begun, were (i) 
 moral and religious discipline of members, (2) assistance to the 
 poor among their number, and (3) to protect themselves 
 against the oppression of outsiders (function of the meeting on 
 sufferings). The functions of the higher meeting (yearly) 
 were chiefly advisory in character, while those of the lower 
 meetings (preparative) were to work out the details. Educa- 
 tionally, the yearly meeting exercised an influence very early 
 by its frequent recommendations and the literature sent to 
 the smaller individual meetings. This r61e was likewise 
 assumed by the Burlington and Philadelphia Yearly Meet- 
 ing. 36 This close relationship between the meetings of 
 different order and the educational influence is in part shown 
 by extracts taken from the meeting records. 
 
 35 Extracts Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 12 2 1776. 
 ^The two localities at the first establishment constituted but one 
 yearly meeting, which met at each place in alternate years.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 EDUCATIONAL IDEALS OF QUAKER LEADERS 
 
 Criticism 
 
 inevitable; 
 
 beneficial 
 
 Some criti- 
 cism based 
 on misunder- 
 standing 
 
 Certain 
 doctrines 
 
 The criticism 
 offered by 
 S. H. Cox 
 
 Any institution one may name has its adverse critics. The 
 basis of their criticism is often ill-defined; it is sometimes 
 fact, sometimes imagination ; it may spring from a knowledge 
 of truth, or possibly from ignorance. 
 
 Quakerism has had many critics and the effect of wise 
 criticism may be seen in some of the changes from the old to 
 the modem Quakerism. Much of that which was unjust and 
 without foundation of fact, failed to have any effect whatever. 
 But though the effect on the institution may have been nil, 
 it occurs in some cases that the criticism still lives in the 
 popular mind and is accorded a good degree of authenticity. 
 By those better informed it may not be so considered. It is 
 with one of these criticisms, concerning the attitude of 
 Quakers toward education, that we are chiefly concerned in 
 this chapter. Due chiefly to a misinterpretation of the doc- 
 trine of inner light and its application, which was mentioned 
 in the first chapter, there arose an erroneous conception of 
 the Quakers' attitude towards education. This conception 
 is not always constant ; it varies now to this side, now to that, 
 but does not cease to persist. In order that this criticism 
 may be put as clearly as possible before the reader, use is 
 made here of a quotation from the works of S. H. Cox, at one 
 time a member of Friends, who expresses with clearness the 
 opinion of a very considerable group of critics. 
 
 But there is one feature of the system of Friends which deserves a 
 recognition here its inimical regard to classical and scientific learning. 
 I do not say that all Friends are thus hostile, or that they are all alike 
 hostile to liberal learning but I charge this hostility on the system. 
 That such is its character, appears from the denunciation, the indis- 
 criminate proscription of Barclay, and that not in a few places in his 
 book. It appears in the general hostility of Friends to all colleges and 
 seminaries where the elevated branches are thoroughly taught. Not 
 
 (26)
 
 Educational Ideals of Quaker Leaders 27 
 
 one young Friend out of five hundred, even in this free country, ever 
 obtains a liberal education in fact or in name; certainly never becomes 
 graduated in the arts at any chartered institution, and where an instance 
 occurs, it is always attended with special difficulties. They have no 
 college of liberal science in the world! Some, I know, of the suspected 
 worldly sort in Philadelphia have proposed and would have forwarded 
 so excellent an object, but they were always awed into despondency by 
 the unlettered, all-knowing light within. And in this, their obsequious- 
 ness was quite consistent, for if schools, academies, and universities are 
 all in their nature wrong, and as such forbidden of God, it is certainly 
 right to desist totally and at once from the prosecution of their cause! 
 Incidental evils they will always include, but the system is not charge- 
 able with these, unless in its nature it approves and fosters them. 
 There will always be, perhaps, hypocrites at the communion table but 
 Christianity does not make them, and the purest ministry of the gospel 
 will often become a savor of death unto death, but sinners themselves 
 and not such a ministry are to blame for the consequence. And so the 
 best organized system of intellectual education that the world has seen 
 has often presented the appalling spectacle of profligate and wicked 
 students perverting its privileges. But what of that? Shall we burn 
 our colleges? Why not our primary school houses too? What bene- 
 ficient institution, what bounty of the blessed God is not perverted and 
 abused in this naughty world. . . - 1 
 
 I cannot leave this matter without remarking the power of education 
 especially with Friends. Their mode of education is the making and the 
 keeping and the secret of their sect. They subdue the infant conscience 
 with the direct rays of the inward light. They identify all divinity and 
 right in the associations of their children with the light within and it 
 friendly fruits. Here the spell commences that grows with their growth 
 and strengthens with their strength. Investigation is much akin to 
 skepticism and is devoutly precluded but what worse skepticism it is 
 to suppose that investigation could raze the foundation of our faith. 
 They must take everything for granted or see it in the light. They 
 must wear a ridiculous cut and color of clothes, such as are orthodox or 
 common to the clanship and use the plain language and act like Friends, 
 and then if they feel awkward or foolish, if their garb appears ridiculous 
 to themselves, if their manner expose them to jeering and affront, if they 
 are insolently struck (as I have often) in the street by worthless boys and 
 cursed as a "Quaker," if their effeminate holy whine is profanely mocked, 
 as it often is by saucy passengers, and if a thousand other inconveniences 
 accrue, especially if they are sometimes asked for one good reason for 
 such singularity in gratuitous oppositon to mankind, they must just 
 bear it all for righteousness sake, not be afraid of the cross, but remem- 
 ber early Friends how much more they endured in the same cause. 
 
 'Cox.S. H ., Quakerism, 56-57 ; for similar criticism, see Bugg, Francis, 
 The Quakers Detected, etc.; also Bowden, History, II, 35, recognizes the 
 criticisms made.
 
 28 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Contrast 
 Cox's 
 statements 
 above with 
 those of early 
 Quakers in 
 regard to 
 education 
 
 Only a few 
 of the leaders 
 statements 
 to be 
 considered 
 
 Now much of this which they call a guarded education, is just the worst 
 kind of sorcery. It is a fascination and religious tyrannizing over the 
 blighted attributes of mind. It is a system exactly calculated to pros- 
 trate every noble, courageous and manly sentiment, and to transmute a 
 fine ingenuous boy into a sorry, sly, and often simulating creature in the 
 form of a man. 2 
 
 It is not necessary to discuss directly the views set forth 
 in the above quotation, as they are stated clearly enough in 
 the author's own language. However, in the following 
 pages, there will be presented the views on education of as 
 many prominent Friends as space will permit, that in so doing 
 they may be considered in connection with the remarks of 
 their critics and a just comparison made. In presenting the 
 views of Quaker educators reference may be made to salient 
 points in the criticism, which seem out of keeping with the 
 ideas set forth and without foundation as matters of fact. 
 
 There are quite a number of men, in the brief period 
 studied, who stand out clearly and express themselves 
 definitely in favor of education, though they do not consider 
 it the first requisite for a minister of the gospel. 3 From this 
 number it will be feasible to select only a few for the chief 
 consideration, relegating the remainder to a place of compara- 
 tive unimportance and incidental notice. The work of 
 George Fox, though he was poorly educated, had a remark- 
 able effect on the educational work of the society. But it is 
 not necessary to review that in the present chapter as it has 
 been presented in the first. 4 
 
 By far the most familiar of all characters in Quaker history 
 is that of William Penn. And to his influence must be 
 attributed largely the hearty interest in education shown, not 
 only in Philadelphia, but also in the surrounding communities. 
 He was well educated, but it is not desired to make a cafe for 
 or against him on the basis of his education; let us judge by 
 his written or spoken expression and actual procedure in 
 practice. No attempt is made to prove or disprove his con- 
 tentions as to what was right or wrong, necessary or unneces- 
 sary in education. The questions asked in his case and the 
 
 2 Cox, S. H., Quakerism, 142-3. 
 
 3 This point was further explained in Chapter I. 
 
 4 PP- 7ff-
 
 Educational Ideals of Quaker Leaders 
 
 29 
 
 others that follow is: What did they approve or disapprove 
 of in education? 
 
 Not only in works that might be called strictly educational 
 did Penn give educational advice, valuable alike to youth and 
 to parents, the directors of youth. His advice to his children 
 on the value of diligence and its necessity for success, and the 
 propriety of frugality, even in the homes of the rich, embodies 
 many of the most essential principles in education at any 
 time. It is especially applicable to the education of the 
 man of business, emphasizing the importance of the practical 
 duties in life. Some pointed statements are especially 
 worthy of repetition. 
 
 Diligence ... is a discreet and understanding application of 
 onesself to business; ... it loses not, it conquers difficulties. 
 . . . Be busy to a purpose; for a busy man and a man of business 
 are two different things. Lay your matters and diligence succeeds 
 them, else pains are lost. . . . Consider well your end, suit your 
 means to it, and diligently employ them, and you will arrive where you 
 would be. . . . 6 Frugality is a virtue too, and not of little use in 
 life, the better way to be rich, for it hath less toil and temptation. . . . 
 I would have you liberal, but not prodigal; and diligent but not drudg- 
 ing; I would have you frugal but not sordid. 6 
 
 This bit of philosophy is educational in its bearing in very 
 much the same way as that of Benjamin Franklin. 
 
 In the letters to his wife and children, referring to the care 
 for their education, he is more specifically concerned with 
 actual school education. 
 
 For their learning, be liberal. Spare no cost, for by such parsimony 
 all is lost that is saved; but let it be useful knowledge such as is con- 
 sistent with truth and godliness, not cherishing a vain conversation or 
 idle mind; but ingenuity mixed with industry is good for the body and 
 the mind too. I recommend the useful parts of mathematics, as build- 
 ing houses, or ships, measuring, surveying, dialing, navigation; but 
 agriculture especially is my eye. Let my children be husbandmen and 
 housewives; it is industrious, healthy, honest and of good example, . . . 7 
 
 His preference, as might be expected from an Englishman 
 of that time, was for a tutorial system of education. His 
 
 6 Penn., Advice to his Children in vol. of tracts, II, 20. 
 
 Penn 
 
 recommends 
 practical 
 virtues 
 
 Diligence 
 
 Frugality 
 
 School edu- 
 cation recom- 
 mended; 
 the useful 
 emphasized 
 
 Private 
 
 tutors 
 
 desired 
 
 T-'enn., Letters to Wife and Children; Tracts on Moral and Religious 
 subjects, pub. 1822, 6f.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Public educa- 
 tion essential 
 for the wel- 
 fare of a 
 people 
 
 His ideals 
 expressed 
 in action 
 
 Yearly meet- 
 ing recom- 
 mend French 
 High and 
 Low Dutch, 
 Danish, etc. 
 
 reasons therefore seem to have been based chiefly on moral 
 grounds. 
 
 Rather have an ingenious person in the house to teach them, than 
 send them to schools; too many evil impressions being received there. 8 
 
 The above quotation alone would seem to be adequate 
 proof that Penn did not oppose education, but urged it for 
 others and in his own family. But still more convincing and 
 irrefutable evidence is found in the preamble to this school 
 charter, whence an extract is taken. 
 
 Whereas, the prosperity and welfare of any people depend in great 
 measure upon the good education of youth, and their early instruction 
 in the principles of true religion and virtue, and qualifying them to serve 
 their country and themselves, by breeding them in writing and reading 
 and learning of languages, and useful arts and sciences, suitable to their 
 sex, age and degree; which cannot be effected in any manner or so well 
 as by erecting public schools for the purposes aforesaid, therefore. . . .' 
 
 If, as must be admitted, the previous statement points out 
 the lack of any opposition to the ordinary rudimentary edu- 
 cation that is necessary for the everyday walks of life, the 
 last one certainly does the same in reference to hi? attitude 
 towards a higher classical education. Moreover, this is not 
 a mere skeleton of words never clothed with the flesh of 
 action. The principles set forth in the charter were actually 
 incorporated in the work of the schools established in Phila- 
 delphia, and we find them maintaining a classical school for 
 languages and higher mathematics. 10 The practical elements 
 received the just emphasis which belonged to them; it was 
 necessary that the boys and girls be made able to earn a 
 living and be at least ordinarily intelligent citizens. The 
 example of Philadelphia was followed by other communities ; 
 practical needs were given the flirt consideration and a higher 
 classical education offered when it became possible. Not 
 only were these studies 1 , which we would term higher educa- 
 tion, mentioned by Penn and other writers among Quakers, 
 but they were taken up and recommended by the yearly 
 meeting. For example, in 1737, the minutes recommend 
 that as opportunity can be found, children should be privi- 
 
 8 Penn., Letters to Wife and Children; Tracts on Moral and Religious 
 subjects, pub. 1822, 6f. 
 9 Friends Library, V, 208. 
 "Minutes Philadelphia Mo. Mtg., 7 30 1779, 151.
 
 Educational Ideals of Quaker Leaders 
 
 legedto team "French, High and Low Dutch, Danish, etc." 11 
 This particular recommendation was made by the meeting 
 because of a felt need. 12 If then in case of a need for a par- 
 ticular subject, they were willing to recommend that it be 
 taught, can it be truly said that they opposed all education? 
 It may be well to examine Barday, since it is with him and 
 his writings that Cox takes issue. In his Apology for Chris- 
 tian Divinity Vindicated is to be found a very clear statement 
 of his position on the subject, and he voices it as the principle 
 of the whole society as well. He seems to be answering 
 some critic, who has taken him to task for his educational 
 views : 
 
 He goes on after his usual manner saying, I inveigh against all human 
 learning that has been made use of any ways in Theology; - but where he 
 finds this asserted I know not, whether the words he would declare it 
 from, to wit: that man hath rendered the plain and naked truth 
 obscure and mysterious by bis wisdom, will bear such a consequence is 
 left to the reader's judgment. But he thinks he has found out our 
 secret design of being against learning and schools of learning, which is 
 neither our affirmation nor our principle, but his pwn false supposition. 
 We would, saith he, have all those banished, that we might more easily 
 prevail with our errors. But methinks the man should be more wary 
 in venting his own false imaginations, unless he would bring some ground 
 for them ; for his assertion is so far untrue, that if he had been rightly 
 informed, he might have known that we have set up schools of learning 
 for teaching of the languages and other needful arts and sciences, 13 and 
 that we never denied its usefulness; only we denied it be a qualification 
 absolutely necessary for a minister, in which case alone we have opposed 
 its necessity. 14 
 
 Another character of very great importance in this connec- 
 tion is Anthony Benezet. Born, 1713, at St. Quentin in 
 France, of "an ancient and respectable family" he spent his 
 early years in France and then in Holland, whither his father 
 had fled for refuge. 15 A few months were spent in Rotterdam 
 and the family then moved to London where the father 
 entered into the mercantile business and retrieved to some 
 extent his fallen fortunes. This enabled him to give Anthony 
 
 "Extracts London Yearly Meeting Minutes and Advices, pub. 1802, 
 124. 
 
 "Necessary for use of missionaries in foreign fields. 
 "Schools established in England. 
 "Barclay, Apology, n. 
 u Vaux, Memoirs of Benezet, 10-11. 
 
 Barclay's 
 
 position 
 
 defined 
 
 In his 
 Apology 
 
 Benezet's 
 early life and 
 education
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Education 
 a function of 
 government, 
 but often 
 neglected as 
 such; hence 
 individual 
 effort 
 necessary 
 
 Children 
 represent 
 "capital"; 
 they must 
 be educated 
 
 sufficient education to qualify him for that business, for 
 which, however, he seemed to evince but little taste. Being 
 of a very religious nature, he became a member of Friends at 
 about fourteen years of age, and in that society found the 
 field of his whole life's activity, which was chiefly educa- 
 tional. 16 Considerable space will be devoted to his work in 
 respect to the education of Negroes, so that will be entirely 
 omitted in this place. 1 ' He was a voluminous writer, pro- 
 ducing chiefly tracts and letters, and a great majority of these 
 have a definite educational bearing. Because of the great 
 number of them it is impossible really to do them justice, 
 but an attempt will be made to state a few brief theses for 
 which he unchangingly stands. 
 
 First, education is a religious and social duty. 18 It is 
 exceedingly interesting to notice that he looks upon education 
 as in the first place a governmental function, if the govern- 
 ments of this world were influenced by true wisdom, they would 
 make the proper education of youth their first and special care; 19 
 but since governments have neglected to do this, it occurs to 
 him that it is a service for which Quakers are remarkably well 
 fitted. It is a service for which the wage is very small and 
 which secures no return of special social favors for the laborer. 
 But they, being a quiet people, not wishing to gain great 
 wealth or to shine in social positions, can find their sphere of 
 activity in the education of the youthful members of society. 
 
 Second, a special care in the education of the poor is urged. 20 
 This should become the duty and secure the interest of the 
 well-to-do public spirited man, for if the upper class does not 
 safeguard it, they cannot be educated. The poor child 
 represents so much unimproved property, the owner being 
 unable to improve it, which, if taken over by philanthropists, 
 may become of some consequence to himself and perform 
 great services for society at large. Such a movement would, 
 besides being a great aid to the poor and uneducated, be also 
 a worthy occupation for those who at present have nothing 
 
 16 Vaux, Memoirs of Benezet, 13. 
 
 "Chapter on Negro Education, pp. 235f. 
 
 18 Letter to Samuel Fothergill. Friends Library, IX, 220. 
 
 19 Ibid., 221.
 
 Educational Ideals of Quaker Leaders 
 
 33 
 
 but time and money to spend. It would help them to realize 
 that there is something real in the world, something greater 
 than wealth and broader than religious denominations. The 
 heart of Benezet knew no bounds; in his philanthropy he 
 included all classes. 
 
 Third, a definite stand is made for higher standards for 
 teachers. 
 
 I do not know how it is amongst you, but here any person of tolerable 
 morals, who can read and write, is esteemed sufficiently qualified for a 
 schoolmaster; when indeed, the best and wisest men are but sufficient 
 for so weighty a charge. 21 
 
 He endeavors to show that the work of a teacher is pleasant 
 and should interest a better class of masters than it has in the 
 past. The experiences of Benezet in the school work were of 
 most pleasant nature. Not only by his own statement, but 
 judged also by the accounts given in his memoirs by Robert 
 Vaux, it seems that he was unusually kind and sympathetic 
 as a master, which won him the greatest respect of his pupils. 22 
 The tasks of schoolteaching are only unpleasant when being 
 performed merely for the sake of the wage obtained. Those 
 who attempt to teach large numbers for the sake of a large 
 income find it disagreeable; they form the class of teachers 
 against whom he would discriminate. 23 Add to these three 
 principles, his great contribution toward the freedom and 
 education of the Negroes, his long life of service, and we have 
 all for which he lived. It is stated that he had no private 
 life; at any rate it sinks into oblivion in comparison with 
 his interest and active work in public philanthropies. 24 
 
 The educational influence of John Woolman in regard to 
 Negro and Indian education will be mentioned in another 
 chapter, 25 but concerning education generally he was equally 
 outspoken, and being a member of some consequence he was 
 able to make his influence felt. Like Benezet, he regarded 
 education as a social duty, both to each individual and to the 
 community of individuals. This duty could not be per- 
 
 n lbid. 
 
 ^Vaux, Memoirs of Benezet, 15-16. 
 
 23 Friends Library, IX, 221. 
 
 24 Vaux, Memoirs 105. 
 
 25 See chapter on negro education, p 
 
 John Wool- 
 man, his 
 position in 
 regard to 
 education
 
 34 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 The responsi- 
 bility of 
 tutors and 
 parents 
 
 Tuke, White- 
 head, Crouch 
 as advocates 
 of education 
 
 formed by immoral tutors, and schoolmasters, for the pupil 
 could be made to rise no higher than the master; so the 
 result would be an immoral society. 26 The responsibility, 
 in the last analysis, for the right conduct of schools falls upon 
 the parents. If they are indifferent, nothing can be accom- 
 plished for the schools, for the whole community is no better 
 or more insistent in its demands than the individuals con- 
 stituting it. For this reason he urges individual philanthropy 
 to come to the aid of the school?, which are badly neglected; 
 those who possess wealth can do no better, for, as he says : 
 
 Meditating on the situation of schools in our provinces, my mind hath, 
 at times, been affected with sorrow, and under these exercises it hath 
 appeared to me, what if those that have large estates were faithful 
 stewards, and laid no rent or interest nor other demand, higher than is 
 consistent with universal love; and those in lower circumstances would 
 under a moderate employ, shun unnecessary expense, even to the 
 smallest article; and all unite humbly in seeking the Lord, he would 
 graciously instruct and strengthen us, to relieve the youth from various 
 snares, in which many of them are entangled. 27 
 
 If to this list of advocates of education, it is necessary to 
 add others, mention should be made of Henry Tuke, George 
 Whitehead, and William Crouch. In defending certain 
 differences between the Quaker doctrine and that of other 
 denominations, the former discusses this one, in not consider- 
 ing human learning essential to a minister of the gospel?* The 
 reasons adduced are chiefly biblical; the knowledge of human 
 literature is not recommended by the New Testament as 
 being necessary for a minister, and this is considered con- 
 clusive proof. Moreover, it is pointed out that Paul, though 
 a well educated man, disclaimed the value of his education 
 for that service, and wished always to appear to the people 
 as an unlettered man of God. 29 But Tuke goes on to explain 
 that though it is not essential for a minister, learning is not 
 unesteemed nor its usefulness slighted. 30 Members are 
 desired to direct their attention to education, for a right use 
 of it may promote religion and benefit civil society. 31 That 
 
 28 Woolman's Works, 305-6. 
 28 Tuke, Works, III, 95 ff. 
 29 Corinthians, Chap. 2:1-5. 
 s Tuke, Works, III, 95 ff . 
 * l lbid. 
 
 Ubid.
 
 Educational Ideals of Quaker Leaders 
 
 35 
 
 the use of Latin and Greek is not decried may be seen in the 
 work of Penn and Whitehead, who were both scholars, and 
 whose works are full of classical references and illustrations. 
 In one instance their chief argument against swearing is 
 produced from certain references to the works of Socrates 
 and Xenocrates, pointing out that the Greeks were aware of 
 a higher "righteousness excelling that of the legal Jews. 32 
 The same point of view with reference to a knowledge of the 
 classics is taken by William Crouch, as is understood at once 
 by this statement: 
 
 They acknowledge the understanding of languages, especially of 
 Hebrew, Greek and Latin, formerly was and still is very useful, yet they 
 take them not therefore to be necessary to make a minister nor so 
 profitable as that one unacquainted with them must be styled an idiot, 
 illiterate and of no authority. 33 
 
 Moreover, from various sources one is assured that a classi - 
 cal education was not abhorred by the Quakers of Philadel- 
 phia. The work offered in the classical school was for any 
 one who had the ability to do it and its attainment was 
 encouraged by Friends. The higher education was for girls 
 as well as for .boys, as we may judge from reading the journal 
 kept by Sally Wister (or Wistar), a Quaker girl of the days 
 of the Revolution. 34 She attended the school kept by 
 Anthony Benezet,* which was one of the highest class, moral 
 and literary, and patronized by the best classes of the citizens. 
 Extracts from her Journal indicate that her education had 
 not been limited to the mere rudiments, but that she enjoyed 
 also an elementary knowledge, at least, of Latin and French. 35 
 This sort of education was clearly not uncommon among 
 Friends and it was not the object of opposition on their part. 
 It must, however, be kept in mind that the Quakers never 
 confused education necessarily with true Christianity. 36 
 Religion in this life and the salvation of one's soul in the next 
 was a problem which concerned the poor as well as the rich, 
 theuntutored as well as the learned. How could the demands 
 
 3t The Christian Quaker, 181. 
 ^Crouch, W., Collection of Papers of, 183. 
 M Wister, Sally, Journal, 13-14. 
 *Established 1754 (M. P. C. S., I, 117.) 
 
 The Latin 
 School of 
 Philadelphia 
 exemplifies 
 contention of 
 those quoted 
 the above 
 
 36 Phipps, Original and Present State of Man, 90.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Education an 
 asset; but 
 apt to be 
 perverted 
 
 Scheme of 
 education 
 suggested by 
 Thomas 
 Budd 
 
 Children 
 to be in 
 public school 
 seven years 
 or more 
 
 To receive 
 instruction 
 in the arts 
 and sciences 
 and to learn 
 a trade 
 
 be greater for one than the other; the same tests had to be 
 met and passed by all, the educated one received no favors 
 though more might be expected of him. 37 Education was 
 looked upon as an asset which might be turned to great use 
 for Christianity, but the lack of it was never a bar to Chris- 
 tianity. 38 On the other hand, education might easily 
 become, according to the Quakers' views, a definite hindrance 
 to Christianity. 39 
 
 It would be quite improper in connection with this subject 
 to fail to mention the scheme, Utopian in that day, which was 
 conceived in the mind of Thomas Budd, for the development 
 of a system of education for Pennsylvania and New Jersey. 
 At the very outset it seems more comprehensive than any- 
 thing suggested by any other leader, and in fact it embodied 
 so much that it was quite beyond the limit of expectation for 
 either of the colonies. Thomas Budd, though not at first a 
 member of Friends, became convinced of the justice of their 
 principles and joined the society before the year i678. 40 
 He was a man of affairs and became greatly interested in the 
 colonization of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, whither he 
 soon came as a colonist himself. At that time it was equally 
 true, as at the present, that if a scheme or undertaking was to 
 be put through, it must be made as attractive as possible to 
 the prospector. The attempt to do this called forth a con- 
 siderable exercise of individual initiative, and one result was 
 the educational plan outlined by Thomas Budd and published 
 in Philadelphia in 1685. The details of the scheme as out- 
 lined are deemed of sufficient interest and importance to 
 warrant their reproduction here. 
 
 1 . Now it might be well if a law were made by the Governors and 
 General Assemblies of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, that all persons 
 inhabiting the said provinces, do put their children seven years to the 
 Public School, or longer, if the parent please. 
 
 2. That schools be provided in all towns and cities, and persons of 
 known honesty, skill and understanding be yearly chosen by the Gov- 
 ernor and General Assembly, to teach and instruct boys and girls in all the 
 most useful arts and sciences that they in their youthful capacities may 
 
 37 Phipps, Original and Present State of Man, 65. 
 
 "Ibid., 90. 
 
 39 Ibid. 
 
 "Budd, Good Order Established, p. 9.
 
 Educational Ideals of Quaker Leaders 
 
 37 
 
 be capable to understand, as the learning to read and write true English 
 and Latin, and other useful speeches and languages, and fair writing, 
 arithmetic and bookkeeping; the boys to be taught and instructed in 
 some mystery or trade, as the making of mathematical instruments, 
 joinery, turnery, the making of clocks and watches, weaving, shoemaking 
 or any other useful trade or mystery that the school is capable of teach- 
 ing; and the girls to be taught and instructed in spinning of flax and 
 wool, and knitting of gloves and stockings, sewing, and making of all 
 sorts of useful needlework, and the making of straw work, as hats, 
 baskets, etc., or other useful art or mystery that the school is capable 
 of teaching. 
 
 3. That the scholars be kept in the morning two hours at reading, 
 writing, bookkeeping, etc., and other two hours at work in that art, 
 mystery or trade that he or she most delighteth in, and then let them 
 have two hours to dine, and for recreation and in the afternoon two 
 hours at reading, writing, etc., and the other two hours at work at their 
 several employments. 
 
 4. The seventh day of the week the scholars may come to school only 
 in the forenoon, and at a certain hour in the afternoon let a meeting be 
 kept by the schoolmasters and their scholars, where good instruction and 
 admonition is given by the masters to the scholars and thanks returned 
 to the Lord for his mercies and blessings that are daily received from 
 him, then let a strict examination be made by the masters, of the con- 
 versation of the scholars in the week past, and let reproof, admonition 
 and correction be given to the offenders, according to the quantity and 
 quality of their faults. 
 
 5. Let the like meetings be kept by the school mistresses, and the 
 girls apart from the boys. By strictly observing this good order our 
 children will be hindered from running into that excess of riot and 
 wickedness that youth is incident to, and they will be a comfort to their 
 tender parents. 
 
 6. Let one thousand acres of land be given and laid out in a good 
 place, to every public school that shall be set up, and the rent or income 
 of it to go towards the defraying of the charge of the school. 
 
 7. And to the end that the children of the poor people, and the 
 children of Indians may have the like good learning with the children 
 of the rich people, let them be maintained free of charge to their parents, 
 out of the profits of the school, arising by the work of the scholars, by 
 which the poor and the Indians as well as the rich, will have their 
 children taught, and the remainder of the profits, if any be to be dis- 
 posed of in the building of the schoolhouses and improvements on the 
 thousand acres of land, which belongs to the school. 41 
 
 The author does not claim to be entirely original in his 
 scheme, having been influenced, he says, by a similar thing 
 
 4I Budd, Good Order Established, p. 43 ff. 
 
 Eight hours 
 per day 
 allotted to 
 studies and 
 chosen trade 
 
 Regular 
 school work 
 five and one- 
 half days 
 per week; 
 moral in- 
 struction on 
 Saturday 
 
 Similar 
 arrangement 
 for girls 
 educated 
 separately 
 
 Land 
 
 endowment 
 for schools 
 
 Indians and 
 the poor to 
 be educated 
 free of cost
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 The indus- 
 trial and 
 commercial 
 values to be 
 derived are 
 pointed out 
 
 Scheme to be 
 encouraged 
 by the 
 government 
 
 Essential 
 points urged 
 in the 
 scheme 
 
 The lack of 
 govern- 
 mental sup- 
 port; sup- 
 plied through 
 meetings of 
 Quakers 
 
 described by Andrew Yarenton in a book, England's Improve- 
 ments by Sea and Land. 42 His chief interest seems to be in 
 the benefit to be derived for the commercial life of the 
 colonies, and for that reason there is accordingly a great 
 stress on the industrial education. By this introduction of 
 the industrial schools, spinning for example, in the larger 
 cities and the preparation of children at an early age for 
 participation in that great occupation, the production of 
 linen cloth could be made equal not only to the domestic 
 demands but also a considerable margin for the foreign 
 trade. 43 It is pointed out that the colonial consumer pays 
 twice as much for his purchase as its cost of production in 
 France or Germany, and that he pays this extra cost into the 
 coffers of the English merchants. This profit should accrue 
 to the home merchants. 
 
 The educational and also the industrial scheme is to receive 
 the backing of the colonial government. It is recommended 
 that laws be passed for the encouragement of linen manufac- 
 turers and that farmers "that keep a plow" should sow an 
 acre of flax and two of hemp, with which to supply the manu- 
 facturers. 44 Educational support by the government was not 
 secured, as is amply evidenced by the unsurpassed develop- 
 ment of private and parochial schools of all denominations. 
 The churches were the sponsors for education. It is worthy 
 of note, however, that the elements emphasized by Budd, (i) 
 education in the arts and sciences for all those capable of it, 
 (2) industrial education for a trade for every one, (3) moral 
 and religious training, and (4) equal educational opportuni 
 ties for poor and rich or otherwise unfavored classes, are the 
 same as those urged officially by the Quakers. 45 
 
 Far from receiving governmental support, it was necessary 
 that the schools be supported by individual or small group 
 enterprise. The society recognized this, and it is stated in 
 the organization of the church that the duty of the monthly 
 meeting is to provide for the subsistence of the poor and for 
 their education. Furthermore it is recommended that all 
 
 ^Budd, Good Order Establishsd, p. 43ff. 
 *Ibid. "Ibid. 
 
 K Ibid. Friends Library I, 435. 
 ^Summary of Doctrines of Friends, 23-24.
 
 Educational Ideals of Quaker Leaders 
 
 39 
 
 special bequests of Friends be kept as a distinct fund for the 
 purpose originally intended by the donor, and that if expended 
 for any other purpose, it must be again made up by the 
 quarterly meeting. 47 One of the most frequent uses desig- 
 nated, judging from the records, seems to have been the 
 educational. 48 
 
 The reader may have perused the foregoing pages with 
 more or less interest; a curiosity may have been aroused 
 concerning the present-day attitude of Friends, educationally. 
 Have they experienced any considerable change? The insti- 
 tutional evidences of their continued interest are familiar 
 enough to the educationist. But what is the attitude within 
 the schools : Is instruction stiff and more formal there than 
 in the public school?, and what can be said of the progress 
 among the teachers? To answer all of these questions and 
 similar ones is not the purpose of this present work. And in 
 the following excerpt, taken from an expression drawn up by 
 a body of teachers, it is not hoped to find conclusive proof of 
 this or that, but perhaps it may be taken as a fairly reliable 
 indication of the present professional attitude. 
 
 The teachers' subjects are not Mathematics, nor Latin, nor Scripture, 
 nor Quakerism they are boys and girls. The information imparted is, 
 in a sense, a minor matter: the growth of the mind that assimilates 
 it is all-important growth in keenness, efficiency and power. 
 
 To the Society at large we would put forward this view that the 
 principles urged above are deserving of careful consideration in making 
 any forward move. The quality of the teaching given in our schools is 
 in a measure in the hands of Friends; they have raised admirable 
 buildings in many places these are a small matter compared with the 
 character of the staff. The freedom of the teacher, which is in indis- 
 pensable condition of excellence is a gift they can grant or withhold. 
 And that we who are responsible for the term of school life may have 
 the best chance and the best reward, we would press upon Friends the 
 need of laying foundations and awakening interest in the days of child- 
 hood, and of turning to best account the powers of those who go forth 
 from our schools. 49 
 
 "Friends Library, 1, 135 ; Accounts of expenditures from the J. Walton 
 Fund, II, p. i. (Richland Monthly Meeting.) 
 
 Have Quaker 
 schools kept 
 pace with 
 the public? 
 
 The pupil 
 as an 
 
 individual 
 to be 
 emphasized 
 
 Well- 
 equipped 
 teachers 
 needed; 
 and their 
 academic 
 freedom 
 essential 
 
 "Religious Instructions in Our Schools. No. 9 of a vol. of pamphlets.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Summary 
 of Cox's 
 position 
 
 Summary 
 of points 
 maintained 
 by certain 
 Quaker 
 leaders 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 This chapter treats of the attitude of Friends towards educa- 
 tion. At the beginning there is presented a criticism of 
 S. H. Cox, which is a concrete example of the type of criticism 
 referred to in these pages. Following thi r there are presented 
 the educational views of several Friends, Penn, Barclay, 
 Benezet, Woolman, Whitehead, Crouch, Tuke, and Thomas 
 Budd, in order that the readei may judge of the truth or error 
 presented in the criticism. The chief points made in Cox's 
 criticism are: (i) hostility of the Quaker system to classical 
 education, (2) general hostility of the Friends to colleges and 
 seminaries of learning, and (3) that the "light within" was 
 sufficient without any education. 
 
 From the material next presented it is shown that: (i) Penn 
 recommended both practical and higher education, (2) useful 
 arts and sciences are recommended to be taught in public 
 schools, (3) the classics were introduced a? a part of the 
 curriculum in the Penn Charter School, and also in other 
 schools established by the society, (4) Barclay explains that 
 the society holds a classical education not absolutely neces- 
 sary for a minister, though it is useful, (5) the learning of 
 languages is recommended by the London Yearly Meeting, 
 (6) education is advocated by Benezet as a religious and 
 social duty; the education of the poor and unfortunate 
 classes and races is urged; a higher education for school- 
 masters is recommended, (7) Woolman urges the education 
 of Negroes and Indians as a social duty; the responsibility 
 is placed on the individual, (8) Crouch states that Hebrew, 
 Greek, and Latin are recognized as useful and are not opposed 
 when taught for that purpose, (9) Budd, one of the early 
 Quakers in Pennsylvania, introduced a very comprehensive 
 and Utopian scheme for (a) industrial education and (6) 
 higher education, proposing to organize it under the control 
 of the General Assembly, and (10) indications are that 
 progress, within the teaching body in Friends' institutions, is 
 quite comparable with that of other institutions, though there 
 is no attempt to produce conclusive evidence either to that 
 effect or the contrary.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 EDUCATION IN PHILADELPHIA* 
 
 On ye 27th day of October, 1682, arrived before ye Towne of New 
 Castle from England, William Penn, Esqe., whoo produced twoo deeds 
 of feofment for this Towne and twelve myles about itt, and also for ye 
 twoo lower counties, ye Whoorekills and St. Jones's wherefore ye said 
 William Penn received possession of ye Towne ye 28th of October, 1682. 1 
 
 It is probable that Penn reached Philadelphia in the latter 
 days of October or the early part of November, 2 though no 
 student of Philadelphia history has yet been able to settle the 
 question of the day absolutely. Tradition says he came up 
 the river in an open boat and landed at the landing on Dock 
 Street near the new tavern, the Blue Anchor, which had just 
 been erected by George Guest, a Quaker. 3 The formal cere- 
 mony of transferring the territory which had been arranged 
 between Penn and the Duke of York before leaving England, 4 
 was accomplished with the Duke's commissioners, Moll and 
 Herman, 8 and the official debut of Pennsylvania in colonial 
 society was no longer a hope but a reality. 
 
 The foundation of the colony's educational institutions 
 had, however, not been delayed till the formalities of "mak- 
 ing" a colony were over. Education received early consider - 
 
 *In this chapter a chronological organization is followed. 
 
 'Quoted from Watson, Annals, I, 15. (From New Castle Records.) 
 (Proud's statement of the 24th is said by some to be a typographical 
 error.) The writer has, however, examined Proud's MS. notes on the 
 Rise and Progress of the City of Philadelphia in which he writes: "The 
 Honorable Proprietary and Governor of Pennsylvania, William Penn, 
 first arrived at New Castle, on Delaware, in October 24th, 1682." He 
 also states "after the nth month (January) with the assistance of his 
 surveyor general, Thomas Holmes, he first began to lay out the plan 
 of the City of Philadelphia." (MS. No. 10, p. i.) (These two state- 
 ments point the difference of opinion among scholars, which is still 
 unsettled.) 
 
 *Jenkins, Memorial Hist., I, 39. 
 
 The date 
 of Perm's 
 coming 
 disputed 
 
 ., 30. 
 s lbid., 37.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Education 
 provided for 
 in first 
 Frame of 
 Government 
 
 The 
 provisions 
 
 Quaker 
 Council 
 provides a 
 school 
 
 ation in the Frame of Government which was drawn up from 
 England by Penn and agreed to on April 25, 1682, before 
 he prepared to depart for Pennsylvania. 6 In that document 
 it is clearly set forth that education was the function of the 
 civil authority, though the intentions of the author were not 
 realized fully for more than a hundred and fifty years. 7 The 
 same idea is present in each of the three Frames of Govern- 
 ment which were drawn up; the first, April 25, 1682 ; 8 the 
 second, April 2, 1683 ; 9 and the third, November 7, 1696, 10 
 under Governor Markham. The instrument drawn on 
 April 2, 1683, contained in part the following stipulations, 
 which bear the impression of the Quaker ideal of education. 
 
 Tenth. That the Governor and the Provincial Council shall erect 
 and order all public schools and encourage and reward the authors of 
 useful sciences and laudable inventions in the said provinces and terri- 
 tories thereof. 
 
 Eleventh. That one-third of the Provincial Council residing with 
 the Governor from time to time shall, with the Governor, have the care 
 and management of public affairs relating to peace, justice, treasury and 
 improvement of the province and territories, and to the good education 
 of the youth, and sobriety of the manner of the inhabitants therein 
 aforesaid. 11 
 
 The plan for education as above set forth was not destined 
 to be the one followed consistently for more than a century 
 and a half of development, though throughout the first 
 decades the relations between the schools of Friends and the 
 governing Council were very close. 12 It is significant that the 
 first school was actually ordered by the Council, in keeping 
 with Penn's provisions. About one year after Perm's arrival 
 in Philadelphia the educational problem came to the atten- 
 tion of the Council and received decided recognition, as the 
 f ol lowin g witnesses : 
 
 The Governor and Provincial Council having taken into their serious 
 consideration the great necessity there is of a schoolmaster for the 
 instruction and sober education of the youth in the town of Philadelphia, 
 
 *Col, Rec., I, XXVI. 
 
 7 Pub. Sch. established by law, 1834. 
 
 *Col. Rec., I, XXVI. 
 
 'Ibid., I, XXXVI. 
 
 "Ibid., LXVI. 
 
 "Ibid., XXXVI 
 
 "For example, E. Flower's School; Friends' petition.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 43 
 
 sent for Enock Flower, an inhabitant of said town, who for twenty years 
 past has been exercised in that care and employment in England, to 
 whom having communicated their minds, he embraced it upon the 
 following terms: to learn to read English 45 by the quarter, to learn to 
 read and write 6s by the quarter, to learn to read, write and cast accounts 
 8s by the quarter; for boarding a scholar, that is to say, diet, washing, 
 lodging, and schooling, ten pounds for one whole year. 13 
 
 Thus the first impetus to education in Pennsylvania came 
 through properly constituted governmental authority. The 
 Council records show that the interest in educational affairs 
 was maintained for some time. In the month following a 
 law was proposed for making several sorts of books for the 
 use of persons in the province, and also recommended that 
 care be taken about "Learning and Instruction of youth, to 
 witt: a school in the arts and sciences." 14 This interest in, 
 and the close relation of the Council to, education were not 
 long continued however; for this there is no satisfactory 
 explanation, though it is very clear that the attitude on the 
 part of the government did change. 15 This change is evi- 
 denced in the policy as outlined by the Charter of 1701, in 
 which there is no reference made to education or the responsi- 
 bility of the Governor or Council therefor. 16 To the writer 
 it seems that the withdrawal of the Council from any very 
 active participation in the affairs of education may have been 
 due to two reasons: first, the willingness evinced by private 
 interests to establish schools and thus take over to them- 
 selves the duties of educators (evidenced by the establishment 
 of Keith's school by Friends in 1689 without the assistance 
 or advice of the Council); 1 '' and second, the urgent details 
 of establishing a new government, which occupied their first 
 attention. 
 
 If further proof of the withdrawal of the colonial govern- 
 ment from the active establishment of schools, and of the fact 
 that they did accept and recognize the assistance of private 
 agencies is desired, it is to be found in various acts of legisla- 
 tion of the first half century. Specific instances of such 
 
 "Co/. Rec., I, 36. 
 
 "Ibid., I, 93. 
 
 15 See Charter of 1701, Col. Rec., II, 54. 
 
 "Ibid. 
 
 17 G. S. P. P., II, 154 (Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 5- 
 
 Additional 
 provisions 
 or books 
 
 Charter of 
 1701 does 
 not refer to 
 education 
 as did the 
 former ones 
 
 -261689.)
 
 44 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 permissive legislation were the acts of May 28, 1715,* and 
 also of February 6, 1730-1.! This legislation is chiefly 
 concerned with granting privileges to purchase and hold land 
 and erect buildings for the use of institutions stated therein, 
 among which schools are mentioned. In this connection the 
 statute of 1715, which evidences the facts stated above, is 
 quoted. 
 
 Be it enacted by Charles Gookin, Esq., by the royal approbation 
 Lieutenant-Governor, under William Penn, Esq., Proprietary and 
 Governor-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, by and with the 
 advice and consent of the freemen of the said provinces in General 
 Assembly met, and by the authority of the same, that it shall and may 
 be lawful to and for all religious societies or assemblies and congregations 
 of Protestants, within this province, to purchase any lands or tenements 
 for burying grounds, and for erecting houses of religious worshrp 1 , schools 
 and hospitals; and by trustees, or otherwise, as they shall think fit, to 
 receive and take grants or conveyances for the same, for any estate 
 whatsoever, to and for the use or uses aforesaid, to be holden of the lord 
 of the fee by the accustomed rents and services. And be it further 
 enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all sales, gifts or grants made 
 to any of the said societies, or to any person or persons in trust for them, 
 or any of them, for or concerning any lands, tenements or hereditaments 
 within this province, for and in any estate whatsoever, to and for the 
 use and uses aforesaid, shall be and are by this Act ratified and confirmed 
 according to the tenor and true meaning thereof, and of the parties 
 concerned therein. And where any gifts, legacies or bequests have been 
 or shall be made by any person or persons to the poor of any of the said 
 respective religious societies, or to or for the use or service of any meeting 
 or congregation of the said respective societies, the same gifts and 
 bequests shall be employed only to those charitable uses, or to the use of 
 those respective societies or meetings, or to the poor people to whom the 
 same are or shall be given or intended to be given or granted, according 
 to what may be collected to be the true intent and meaning of the 
 respective donors or grantors. 
 
 On "nth month, pth, 1682," the Friends met and enacted 
 
 Th fir t business relating chiefly to the sick, a meeting house, put chare 
 
 meeting of ^ books and such other details of importance, but made no 
 
 record reference to schools or the education of youth. 18 This 
 
 remained true for all meetings till i689, 19 the chief part of 
 
 *Slat. at Large of Pa., Ill, 37-38. 
 
 Ubid., IV, 208-210. 
 
 l Ibid. t I, 252. (Phila. Min.) 
 
 19 When they established the school with Keith as teacher.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 45 
 
 business in the meantime having to do with either (i) strictly 
 religious affairs or (2) raising money for the poor and the 
 orphans. The absence of any remarks or any plans for 
 schools from 1682 to 1689 is more easily understood when it is 
 recalled that the school under Enock Flower was set up in 
 i683. 20 There is no evidence to prove definitely that Flower 
 continued as schoolmaster during the whole of this time, but 
 (i) the absence of any record of change, (2) no record of 
 schools kept by the Friends Meeting, (3) the fact that he was 
 a teacher of long experience (twenty years) and probably as 
 satisfactory as any to be found, and (4) the absence of keen 
 competition on the part of neighboring places to draw him 
 away, would lead one to believe it probable that he remained 
 there for the greater part of the period at least. 
 
 In 1689 Friend? determined to establish a school, derigned 
 to meet the demands of rich and of poor, 21 which does not 
 seem at all strange since they were known to have been sup- 
 porting their poor and the orphans by subscriptions s i 'nce 
 their first establishment. 22 The transaction of the business 
 relating thereto was performed in the monthly meeting and 
 referred to the quarterly meeting (higher) for it? approval. 
 The following extract from the records of the meeting gives 
 the result of their decision : 
 
 Friends being to encourage a school in this town, and in order here- 
 unto they have agreed with George Keith to assure him a certain salary 
 of 50 pounds per year to be paid quarterly, with house rent, convenient 
 for his family and school, with the profit of his school for one year, and 
 for two years more to make his school worth to him 120 pounds per year, 
 if he shall think fit to stay in this place, the said George also promiseth 
 to teach the poor (which are not of ability to pay) for nothing. The 
 abovesaid Keith having heard the proposals of Friends, readily assented 
 and agreed thereto, his salary beginning from the time school begins. 
 It is agreed that it be also mentioned to the next Quarterly Meeting for 
 their concurrence with the same, as also agreed that Anthony Morris 
 give notice to the several monthly meetings in this county. 23 
 
 The number of children who attended this school is not 
 known, but it is clear that it grew rapidly. In January, 
 
 The probable 
 length of 
 Flower's 
 tenure as 
 teacher 
 
 Friends 
 school set 
 up under 
 Geo. Keith 
 
 20 Michener, Retrospect of Quakerism, 243. 
 
 21 G.S. P. P., II, 154 (Phila. Min.); Proud MS. No. 3, p. 115. 
 
 *Ibid., I, 252. (Phila. Min.) 
 
 23 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 5261689.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 A larger 
 
 school 
 
 needed 
 
 Makin hired 
 as usher 
 
 Thomas 
 Makin 
 recom- 
 mended by 
 Keith to 
 be master 
 
 Makin 
 chosen 
 
 succeeding the first establishment, the new master complained 
 of the "inconvenience and straitness" of his school and 
 Anthony Morris and Samuel Carpenter were appointed to 
 consult with Robert Turner for a more convenient situation. 24 
 The first interpretation of "straitness" would undoubtedly 
 be that it was crowded, and that might well have been true 
 without there having been an increase in the size of the school ; 
 more conclusive proof of the rapid increase in numbers is to 
 be found in the fact that Thomas Makin was hired as usher 
 to assist Keith, 25 probably about February, i6po. 26 A more 
 convenient room for the school was arranged for with John 
 Fuller at thirteen pounds per year, three pounds more than 
 was paid for the first. 27 
 
 In the 3rd month, 1691, Keith made known his intention of 
 leaving the school, 28 whether because of dissatisfaction with the 
 school itself or the beginning of the feeling against the Quak- 
 ers which resulted in his rupture with them, 29 it is not known, 
 and recommended to the meeting the appointment of his 
 usher, Thomas Makin, to take his place. 30 It was Keith's de- 
 sire to leave on 4th month, loth and he may have discontinued 
 teaching at that time, but it appears that his account against 
 the meeting was not settled until the eleventh or the twelfth 
 month, 1691. 31 According to his suggestion concerning 
 Makin, the meeting appointed a committee to consult with 
 him, 32 the outcome of which was a satisfactory agreement. 
 It would appear from numerous references to the subject, that 
 the matter of getting the subscriptions and keeping them 
 paid was a chief source of trouble, which required their con- 
 stant energies and attention. 33 In 1693 Thomas Makin 
 brought in a bill against the meeting for 12/15/7, which was 
 still owing for his services as usher in i69o. 34 
 
 24 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 1281690. 
 
 ^Ibid., 3 29 1691. 
 
 Ibid., 2 26 1690. 
 
 "Ibid. 
 
 Ibid. ; 3 291691. 
 
 29 Jenkins, Memorial Hist., I, 99. 
 
 30 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 3 29 1691. 
 
 3l lbid., ii 29 1691. 
 
 id., 3 29 1691; 9 27 1691; ii 29 1691; 7 29 1692. 
 "Ibid., 4 30 1693.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 47 
 
 The last four years of the century saw greater strides made 
 in the better establishment of education as a system. In 
 1696 it was agreed that there should be established four 
 meetings a year, the chief function of which was the religious 
 education of the youth in the principles of Friends. 35 Steps 
 were shortly taken for the establishment of the so-called 
 ' ' free school. ' ' Penn had written to Thomas Lloyd, President 
 of the Council, in 1689, advising that a grammar school be 
 set up (that of George Keith) 36 and it was this same school 
 which in 1697 the meeting desired to make a "free school." 
 On xoth month, 3ist, 1697: 
 
 A paper for the encouragement of a free school was this day read, 
 whereupon Samuel Carpenter and James Fox are desired to treat with 
 Daniel Pastorius and Thomas Makin concerning the same, and they 
 desire the Friends of the town to meet together this day week, about the 
 ist hour at this meeting house to consider further of it, and that Daniel 
 Pastorius and Thomas Makin be present. 37 
 
 In the month following (nth month) Samuel Carpenter 
 reported to the assembly that the committee had met with 
 Daniel Pastorius and Thomas Makin and agreed to pay each 
 of them forty pounds per year for keeping school. 38 The 
 means of support was the familiar subscription blank, 
 Samuel Carpenter and James Fox being the first appointed to 
 take them. School was to begin the first of the following 
 month, in the room over the meeting house, which had been 
 prepared for that purpose. 39 In the iath month a petition 
 was sent to the Governor and Council, requesting the ordain- 
 ing and establishment of the "Public School." The text of 
 the petition is as follows: 
 
 The humble petition of Samuel Carpenter ... in behalf of 
 themselves ,and the rest of the people called Quakers, who are members 
 of the Monthly Meeting, . . . showeth that it has been and is 
 much desired by many that a school be set up and upheld in this town 
 of Philadelphia, where poor children may be freely maintained, taught 
 
 . Phila. Mo. Mtg., 8 30 1696; 7 25 1696. 
 
 38 Janney, Life of Penn, 347; Clarkson's Penn, II, 53; although 
 biographers and historians mention this letter written to Lloyd, no 
 student has yet been able to produce it or tell where it is. It is hoped 
 that their search will be rewarded. 
 
 "Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 10 31 1697. 
 
 Ibid., 11281697. 
 
 39 Ibid. 
 
 Penn said to 
 have written 
 letter to 
 Lloyd about 
 the school 
 
 Pastorius 
 and Makin 
 in the school 
 
 Petition to 
 Council to 
 incorporate 
 the school
 
 48 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 and educated in good literature, until they are fit to be put out as appren- 
 tices, or capable to be masters or ushers in the same schools. And 
 forasmuch as in the laws and constitution of this government it is 
 provided and enacted that the Governor and Council shall erect . . . . 
 public schools .... reward the authors of useful sciences and 
 laudable inventions .... therefore, may it please the Governor 
 and Council to ordain and establish that in the said town of Philadelphia 
 a public school may be founded, where all children and servants, male 
 and female, whose parents, guardians and masters be willing to subject 
 ' them to the rules and orders of the said schools, shall from time to time 
 with the approbation of the overseers thereof for the time being, be 
 received and admitted, taught and instructed; the rich at reasonable 
 rates, and the poor to be maintained and schooled for nothing. And to 
 that end a meet and convenient house or houses, buildings and rooms 
 may be erected for the keeping of the said school, and for the entertain- 
 ment and abode of such and so many masters, ushers, mistresses and 
 poor children, as by orders of said meeting shall be limited and appointed 
 from time to time. And also that the members of the aforesaid Meet- 
 ings .... make choice and admit such and so many persons as 
 they think fit, to be masters, overseers, ushers, mistresses and poor 
 children of the said school, and the same persons .... to remove or 
 displace as often .... as they shall see fit. And that the over- 
 seers and the school aforesaid, may .... be .... in name and 
 deed, a body politic and corporate, to have continuance forever by the 
 name of the Overseers of the Public School founded in Philadelphia at 
 the request of the people of God called Quakers. And that they, the 
 said overseers, may have perfect succession, and by that name they and 
 their successors may hold and enjoy, all lands, tenements and chattels, 
 and receive and take all gifts and legacies as shall be given, granted or 
 devised for the use and maintenance of the said school and poor scholars, 
 without any further or other license or authority from this Government 
 in that behalf; saving unto the chief Proprietary his quitrents of the 
 said lands. And that the said overseers by the same name shall and 
 may, with consent of said meeting, have power and capacity to devise 
 and grant by writing, under their hand and seal and of said lands and 
 tenements and to take and purchase any other lands .... for 
 . . . . advantage of said school. And to prescribe such rules and 
 ordinance for the good order and government of the same school .... 
 successively, and for their and every of their stipends and allowances, 
 as to members of the said Meeting for the time being .... shall 
 seem meet; with power also to sue and to be sued, and to do and per- 
 form and execute all and every other lawful act and thing, good and 
 profitable for the said school, in as full and ample manner, as any other 
 body politic or corporate more perfectly founded or incorporated, may 
 do." 
 
 i0 Col. Rec., I, 499.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 49 
 
 This request was immediately granted by the Council, 41 
 and the school thus incorporated in 1697. ** In 1701 Perm 
 confirmed its incorporation by the following charter: 
 
 WILLIAM PENN True and absolute Proprietary and Governor in Chief 
 of the Province of Pennsylvania and territories thereunto belonging. 
 To all to whom these presents shall come sendeth greeting. Whereas 
 Charles the Second, late King of England by his letters patents bearing 
 date the fourth day of March in the three and thirtieth year of his reign 
 did grant unto me my heirs and assigns the said Province And Absolute 
 Proprietary thereof with full power to me by the assent of the freemen 
 there to make laws for the good and happy government of the same with 
 divers other powers preheminsures jurisdictions, privileges and immuni- 
 ties therein specified. And, Whereas I with a great colony of the People 
 of God called Quakers for the free enjoyment of liberty of our con- 
 sciences in matters of religion as of other privileges and advantages in the 
 said patent granted as well to me the said Proprietary and Governor as 
 also to the said people did transport ourselves unto the said Province and 
 at our own risk costs pains and charges settled and planted the same the 
 soil also of the said Province being first by me purchased of the Indian 
 Natives. And forasmuch as by the laws of the said Province since 
 enacted the Governor and Council have power to erect and order all 
 public schools of literature and science A nd Whereas Samuel Carpenter 
 Edward Shippen Anthony Morris James Fox David Lloyd 
 William Southby and John Jones in behalf of themselves and the rest of 
 the said people called Quakers Members of their Monthly Meeting at 
 Philadelphia in the said Province by their petition to the Governor and 
 Council of the said Province and territories at Philadelphia the tenth 
 day of the twelfth month Anno Domini one thousand six hundred ninety 
 seven (eight) set forth that it was the desire of many that a school should 
 be set up and upheld in the said town of Philadelphia where poor children 
 might be freely maintained taught and educated in good literature until 
 they should be fit to be put apprentices or capable to be masters or 
 Ushers in the said school requesting the Governor and Council in the said 
 petition to ordain that at the said town of Philadelphia a Public School 
 might be founded where all children male and female whose parents 
 guardians or masters might be willing to subject them to the rules and 
 orders of the school should from time to time with the approbation of 
 the overseers thereof for the time being be received or admitted taught 
 and instructed the rich at reasonable rates and the poor to be main- 
 tained and schooled for nothing. And that to that end a meet and 
 convenient house or houses buildings or rooms might be erected for the 
 keeping of the said school and for the entertainment and abode of such 
 and so many Masters Ushers Mistresses and poor children as by the 
 
 The petition 
 granted and 
 charter 
 issued by 
 Penniniyoi 
 
 41 Col. Rec., I, 499. 
 
 Jbid.; Janney, Life of Penn, 347.
 
 5o Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 order and direction of the said Monthly Meeting should be free from 
 time to time limited and appointed and also that the members of the 
 aforesaid meeting for the time being might at their respective monthly 
 meeting from time to time make choice of and admit such and so many 
 persons as they should think fit to be Overseers Masters Ushers Mis- 
 tresses and poor children of the said school and the same person or any 
 of them to remove and displace as often as the said meeting shall see 
 occasion, and that the overseers and school aforesaid might forever 
 thereafter stand and be established and founded in name and in deed 
 a body politic and corporate to have continuance forever by the name 
 of the Overseers of the Public School grounded in Philadelphia at the 
 request cost and charges of the people of God called Quakers. And that 
 the said Overseers might have perpetual succession, and by that name 
 they and their successors forever, have hold and enjoy all the lands 
 tenements and chattels and receive and take all gifts and legacies that 
 should be given granted or devised for the use and maintenance of said 
 schools and poor scholars without further or other license or authority 
 from the government on that behalf. Saving unto the Chief Proprietary 
 his quit rents out of the said lands and that the said Overseers by the 
 same name might with consent of the said Meeting have power and 
 capacity to demise and grant by writing under their hand and common 
 seal any of the said lands and tenements and to take and purchase any 
 other lands and tenements and hereditaments for the best advantage of 
 the said schools and to prescribe such rules and ordinances for the good 
 order and government of the said school and of the masters ushers mis- 
 tresses and poor children successively and for their and every of their 
 stipends and allowances as to them members of the said monthly meet- 
 ing for the time or the major part of them should seem meet, with power 
 also to sue and be used and to do perform and execute all and every other 
 lawful act and thing good and profitable for the said school in as full and 
 ample manner as any other body politic and corporate more perfectly 
 founded and incorporated might do and by the said petition which I 
 have seen may more fully appear whereupon my then lieutenant 
 Governor and Council did grant and order that the said schools should 
 be founded and erected with the incorporation privileges and powers as 
 desired Now forasmuch as those of the said petitioners that are living 
 have made fresh application to me in Council for confirming the said 
 lieutenant Governor and Councils order and grant upon the said petition 
 which being well weighed and considered by me I greatly favor the good 
 inclinations and just and laudable desires and conscientious regards of 
 the said petitioners and people for the education instruction and litera- 
 ture of their children and posterity and more especially their care and 
 concerns for the poor on that behalf. . . . 
 
 Therefore Know Ye that pursuant to the powers to me granted as 
 aforesaid and to the laws of the said Province already enacted I have 
 (by and with the consent of my Provincial Council) granted and con- 
 firmed all and every request matter and thing . . . contained in
 
 Education in Philadelphia 51 
 
 the said petition and do by these presents for me my heirs and assigns 
 grant ordain and establish that the said Public School shall be erected 
 and founded, and I do grant, ordain and found the same to be kept 
 forever hereafter in the said town of Philadelphia or in some convenient 
 place adjacent as the overseers of the said school for the time being shall 
 see meet and I do likewise grant and ordain that in the said school all 
 children and servants as in the school petition requested shall from time 
 to time (with approbation of the said Overseers) be received admitted 
 taught and instructed as in the same petition is mentioned and desired 
 and to the end that all meet and convenient houses, rooms, chambers and 
 buildings may be erected for keeping of the said schools and entertain- 
 ment of the masters ushers mistresses and poor children to be therein 
 admitted as hereinafter mentioned. I do by these presents for me my 
 heirs and successors grant and ordain that from the day of the date of 
 these presents for-ever hereafter the members of the Monthly Meeting 
 of the said People called Quakers in the town of Philadelphia for the time 
 being shall have full and absolute power and authority and the same 
 power is hereby given unto them in their respective monthly meetings 
 from time to time to make choice of and admit such and so many persons 
 as they shall think fit to be Overseers Masters Ushers Mistresses and 
 poor children of the said school and the same persons or any of them to 
 remove and displace as often as the said Meeting shall see occasion and 
 likewise that the said Overseers shall have like powers and authority 
 (with the direction and consent of the said Meeting) from time to time 
 to frame and erect or cause or procure to be framed and erected such and 
 so many houses and buildings as they shall see meet for the use and 
 service of the said schools. And moreover I do by these presents for me 
 my heirs and successors grant and ordain that the overseers and schools 
 aforesaid shall forever hereafter stand and be established and founded 
 and are hereby founded erected and established in name and in deed a 
 body politic and corporate to continue forever by the name of The 
 Overseers of the Public School founded in Philadelphia at the request 
 cost and charges of the People of God called Quakers. And also that 
 they the said overseers shall have perpetual succession and by the said 
 name they and their successors shall forever have hold and enjoy (to the 
 use of the said school) all the messuages lands tenements heredita- 
 ments goods and chattels and receive and take all gifts and legacies 
 already given granted and devised or that shall be hereafter given 
 granted or devised to the use and maintenance of the said school and 
 masters ushers mistresses and poor scholars thereof without further or 
 other leave license authority or power whatsoever from me my heirs or 
 successors or from this government or any therein on that behalf saving 
 unto me my heirs and successors the respective quit rents and other 
 duties and payments out of the said messuages lands tenements and 
 hereditaments and every of them reserved and payable in and by their 
 several original grants and patents and furthermore I do by these 
 presents for me my heirs and successors give and grant unto the said
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Rechartered 
 in 1708, and 
 1711, extend- 
 ed privileges 
 
 Overseers by the name aforesaid full power license and authority to give 
 grant bargain sell alien enf eoff or demise with the consent of the said 
 meeting by writing under their hands and common seal (or the hands 
 and said seal of so many of them as shall make a quorum) to such person 
 or persons his or her heirs or their heirs executors administrators and 
 assigns as shall be willing to purchase or rent the same all or any of the 
 aforesaid messuages lands tenements and hereditaments goods and 
 chattels and likewise to purchase receive and enjoy all or any other 
 messuages houses lands tenements and hereditaments for the best 
 advantage of the said school. And also to frame make and prescribe 
 such rules orders and ordinances for the good order and government 
 of the said school and of the masters ushers mistresses and poor children 
 thereof successively and for their and every of their stipends salaries 
 and allowances as to the members of the said Monthly Meeting for the 
 time being or the major part of them (in their respective meetings) shall 
 seem meet with power also to the said overseers by the name aforesaid 
 to sue and be sued and to do perform and execute and suffer to be done 
 all and every other lawful act and thing good and profitable for the said 
 school in as full and ample manner as any other body politic or corporate 
 more perfectly founded and incorporated may and can do. And I do 
 for me rny heirs and assigns ordain and grant that the said school and 
 the masters ushers members officers and scholars and all other persons 
 placed or to be placed in the said school shall forever hereafter be 
 accepted and freed from all visitation punishment and connection to be 
 had used or exercised by any person or persons whatsoever other than 
 the said Overseers for the time being and their successors In Witness 
 whereof I have hereunto set my hand cause the Great Seal to be affixed 
 dated at Philadelphia the five and twentieth day of the eighth month in 
 the thirteenth year of the reign of William the third over England etc. 
 King etc. and the one and twentieth of my government Anno Domino 
 one thousand seven hundred and one 1701. Recorded the 5th loth 
 I70I. 43 
 
 WM. PENN. 
 For Aaron K. DUNKEL, 
 
 Sec'y of Internal Affairs, 
 W. B. HUSTON. 
 
 The charter of 1701 was confirmed and enlarged by another 
 of 1 70S, 44 according to which the corporation was to consist 
 of fifteen persons (Quakers) by the name of "The Overseers 
 of the Public School, founded in Philadelphia, at the request 
 of, cost and charges of the people called Quakers." The 
 
 ^William Penn's Charters for the Public School, pp. 1-8. 
 (A certified copy from charter in Patent Book two (2) page 202, in 
 dept. of internal affairs, Pa.) 
 pp. 11-19.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 S3 
 
 charter of 171 1 45 contained extended privileges* and also 
 provided that the election of new members of the board of 
 overseers should be the right of the overseers themselves, 
 thus constituting them a self-perpetuating corporation, 46 
 From this the reader might expect that the school at once 
 became independent of the Friend?' meeting, but this did not 
 occur, since the original members or overseers were Friends 
 and continued to appoint Friends as their successors. Reports 
 on the various details of the business of the school continued 
 to come into the monthly meeting, but it is not to be con- 
 sidered that we find there a complete story of its existence. 47 
 In 1699 it was found that the affairs of the school took too 
 much time in meeting and therefore it was decided that 
 Friends in the care of schools and press should meet on sixth 
 day before monthly meeting, transact their business and keep 
 a record thereof in books provided for the purpose. 48 
 
 The affairs of the school continued much the same as 
 though no charter had been requested or granted. The 
 records lead one to think that the growth was very rapid. 
 Pastorius and Makin had become the masters in 1697 and by 
 1699 the indications are that "mistresses" were also employed, 
 
 (See 
 
 46 William Perm's Charters for the Public School, pp. 21-31. 
 also Robert Proud's MS. papers, No. 175, p. 57.) 
 
 *In 1757 more extended privileges were desired and the following 
 petition was sent to the Representative Assembly: 
 
 To the Rep. Assembly. 
 
 That some doubts having arisen whether from the terms of our 
 charter we are authorized to apply any part of the estate under our 
 care to these purposes, out of the limits of the city and county of 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 We therefore are inclined to apply for your assistance in furthering a 
 design of such public utility and request you to permit us to bring in a 
 Bill for the confirmation of our present charter and enlarging the powers 
 thereby given us, by extending them as far as to authorize our applying 
 a part of the estate under our care towards erecting and maintaining 
 schools on the same foundation in other parts of this province. 
 
 (P. C. S. M., I, 185) 
 
 46 Ibid., 2gf; Janney, Life of Penn, 348. 
 
 47 There are, no doubt, records at 304 Arch Street, which would be of 
 great importance for a detailed history of the schools; permission to 
 search for such records was refused at the time of this compilation. 
 The minutes of the overseers of the P. C. S. offer a considerable amount 
 of material history in some respects. 
 
 48 These are the records referred to in (47). 
 
 Made a self 
 perpetuating 
 corporation
 
 54 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Mistresses 
 employed in 
 schools 
 
 Cadwalader 
 to fill 
 vacancy 
 made by 
 Pastorius' 
 leaving 
 
 money being turned over to Anthony Morris to "pay the 
 schoolmasters' and the mistresses' salaries." 49 This is the 
 first mention made of women as teachers. Pastorius having 
 severed his connections with the school in 1701 steps were 
 taken to fill the vacancy, it being decided that the newcomer 
 should show his ability by competing with the one remaining 
 master, Thomas Makin. 60 
 
 Griffith Owen . . . recommended John Cadwalader as a person 
 very fit for an assistant in the school, and it being proposed a good 
 method for the better improvement of the scholars that they be equally 
 divided between them for trial to see which of them best discharged their 
 duty, there having been great complaint of former neglect. The meet- 
 ing approves thereof and desires the said Griffith to acquaint John 
 Cadwalader thereof, and that he may have twenty pounds for a half year 
 for a trial, as the former master had, and Anthony Morris is desired to 
 show Thomas Makin this minute for his information in the matter. 81 
 
 Makin plans 
 to leave 
 school 
 
 Cadwalader 
 
 becomes 
 
 headmaster 
 
 MASTERS AND MISTRESSES FROM 1700 TO l8oo 
 
 Nothing like a complete or connected story can be given 
 with reference to the masters and mistresses of this period, 
 due to a lack of adequate available records. In August, 1701 , 
 Thomas Makin announced his intention of leaving the school 
 and requested that hi? accounts be settled. 52 John Cad- 
 walader, who had been his assistant since 1700, was inter- 
 viewed as to his ability to undertake the headship of the 
 school; intimating if he thought himself fit, he would be 
 further considered. 53 There is no direct record of how Mr. 
 Cadwalader rated himself as teacher, but he was continued 
 in the capacity of master. He found the limited salary 54 
 almost too small for the support of his family and upon his 
 requeft it was soon raised to fifty pounds per year. 55 At the 
 same time the salary of a mistress, Olive Songhurst, whom 
 we meet for the first time and with scant introduction, was 
 increased five or ten pounds. The prospect of a higher salary 
 
 49 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., I 31 1699; 5 26 1700. 
 
 60 Makin became principal in the school when Pastorius left in 1700. 
 
 "Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., i 29 1700. 
 
 K Ibid., 8 31 1701. 
 
 M Forty pounds a year. 
 
 M Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., I 27 1702.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 55 
 
 does not appear to have attracted him much for we learn of 
 his intended separation from the school in May, 1702. It 
 ir not clear that he did actually sever his connection therewith 
 at that time, for in June, 1703, it was desired that John 
 Cadwalader, schoolmaster, be paid ten pounds that was left 
 by Robert Jones for the use of the Public School. 86 This sum 
 may have been for other services such as copying, which he 
 frequently performed, 87 but it is more probable that he was 
 convinced of the advantages of remaining at a salary of fifty 
 pounds per year, with the additional sums paid for the copy- 
 ing work. 58 
 
 John Every's connection with the school as usher is first 
 announced in April, 1702, when he made demands for an 
 increase of salary to thirty pounds, which was agreed to. 89 
 He remained there nearly two years and then departed, mak- 
 ing a place for Thomas Makin, who returned at his request, 
 agreeing to accept the salary previously paid to Every. 
 These two masters, Makin and Cadwalader, appear to have 
 been employed continuously until 1706, when they decided 
 the school could not furnish a competent living for both of 
 them and Cadwalader accordingly left. 60 There were further 
 suggestions considered at that time and Friends appointed to 
 endeavor to secure a qualified master from England. So far 
 as the meeting's minutes record, it seems that Thomas Makin 
 was the only master employed from 1706 to 1708, when it 
 was suggested that Jacob Naylor be employed as a teacher. 61 
 
 The duties of the schoolmasters were by no means limited 
 to the routine of the schoolroom. They were required to be 
 careful of their several scholars and often had to do police 
 duty among them during the meetings on first day. 62 The 
 master's only hope for any respite from the imposition of such 
 duties was to stand firmly for his rights, else he might have 
 been given charge of all the children in the meeting. John 
 Walby, a master, when asked to perform a similar service, 
 
 "Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg,. 6 27 1703. 
 67 Ibid., 9 26 1703. 
 **Ibid., 4 26 1702. 
 
 Salaries 
 increased 
 
 John Every, 
 usher 
 
 Makin 
 returns 
 
 Jacob Naylor 
 suggested 
 for teacher 
 
 Extra school 
 room duties 
 
 Ibid., I 29 1706. 
 61 Ibid., 9 26 1708. 
 a lbid., 3 27 1709; I 26 1725.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 William 
 Robbins 
 
 Richard 
 Warden 
 
 Thomas 
 Makin 
 
 Richard 
 Brockden 
 
 made answer that "he would take care of his own scholars, 
 but did not care to undertake any further." 63 His objection 
 was sustained and another Friend endeavored to perform 
 the task. 
 
 In 1711 William Robbins** came to wield the rod in 
 Friends School, having requested permission to keep school 
 in a part of the Friends' schoolhouse, which was "granted for 
 the present." 64 It cannot be determined how long he re- 
 mained in that capacity, but the following year it was pro- 
 posed that Richard Warden be allowed to teach school in one 
 end of the schoolhouse, and it is quite probable that he filled 
 the place of Robbins. 65 On the other hand, if Robbins did 
 leave at that time he had returned again to the school in 
 1715. 66 Thomas Makin had in the meantime severed his 
 connection with the school, but not permanently. Seven 
 years after the employment of Richard Warden (1719) a 
 vacancy occurred and a committee wa? appointed to visit 
 the overseers requesting them to take action regarding the 
 vacancy. 67 From this it may be judged that the overseers 
 were at times remiss in their attention to their trust. The 
 overseers were set in action, and Thomas Makin was secured 
 to fill the place, provided he would agree to teach six children 
 of the poor and give up the house when Friends ordered him 
 to do so. 68 He doubtless filled a minor position at this time, 
 though he was offered a better one, later in 1722, provided 
 Richard Brockden were willing to leave it, which does not 
 appear to have met with the said Brockden 's approval. 69 
 Of Richard Brockden little is known, save that he had been 
 schoolmaster at Byberry about 1710 or 171 1. 70 In 1724 
 William Robbinsf mentioned above as a teacher some years 
 
 hat 
 
 ^Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 3 29 1730. 
 
 **The minutes of the overseers, 12 8 1712, make known 
 Robbins was teaching at that time, I, 3. 
 
 M Ibid., 3 27 1711. 
 
 K Ibid., 2 25 1712. 
 
 "Ibid., 8281715. 
 
 65 'Ibid., ii 29 1719; the vacancy was made by the departure of 
 William Robbins out of the Province (P. C. S. M., I, 5.) 
 
 6 *Ibid., 5 29 1720. 6g lbid., 2 27 1722. 
 
 70 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 4 25 1711. 
 
 fRobbins was put in charge of the school at this time, on the initiative 
 of the monthly meeting, as the overseers recognize in their minutes of 
 4 3 1725, 42; they acquiesced therein. (P. C. S. M., I, n.)
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 57 
 
 earlier, applied for a place as master. It was agreed that he 
 be allowed to teach on the condition that he would agree to 
 teach at least four children for the use of the houpe, if ordered 
 to do so. 71 
 
 It is quite probable that for most of the ten years preceding 
 1730 the school was under the charge of three or four masters 
 just mentioned, Robbins, Brockden, Makin and Warden. 
 They shifted quite often, that is certain. In 1730 mention 
 is made of a John Walby as master; but no further account 
 of him is given/' 2 Thomas Makin 's career as teacher very 
 likely came to an end in that period, as he was getting aged, 
 though he may have taught up to the time of his death. An 
 account of his death is given in the Weekly Mercury of I733/' 3 
 
 From 1730 there is only an occasional mention made of the 
 masters employed at the public school, until we come to the 
 period about 1770 when the names were occasionally given 
 in committee reports on the condition of the schools. How- 
 ever, with the fourth decade came a period of real greatness, 
 for in 1742! began the services of Anthony Benezet, of whom 
 considerable mention is made elsewhere, who continued in 
 the public school till I782. 74 He had throughout his life been 
 interested in the Negroes and for several years previous had 
 cherished a desire to work in their schools. His request, in 
 that regard, was accordingly granted in 1782, after John 
 Houghton relinquished that position. 78 He continued to 
 teach the Negro school, until the time of his death two years 
 later. 76 In 1748 Robert Willian came from England for the 
 purpose of keeping Friends school, and was accordingly 
 accepted into their meeting, having produced the customary 
 certificate from his home meeting at Scarborough in York- 
 
 71 Min. Phila., Mo. Mtg., 2 24 1724. 
 
 n lbid., 3 29 1730. Walby was engaged by the overseers in 1730 
 to teach (3 29 1730) the three r's and to "well instruct" four children 
 for the use of the schoolhouse. (P. C. S. M., I, 14). 
 
 Am. Wek. Mer., Nov. 29 1733; Rec. Births and Burials, Phila., 
 Mtg., A, 321. 
 
 fBenezet was employed in 1742 to teach arithmetic, writing, accounts, 
 and French and to teach 15 poor children. (P. C. S. M., I, 33.) 
 
 74 Simpson, Lives of , 52; Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 5 31 1782, 28. 
 
 75 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 5 31 1782, 28. 
 
 76 Simpson, Lives of , 52. 
 
 J. Walby 
 
 Death of 
 T. Makin 
 
 Anthony 
 Benezet 
 employed 
 1742 
 
 Robert 
 Willian 
 master 
 in 1748
 
 5 8 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 shire. 77 The next mention of a new master in the ranks is 
 concerned with Josai, who married in I763/' 8 Encourage- 
 ment was at all times given to women as teachers, mention 
 having already been made to their employment as early as 
 1699. 79 In 1764: 
 
 The meeting being informed that Ann Brientnall is desirous of keeping 
 a small school for the instruction of Friends children only in reading and 
 sewing and not being at present able to hire a place suitable for the 
 purpose, requests the use of a vacant lower room in one of the alms- 
 houses, and Friends approving her proposal, it is agreed that she may 
 make use of one of these rooms for that purpose until she can accommo- 
 date herself elsewhere, or it may be wanted (for other purposes). 80 
 
 The recommendations of the Yearly Meeting of Philadel- 
 phia in i778, 81 produced a very beneficial effect upon the 
 school affairs in all of its monthly meetings. Thereafter, 
 reports were sent in, bad, good and indifferent, which were 
 much superior to anything that had been done previously, 
 though they were still too infrequent and abbreviated in 
 regard to information contained. A digest of the report of 
 1779 follows, which shows the number of teachers in the 
 several schools at that time: 82 
 
 1. The Grammar School was presided over by John 
 Thompson who also taught writing and arithmetic. 
 
 2. John Todd taught reading, English, writing, arithme- 
 tic and some branches of mathematics. 
 
 3. Another master was Joseph Yerke?, who taught the 
 same branches as Todd. 
 
 4. George Smith taught reading, writing and arithmetic 
 to the children of Friends and others. 
 
 5. Anthony Benezet at this time was employed in teach- 
 ing the Girls' School in which were received also the children 
 of other denominations besides Friends. 
 
 "Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 6 26 1748, 64. It appears that John 
 Fothergill and John Hunt in London had signed a contract with Willian 
 teaching in the school, on behalf of John Kinsey and Israel Pemberton 
 in Philadelphia. He was to be employed one year at 150 pounds (Pa. 
 currency) and the expense of his journey to the city. He was to teach 
 Latin and Greek and "other parts of learning." (P. C. S. M., I, 64). 
 
 Ibid., 11251763, 1 88. 
 
 79 See page 54. 
 
 80 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 5 25 1764, 234. 
 
 81 Min. Phila. Yearly Mtg., 10 1778, 408 ff. 
 in. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 7 30 1779, 151.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 59 
 
 6. Sarah Lancaster taught the younger children of both 
 sexes the rudiments of learning, and other branches suitable 
 to girls. 
 
 7. Rebecca Jones and Hannah CathraU taught together 
 in the same school, which was for girls, a large number of 
 them poor. 
 
 8. A school for younger boys and pirls of various societies 
 was taught in Pine Street by Essex Flower. 
 
 9. Spelling and reading were taught the younger children 
 by Ann Rakestraw. 
 
 It appears from the meeting's records that these masters 
 and mistresses were all Friends, and that the schools which 
 they taught were under the direction of the overseers of the 
 public school. 83 Five years later another report was pre- 
 pared and presented on the state of schools. At the later 
 date several new names are found among the teacher?. 84 
 
 1. The Latin and Greek Grammar School is under the 
 direction of Robert Proud, the historian. f 
 
 2. John Todd still continues in his old place. 
 
 3. Isaac Weaver teaches boys reading, writing, and 
 arithmetic. 
 
 4. Sarah Lancaster continues in her old position as 
 teacher of young children. 
 
 5. William Brown, engaged in teaching a girls' school. 
 
 The five schools above mentioned were under the direction 
 of the school corporation of overseers, and poor children were 
 taught there free of expense. The committee also reported 
 on five other schools, whose masters and mistresses were 
 either Friends or made the professions of that religious 
 society. 85 
 
 M Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 7 30 1779, 151. 
 M Ibid., i 30 1784, 123 ff. 
 
 fOur attention is first called to Robert Proud in 1759, when Israel 
 Pemberton made known to the Board that he had received a letter from 
 J. Fothergill of London recommending him (Proud) as "a person well 
 qualified to instruct our youth in divers branches of learning." A num- 
 ber were named to speak with him, saying they were unanimously agreed 
 to employ him. Proud was thus employed till 1770 when he resigned. 
 (P. C. S. M., I, 334, and I, 175). 
 
 *Ibid. 
 
 Schools and 
 teachers 
 reported in 
 1784
 
 6o 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Other 
 
 schools 
 
 reported 
 
 Richard 
 Hartshorne 
 superintend- 
 ent of the 
 new school 
 established 
 at Westtown 
 
 1 . Mary Harry, teaching in Charters Alley. 
 
 2. Joseph Clarke, teaching in the girls school. 
 
 3. Mrs. Clarke (wife of Joseph). 
 
 4. Ann Marsh, teaching about fifty girls. 
 
 5. Mary McDonnell, teaching fifteen children. 
 
 This report of 1784 is the best during the century which 
 gives a clew to the members in the teachers' ranks. The 
 growth from a school employing one teacher to a system 
 employing ten does not seem great when measured by our 
 present standards of increase, but for that century it i? 
 significant of rapid growth. Many of the teachers were 
 people of no great importance, whose names were probably 
 never known outside of Quaker circles; others were dis- 
 tinctly well known. In 1799 we find one other Quaker 
 schoolmaster mentioned, Richard Hartshorne. The idea of a 
 boarding school for Friends' children had received quite an 
 impetus about 1791, due largely to the interest and influence 
 of Owen Biddle, 86 and by 1799 the school was ready to begin 
 operations. 87 Richard Hartshorne was chosen to serve as its 
 first superintendent and with the permission of the Monthly 
 Meeting of Philadelphia movred to Westtown in I799. 88 
 
 Three chief 
 means of 
 support 
 
 SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOLS 
 
 From the very beginning of the schools in Philadelphia 
 their primary means of support lay in voluntary subscriptions. 
 We have already seen that this was the accepted means of 
 raising money to maintain the poor and orphans, 89 and also to 
 build their meeting houses; it was quite the natural way, 
 really about the only way then familiar to them for maintain- 
 ing their school system. As the meeting grew and the schools 
 also increased many members were led to believe that it 
 was advisable to endow them with legacies. This being in 
 accordance with the recommendations of the Yearly Meetings 
 of London and Philadelphia, 90 it became quite a common 
 
 86 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 4 25 1791, in. 
 87 Wickersham, 91. 
 
 88 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 4 25 1799, 217. 
 89 G. S.P.P., 1,252. 
 
 90 A collection of Christian and Brotherly advices, 1753 (found in most 
 of the depositories for records).
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 61 
 
 procedure in Philadelphia, as also in the other monthly 
 meetings. Their third means of support was the rate which 
 was paid by all children whose parents were able to bear the 
 expense of their education. 
 
 As has been stated, subscriptions were made voluntarily, 
 though they might be rigorously solicited, enough at least to 
 make some feel uncomfortable who did not contribute when 
 they were able. There are instances which might be con- 
 sidered as mandatory though such cases are very rare. 
 One such occurred in 1701 when, Tobias Dinnock desiring a 
 certificate, the meeting reported there was nothing to hinder 
 it save that he had not paid anything toward the school. 91 
 This does not mean that he had to subscribe but it was doubt 
 less unpleasant pressure to have brought to bear on one. 
 Subscriptions were usually made and paid at the subscriber's 
 convenience, or on a date which he designated when making 
 the subscription. Though this was ideally satisfactory it 
 often failed to work out just at the right time, so it was neces- 
 sary to appoint a committee to go out after the subscriber 
 and get that which he had promised to pay. The first 
 record of a committee appointed on a service of this kind was 
 in 1691. The work of such committees was continued 
 throughout the century, and the following extract will 
 indicate very well their function, without further explanation 
 or reference. 
 
 Whereas several of the subscriptions towards the school are unpaid? 
 the Meeting beng engaged for the same, they have requested Alexander 
 Beardsley, Anthony Morris, Francis Rawles, John Delavall and Samuel 
 Richardson to use their endeavors to get what is unpaid of the said sub- 
 scriptions, and they are desired to pay what money they receive unto 
 Robert Turner and give account thereof to the next Monthly Meeting. 92 
 
 The rates paid by parents in the earlier years of their colony 
 are seen in the establishment of Flower's school in i683. 93 
 The next references made to the amounts paid for instruction, 
 under the rate system, are in the report of the school com- 
 mittee of the Overseers in 1784.** Flower received four 
 
 91 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 8311701. 
 ^Ibid., 3 29 1691 ; similar references, Ibid., I 31- 
 1700; 3 30 1701. 
 93 See page 43. 
 M Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., i 30 1784, 123!!. 
 
 -1699; 6 30 
 
 Rates 
 charged
 
 62 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Special 
 bequests and 
 legacies 
 recommend- 
 ed and their 
 probable 
 effect 
 
 shillings per quarter for teaching reading, six shillings for 
 reading and writing, and eight for reading, writing and casting 
 accounts; if by the year, then everything was furnished for 
 ten pounds. In 1784 Isaac Weaver received thirty shillings 
 per quarter for teaching the same subjects which Flower had 
 taught for eight. 95 William Brown also received the same 
 amount for the same subjects which he taught the whole 
 day. 96 Joseph Clarke was teaching for thirty shillings. 
 For instruction in the three R's it appears that the general 
 tendency for the cost in 1784 was about twenty-two shillings 
 higher than it was in 1683.* Small children were taught 
 generally at about fifteen shillings per quarter, or half the 
 customary price for older pupils whatever that might be. 
 The general custom was that in cases where the school corpora- 
 tion sent poor children to a teacher they were admitted for a 
 lesser rate than the others; if fifteen shillings were paid by 
 others, then ten shillings might be paid for the poor children, 
 schooled at the trustees' expense. These prices for teaching 
 among the Quaker masters are quite comparable with those 
 demanded by other private masters in the city at about the 
 same dates. 97 
 
 As was cited previously in this work, 98 the practice of 
 making special donations, bequests and legacies was urged 
 by the yearly meeting as a proper means of support for the 
 schools or other institutions. These recommendations of t e 
 yearly meeting which were written in the form of letters, were 
 transmitted to the quarterly meetings and through them 
 reached all members of the monthly and preparative meetings 
 in the compass of the general assembly. It cannot be 
 doubted that they were a very important means to instill a 
 desire to give to a worthy cause, and the very similar pro- 
 cedure in all monthly meetings seems to indicate that they 
 constituted the most effectual means for getting anything 
 definite done towards establishing any permanent foundation. 
 
 96 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., i 30 1784, 
 
 "The reader will recall, however, that in 1874 the real was far below 
 the face value. 
 
 n Pa. Gaz., 1772, Ho. 2285; Pa. Gaz. and Wk. Advt., 1783, No. 2782; 
 Pa. Gaz. and Wk. Advt., Supplement, 1784, No. 2811. 
 
 * 8 See page 60, note 90.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 Nothing in the way of a complete survey of various legacies 
 and donations given to the schools in Philadelphia will be 
 attempted here, even granting that it might be interesting 
 enough, but a few of them will be treated briefly. The first 
 example of this individual philanthropy came before the 
 monthly meeting in 1699, when the will of John Lineham was 
 read, by which he proposed to leave "twenty pounds for the 
 use of the public school." 99 This sum was not to be expended 
 at once for present needs but was to be kept as a "stock 
 forever for that use." Two members, John Kinsey and 
 Ralph Jackson, were ordered to pay in the said amount that 
 it might be turned over to Edward Shippen the treasurer. 
 Other legacies were left by Robert Wade 100 and Mary 
 Richards. 101 In regard to the former there was trouble 
 about getting it settled, which lasted for many years. 102 The 
 above names are only a few of the many who are mentioned 
 by the minutes up to 1700 as having left donations for the 
 school. There were indeed many others. In that year 
 (1702) it was considered advisable that an account be kept 
 of all legacies which had been granted to the use of the public 
 school, as also those granted for the poor. Isaac Norris was 
 appointed to prepare this account. Its purpose was probably 
 to straighten out the tangle into which some of them had 
 fallen (especially that of Robert Wade) and that one man 
 might be held responsible for the expenditure of funds. No 
 funds were to be paid out for the use of schools by Norris, 
 except on the order of the overseers. Funds for the poor 
 might be expended at the order of the monthly meeting. 103 
 
 The appointment of some one to see that an account of 
 legacies be kept, resulted in some investigation of those 
 already granted. It appears that that of Robert Wade, who 
 probably died before 1686, 104 had not been paid at all accord- 
 ing to the stipulation of the donor, which stated that 5 
 should be paid yearly for the use of the school. The first 
 
 "Min. Phila., Mo. Mtg., 3 26 1699. 
 l Ibid., 12 28 1702. 
 I0l lbid., ii 29 1702. 
 l<a lbid., i 28 1707. 
 103 Ibid., ii 29 1702. 
 
 104 No record of his death is found in Records of Births and Deaths 
 beginning with 1686. 
 
 Will of 
 
 John 
 
 Lineham 
 
 Legacies 
 of Wade 
 and Richards
 
 6 4 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Trouble over 
 the R. Wade 
 legacy 
 
 Negro school 
 likewise 
 received 
 gifts 
 
 record of a payment of the 5 was in 1699. 10S David Lloyd 
 and John Jones were accordingly appointed to attend to 
 it. 106 Their success does not seem to have been very marked 
 as in 1704 the minute again urges them to treat with John 
 Wade (brother) concerning the legacy. 10 '' This was done, 
 but their efforts met with a refusal to pay the money, 108 so a 
 committee of three Friends was appointed with others to 
 advise whether it should be sued for or not. Such activity 
 continued without any significant variant features until 1707, 
 when it was proposed by those "concerned," presumably his 
 brother, to buy off the legacy. Having been unpaid for 
 several years past, it was considered best that something be 
 gotten out of it, so a committee of three of the overseers was 
 appointed to treat with the buyers and make as satisfactory 
 terms as they could. 109 The minutes point to the fact that 
 it was not settled to any one's satisfaction. In 1712 it was 
 still before the meeting and again in 1727 the overseers are 
 directed to use "their care to get the legacy left by Robert 
 Wade secured." 110 Among other legacies, obtained more 
 easily, was one devised by Jonas Langford, which was brought 
 to the attention of the meeting in 1711. The amount of it 
 was 50 in Antigua money. 
 
 The Public School, established by charter, was not the only 
 recipient of such permanent endowments. The Negro 
 School was a popular and proper object of philanthropy and 
 war benefited by bequests very early after its establishment 
 in i77o. lu The first donation came in 1771 when 2, Penn- 
 sylvania currency, were given to Israel PembertoD and 
 Anthony Benezet or their executors to be appropriated for 
 the promotion of the school for Negroes, and to be paid to 
 such trustees as might be appointed to the care of the said 
 school. 112 In the year following another legacy of 10 was 
 
 106 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 2281699. 
 
 lM Ibid., 12 28 1702. 
 
 im lbid., 4 30 1704. 
 
 los lbid., i 28 1704, 420. 
 
 log lbid., i 28 1707. 
 
 llo lbid., 11261727-8. 
 
 m See page 243!:. 
 
 112 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 4 26 1771, 444.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 left fcr the instruction of the Negroes, and paid to Richard 
 Blackham, treasurer of that institution. 113 Anthony Benezet 
 at his death left a considerable sum as a legacy, which, added 
 to the amount of salary which was still owing him for services 
 in the said school, had amounted by 1800 to 103 and 4S. 114 
 The amount of other donations to that institution up to date 
 amounted to ii7/5/n. 115 
 
 In addition to the ways already mentioned there was also 
 occasional recourse to a bond issue for raising funds, but the 
 last was not common, being used only in emergency cases. 
 The first example of it, which has come to the writer's atten- 
 tion, was in 1701, when it had been decided to build a school 
 house and the work being begun, a lack of funds occurred 
 which prevented continuing. To meet this emergency it was 
 agreed that the committee having charge of the financial 
 matters should "take up 100 pounds upon interest for one 
 year, giving bond jointly for the same and this meeting does 
 engage to indemnify them for the payment." 116 
 
 Funds also 
 raised by 
 bonds, 
 rarely 
 
 BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS 
 
 Various items on buildings and grounds occupy a con- 
 siderable amount of attention on the part of the monthly 
 meeting though the minutes are usually of general nature. 
 The place of Keith's school (1689) was doubtless no more than 
 an ordinary house procured for the use of his family and the 
 school at the same time. 117 This proved satisfactory only for 
 a short time, and to remedy Keith's complaint (i6Qo) 118 of 
 its "straightness" another more convenient room was arranged 
 for by the committee with John Fuller for the rent of 13 
 a year. The former had cost but ten. 119 It is likely 
 that the school continued to be held in the same house, 
 others similarly, for about reven years; there is, at any rate, 
 no mention of change of place or location for that period of 
 
 m Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 12 25 1772, 145. 
 114 Ibid., ii 2 1800, 300. 
 
 iu lbid., 9 28 1701, 315. 
 117 Ibid., 5261689, 154. 
 ll8 Jbid., 1281690, 163. 
 llt lbid., 2 26 1690, 164. 
 
 Place of 
 
 first school
 
 66 
 
 Early Quaker Ed^lcation in Pennsylvania 
 
 School in 
 loft of the 
 meeting 
 house 
 
 Property 
 purchased 
 for the 
 Public School 
 
 First record 
 of house 
 built for 
 school 
 
 Property 
 acquired 
 by gift 
 
 time. At the end of that time the meeting made preparation 
 to receive the school into the "inner chamber over the meeting 
 house," the expense of fitting it up being paid out of the 
 meeting's stock. 120 It was in thi? school in the loft of the 
 meeting hou c e that Danie 1 Pastcrius and Thomas Makin first 
 taught the school together. 121 The meeting house served thus 
 as schoolhouse until early in the year 1698, when property 
 was purchased for the purpose, the meeting minute of the 
 transaction being as follows: 
 
 Whereas Friends have purchased an house and lot of Lionell Brittain 
 for the service of the public schools, according to that has already been 
 agreed to by this meeting, and the said purchase is approved, and David 
 Lloyd is desired to draw the writings for confirmation of the same unto 
 Edward Shippen until he be secured the money, and then he to reconvey 
 it again for the use aforesaid. 122 
 
 In 1701 we find the first record for building a house for 
 the sole use of the school, presumably on the lot previously 
 purchased by the meeting. 123 Robert Burrough and 
 Nathaniel Edgcomb were appointed to get the subscription 
 for the building and pay to Anthony Morris, who was to agree 
 with suitable workmen for the building. 124 The dimensions, 
 "20 feet wide by 60 feet long," were, at first consideration, 
 thought to be satisfactory, but it was finally decided to build 
 it 24 feet by 60 feet. 128 The work was at first to be supported 
 by subscriptions, but before its completion it became neces- 
 sary to issue bonds for the amount of ioo. 126 
 
 The acquisition of property, this time by gift, continued. 
 In 1701, Daniel Lloyd reported that a deed for the lot in High 
 Street, given by Samuel Carpenter to Friends for the use of 
 the free school, was signed to the said Samuel, and the meeting 
 directed him to get another drawn to the overseers of the 
 school. 127 It might easily appear that the new schoolhouse, 
 just proposed, was to be built on this lot and not that pre- 
 
 120 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., n 28 1697, 227. 
 
 ., 2 29 1698, 229. 
 m lbid., 2 25 1701, 292. 
 iu lbid., 3 30 1701, 294. 
 m lbid., 4 27 1701, 298. 
 126 /Wd., 9 28 1701, 315. 
 n7 Ibid., ii 30 1701, 322.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 67 
 
 viously purchased of Lionell Brittain. After due considera- 
 tion it seems, however, that the greater weight is in favor of 
 its having been built on the Lionell tract. The minutes show 
 that as late as 26. month, 24th, 1708, the deed for the lot from 
 Samuel Carpenter to the meeting had not been drawn up. 128 
 But as was previously mentioned, Anthony Morris had been 
 told to engage workmen (3d, 3oth, i7oi) 129 and the statement 
 that 100 had to be raised by bond to carry on the work 
 (and month, 28th, i7oi) 130 would indicate that the work had 
 actually been begun and was perhaps well towards completion 
 by the end of that year. It seems quite impossible that any 
 such building propram would have been carried on so long 
 before the transfer of property was properly drawn up and 
 signed. The years 1704 and 1705 are busy with the details 
 of getting several pieces of property, purchased and received 
 as gifts, confirmed by the commissioners of property. 131 
 Late in 1705 it is stated: 
 
 All is done, viz.: a patent for a front lot, a High Street lot and 
 twenty acres of liberty land and also a patent for a bank lot. . . . 
 But this meeting house, ground and schoolhouse ground, being only in 
 the name of Edward Shippen, in case of mortality, Friends think there is 
 a necessity for a speedy reconveying thereof to more hands and for the 
 particular use intended .... desired that the said Edward 
 Shippen may convey them to Samuel Carpenter, R. Hill and Anthony 
 Morris, being the persons in whose name the Patents are granted unto, 
 adding the names of all the overseers of the Free School in the part 
 belonging to the said school. 132 
 
 Some light is thrown upon the interior arrangement of the 
 school. In 1712 Thomas Griffith was ordered to pay 
 Christer Thomason 12 for "making" a stove in the school- 
 house, 133 presumably an old fashioned brick stove, such as a 
 few years later was condemned by William Robbins as being 
 "injurious to many of the scholars." 134 Mr. Robbins pro- 
 posed that a "chimney might be erected," and Samuel 
 Preston was appointed to have it done, if not inconvenient 
 
 118 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 2 24 1702, 329. 
 
 m See page 66. 
 
 1JO See page 66. 
 
 1J1 See the minutes from 1704 and 1705, pages 420 to 463, various items. 
 
 1S2 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 10 28 1705, 463. 
 
 I33 lbid., 2 25 1712, 222. 
 
 Ibid., 8281715. 
 
 Property 
 confirmed 
 
 Heating 
 facilities
 
 68 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 or expensive. He reported that it would be a greater charge 
 than represented and would hardly answer the end proposed 
 An iron stove nearly so satisfactorily as an iron stove, which he had thought 
 placed in necessary and had accordingly had set up, to be removed 
 
 the school however if the meeting did not approve of his action. 135 The 
 charge for the iron stove was 7. 136 Such items as the fore- 
 going were brought up in the monthly meeting which 
 appointed some one to attend to this or that detail; as the 
 schools grew these were left more in the hands of the school 
 committee or overseers, who reported occasionally thereon. 
 This tendency on the part of the meeting to turn over the 
 details of management to the overseers came to a head about 
 1725,* when it was agreed by the meeting that all titles to the 
 schoolhouses and other property be conveyed the over- 
 seers of the public schools and a minute be drawn up 
 relating to such decision. 137 In the month following, the 
 minutes of the committee's report were made referring to the 
 transfer: 
 
 Anthony Morris, Ebenezer Sorge, Samuel Powell and Jones being 
 appointed by the Monthly Meeting of Philadelphia the 2 30 1725, 
 to meet with the overseers of the public school, do acquaint them that 
 the said meeting being concerned for the promotion of the public school 
 have unanimously agreed that the title of the school house and ground 
 with the lots, tenements .... now in the tenure of Evan Owen 
 and Thomas Cannon with all the other titles of real estate and annuities 
 appertaining to the public school, be vested in the overseers thereof and 
 desire for the future distinct accounts may be kept of all legacies and 
 donations made to the said schools in order that the same may be duly 
 applied pursuant to the intentions of the donors respectively. 
 
 'Then follows a minute of the overseers stating their appre- 
 ciation of the meeting's cooperation in the work of the school. 
 
 An account The Monthly Meeting of Philadelphia expressing the same kind 
 
 of funds to inclination to encourage that at first led them to erect the public school 
 
 be made an ^ to procure the same to be established by the proprietor's charter, as 
 
 it is now under the care of the present overseers, having thought it neces- 
 
 Overseers 
 assume 
 greater 
 responsibility 
 
 Titles to 
 property to 
 be trans- 
 ferred to the 
 overseers 
 
 135 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 9 25 1715, iof. 
 
 1M Ibid. t 10 30 1715, ii. 
 
 *The overseers of the school had kept a regular record of their meeting 
 in regard to schools, since 1712; they were, however, closely associated 
 with the monthly meeting in the school affairs. (P. C. S. M., I, first 
 record in 1712.) 
 
 Ibid., 2 30 1725, 119.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 69 
 
 sary that an exact account should be taken of all the benefactions 
 intended by the several donors for the use of the said school, the moneys 
 or effects whereof might have come under the direction of the said 
 meeting. In order thereunto appointed some friends to adjust the said 
 accounts with the overseers, which being carefully done, it appears the 
 meeting has received of such benefactions as aforesaid for the use of the 
 school the sum of 226. . . . and that they expended in the build- 
 ing the school house which was begun, carried on and finished under 
 their care and direction the sum of 264 and 3d, whereby the meeting 
 is in disburse for the public schoolhouse, above what they received in 
 the sum of 37/15/3, which last sum or balance they were pleased 
 freely to .... grant and release to the said school, together with 
 the lot belonging to it and all those (equipages) and tenements now in 
 the occupation of Evan Owen and Thomas Cannon with their appurte- 
 nances and all the rents, profits and issues thereof, and have accordingly 
 ordered the persons who are by legal deeds or instruments vested with 
 the right to the said tenements in trust for the meeting to (grant) and 
 absolutely convey the said schoolhouse and .... with the lots 
 and grounds on which they stand and appurtenances to the overseers of 
 the school, to be held by them and their successors for the use of the 
 public school founded by charter in the town and county of Philadelphia 
 in Pennsylvania, forever. 138 
 
 This transfer was at once acknowledged by the overseers 
 in a minute of the same date, and Thomas Griffiths and John 
 Goodson were desired to execute the proper papers conveying 
 the properties to the said overseers of the public schools, 
 which was accordingly done before the next meeting (4th 
 month, I725). 139 
 
 By this time (1733) the old building erected in 1701 was 
 badly in need of repairs, but on a closer examination it was 
 decided more economical to pull down the old and build a new 
 one, more convenient, on the north side of the school lot. 140 
 
 The work was begun immediately, though a lack of funds 
 hindered its completion for some time. 141 The demand for 
 an increase of building space seems to have been repular and 
 urgent, indicating a healthy growth of the system. In 1740, 
 when the consideration for a new meeting house came up, it 
 was decided to build it large, "with chambers over it commo- 
 
 Papers to be 
 executed 
 conveying 
 the properties 
 
 New building 
 proposed 
 
 and begun 
 
 New meeting 
 house built 
 large to 
 contain 
 school rooms 
 
 138 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 3 28 1725, 121 ff. 
 Ibid., 4251725, 124. 
 uo lbid., 12 22 1733-4, I4 2 - 
 U1 lbid., 4 25 1736, 271.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 New school 
 building 
 requested on 
 the Fox lot 
 
 Tenement 
 buildings 
 erected on 
 lots as an 
 investment 
 for the school 
 
 diovs for school rooms." 142 In 1744 the overseers, finding the 
 old school building inconvenient in divers respects, requested 
 the monthly meeting to name a committee to confer with 
 them on a plan, location and dimensions of a new building. 
 Michael Lightfoot and twelve others were named. 143 The 
 committee decided to locate the building on the south side of 
 the lot devised by William Forest, the dimensions to be about 
 60 feet by 35 feet in the clear and two stories high, also a cellar 
 under it, rising three feet above the surface of the ground. 
 This quite pretentious building was not to be finished entirely 
 at this time. The plan was to enclose all of it and finish the 
 interior as the size of the school demanded. 144 
 
 For twelve years apparently no further building projects 
 were launched. Then the overseers appealed to the meeting 
 for permission to erect a school on the middle of the lot left 
 to them by George Fox. This was agreed to by that assem- 
 bly and a committee named to remove the present incumbent 
 of the lot who had not paid the rent for some years past. 146 
 Their next building was begun, not for the purpose of a place 
 of instruction, but as investment: It was proposed to the 
 monthly assembly in 1760 that several houses be erected on 
 the schoolhouse lot fronting Chestnut Street, expenses de- 
 frayed out of the treasury of the overseers, for the purpose 
 of increasing the yearly income of the property 146 The sug- 
 gestion was well received and the liberty granted to erect one 
 or more such houses. 147 In 1767 the accommodations for the 
 Girls' School, being unsatisfactory, the overseers of the school 
 requested permission to have the chamber of the meeting 
 house fitted up as a place for them, which was taken under 
 consideration by a committee of the meeting appointed for 
 that purpose. 148 
 
 The Negro School, established 1770, was first housed in a 
 building rented for that use, 149 in which it continued for 
 
 l42 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 5 25 1740, 318. 
 
 ia lbid., 10 28 1744, 378. 
 
 l Ibid., 11251744, 379. 
 
 m lbid., 8271756, 243. 
 
 ^Ibid., 4 25 1760, 248 ff. 
 
 U1 lbid., 6 27 1760, 259. 
 
 u *Ibid., ii 27 1767, 199. 
 
 w lbid., 6 29 1770, 398.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 nearly a year. The plans for a permanent school made a 
 building for that purpose desirable, and in 1771 the com- 
 mittee on education of the Negroes requested that a house be 
 built on the lot where the alms-houses were situated, which 
 was granted. 150 This house was occupied by the school until 
 charge of it was assumed by Anthony Benezet (1782), who 
 held the school in his own house. 151 
 
 In the foregoing pages we have mentioned some of the facts 
 of the establishment and development of the school in 
 Philadelphia, with reference to (i) founding, (2) support, (3) 
 masters, (4) properties, buildings and grounds. It is deemed 
 advisable to omit from this chapter any presentation of curric- 
 ulum, excepting as that has been mentioned at a few places, 
 reserving such presentation to a chapter comprising all the 
 schools established in Pennsylvania. As a fitting close to the 
 previous discussion of the century's development, we present, 
 almost entire, one of the reports returned by the committee of 
 the meeting, which in a fair way will tell the reader more 
 about the growth up to, and the status of the system in 1784, 
 than will any discussion. Portions of the report are discussed 
 in other chapters. 
 
 The schools under their direction and care within the limits of this 
 meeting, are: 
 
 (i) One under the tuition of Robert Proud, by whom about 30 boys 
 are instructed in the Latin and GreeTc languages and some branches of 
 the mathematics; his salary is fixed at 250 per annum, having an usher 
 who is allowed 80 per annum, at the expense of the estate under the 
 care of the overseers. The present 6 per annum for each scholar for 
 which he accounts to the said overseers and has for one year past 
 received one Guinea entrance to his own use and charges 5/ for fuel. 
 We had some conversation with him on the case necessary to guard 
 against the use of such books, whose contents have a tendency to pre- 
 possess the youthful minds with sentiments unfavorable to the Christian 
 faith and the true spirit of the gospel; which appears had his attention, 
 having observed a care therein agreeable to what the occasion requires. 
 In this school are read Barclay's Apology in Latin and the Testament in 
 Latin and Greek. The overseers have enjoined the attendance of the 
 scholars who are chiefly members of our own religious society, at our 
 meeting on the fifth day of the week, but it had not been sufficiently 
 observed. 
 
 Building 
 for negro 
 school re- 
 quested 
 about 1771 
 
 Restatement 
 of points 
 considered 
 
 The report 
 to the 
 monthly 
 meeting 
 (1784) indi- 
 cates status 
 of schools on 
 that date 
 
 ls Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., i 25 1771, 430. 
 Ibid., 5311782, 28.
 
 72 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 (2) One under the care of John Todd, in which are taught reading, 
 writing, the English Grammar, Arithmetic and some other branches of 
 the mathematics. It consists of 88 boys on this list, for 83 of whom he 
 has 2O/ per quarter, 2/6 for pen and ink, s/ for fuel; on the entrance 
 of each 157 except where the parents or guardians are not of ability to 
 afford it, the other 5 being put to him by the school corporation, he 
 teaches for io/ per quarter. He remarked there are each day about 70 
 together. The master appears careful to observe good order in his 
 school and frequently attends our meeting on the 5th day with his 
 scholars. He also kept a night school in the winter season consisting 
 of 82 scholars. 
 
 (3) One by Isaac Weaver consisting of about 28 boys, being limited 
 to io/ per quarter, 2/6 for pen and ink and 5/ a year for fuel, he takes 
 no entrance fee and teaches reading, writing, and arithmetic, and is care- 
 ful to keep good order in the school, also frequently brings his scholars 
 to the meeting fifth day. 
 
 (4) William Brown teaches girls reading, writing and arithmetic, 
 language, 8 whole days at 307 per quarter 14 in mornings 157 per quarter 
 13 in afternoon 157 per quarter and for some time has been in the prac- 
 tice of taking 7/6 entrance fee, except for those placed with him by the 
 school corporation he represents some difficulty in enforcing the rules 
 and regulations provided for the schools on account of the greater 
 number of his scholars children of persons not professing with us. 
 
 (5) Sarah Lancaster has a school for young children of both sexes 
 consisting of about 64 scholars of whom : 
 
 35 attend whole days at is/ per Q. 
 
 1 8 attend, sent by school corporation, io/ per Q. 
 
 1 1 attend half days, also sent by them, 7/6 per Q. 
 Also pay for fuel. She teaches both sexes to spell and read and the girls 
 to sew and appears to have an orderly school. 
 
 In all the foregoing schools, which are under the direction of the school 
 corporation, 41 poor children are taught at their expense. We also 
 visited the following schools, the masters and mistresses of which are 
 either members or make profession with our religious society, but are 
 not immediately under the care of the board. (I give here only a digest 
 of their report). 
 
 (1) Mary Harry. 
 
 School in Charters Alley; 15-16 children at is/ per Q. 
 Income is about 40 pounds per year. 
 Not a Friend but attends our meetings. 
 
 (2) Joseph Clarke. 
 
 School in Fifth St. ; about 30 girls. 
 Curriculum reading, writing and arithmetic. 
 For 25 he receives 3O/ per Q. and others gratis. 
 
 (3) Mrs. Clarke (wife) and Joseph Clarke. 
 
 Same house; 15-16 boys reading; and the girls, sewing at is/ 
 per Q. each; they try to attend our fifth day meetings.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 73 
 
 (4) Anna Marsh. 
 
 50 (approximately) girls and boys. 
 
 Taught reading, and the girls, needlework; 2O/ per Q. 
 
 Each has a right of membership with Friends. 
 
 (5) Mary McDonnell. 
 
 15 young children at 157 per Q. 
 
 In the most of the schools there are nearly one-half if not more of the 
 children of the people of the societies and we wish Friends children may 
 not be too frequently excluded for want of room, evident inconvenience 
 being very observable in the present mixed state of schools, it is much 
 to be desired that a more select mode of education could be effectually 
 promoted; in the meantime it would be well that master be not too lax 
 in the observance of the rules. 152 
 
 The other item of very great interest, though not in reality 
 immediately connected with the schools in Philadelphia, 
 concerns the establishment of a boarding school, which was 
 to be founded and planned after one of the oldest and largest 
 schools of the society, the great Ackworth School in Eng- 
 land. 153 The project was greatly encouraged by Owen 
 Biddle, who (6th month, loth, 1790) published a pamphlet 
 of 52 pages in which the plea for such a school was elabo- 
 rated. 164 A comrrittee was appoint ed to confer wich him, and 
 reported they wished to present their wishes also to the other 
 monthly meetings of the city, 155 and they concurring, to 
 present the wishes of the monthly meetings to the quarterly 
 and so on to the yearly meeting. 158 The report, when pre- 
 sented to the other two monthly meetings, met with favor, 15 '' 
 and it was accordingly agreed (1792) to bring the matter 
 before the quarterly meeting. 168 The approval of the quar- 
 terly and yearly meetings* in the time immediately ensuing 
 resulted in the plans being set on foot for a subscription of 
 5000 and which was made open to all members of the 
 yearly meeting in whatsoever quarter; the amount of these, 
 
 lu Report of Committee in Phila. Mo. Mtg. Min. I 30 1784, 123 ff. 
 1M See Thompson, Henry. A History of Ackworth. 
 1M This pamphlet may be seen in H. S. P., Philadelphia. 
 ls Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 4 25 1791, in. 
 Ibid., 6 24 1791, 118. 
 l "Ibid., 7 27 1791, 123. 
 ui lbid., i 27 1792, 140. 
 
 *Minute, Yearly Meeting, held in Philadelphia, gth and loth mos. 
 1794- 
 
 Boarding 
 school en- 
 couraged by 
 Owen Biddle 
 
 Approved by 
 quarterly 
 and yearly 
 meetings
 
 74 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Rules drawn 
 up therefor 
 
 in 1797, was 247 /io. 159 The school established at West- 
 town on the tract of land purchased by the yearly meeting, 
 was opened in i8oo, 160 with Richard Hartshorne as the first 
 superintendent. 161 Rules and regulations for its conduct had 
 been drawn up by a committee appointed by the yearly meet- 
 ing in 1794.* 
 
 First school 
 probably as 
 early as 1710 
 or 1711 
 
 Greater 
 activity 
 near middle 
 of century 
 
 OTHER SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA COUNTY 
 
 The date of the first school in Byberry has not been 
 definitely determined, though it can surely be placed at a very 
 early period in its history, as early as 1710 or 1711. Richard 
 Brockden, who later taught school in Philadelphia, 162 was a 
 teacher in the school at Byberry, for a minute of Abington 
 monthly meeting states in the 4th month of the later year 
 that "At this meeting Richard Brockden, late schoolmaster 
 at Byberry, had a certificate granted him in order to go to 
 England." 163 
 
 This would indicate that the said Richard had been teach 
 ing at Byberry, and it is quite probable that he had, but it is 
 not conclusive evidence that he did so. About the middle 
 of the eighteenth century the Byberry Meeting became very 
 active in schooling the children of poor Friends. This move- 
 ment, it seems from all records found, was due in large 
 measure to an apportionment received from a legacy left by 
 William Carter to the charge of Abington Meeting, for the 
 schooling of the children of Friends in poverty. 164 In 1755, 
 it was: 
 
 . agreed that Horsham, Germantown, Byberry meetings 
 shall have 40 shillings each for the ensuing year, and Oxford twenty 
 shillings, Abington three pounds for the same time, (of the annuity left 
 by William Carter) in order that the same may be employed in paying 
 for the schooling of such children as the said meetings may think proper 
 objects thereof if they find any, and the Friends of the said meeting are 
 
 159 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 7 28 1797, 158. 
 160 See history of Westtown School. 
 161 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 4 26 1799, 217. 
 
 *Minute, Yearly Meeting, held in Philadelphia, gth and loth mos. 
 1794- 
 
 162 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., I 3 1722, 83. 
 163 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 4 25 1711, 73. 
 lM Ibid., I 27 1749, 50.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 75 
 
 desired to see that the same be well applied and that the children who 
 partake of the benefit thereof do go regularly to school. 166 
 
 The money thus devised to the meeting was in the care of 
 the committee appointed by the same, whose duty it was to 
 receive requests and to investigate all cases where help was 
 requested or found to be necessary. The accounts of the said 
 committee were audited at a period when necessary by 
 Friends appointed especially for that purpose. 166 This form 
 of philanthropy became very popular here, as in other meet- 
 ings, almost every meeting bearing forward a new record of it. 
 In 1758 James Thorntown and Giles Knight reported that 
 they had received of James Paul (treasurer of Abington 
 Monthly Meeting) the sum of 6, part of the donation left 
 for the poor children's schooling, and had applied 2 /$ of 
 the same to that use, leaving a remainder of 3/15 in the 
 hands of Knight. 167 In 1770 the records run in this manner: 
 
 It appears that Phillip Wells stands in need of some of the moneys 
 that were given to the use of schooling poor Friends children; Thomas 
 Townsend is therefore ordered to pay forty shillings of the money in his 
 hands. 188 
 
 Though very few references are made throughout the early 
 period of the schools, it is quite certain from the nature of 
 these reports on education of the poor that the schools were 
 continued regularly. When the yearly meeting began to 
 demand reports on the condition of the schools, there was 
 on stir about the matter whatever, the first report being that 
 those who have our school under care "report that it is in 
 good order." 169 The requests coming into the preparative 
 meeting for information on schools, were referred to the 
 standing school committee. 170 
 
 The standing committee performed all duties in connection 
 with the school, with the exception of certain cases of diffi- 
 culty, where it was necessary to call on the meeting for 
 assistance, at which time that body cooperated with them 
 
 165 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 8 215 755, 151. 
 
 1M Min. Byberry Prep. Mtg., 4 24 1793. 
 
 Ibid., 8231758. 
 
 m lbid., 12 6 1770. 
 
 189 /Wd., 7251787. 
 
 170 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 5 211788. 
 
 Donations 
 under care 
 of trustees, 
 used for 
 schooling 
 poor 
 
 Case of 
 
 schools 
 
 under 
 
 standing 
 
 committee
 
 7 6 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 General plan 
 for encour- 
 agement of 
 better schools 
 
 Byberry 
 report on 
 schools 
 
 through specially appointed committees. 1 ' 1 The Byberry 
 Preparative Meeting was, of course, not independent in this 
 matter of school organization; their place was very much in 
 accord with that suggested by a committee report to the 
 various preparative meetings in 1790: 
 
 We of the committee appointed to attend the preparative meetings 
 with the extracts in order to spread the concern of our last yearly 
 meeting, have attended to the appointment and taken into due considera- 
 tion that part of them relating to schools, and being desirous to adopt 
 it in so far as our present circumstances will admit, and in order to 
 encourage any charitably disposed persons who may incline in their last 
 will and testament or otherwise to give or bequeath something towards 
 so laudable a purpose as to raise a certain fixed union for the support of 
 schools, it is our desire that it may be safely counted to the care of the 
 preparative meetings, he or she appointing, if they see fit, their own 
 trustees and that Friends earnestly endeavor to provide for the school- 
 masters a house lot, ground, etc., either purchasing or renting, whenever 
 it may be necessary, and that our minds being deeply impressed with a 
 sense that a guarded religious education of the rising youth is a matter 
 of great importance it is our sense of judgment that Friends within the 
 compass of this meeting should be pressingly urged to consider the 
 necessity of employing conscientious and pious persons as schoolmasters, 
 being members of a religious society and that the preparative meeting 
 continue to appoint committees from time to time as occasion may 
 require to have the care and oversight of such schools and that they 
 visit the respective schools at least once in six weeks to see that good 
 order be observed, and for the encouragement of the children in their 
 learning, and render an account thereof to the preparative meeting once 
 in six months. Signed the 28th of the 4th month, 1790. 
 
 By SAMUEL GUMMERE, SILAS WALMSLEY, THOS. WALMSLEY, . 
 JOHN TOWNSEND and NAYLOR WEBSTER. 172 
 
 In the month following the reception of these suggestions 
 from the monthly meeting's committee, the Byberry school 
 trustees made the following report on the conditions of the 
 schools, and the nature of their own activities. 
 
 We, the trustees appointed by the meeting to have the care of the 
 schools under the direction of the meeting, do inform, agreeable to our 
 trust, we have several times met within the year past at the school in 
 order to encourage the children in their learning, also to see that good 
 order be kept by the master and children and we believe this a good 
 measure complied with, and we further inform, that we have en- 
 
 m Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., to 22 1788. 
 Ibid., 6 23 1790.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 77 
 
 deavored to comply with the intentions of the donor, by distributing the 
 donations of William Carter, by schooling such children as we appre- 
 hended proper objects and have engaged as many as to take most of the 
 money now in hand. (Clerk asked to give the committee a copy of the 
 monthly meetings extracts that they comply with the regulations con- 
 cerning schools.) 175 
 
 The gist of their report six months thereafter is as follows : 174 
 
 1. The trustees have met several times at the school in 
 the last six months. 
 
 2. Afternoons are usually spent hearing the scholars read 
 and in examining their learning. 
 
 3. The masters keep strictly the rules, which the trustees 
 have laid down. 
 
 4. We believe the school is kept in good order. 
 
 In 1792 it was considered necessary to enlarge the school- 
 house to make adequate facilities for the increasing number 
 of children. The committee appointed on the subject 
 decided there should be an addition of ten feet for the length ; 
 their suggestion was approved and a subscription begun to 
 carry forward the work as speedily as could be done. 176 
 Thomas Walmsley was appointed to have oversight of the 
 work. 176 The status of the school at the end of the century is 
 stated in the report to Horsham Monthly Meeting, as follows ; 
 
 We have one school under the care of the meeting, to which our mem- 
 bers send their children, except some Friends who live remote. It is 
 supported by subscription; the tutor is a Friend and we believe en- 
 deavors to discharge the important trust committed to him. The 
 children of such as are in straightened circumstances are schooled by 
 donations left for that purpose A committee appointed by the meeting 
 frequently visits the said school and reports the state thereof. 177 
 
 Summary 
 of a later 
 report 
 
 School 
 house 
 to be 
 enlarged 
 
 School's 
 status at 
 end of 
 century 
 
 GERMANTOWN 
 
 It has already been mentioned that Francis Daniel Pas' 
 torius taught in the Friends School at Philadelphia during the 
 period from 1697 to i7oo. 178 While in the school at Phila- 
 
 173 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 7 21 1790. 
 lli lbid., i 26 1791. 
 "*Ibid., 6 20 1792. 
 l Ibid., 7 25 1792. 
 
 177 Min. Horsham Mo. Mtg., 3 29 1797; Min. Byberry Prep. Mtg., 
 3221797. 
 
 178 Phila. Mo. Mtg., i 29 1700. 
 
 Pastorius in 
 Philadelphia
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Early 
 school at 
 Germantown 
 
 Contributors 
 
 Patrons of 
 the school 
 
 Tuition 
 
 delphia it appears that he left his residence at Germantown 
 vacant and took up his abode in the city. The following 
 letter, written by his children, to their grandfather in Winds- 
 heim, indicates their longing for their "own home" at 
 Germantown and the tedium of their school days in the 
 Philadelphia school. 
 
 Wir Wunschen gar offt bey dir zu seyn /ach dass du hier warest und 
 in unserm Hause zu Germanton Wohntest /welches einen schonen 
 Obsgarten hat/ und der Zeit leer stehet/ indeme wir zu Philadelphia 
 wohnen /und taglich 8 Stunden lang in die Schul gehen mussen / 
 ausgenommen den letzen Tag in der Wochen/ da wir Nachmittag 
 daheim bleiben dorffen. 179 
 
 The school at Germantown was opened on January n, 
 1702, though Dr. Seidensticher thinks that this must have 
 been preceded for some time by an evening school. 180 
 
 The first overseers chosen were Aret Klincken, Peter 
 Schumacher, and Paul Wulff. 181 Those who contributed 
 voluntarily to the school were: Anton Loof, Peter Schu- 
 macher, Paul Wulff, Jacob Delaplaine, Jonas Potts, Isaak 
 Schumacher, Walter Simons, Levin Herberdink, Johann 
 Bleikers, Dirck Jansen . . . Johannas Umstett, Heifert 
 Papen, Jan Lensen, Peter Bon, Hermann Bon, Dirck Keyser, 
 Claus Tamson, Gerhard Ruttinghusen (and two others whose 
 names can not be deciphered). 182 
 
 The patrons of the school for the first year were: Aret 
 Klincken, Reinert Tysen, Times Kiinders, Wilhelm Strepers, 
 Paul Kastner, Reinier Hermans, Abraham op de Graeff, 
 Christian Warmer, Arnold van Vossen, Johann Cunrad 
 Codweiss, Cornelis Sivert, Aret Ktister, Jan Doeden and 
 Lanert Arets. 183 
 
 The school admitted both boys and girls for instruction. 
 The amounts paid by voluntary contributors varied from 
 2/ to 15 / per year, while the tuition charged was from 4d. to 
 6d. per week. 184 The evening school was intended for those 
 
 179 Quoted from Learned, Pastorius, 181. 
 ls Der Deutsche Pioneer, III, 56. 
 
 183 Learned, 182. 
 
 m Der Deutsche Pioneer, III, 56.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 79 
 
 who were forced to work during the day time, or for others 
 who, because of their age, could not enter the regular day 
 school. 185 Among the patrons from 1706-1708. there are to 
 be found a great number of English names, 186 which may no 
 doubt indicate that the school under the German master was 
 recognized by English inhabitants to be of very high standard. 
 His experience in Philadelphia would speak for that. 
 
 Some question has been raised as to whether Pastorius 
 taught the school in the English or the German tongue. 
 Though in his manuscript it is found that he did use some- 
 what broken English, 187 we know that he taught the English 
 school at Philadelphia, where most of the children were 
 English. 188 The majority of his pupils at Germantown were, 
 of course, German, 189 and doubtless German was spoken 
 between them and the teacher at times. The fact, however, 
 that the titles of Pastorius' school books were written in 
 English, is pointed out by Seidensticker as an indication that 
 the language of the province was given preference in the 
 school. 190 It is also to be noted that the General Court had 
 in 1696 ordered that the minutes of the Ratsbuch be trans- 
 scribed into English, lending further evidence to the idea that 
 the importance of the official language was recognized. 191 
 The length of continuation of the Friends' school at German- 
 town is not known, though it seems likely that Pastorius may 
 have continued in its service till the time of his death, or at 
 least until i7i8. 192 
 
 Evening 
 school 
 
 The school 
 probably 
 taught in 
 English 
 
 SCHOOLS AT EXETER MONTHLY MEETING 
 
 Exeter Monthly Meeting, established 1737, being set off 
 from Gwynedd Monthly, 193 did not have any schools under 
 their jurisdiction at a very early date. The first indication 
 that the subject of education was being seriously considered 
 
 lK> Der Deutsche Pioneer. 
 
 > K Ibid., 57. 
 
 187 See MS. collection of Pastorius. 
 
 188 See page 77!. 
 
 I89 Der Deutsche Pioneer, III, 56. 
 
 H. S. P. 
 
 191 Learned, 185. 
 
 l Der Deutsche Pioneer, III, 58. 
 
 193 Bunting, List of Records for Phila. Yr. Mtg., 21.
 
 8o 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Youths 
 meetings 
 established 
 1758 
 
 Committee 
 appointed 
 on schools 
 
 A new com- 
 mittee to 
 visit the 
 preparatives 
 
 was about 1758 when youths' meetings were established, two 
 each year, one at Exeter and the other at Maiden Creek. 194 
 These youths' meetings, sanctioned by the quarterly meet- 
 ing, 196 and another at Robeson several years later, 196 were the 
 first steps taken for education of youth, and controlled by the 
 meeting. It is true, there was a school (day school) even at 
 this time situated near Samuel Lea's, as we learn from a chance 
 reference, 19 '' but though it was attended by Friends' children 
 in part, it was neither controlled by them, nor under the 
 monthly meeting. This condition lasted until the recom- 
 mendations of the yearly meeting of 1777 and 1778 caused the 
 monthly meeting to look into the educational situation. 
 
 In accord with the recommendations concerning "the 
 proper education of youth" published in these years, and sent 
 out, the meeting at Exeter appointed Samuel Hughes, Abel 
 Thomas, Benjamin Pearson, Mordecai Lee, James Thomas 
 and John Scarlet to take the question under their considera- 
 tion. 198 For two years and a half the substance of the reports 
 of the above named committee and its successors, was to the 
 effect that not much had been accomplished. 199 In 1781 the 
 committee reported they had visited the preparative meetings 
 (two of them), and recommended to them the careful con- 
 sideration of the youths' education, under good moral tutors. 200 
 A year later, the committee was released, having, according to 
 reports, accomplished nothing. 201 Those delegates who 
 attended the quarterly meeting in 1783, brought back new 
 advices, and were directed to furnish each preparative 
 meeting with a copy and request a report on school conditions 
 among them; at the following monthly assembly more of 
 the preparatives were ready to report. 202 Despairing of any 
 report, unless of their own making, the monthly meeting 
 appointed a committee of nine men to visit all the prepara- 
 
 194 Min. Exeter Mo. Mtg., 10 16 1758, 301. 
 196 /Wd., 11301758, 307. 
 iw lbid., 4 27 1774, 212. 
 ivj lbid., 4 29 1762, 430; 
 I9 *lbid., 2 25 1778, 309; 
 Ibid., 5261779, 346 
 11291780, 383. 
 200 Ibid., 8291781, 436. 
 ., 8281782, 474. 
 i 26 1785, 503. 
 
 7261764, 519. 
 
 12301778, 336. 
 
 7281779, 350; 11241779, 361;
 
 Education in Philadelphia 
 
 81 
 
 tives and report what they thought of their schools. 203 
 They produced the following statement. 
 
 Most of the committee appointed two months ago to take into con- 
 sideration and report the state of schools have given attention to the 
 service ; and divers of us have attended each of the preparative meetings 
 belonging to this meeting and after a time of conference thereon, 'tis 
 agreed to report, there is no school within the village of Exeter Prepara- 
 tive Meeting under the care of Friends; But we are of the mind that it 
 is necessary that one be established there; and although work has been 
 begun, yet we have but little expectation of its accomplishment in a 
 short time; 
 
 That there is a . . . . school at Maiden Creek kept by Thomas 
 Pearson, a Friend, who is at present engaged for a year, has 15 scholars 
 entered for that time and 8 quarterly ditto scholars at the rate of 4O/ 
 per annum for each, which is under the direction of three overseers 
 chosen by the employers; The school house built on a piece of ground 
 belonging to a Friend which contains about five acres. There is like- 
 wise a school at Reading kept by Benjamin Parks and wife in their own 
 house; they are members of the society and have about 50 scholars; 
 such as spell at 7/6 and others at io/ per quarter but is not under the 
 direction of the meeting, nor are there any overseers chosen to superin- 
 tend the same, yet we are of the mind a school established there under 
 proper regulations and care of the monthly meeting, might be useful 
 and deserves encouragement. 
 
 The schools within the verge of Robeson Monthly Meeting are kept 
 by a person who inclines to go to our meetings, has about 20 scholars, 
 amounting to about 34 per annum. Endeavors are also used to get a 
 school established there upon a better plan and near the direction of the 
 yearly meeting, but how far they may be successful is at present un- 
 known. We do therefore recommend the whole to the notion of allevia- 
 tion of the Monthly Meeting as a matter wherein friends are deeply 
 interested. 
 
 Which we submit to the Meeting. 
 
 Amos Lee, Thomas Lightfoot, Samuel Hughes, Fannie Ambree, Owen 
 Hughes, (which was approved by the Monthly Meeting, and decided 
 that the substance be made a report to the Quarterly Meeting The 
 Committee to be continued to the service of Schools and report in the 
 future). 104 
 
 Maiden Creek was at this time (1784) making earnest 
 efforts to meet the standards set by the general meeting. In 
 the eleventh month they requested a number of persons to be 
 named to whom they might give a deed of trust for the ground 
 
 Report of the 
 committee 
 
 No school 
 of Exeter 
 Preparative 
 
 A school at 
 
 Maiden 
 
 Creek 
 
 School at 
 Reading 
 
 School at 
 Robeson 
 
 Maiden 
 Creek 
 
 secures land 
 for school 
 
 ZOJ Min. Exeter Mo. Mtg., 2 25 1784, 307. 
 Iind. t 4281784, siof.
 
 82 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Attempt to 
 establish 
 school at 
 Reading 
 
 Committee 
 report on 
 Reading 
 school 
 
 School dis- 
 continued 
 
 agreed upon for the use of their school. 205 Three were sug- 
 gested and the deed and declaration of trust accordingly 
 drawn up. Efforts in the meantime had been made towards 
 establishing a school at Reading and a committee to conduct 
 a subscription for that purpose named. 206 Help was solicited 
 from the yearly meeting, but James Pemberton answered for 
 that body that there was no money to be spared at the time, 
 so Reading was advised to build such a house as their circum- 
 stances would permit. 207 Near the close of 1787 those having 
 direct charge thereof made the following report of their 
 progress : 
 
 We the committee appointed to have the school education of youth 
 under care, have given close attention to a school proposed to be opened 
 in a short time at Reading by Caleb Johnson, in a house now in building 
 by Friends there, and nearly finished, which we are of the mind should 
 be under particular care and direction of the monthly meeting; and 
 that it may be well that a committee be thereby appointed to superin- 
 tend and monthly to visit said school; we have also drawn up 
 and agreed on certain rules to be observed and attended to by the 
 employers, master and scholars concerned therein for the regulation and 
 well ordering thereof: which we have ready for the examination and 
 inspection of the monthly meeting if thought necessary. All which we 
 submit thereto. Signed on behalf of the committee, Francis Parvin. 
 
 . . Which minute being read was allowed of and it was directed that 
 a copy thereof be kept in open view in said school and that the original 
 be lodged among the meeting papers; Benjamin Pearson, Samuel 
 Jackson, John Mears, Francis Parvin, -Johannes Lee, Jr., and James 
 Iddings are appointed to have the said school under care and visit it 
 once a month or oftener as necessity may require and report of their care. 
 The former committee is continued. 208 
 
 After the school had been in progress two years, Samuel 
 Jackson reported that it "appeared to be in an increasing 
 way" 209 but its prosperity was not to be long continued. In 
 1705 it was reported "discontinued," 210 and no reason assigned 
 for it excepting "the situation of the Friends there" which, 
 taking into consideration the shortage of funds when it was 
 begun, we may infer, had reference to the financial situation. 
 
 20B Min. Exeter Mo. Mtg., n 
 tw lbid., 2281787, 39. 
 Ibid., 6271787, 50. 
 20 *Ibid., 10311787, 6of. 
 I09 Ibid., 2 26 1789, 122. 
 d., 1281795, 283. 
 
 -241784, 524.
 
 Education in Philadelphia 83 
 
 The action of the monthly meeting in regard to it was left 
 entirely to their own judgment. 211 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 In this chapter we have considered the schools of Phila- 
 delphia (city and county), and also those at Exeter Monthly 
 Meeting, which belonged to the Philadelphia Quarter. 
 
 Education in the Quaker colony was initially provided for 
 in the instrument of government, drawn up before the 
 Proprietary left England; in accord with said provisions the 
 first school (Flower's) was set up by the Council in 1683. 
 Thereafter, however, the initiative was usually taken by the 
 Quaker meeting, which in 1689 set up a school and in 1697 
 applied for a charter under the laws of the province. This 
 petition was granted andPenn gave the first charter in 1701. 
 Later charters, in 1708 and 1711, granted extended privileges; 
 by the last one the body of overseers were made self-per- 
 petuating, and thus as independent of the meeting as they 
 wished to be. The letter said to have been written to Thomas 
 Lloyd, which credits Penn with suggesting the school of 1689, 
 has not yet been discovered. 
 
 The earliest masters were Keith, Makin, Pastorius, and 
 Cadwalader. Mistresses were mentioned in connection with 
 the schools from about 1699, Olive Songhurst being the first 
 one named. Salaries were not high and seem in some cases 
 to have hardly sufficed for the family of the master; increases 
 were made upon complaint. Extra duties for the teacher 
 included keeping charge of the boys and girls in meet- 
 ing. From 1689 to 1779 the system increased from employ- 
 ing one to one which required nine. In 1784 ten were 
 reported. 
 
 Philadelphia Friends' schools were first supported by (i) 
 rates and (2) subscriptions, while (3) legacies and special gifts 
 soon came to form a considerable item in their support. 
 Bequests were also a factor in the support of the Negro School. 
 Funds were occasionally raised by bond issues, and derived 
 from tenements built on school property. 
 
 Scope of 
 chapter 
 
 Education to 
 be function 
 of govern- 
 ment 
 
 First school 
 
 School estab- 
 lished by 
 monthly 
 meeting 
 
 Overseers 
 made inde- 
 pendent 
 
 Earliest 
 masters and 
 mistresses 
 
 Growth of 
 system 
 
 Means of 
 support 
 
 lu Min. Exeter Mo. Mtg., 2 25 1795, 285.
 
 8 4 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Place of 
 first schools 
 
 Property by 
 purchase 
 and gift 
 
 Overseers 
 more inde- 
 pendent 
 
 Byberry 
 
 Germantown 
 
 Exeter 
 
 Monthly 
 
 Maidencreek 
 
 Reading 
 
 Robeson 
 
 Schools were first held in rented property and in the 
 meeting house, but in 1698 steps were taken to purchase 
 property of Lionell Brittain for the use of schools. Property 
 was received as a gift from Samuel Carpenter in 1701. The 
 first record of a schoolhouse was the one to be begun in 1701. 
 In accord with their charter rights the power and indepen- 
 dence of the overseers increased. In 1725 the monthly 
 meeting conveyed to them all money and the titles for all 
 school property. The Negro School was provided with a 
 building in 1771. The end of the century is marked by the 
 establishment by the yearly meeting of a Boarding School at 
 Westtown in Chester County. 
 
 The exact date of Byberry's first school is not determined; 
 but must have been early, since Richard Brockden is reported 
 to have been schoolmaster there in 1711. School activity, 
 however, seems to have increased greatly near the middle of 
 the century. The school was under the care of a standing 
 committee, which was to visit schools every six weeks and 
 make two reports thereon each year. Poor children were 
 schooled by the trustees of the school funds. 
 
 Germantown school began in 1702, though perhaps an 
 evening school existed before that date. Pastorius continued 
 in this school as master, at least until 1718. The official 
 language used in the school was probably English. The 
 names of the first patrons were all German; a large number 
 of English names among them in 1 708 is an indication of how 
 the school and its master were regarded. 
 
 In 1758 youths' meetings were established by Exeter, but 
 no school committee was appointed until 1778. This com- 
 mittee accomplished nothing and made no report of value. 
 By a report of 1784, Maidencreek, Reading, and Robeson were 
 credited with one school each, which measured up in some 
 ways to the desired standards. Exeter had none. The 
 Reading School was discontinued in 1795. 
 
 The total number of schools reported at Philadelphia, 
 Germantown, Byberry, and Exeter monthly meeting, was 
 fifteen.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 SCHOOLS OF BUCKS COUNTY 
 
 The establishment of schools in Bucks County will be 
 discussed (i) under the head of the monthly meetings therein 
 situated and (2) in the order of their establishment in point 
 of time. The several monthly meetings and their dates of 
 establishment, respectively, are as follows: Falls, 1683; 
 Middletown, 1683 (known as Neshaminy until 1706); 
 Buckingham, set off from Falls, 1720; Wrightstown, set off 
 from Buckingham, 1734; and Richland, set off from Gwynedd 
 (in Montgomery County) in I742. 1 Of these meetings, all 
 were a part of Bucks Quarterly Meeting save Richland, which 
 belonged to that of Abington. 2 
 
 The first way in which the early Quakers usually looked 
 after education was to arrange for a useful apprenticeship 
 suitable to the individual, which was calculated to enable 
 him or her to earn a living. The moral training was always 
 considered when an apprentice was to be placed. The 
 placing of youths as apprentices was in the charge of Friends 
 appointed by the monthly meeting. The early records of 
 Falls Monthly Meeting show them active in regard to this 
 type of education. In 1 704 this report was made before the 
 meeting. 
 
 A complaint having been made to this meeting that the children of 
 Abraham Clement are not placed out to the satisfaction of Friends, it is 
 the mind of this meeting that the Friends formerly appointed do take 
 care to speak with Samuel Carpenter and Benjamin Collins about them, 
 and make report to next meeting. 3 
 
 A similar one of 1714 points out the continued interest and 
 attention in that respect. 
 
 J Bunting, pp. 30, 31, 33, 32, and 28 respectively; also first volumes of 
 t he respective Records. 
 *Ibid., 28. 
 3 Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., n 3 1704, 128. 
 
 (85) 
 
 Schools of 
 five monthly 
 meetings to 
 be discussed 
 
 Apprentice- 
 ship looked 
 after by 
 meetings; 
 placed 
 among 
 Friends
 
 86 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Moral 
 education 
 in youths' 
 meetings; 
 
 established 
 by Bucks 
 Quarterly 
 
 Question as 
 to early 
 school at 
 Falls 
 
 It being proposed to this meeting that there is a necessity of some 
 Friends being appointed to take care about placing out John Linton's 
 children as apprentices, therefore this meeting doth appoint Joseph 
 Kirkbride, Thomas Watson, Jr., and Joseph Fell to care about placing 
 them out. 4 
 
 Another phase of education, more particularly the moral, 
 was cared for in the youths' meetings, which were established 
 at intervals, usually not more than four or five times during 
 the year. It was the practice for the youths' meetings to be 
 established by the quarterly meetings, in conjunction with 
 representatives of the monthly meetings. In 1713, Bucks 
 Quarterly took up the re-establishment of those within their 
 limits, and ordered them accordingly, as the following extract 
 states. 
 
 It being thought necessary by this meeting that the youths' meeting 
 be once a year at Buckingham, once a year at Bristol and but once a year 
 at Falls and once at Middletown, therefore agreed that they be on the 
 days .... etc. 5 
 
 To locate the date of the first school at Falls is difficult; 
 it seems impossible to do so from the information to be 
 gleaned from the records We may be certain, however, 
 that there was a school in the neighborhood at a very early 
 date, though we can hardly determine the year. In 1730 the 
 following request was made of the meeting : 
 
 Some Friends of Falls Meeting requested to have the use of the old 
 schoolhouse, and it wanting repairing, they would repair it at their own 
 charge, which is left to be considered at next meeting. 6 
 
 The presence in their vicinity, of an old schoolhouse which, 
 moreover, needed repairs before it could be used, would 
 indicate that a school had been there for a number of years. 
 Taking fifteen years as a very moderate span for the life of 
 the building, before it should need any considerable repairs 
 we could state with a good degree of assurance that the school 
 building had probably been built not later than 1715, and 
 that the school daced back to that time at the very latest. 7 
 
 *Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 10 i 1714, 195. 
 
 6 Min. Bucks Q. Mtg., 12 25 1713. 
 
 6 Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 7 2 1730, 282. 
 
 7 The fact that Falls Meeting recommended Buckingham Friends to 
 build a schoolhouse in 1706 (Bucks Quarterly Records, 3 30 1706) 
 would seem to favor the view that they themselves were supplied.
 
 Schools of Bucks County 
 
 But at the next meeting this encounters a very dangerous 
 obstruction. That meeting, referring to the request of the 
 seventh month, second, speaks of "the request about having 
 the old meetinghouse," instead of, old schoolhouse.* It further 
 mentions that it was desired for the purpose of a school. 9 
 From this it appears that the truth of our above conclusion 
 depends upon the accuracy of the records for seventh month, 
 second, 1730 and for eighth month, seventh, 1730. If the 
 record of the first date is correct our conclusion is unfounded 
 and the date for the first established school can probably be 
 placed about 1 730, or shortly thereafter. 10 
 
 The records for the next thirty years reveal but little of the 
 activities of the schools in Falls Monthly Meeting, though we 
 are led to believe them in continuance, but perhaps not 
 regularly. In 1759 the meeting had agreed to allow a house 
 to be built on their grounds for the accommodation of a school 
 master, but the house was not built there, since Mahlon 
 Kirkbride had already purchased some adjoining ground on 
 which there was a house built for that purpose. 11 The said 
 Kirkbride offered to convey the same property to some 
 Friends, in trust for the meeting, and Robert Lucas, Story 
 Kirkbride, Mahlon Kirkbride, Jr., Jonathan Palmer, Jr., and 
 Edward Bayly, Jr., were appointed to receive the conveyance. 
 This is the first record of any permanent benefaction received. 
 In 1 7 83 the urgent Advices of the Yearly Meeting being brought 
 to their attention, 12 a committee was appointed which 
 reported the results of their investigation up to that time in 
 the following manner. 
 
 We, the committee appointed, in the first month 1779 respecting the 
 institution of schools for the instruction of our children in useful learning, 
 having conferred together .... agree to report that we have 
 divers times met and had this important matter under our .... 
 consideration, and are desirous that this important subject and neces- 
 sary care should meet with every proper encouragement and improve- 
 ment; and we may inform the meeting that there have been several 
 improvements made on the lot of ground lately purchased from Samuel 
 
 8 Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 8 7 1730, 284. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Ibid., 5 41 733. 
 
 "Ibid., 1311759. 
 
 "Ibid., 1231783, 358. 
 
 Contradic- 
 tion in the 
 minutes of 
 Falls 
 
 House for 
 masters' ac- 
 commodation 
 proposed in 
 1759 
 
 Property 
 conveyed to 
 trustees for 
 use of schcols 
 
 Report of 
 school com- 
 mittee
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Ground pur- 
 chased for 
 use of school 
 
 Standing 
 committee on 
 education 
 recom- 
 mended; and 
 visitation 
 
 Monthly 
 meetings' 
 committee 
 to join 
 those of the 
 preparatives 
 
 Three schools 
 reported 
 
 Individual 
 aid 
 
 Rhoads for the advantage of the school and benefit of the master, and 
 that the committee have endeavored to encourage and pay for the 
 schooling of such poor children as are in the limits of the school kept at 
 or near this place whose parents are in low circumstances and are willing 
 to accept thereof. We have likewise extended our consideration and 
 views to the schools belonging to the other preparative meetings, and 
 although the circumstances of things at present do not afford so promis- 
 ing and encouraging a prospect as we could desire, yet we are desirous 
 that every proper encouragement may be afforded to promote the good 
 and necessary work, therefore, we are free to propose to the meeting's 
 consideration that of having a standing committee appointed for this 
 purpose by the monthly meeting, and that each preparative meeting 
 should likewise appoint a committee for the like purpose that should 
 have this important matter under their consideration in order to pro- 
 mote this so necessary care in their respective meetings; and that the 
 said meeting's committee should at proper and suitable times visit the 
 several preparative meetings' schools and unite with the said preparative 
 meetings' committees in affording and giving such help and assistance 
 as to them from time to time may appear necessary in order to promote 
 this so good and necessary a work and care. Signed at the desire and 
 on behalf of the committee, by James Moon. 13 
 
 In accord with the above report the monthly meeting 
 urged each preparative meeting to appoint a committee on 
 schools; the monthly meeting named James Moon, John 
 Merrick, Jonathan Kirkbride, William Satterthwaite, Wil- 
 liam Bidgood, Jr., John Stapler and Joseph Gillingham to 
 join with those of the preparatives for that service. 14 Five 
 months thereafter they reported, 
 
 The three several schools kept within compass of our respective 
 preparative meetings are conducted in some measure under the care of a 
 committee of Friends appointed for that purpose and that the several 
 teachers are members of our society. 15 
 
 The three preparative meetings were Falls, Makefield, and 
 Bristol, the last named being transferred to Middletown in 
 i788. 16 Wakefield Meeting was considerably assisted by 
 help from private sources; they reported to the monthly 
 meeting in 1787: 
 
 We hereby inform the monthly meeting that lately there has been a 
 house built on the ground belonging to Makefield Preparative Meeting 
 
 13 Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 2 4 1784, 363. 
 "Ibid., 331784, 366. 
 1& Ibid., 8 4 1784, 376. 
 "Bunting, 37.
 
 Schools of Bucks County 
 
 89 
 
 for the accommodation of a school master, chiefly at the expense of 
 Bernard Taylor, which he is desirous should be under use for that pur- 
 pose, to be subject to a moderate yearly rent to be paid to Friends of that 
 meeting for the use of the said meeting: the said house to be their 
 property and under the care and the direction of said meeting with the 
 advice and assistance of the Falls Monthly Meeting as occasion may 
 require. 17 
 
 In 1790 a committee of the quarterly meeting was appointed 
 to confer with those of the monthly meetings on schools, 
 hoping that the union of all might be more productive of 
 results than all working separately. 18 In 1794 plans were 
 set on foot for a new schoolhouse at Falls Preparative, said 
 house to be two stories in height and about twenty-two feet 
 by thirty. 19 It was to be placed "near the line" of the 
 meeting's land at the west end of the meeting house. The 
 monthly meeting was to pay 75, the employers who 
 are members, 75, and the school committee 50 from 
 the money arising from donations left for the purposes of 
 schools. The house was not built until 1799, due to some 
 unknown delay; its dimensions were twenty-four by twenty- 
 six feet, one story high, with a cellar of the same dimensions. 20 
 
 In 1797 the attention of the monthly meeting was called 
 to the proposals of the yearly meeting for the founding of a 
 boarding school. 21 Copies of the printed rules proposed for 
 its government had been received, and a committee was 
 appointed to distribute them and to take subscriptions from 
 any who were interested to contribute. 22 
 
 The problem of school support occupied a considerable 
 part of Falls Meeting's time. The means of support were 
 here, as in others already mentioned, (i) subscriptions, (2) 
 donations and (3) rates. In 1760 it was considered necessary 
 to appoint a committee of fourteen members to take an 
 inventory of all legacies and donations, lands and benefactions 
 which had been left to the meeting. 23 Some had been given 
 for definitely stated uses; and others allowed the application 
 
 "Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 8 81787, 440. 
 n lbid., 2 3 1790, 52. 
 19 /Wd., 12 3 1794, 169. 
 *Ibid., 941799, 283. 
 "See page 73! 
 
 M Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., I 4 1797, 217. 
 ., 4 2 1760. 
 
 New building 
 proposed at 
 Falls; not 
 built till later 
 
 Attention 
 called to 
 the boarding 
 school 
 
 Support of 
 schools in 
 Falls 
 Monthly
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 A committee 
 to have over- 
 sight of 
 education of 
 the poor 
 
 Rhoads pro- 
 poses to sell 
 land for a 
 school; 
 considered 
 
 to be determined by the members of the meeting. It was the 
 will of the assembly that the committee appointed should 
 especially determine what funds might be applied to the use 
 of the schools. They reported at the next meeting that the 
 legacy left by Elinor Bryner might be applied to the use of 
 schools, along with those given definitely for that purpose. 24 
 The method by which the funds were to be applied to that 
 use were indicated in the suggestions of the committee at a 
 later meeting, as follows : 
 
 We .... are of the opinion that the most that can be done at 
 present, will be to appoint Friends to have the care of the schools and to 
 examine what poor children may be amongst us, they being the proper 
 objects of the charity designated by the givers of the money, and that the 
 said Friends have power to agree with a master to teach such children; 
 and also to draw orders for the payment thereof out of the interest aris- 
 ing from the money appropriated to the use of schools. Nominated 
 seven Friends for that service and submitted the names and the report 
 to the monthly meeting. The Friends above named are appointed to 
 that service with the powers therein mentioned and are desired to lay an 
 account before the monthly meeting at least once in each year and of tener 
 if the meeting shall see fit to call for it. 26 
 
 Such a plan as here indicated was consistently followed 
 throughout the century in regard to school support. The 
 interest on legacies had to be paid annually. 26 
 
 In 1781 the meeting was advised that Samuel Rhoads of 
 Philadelphia had offered to sell four acres of ground adjoin- 
 ing the schoolhouse lot, to be used for the promotion of the 
 school, and the benefit of the schoolmasters. 27 The con- 
 sideration asked was 60, and Rhoads and his two brothers- 
 in-law, Joseph Pemberton and Samuel Pleasants, offered to 
 donate 20, making it cost the meeting but 40. The 
 committee on school support was directed to consider this 
 proposal. Bristol Preparative also received very valuable 
 assistance for the use of poor children's schooling, in the 
 bequest of 50 Pennsylvania currency which was left them 
 by John Baldwin of Philadelphia. 28 The great concern of 
 
 24 Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 5 7 1760. 
 Ibid., 7 2 1760. 
 Ibid., 961780, 278. 
 
 10 3 1781, 304. 
 ., 93 17%3, 354-
 
 Schools of Bucks County 
 
 the meeting for the best expenditure of these donations for 
 educating not only the poor Whites but also the Negroes, is 
 seen in their minute of lySy. 29 Careful account was kept and 
 the accounts frequently audited, sometimes at the request of 
 individuals. 30 In 1790 the committee reported their concerns 
 as follows: 
 
 We the committee appointed by the monthly meeting to have the care 
 of schooling poor children; also to have the distribution of the interests 
 accruing on the several donations given for that use, have given atten- 
 tion to the service to which we were appointed: and the schooling a 
 considerable number of children has accordingly been paid for, but as it 
 is allowed that a change of the teacher at times may be useful or advan- 
 tageous to a school, we are united in the sentiment that if such a change 
 was to take place in the school kept at this place, it would be a means 
 whereby the school might be considerably enlarged and the design and 
 end of the several donations left for the use of the said school more fully 
 answered. (Report submitted and accepted and the committee con- 
 tinued to the further service.) 31 
 
 The establishment of these permanent funds was fre- 
 quently expressed by the numerous committees as the most 
 important consideration for the execution of the school idea. 
 They attempted again and again to provide a uniform means 
 of establishing such funds, but due to the unequal circum- 
 stances of the several meetings it was impossible to do so. 32 
 The uniform plan was kept as an ideal to be striven for and 
 recommended to the quarterly meeting for its advisement in 
 the matter; 33 in the meantime individual contributions were 
 urged on all who felt inclined to endow a worthy cause.* 
 The amounts given were frequent though small, many of them 
 being about S. M 
 
 In addition to the local expenses of the meetings, (i) for 
 worship, (2) for the use of schools, (3) for the maintenance of 
 the poor, etc., there were also quotas to be raised for the yearly 
 meeting stock, which added materially to the burden of each 
 
 "Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 12 5 1787, 444. 
 to lbid., 1141789, 19. 
 31 Ibid., 8 4 1790, 41. 
 "Ibid., 761791, 68. 
 
 *Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 12 6 1797, 238. 
 
 n lbid. "Ibid., 10 5 1796, 210. 
 
 Establish- 
 ment of 
 funds of 
 basic im- 
 portance
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 of the preparative meetings. The quota for the meetings 
 belonging to Falls in 1797 was 5oo. 36 
 
 If we may look over the Quaker treasurer's shoulder as he 
 runs his accounts at the end of the century, we find him 
 situated financially as follows: 
 
 We the committee appointed to examine and settle the Treasurer's 
 accounts, having attended thereto, find a balance in his hands of 
 136/8/11 school money; also, 3/10/7 poor money; and 9/00/00 of 
 interest received on John Large's legacy, making the whole 148/19/6, 
 in the treasurer's hands, and the monies upon interest stand as in the 
 following statement, viz. 
 
 Bonds for School Money 
 
 bond for 
 
 ii it ii ii 
 
 legacy without a bond " 
 bond for 
 
 25 o/ 
 
 Included in a bond of 75 
 
 Interest due on school money 
 
 And one year's rent on house and lot 
 
 And one year's rent on house and lot 
 
 50 
 
 50 
 
 50 
 
 130 
 
 100 
 
 50 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 777/9/4^ 
 
 40/00/11 
 12/00/00 
 
 l2/OO/OO S6 
 
 The Middletown Meeting began its educational work more 
 promptly than did Falls. 37 Ten years after the first establish- 
 ment of the meeting a request was brought forward as 
 follows : 
 
 Some Friends have signified the likeliness of having a schoolmaster 
 hereabouts to instruct children and also requested that they might have 
 the privilege to teach in the meeting house, to which this meeting does 
 give their free consent, provided it be no hindrance to Friends Meetings. 38 
 
 It is quite probable that the school established as requested, 
 was a temporary and irregular affair, depending on the will 
 
 8& Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 2 5 1797, 238." **Ibid., ii 6^1799 288. 
 "References for Middletown are to their transcribed minutes in the 
 Pub. of Gen. Soc. of Pa., H. S. P. 
 18 G. S. P. P., No. 66, p. 64.
 
 Schools of Bucks County 
 
 93 
 
 of the individual patrons. Certainly, it had not any official 
 connection with the meeting, and probably did not have for 
 many years. In 1699, a request similar to that of 1693 was 
 made by Thomas Stackhouse and others, desiring the use of 
 the meeting house for a schoolmaster, 39 which implies they 
 had not advanced much beyond their state of 1693. This 
 request was likewise granted, provided no hindrance be 
 caused to the meetings. 
 
 Because of very inadequate records in this regard, much is 
 left to be surmised concerning the continuation of the schools 
 thus early begun. The meeting was in continual touch with 
 the desires and proposals of the yearly meeting, 40 and it does 
 not seem justifiable to suppose that education languished, 
 because scant records of it remain. The general tone of their 
 minutes is one of self-satisfaction, and implies that they 
 themselves were well pleased with their state. The elaborate 
 recommendations of the yearly meeting in 17 so 41 did not 
 meet with their approval as they thought it quite impossible 
 for those members living remote in the country districts. 42 
 That they disagreed with the plan indicates neither a lack of 
 interest in the subject, nor a lack of schools in their locality. 
 Rather, it may indicate the opposite. 
 
 In 1755 there was made the first donation to a permanent 
 foundation for a free school. 43 At a meeting in that year an 
 extract of Adam Barker's will was produced, where it 
 appeared he had, 
 
 given a sum of money to them with others in trust to be employed 
 toward raising a fund for settling and maintaining a Free School under 
 the care and direction of this meeting . . . shall and will therewith 
 purchase an annuity or yearly ground rent, or in such other manner as 
 they may think most proper employ the said "Sum (40) towards raising 
 a fund for settling and maintaining a Free School in Middletown afore- 
 said, under the direction and control of the monthly Meeting of Friends 
 there. 4 ' 
 
 Whether there was a new school erected as a result of the 
 bequest or whether it was turned to the use of one already 
 
 "J. S. P. P., 111699, 114- 
 
 *Ibid., 10 61772, 407; 171733, 578. 
 
 "Advices of the Burlington and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 250. 
 
 ^Min. Middletown Mo. Mtg., 6 I 1751, 679. 
 
 "Ibid., 871755, ii. 
 
 Again 
 requested 
 
 Middletown 
 not in har- 
 mony with 
 yearly meet- 
 ing's pro- 
 posals 
 
 Donation 
 1 755 for a 
 free school 
 
 Under con- 
 trol of 
 monthly 
 meeting
 
 94 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 All details 
 under the 
 care of a 
 committee 
 on schools 
 
 New com- 
 mittee 
 appointed 
 
 Activities 
 of the com- 
 mittee not 
 effective 
 
 existing does not appear; the latter suggestion is much the 
 more probable. The advices of 1777 and 1778 and the years 
 following aroused the members to the responsibilities which 
 they must accept. In 1779 they made report as follows: 
 
 Although it appears that the education of the youth has been too 
 much neglected, we believe there is an increasing care that Friends may 
 be more careful in that weighty concern. 44 
 
 And in 1870: 
 
 We believe a good degree of care is taken by some in regard to the 
 education of those under their care, and that an increase in that is 
 necessary. 45 
 
 All questions in regard to schools or educational affairs 
 whatsoever were dismissed summarily, and given to the 
 charge of the committee on schools. 46 A committee reported 
 in 1782 that nothing had been done more than to visit the 
 school they already had. 4 '' The failure to bring forth results 
 may have been with the committee; at any rate the meeting 
 decided to try a new one. 
 
 This meeting taking into consideration the several matters recom- 
 mended in the extracts .... respecting the education of the 
 youth and their school tuition, are of the opinion that a reappointment 
 on those important subjects is necessary; wherefore, Woolston J. 
 Paxson, W. Blakeley, J. Watson and R. Hartshorne are appointed as 
 committee to those services, and they are desired to closely attend 
 thereto in order that the present and former advices may be carried as 
 fully into execution as possible. 48 
 
 In 1785 this committee reported that visits had been made 
 to families in the interests of education but that little was 
 effected. 49 The committee was released and the considera- 
 tion of education left to the next meeting, 80 at which a new 
 committee of three was appointed. This one, so far as their 
 record goes, was neither more active nor more successful than 
 the others. In 1 7 88 they report ' ' nothing much has been done 
 in respect to schools since last year," which report was sent 
 
 44 Min. Middletown Mo. Mtg., 8 5 1779, 445. 
 
 "Ibid., 831780, 481. 
 
 "Ibid 971780, 484; 871783, 557. 
 
 "Ibid., 811782, 537. 
 
 **Ibid., 12 4 1783, 562. 
 
 "Ibid., 161785, 586.
 
 Schools of Bucks County 
 
 95 
 
 to the yearly meeting. 51 The record is not complete to the 
 end of the century, but for the period considered does not 
 offer any evidence of more than passing educational interest 
 and activity. Nothing unusual is to be noted in the finance 
 and support of the school at Middletown. Mention was 
 made of Barker's will, which, it seems, was the first legacy 
 left to its benefit. 52 
 
 The attention of the meeting was early given to the care 
 of the orphans and the poor, and especially to their satisfac- 
 tory placement among people as apprentices. The following 
 from the records for 1699 will serve for illustration. 
 
 It is agreed and concluded upon by this meeting that the meeting take 
 care of all Friends children that are left as orphans and unsettled, to 
 inspect and see that all such be taken care of and settled in the best and 
 suitablest manner according to their capacity, that thereby they may 
 discharge their duty and all such be eased by taking such due care. . . . 
 
 The attention of Buckingham Meeting was also turned 
 toward the education of apprentices, and careful scrutiny 
 given those who removed to apprentice themselves else- 
 where, as also those who removed to Buckingham Meeting. 
 In 1764 Mahlon Michener, son of John, removed his certifi- 
 cate to Philadelphia, "having been placed as apprentice" in 
 the vicinity of that meeting. 53 John Parry, minor, an appren- 
 tice to Thomas Fell, blacksmith, produced a certificate in 
 Abington Monthly, 54 which was accepted and also that of 
 Isaac Gommere from the same place. 55 The poor were pro- 
 vided for by the legacy left for that purpose by John Holcomb 
 in I749- 56 Whether this might, a part of it, have been spent 
 for schooling is not known. 
 
 In 1755 there was a minute entered in the records to the 
 effect that a legacy had been left to Buckingham by their 
 deceased friend Adam Harker, for the purpose of establishing 
 a free school in that place. 67 The amount of the bequest was 
 the same (40) as that left to the Middletown Meeting by 
 
 51 Min. Middletown Mo. Mtg., 871788, 668. 
 
 M See page 93. 
 
 M Min. Buckingham Mo. Mtg. Extracts, 7 2 1764, 114. 
 
 "Ibid., 541772, 155. 
 
 K Ibid., 9 2 1776, 179. 
 
 **Ibid., 2 3 1749, 6l. 
 
 Ubid., 551755, 79- 
 
 Care of poor 
 orphan; ap- 
 prenticing 
 
 Buckingham 
 
 Apprentices; 
 care in their 
 certification 
 
 Harker 
 legacy for a 
 free school
 
 9 6 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Committee 
 appointed 
 on schools 
 
 Visiting 
 schools 
 required 
 
 Committee's 
 recommenda- 
 tions 
 
 Harker. 58 This was the first bequest for definite school pur- 
 poses; the indications are that many followed. In 1778, a 
 minute gives their financial status as 244/4/11^ and they 
 entertained a proposition and concluded to raise 500 more. 59 
 At the same time, the recommendations from the yearly 
 meeting being read, 60 a committee of the following persons 
 was appointed for investigation and assistance on the subject 
 of schools, viz.: Paul Preston, Joseph Watson, Joseph 
 Preston, John Gillingham, Benjamin Paxson, Benjamin 
 Kinsey, Thomas Watson, Joseph Eastburn, John Kinsey, 
 John Balderston, Jonathan Shaw, Benjamin Cutler, Thomas 
 Good, Jr., John Brown, and Robert Kirkbride. 61 The action 
 of this committee is not brought out in the minutes of the 
 meeting. 
 
 The quarterly meeting made a new appeal in 1780 for a 
 more decided action by the various tributary meetings which 
 was followed by the appointment of a new committee. 62 
 They were requested to "visit the school" for the "help and 
 assistance" of the master and to report their action to a 
 future meeting. In the twelfth month of the same year they 
 made these recommendations: 
 
 The committee appointed for the proper establishment and regulation 
 of schools made report in writing that it is their sense and judgment that 
 the monthly meeting should recommend to the particular meetings 
 severally, to promote subscriptions toward the setting up and building 
 upon their meeting's lands as may be convenient for schoolhouses and 
 such conveniences as may accommodate settled persons who live near 
 the same, as also to encourage their contributions toward making up 
 funds or salaries for the constant support of schools therein which is 
 recommended to the preparative meetings. 63 
 
 A new committee was appointed in 1784.^ They con- 
 vened with the committees of the preparatives and discussed 
 the recommendations and means suggested by the yearly 
 meeting. Their conclusion was to the effect that one thing 
 in the recommendations was absolutely necessary, namely, 
 
 58 See page 93. 
 
 69 Min. Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 12 7 1778, 194. 
 
 60 Advices, 250. 
 
 61 Min. Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 12 7 1778, 194. 
 
 *Ibid., 941780, 206. 
 
 ^Ibid., 12 13 1780, 210. 
 
 M Ibid., 151784, 234.
 
 Schools of Bucks County 
 
 97 
 
 that all funds, legacies, properties, etc., provided for the 
 schools, should be vested in trustees for that purpose. 65 
 Without taking this step they saw no way to attain even the 
 least success. It was further suggested that the trustees or 
 committee thus appointed should investigate the present 
 houses for schools, their condition and location, in each of the 
 particular meetings, that a wiser plan might be followed in 
 locating the new ones. The meeting considering the report 
 decided to adopt its suggestions and accordingly appointed 
 thirteen men, 
 
 to inspect into the state of such schools as are now kept and where it 
 may be necessary, to promote others, 
 
 and make a report as soon as possible. 66 Its report, produced 
 in the first month, 1785, was quite long. Only the essential 
 points of it are given in the following digest. 67 
 
 1. Most of the committee appointed met and decided to 
 confirm the former committee's report. 
 
 2. We find that there are many schoolhouses within the 
 bounds that include the members of the meeting. 
 
 a. These are not well situated for the service of schools. 
 
 b. Some are well situated, however, as (i) one on land 
 granted by Samuel Eastburn and vested in the 
 school trustees, (2) one on land granted by Thomas 
 Goode, vested in members of the meeting, but not 
 in trust for the meeting. 
 
 3. They suggest that these two houses be used as pre- 
 viously and that new houses be erected not more than three 
 miles apart. 
 
 4. They maintain an uncertain state has prevailed among 
 the schools. 
 
 5. The following places are recommended for new schools 
 to be built: 
 
 a. At the schoolhouse near Samuel Eastburn's. 
 
 b. On the work road between William Jitchin's and 
 Thomas Rose's. 
 
 c. On the road from Newtown to CoryelTs Ferry. 
 
 Appointment 
 of trustees 
 necessary 
 
 Summary of 
 committee's 
 report of 
 1785 
 
 . Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 3 i 1784, 236. 
 "Ibid. 
 67 Ibid., 131785, 3I7-
 
 98 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 New school 
 property of 
 Solebury 
 and Buck- 
 ingham 
 
 Problem of 
 
 funds 
 
 attacked 
 
 Subscription 
 
 form 
 
 presented 
 
 d. At the intersection of the lower work road and the 
 street road. 
 
 e. Near the south side of Watson Weldin's land. 
 
 f. On Durham Road near Thomas Gilbert's. 
 
 g. On Plumstead's Meeting House land. 
 
 h. And at the schoolhouse near Thomas Goode's. 68 
 It was thought such divisions would as nearly answer the 
 needs as rivers and mountains would permit, and would 
 provide for all of Buckingham territory and a little of Wrights- 
 town. Any variation from this proposed building plan was 
 desired to be brought before the committee for their judg- 
 ment and acquiescence. In accordance with this suggestion 
 the Friends of Solebury (1785) requested the assistance and 
 advice of the committee in locating their school which they 
 desired in a different place from that previously suggested by 
 the committee. They conferred with the committee and 
 finding their choice of site as good as could be obtained, it was 
 agreed to build the new house on the southeast corner of 
 Hugh Ely's land, of Solebury. 69 In 1786 Solebury Friends 
 requested a committee of the monthly meeting to be named 
 to whom they might give a title for the land.' In 1793 
 Buckingham was permitted to build a school on the meeting 
 house land, the meeting to be in charge of the said school/' 1 
 Having settled thus satisfactorily a systematic method of 
 getting the schools located, they addressed themselves to the 
 task of raising school funds. 72 A committee of eleven mem- 
 bers was appointed, which, four months later, reported a plan 
 of subscription paper to be used in getting funds for purchas- 
 ing lands and buildings. 73 The plan as reported and approved 
 by the monthly meeting was the following: 
 
 We the subscribers do hereby engage to pay or cause to be paid unto 
 A. B. the several sums annexed to our names to be applied to the use of 
 purchasing a lot of land of C. D. and building a schoolhouse thereon, the 
 property and government to belong entirely to the society of the people 
 called Quakers and under the direction of the Monthly Meeting of 
 
 68 Min. Buckingham Mo. Mtg., i 3 1785, 317. 
 
 69 Ibid., 371785, 244. 
 
 Ibid., 261786, 252. 
 
 n lbid., 631793, 306. 
 
 Ibid., 6 61785, 247. 
 
 "Ibid., 1031785, 249.
 
 Schools of Bucks County 
 
 99 
 
 Buckingham, the title of which is to be wholly vested in the trustees 
 appointed by the said monthly meeting. The rules and orders of the 
 school when erected is to be prescribed by the aforesaid monthly meet- 
 ings or a committee thereof consistent with our religious principles, and 
 that no tutor shall be permitted to teach in said school until .... 
 approved by the monthly meeting or a committee of the aforesaid. 
 
 In 1790 the state of schools in the monthly meeting was 
 given as follows: 
 
 It appears that preparatory to the plan pointed out by the yearly 
 meeting last year, there are two schoolhouses under the direction of this 
 meeting. Schools in general among us, both as to tutors and to school 
 government, are in a better state than they formerly were; and some 
 property has been vested in the meeting towards a fund for the use 
 of schools. 74 
 
 The form of subscription above mentioned was used for 
 raising funds till 1793 when a committee on schools incor- 
 porated it with a few other suggestions in their plans. 75 
 These may be summarized as follows: 
 
 1. Each contributor to subscribe a principal sum. 
 
 2. All sums to be lumped together and invested in trus- 
 tees, accountable to the monthly meeting. 
 
 3. All interests to be paid annually and applied each year 
 to the schools in the compass of the monthly meeting. 
 
 4. All tutors to be members of Friends. 
 
 5. Funds to be first applied to the schooling of poor 
 Friends' children, their necessities to be judged by the 
 monthly meeting. 
 
 6. The remainder to be applied equally to the payment 
 for other children, proportionate to the time they attend 
 school. 76 
 
 7. Interest to continue till the principal is paid. 
 
 8. All principals paid in are to be invested or "put to use" 
 by the trustees. 
 
 The total number of subscriptions listed up to date was 
 117; the total amount subscribed was 759; the individual 
 subscriptions varied from i to 25." The meeting also 
 
 74 Min. Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 8 2 1790, 283. 
 
 Ibid., 411793, 302. 
 
 Ibid., 5 5 1794, 315. (It was in 1794 suggested that any surplus 
 be used for the bound apprentices of members, though they were not 
 themselves members of the meeting.) 
 
 "Ibid., 411793, 302. 
 
 State of 
 schools in 
 1790 
 
 Summary of 
 later form 
 used for 
 subscription 
 
 Amount of 
 subscriptions
 
 ioo Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Special 
 
 committee on 
 school- 
 masters 
 
 Wrightstown 
 
 Progress 
 slow; reasons 
 
 succeeded in getting such former donations, as Barker's 
 legacy, appropriated to this permanent fund. 78 
 
 In 1796 Jeremiah Praul, Joseph Yerkes, and Benjamin 
 Kite were appointed to have the care of receiving all applica- 
 tions from prospective masters, and in case of vacancies to 
 seek and have ready a list of available and well-qualified 
 members. 79 
 
 One can hardly attempt to place a date for the beginning 
 of the schools in Wrightstown Meeting. But by a report 
 made late in the eighteenth century (1792) we gather a very 
 good idea of the state of schools in that locality. The cause 
 of the rather halting progress is perhaps found in the latter 
 part of this committee's report, which states that the best 
 plan conceived is for each particular meeting to raise its own 
 subscription for its own school, 80 which in part was right, 
 but more direction on the part of the monthly meeting would 
 doubtless have produced better results. The report of 1792 
 is here submitted. 
 
 We the committee appointed to take into consideration the state of 
 schools within the limits of this meeting, after having several times met 
 and attended to our appointment, find the main cause why our schools 
 are so unsettled and so frequently occupied by unqualified teachers is 
 the want of sufficient salaries to make tuition an object of employment 
 worthy the attention of those who are or may be best qualified to dis- 
 Want of money charge that trust; having duly investigated that subject it plainly 
 to pay qualified appears very few amongst us who are interested in schools are of ability 
 teachers to advance money towards raising a fund on any other consideration 
 
 than that of immediately receiving the benefit thereof; we are, there- 
 fore, of opinion nothing affords a fairer prospect of promoting the work 
 than for separate neighborhoods to enter subscriptions for raising funds 
 for the support and establishment of their own particular schools, which 
 was read and referred to the consideration of next meeting. 81 
 
 In 1793 the extracts from the yearly meeting being read 
 and especially those concerned with the establishment of 
 schools, it was decided to appoint a committee "to endeavor 
 to promote that service as recommended," and make a report 
 that might be sent to the yearly asembly. 82 
 
 78 Min. Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 2 3 1794, 310.^ 
 
 Ibid., 1251796, 332. 
 
 80 Min. Wrightstown Mo. Mtg., 8 7 1792, 88. 
 
 * l lbid. 
 
 181793, 96.
 
 Schools of Bucks -Cvunly ' ibl 
 
 In 1790 a committee was appointed to look after the state 
 of various legacies which had been left from time to time for 
 the "support of a free school." 83 This committee made 
 report shortly thereafter that the amount of the principals 
 and interest at the time was 248/13 /zo. 84 A question 
 arose as to the proper application of the interest on a legacy 
 left by Jonathan Abbitt and others, and was referred to the 
 school committee. They decided it might be expended for 
 the schooling of Friends' children in straightened circum- 
 stances, provided they be taught in a school kept in Wrights- 
 town. 85 
 
 A number of other legacies were granted from time to time 
 for the encouragement of a free school, among them being 
 one by Adam Harker (40), M who had also benefitted 
 Middletown and Buckingham, and that of David Buckman, 
 the text of which is given below. 
 
 I give and bequeath to Isaac Wiggins of the township of North- 
 hampton, David Buckman and James Briggs of the township of New- 
 town, and Joseph Hampton and Isaac Chapman of the township of 
 Wrightstown, all in the County of Bucks, and the survivors of them, the 
 sum of 50 in gold or silver currency in trust .... place the same 
 at interest on real security or therewith purchase an annuity or ground- 
 rent or such other method as they may think proper for securing the 
 same and apply the interest thereof as the same shall thereafter be 
 received, towards the establishing and maintaining a free school in 
 Wrightstown aforesaid near the meeting house for the instruction of 
 Friends children belonging to the monthly meeting of Friends in 
 Wrightstown, in useful learning, and the said school to be under the care 
 and direction of the monthly meeting aforesaid. 87 
 
 In 1791 a committee presented a report on the status of 
 legacies, which is given herewith in shortened form, 
 i. The will of David Twining. 
 
 I give to the monthly meeting of Friends at Wrightstown the sum of 
 five pounds to be applied towards a Free School in Wrightstown, near 
 the meeting house, that is under the direction and care of Friends. 
 
 Committee 
 on school 
 legacies, etc., 
 reports 
 248/13/10 
 
 Buckman's 
 will 
 
 Digest of 
 report on 
 legacies at 
 Wrightstown 
 
 M Min. Wrightstown Mo. Mtg., 10 5 1790, 57. 
 M Ibid., 12 7 1790, 60. 
 K Ibid., i 4 1791, 62. 
 
 ^The Harker legacy at this time had increased to 183/4/4 ( see 
 Wrightstown Minutes, 10 2 1792, 92). 
 w lbid., 9 6 1791, 71.
 
 'Early 'Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Funds in 
 chaotic state 
 
 Richland 
 
 date of 
 school 
 
 Endowment 
 for use 
 of poor 
 
 2. A committee of six suggested to take the said legacy 
 and apply its interest to the said school. 
 
 3. Report of a committee on Adam Marker's will. 
 
 All trustees have died without having made any purchase of any 
 groundrent or annuity for the purpose aforementioned. 
 
 4. The trustees appointed by David Buckman, deceased, 
 in his last will and testament to have the care of a legacy of 
 50 given by the said David to this meeting for establishing 
 a Free School in Wrightstown, report that they have received 
 said legacy and put it out to interest on a mortgage bearing 
 date the seventeenth day of the third month last. 88 
 
 In 1799 a legacy of 30 was left to Wrightstown Meeting 
 "to be laid out in the education of poor children in the school 
 house on the meeting house land." 89 From later records 
 running into the first two decades of the next century, it 
 appears that the state of the donations was never gotten into 
 very good shape. When they came into the hands of the 
 trustees in 1822 they were "indistinguishable one from 
 another," so far as the purposes for which each was intended. 
 At the time when some of the bequests were made there was a 
 large stone schoolhouse standing on the meeting's grounds to 
 which they alluded in their wills. 90 This building was torn 
 down about 1815 and two schools set up, one two miles above 
 the meeting house, and the other about three-quarters of a 
 mile below it. The total amount of the legacies had in- 
 creased by 1822 to about $6,8oo. 91 
 
 Richland Monthly Meeting (1742), the latest of all in 
 Bucks County to be established, with which we are now 
 dealing, belonged to the Abington Quarter (whose limits 
 were chiefly in Montgomery County). The school, its date 
 of beginning not known (probably in 1742),* was early 
 endowed with legacies left voluntarily and primarily for the 
 education of the poor ; the first one of considerable worth was 
 that of Morris Morris. An extract from the minutes shows 
 that, 
 
 88 Min. Wrightstown Mo. Mtg., 9 5 1791, 83!. 
 
 B9 Ibid., 571799, 233- 
 
 Ibid., 254. 
 
 9l lbid. 
 
 *Wickersham, 83.
 
 Schools of Bucks County 
 
 103 
 
 At this meeting were exhibited two bonds for two sums of money 
 amounting in the whole to 100, it being a free and generous donation 
 given by our ancient Friend, Morris Morris, for the use and encourage- 
 ment of a school to be kept at or near this meeting house, which bonds 
 are legally executed to the Friends heretofore appointed as trustees for 
 this meeting, who are to take care from time to time to lay out the 
 interest arising from the said donation for procuring necessary learning 
 for such poor Friends' children who may be the most proper objects 
 of such charitable help and the said trustees to render yearly account to 
 this meeting of their service in the said distribution. 92 
 
 This beginning was increased in 1796 by 20 granted from 
 the estate of Edward Roberts. 93 The following record from a 
 school account book of legacies, known as the "Jonathan 
 Walton Fund" is cited, which indicates the manner of the 
 school expenditures: 
 
 1792 for schooling 
 
 to Jesse Foulke 15/10/00 
 
 to Jonathan Carr I /io/oo 
 
 to ditto 7/00 
 
 to Abraham Walton 16/6/00 
 
 to Jesse Foulke i /io/7 
 
 to John Nash 5/00 
 
 toJesseHicks 1/2/6 
 
 1793 
 
 to Jonathan Carr 7/6 
 
 to Nathan Walton 5/4 
 
 to Sam Norris 2/12/11 
 
 to Abraham Walton 18/7 
 
 toJesseHicks 15/00 
 
 to Samuel Norris 3/6/3^ 
 
 Paid to Daniel B . Ayres for teaching children 2/1/8 
 
 3/2/2 
 
 Paid for teaching and books 2/1 /4 M 
 
 Items of 
 expenditure 
 for schooling 
 in Richland 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 The establishment of schools of Falls, Middletown, 
 Wrightstown, Buckingham, and Richland meetings is dis- 
 cussed in this chapter. Their first activity was to establish 
 youths' meetings and look after the placing of apprentices. 
 The date of the first school at Falls is not determined, though 
 
 w Min. Richland Mo. Mtg., I 21 1762. 
 M Ibid., 12 21 1769. 
 M Expenditures, J. Walton Fund, I, i. 
 
 The meetings 
 
 Falls
 
 IO4 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Permanent 
 
 property 
 
 acquired 
 
 Three schools 
 reported 
 
 Middletown 
 
 First school 
 in meeting 
 house 
 
 Free school 
 endowed 
 
 Buckingham 
 
 Plan for build- 
 ings and 
 support 
 
 Wrightstown 
 
 One school 
 under monthly 
 meeting 
 
 Richland 
 
 Total number 
 of schools 
 
 the educational activity appears to have been on a par with 
 other meetings. In 1759 property was conveyed to trustees 
 for the use of the school, and at various dates thereafter. A 
 school committee reported three schools, one in each prepara- 
 tive, in 1784. The usual means of support were employed. 
 The school money amounted in 1799 to 777/9/4^. 
 
 Middletown's first school was held in the meeting house, in 
 accord with a permit granted by Friends. The real progress 
 of schools among them is not determined, though we know 
 that they are supplied with schools. It is likely, judging 
 from the nature of the committee's reports, that they did not 
 meet the standards set by the yearly meeting. The free 
 school, endowed with 40 in 1755 by Marker, was to be under 
 care of the monthly meeting. 
 
 Buckingham meeting assumed a regular care in the appren- 
 ticing of children, and, like Middletown, was endowed by 
 Adam Harker. A school committee was appointed in 1778, 
 and the visiting of schools required. An unusual plan for 
 building schoolhouses was devised in 1785 ; and also a scheme 
 for school support in 1785 which was improved in 1793. A 
 special committee of two men had charge of employing 
 masters Two schools are reported as under the care of the 
 meetings' committee, in 1790. 
 
 The cause for the apparently slow progress of Wrightstown 
 concerning schools lay chiefly in a lack of permanent funds. 
 Back of this, there seems to have been a failure on the part of 
 the monthly meeting to unite and direct the activities of its 
 preparatives, for the individual contributions were consider- 
 able. Though ' 'schools" are mentioned in the minutes, it seems 
 most likely that only the one at Wrightstown was in reality a 
 school of the monthly meeting. 
 
 Little is discovered concerning the Richland school save 
 that it was endowed in 1762 by Morris. The account books 
 of the Walton fund show that the children were schooled at 
 the expense of the meeting. 
 
 There were probably eight schools regularly established in 
 the five monthly meetings.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 SCHOOLS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY 
 
 Following the procedure in the preceding chapter, the 
 establishment of schools in Montgomery County will be 
 treated (i) under the head of the monthly meetings in whose 
 limits they were located and (2) in the order of the time of 
 settlement. The monthly meetings in Montgomery County 
 and their dates of establishment are as follows: (i) Abing- 
 ton, 1683; (2) Gwynedd, set off from Radnor, located in 
 present Delaware County, 1714, and (3) Horsham, set off 
 from Abington in 17 82* In connection with the schools 
 established in Montgomery County will also be considered 
 briefly the same activity of Warrington Monthly Meeting 
 (York County), which belongs at present to Baltimore Yearly 
 Meeting. Warrington was established as a monthly meeting 
 in i747, 2 being set off from that of Sadsbury. Brief mention 
 is made of Westland Meeting. 
 
 The first records left by Abington Meeting, which relate 
 particularly to any phase of education, are those in reference 
 to the establishment of youths' meetings. It is implied by 
 these minutes that nothing was done in this regard till about 
 1695, when, 
 
 It was agreed upon . . . that four friends belonging to this monthly 
 meeting be asked to take care of the Youth belonging to each meeting 
 as concerning their orderly walking . . . according to the good 
 advice of Friends, in an epistle from the Yearly Meeting at Burlington 
 1694, wherefore . . . men appointed. 3 
 
 This apparently resulted in an agreement that the youths' 
 meetings should be established at the home of Richard 
 
 1 Bunting, 23, 26, 25, respectively; also, first volumes of the respective 
 records. 
 
 "See abstracts of Warrington Records, H. S. P. Library; Prowell, 
 Hist. York County, I, 112. 
 
 8 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 2 29 1695, 25. 
 
 (105) 
 
 The meetings 
 
 Abington 
 
 Youths' 
 meetings
 
 io6 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Established 
 
 Youths' 
 meetings 
 shifted often 
 
 Land deeded 
 for meeting 
 and school 
 
 Meeting 
 house built 
 
 Worrall. 4 It is to be inferred that considerable attention was 
 given to this earliest phase of education. In 1699 the Friends 
 of Abington urged: 
 
 Those Friends that are appointed to inspect into the behavior of the 
 youth and their respective meetings; that they may be stirred to dis- 
 charge their places, and to give account to the monthly meeting. 5 
 
 The youths' meetings were not of permanent foundation, 
 and their date for meeting was shifted frequently, which gave 
 them characteristic irregularity. 6 The purposes to be 
 secured by the youths' meetings were chiefly moral. 7 
 
 The gift of property for the foundation of Abington Friends' 
 School dates back to i697. 8 The donor, John Barnes, had 
 purchased 250 acres adjoining the tract possessed by Sarah 
 Fuller, receiving patent for the same on June ist, i684. 9 
 Shortly after this he added to his possessions also the tract 
 formerly possessed by Sarah Fuller. 10 From this total (600 
 acres) he deeded one hundred and thirty acres on Feb. 5th, 
 1696, to the use of a meeting house and schoolhouse for the 
 Friends of Abington Meeting.* The tract lies about ten 
 miles north of the city of Philadelphia. The Abington 
 School, thus possessing such a large heritage and firm founda- 
 tion in a material way, at least is a close rival of the Penn 
 Charter School of Philadelphia, the petition for which was 
 presented to the Council 1697-8,** and whose first charter was 
 granted in i/oi. 11 
 
 The exact date when a school was first held in property on 
 this land cannot be determined. The meeting house on the 
 newly acquired lands was built between the years 1697 and 
 1700, with assistance from the meeting at Philadelphia. It 
 is probable that a school may have been taught at the meeting 
 house for a time as that custom was followed in many other 
 
 4 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., I 29 1697, 30. 
 
 *Ibid., I 27 1699, 35. 
 
 6 Ibid., 8251703, 48. 
 
 7 See page 172. 
 
 8 Bean, 679; also, Friends Intelligencer, 8 15 1896, 539. 
 
 9 Ibid., 679. 
 
 "Ibid. 
 
 *Friends Intelligencer, 8 15 1896, 539. 
 
 **Col. Rec. I, 499. 
 
 "See pp. 47-52.
 
 Schools in Montgomery County 
 
 107 
 
 meetings, 12 but this is a mere probability. The best evidence 
 of a school at an early date is that relating to Jacob Taylor 
 who, about 1701, was "concerned in a school at Abington," 
 but was to be asked to take the management of a land office. 13 
 Mr. Bean, writing in the local history of Montgomery County, 
 says that Jacob Taylor was land surveyor from 1706 to i733. M 
 That he was engaged in teaching during the entire period 
 from 1701 to 1706 we do not know, but it is quite probable 
 that he was the first schoolmaster who taught in a regularly 
 established school. 
 
 In 1722, referring to the bequest of land by John Barnes, 
 the minute of the monthly meeting states : 
 
 Whereas John Barnes deceased, having given a legacy or yearly 
 income towards maintaining of a school at Abington . . . and in the 
 said deed of trust to Friends, he left this meeting in power to choose a 
 trustee when any Friends that were intrusted did remove or decease. 
 Now seeing Thomas Canby being one intrusted is removed into the 
 County of Bucks, this meeting does appoint Richard Martin to act in 
 his room. 1 * 
 
 In 1726 Thomas Fletcher was chosen to act as one of the 
 trustees of the said donation and the school affairs, in the 
 place of his deceased father, Robert Fletcher. 16 Everard 
 Bolton's place (deceased) was filled by Nicholas Austen as 
 trustee in 1727. B In 1742 Abington Friends took a deed of 
 conveyance of Thomas Canby for the land and premises 
 belonging to their school and meeting house. 18 Besides the 
 bequest of Barnes already mentioned, there were several 
 others which deserve mention. In 1749 a committee 
 appointed to investigate the donation left to the meeting by 
 William Carter in his last will and testament, reported they 
 had attended to it, and produced to the meeting an extract 
 from the will before mentioned. 19 Quoting from the Abing- 
 ton records the purpose of the will was given to be as follows: 
 
 "See pp. 93 and 136. 
 
 "2 Pa. Archives, XIX, 24. 
 
 "Bean, 680. 
 
 16 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., i 26 1722, 124. 
 
 u lbid., 8 31 1726, 149. 
 
 "Ibid., ii 29 1727, 155. 
 
 is lbid., 6 30 1742, 249. 
 
 I9 lbid., I 27 1749, 50. 
 
 Jacob Taylor 
 concerned in 
 a school 
 
 Taylor, land 
 surveyor 
 
 Land in care 
 of trustees 
 
 Carter's 
 donation
 
 io8 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Expenditure 
 of funds in 
 charge of 
 committees 
 
 Funds 
 
 requested for 
 schooling 
 children 
 
 How dis- 
 tributed 
 
 . . . two certain yearly groundrents one of six, the other of four 
 pounds, are invested in trustees, in order that the same may be con- 
 veyed, and ... as this meeting shall think fit to appoint to the 
 intent and purpose that the same shall be annually laid on and expended 
 in the pay for the schooling and teaching of such whose parents or over- 
 seers ... in the verge of this meeting are not able to pay for them, 
 or the relief of the poor of this meeting, when and as such poor children 
 are not to be found. . . 20 
 
 The details of the expenditure of money left for such pur- 
 poses were taken care of usually by the overseers of the poor 
 and also by the school committee, whose duty it was to 
 inquire in each of the preparative meetings concerning chil- 
 dren who might be in need of help and whether they would be 
 willing to accept assistance. Their investigations were 
 reported to the monthly meeting to be considered before any 
 expenditures were made. 21 If they were satisfactory to the 
 meeting, disbursements were then ordered to the preparatives 
 according to their needs as stated. 22 The preparative meet- 
 ing was also free to make a voluntary request for a part of any 
 fund for aid to poor children, if they desired to do so. In 
 1760, 
 
 Horsham Friends requested the sum of four pounds of Carter's legacy 
 towards the schooling of a poor child; this meeting orders that our 
 treasurer do pay them that sum. 23 And again, the present treasurer, 
 Joshua Morris, is ordered to pay to Thomas Lloyd a sum of eight pounds 
 to defray the charges of dieting Joseph Kirk, a poor Friend's child, 
 belonging to Horsham Meeting, who is put to school at the charge of 
 Horsham Meeting. 24 
 
 It was not always necessary to bring the cases to the 
 monthly meeting to be decided whether aid should be given 
 or withheld. It occurred often that the funds were appor- 
 tioned to the various preparatives, monthly or quarterly 
 meetings and their representatives allowed to apply it 
 according to their judgment. 25 In 1766 those appointed to 
 view the accounts of the treasurer of Abington Meeting made 
 
 20 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., i 27 1749, 50. 
 
 n lbid., 1301755, 148. 
 
 Ibid., 8251755, 151. 
 
 Ibid., 5 26 1760, 260. 
 
 M Ibid., 6 29 1761, 284. 
 
 z& Ibid., 7 27 1767, 420.
 
 Schools in Montgomery County 
 
 109 
 
 the following report as to the state of the funds which had 
 accrued : 
 
 We the subscribers having perused the accounts of Joshua Morris, 
 the meeting's treasurer, do report that the said treasurer credits the 
 meeting with several sums received on the meeting's accounts from the 
 year 1761 .... including 28 for the rent of William Carter's 
 legacy to this meeting, the whole being the sum of 157/12/11, and 
 that he paid by order of this meeting in that time (including 40 paid 
 for schools for poor children) the sum of 137/11/8; balance in his 
 hands the 24th of the nth month, 1766 is 20/1/3. 
 
 We likewise report that we find five years' rent of four pounds a year 
 and a year's rent of six pounds on the said Carter's legacy outstanding 
 and not yet collected or received by him. 26 
 
 A minute of 1735 entered in the meeting's records affords 
 us an interesting glimpse into the nature of the books used 
 for the Friends' schools. These books are very frequently 
 mentioned in many of the meeting's records, and many of 
 them were always on sale by booksellers such as Franklin in 
 Philadelphia. 27 There seems to be no doubt that they con- 
 stituted one of the staples of the mental pabulum. The 
 extract in which they are mentioned illustrates also the 
 initiative taken by the meeting in the direction of affairs 
 relating to schools. 
 
 And further to let the quarterly meeting understand that this meeting 
 conceives that reprinting a quantity of George Fox's Primers and 
 Stephen Crisp's ditto and of George Fox's The Youngers might be 
 advantageous to those children of Friends in school or elsewhere. We, 
 therefore, refer the same to said meeting's consideration. 28 
 
 The Abington Meeting began at an early date to work for 
 a better organization among its schools, cooperating heartily 
 with the suggestions of the yearly meeting from time to time. 
 The yearly meeting in 1746 and 1750 made several suggestions 
 for the improvement of schools, 29 which were in 1751 followed 
 by Abington with a statement that 
 
 This meeting has gone through in the several branches thereof in the 
 service of visiting of families and to general satisfaction, and as to the 
 settling of schools we have had it under consideration and some are 
 
 ^Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., n 24 1766, 406. 
 27 Pa. Gazette, 1740, No. 582. 
 28 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 8 27 1735, 207. 
 "Advices, 250. 
 
 Report on 
 funds 
 
 Books used 
 in schools
 
 no Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Gwynedd 
 
 Schoohouse 
 
 mentioned 
 
 1721 
 
 Marmaduke 
 
 Pardo 
 
 teacher 
 
 desirous to promote the same but find many discouragements at the 
 present, yet are in hopes it may be further considered, and . . . 30 
 
 This report means nothing in terms of accomplishment, but 
 indicates willingness and an active interest in educational 
 problems. In reading of their "discouragements" one must 
 keep in mind the standards set by the yearly meeting, and 
 that their report was their idea of how they measured up 
 to them. 
 
 The first mention of any school (or any reference to indicate 
 there may have been a school in the limits of Gwynedd) is 
 that of 1721, in a petition for a road, entered by Roland Hugh 
 and Robert Humphrey. 31 The mention herein made is of a 
 schoolhouse located near the property of Robert Humphrey 
 and Roland Hughes and not far distant from the road to 
 Philadelphia. Neither has trace been found of any school 
 actually established nor of schoolmaster to have charge over 
 it, yet the presence of a building erected for that purpose 
 lends credence to the view that there was a school there, 
 though perhaps irregularly conducted. Procedure in other 
 districts was usually that schools were present before the 
 schoolhouses were built. 32 
 
 The first mention of a schoolmaster is relative to Marma- 
 duke Pardo, who came with the following certificate from 
 Pembrokeshire in Wales. 
 
 We whose names are hereunto subscribed, being the curate and others 
 of the inhabitants of the Parish of St. Davids, do hereby certify whom it 
 may concern, that the bearer hereof, Marmaduke Pardo, of the city of 
 St. Davids and County of Pembroke, has to the utmost of our knowledge 
 and all appearances lived a very sober and pious life, demeaning himself 
 according to the strictest rules of his profession, viz., what we call 
 Quakerism, and that he has for these several years past took upon him- 
 self the keeping of a private school in this city, in which station he 
 acquitted himself with the common applause and to the general satis- 
 faction of all of us who have committed our children to his care and 
 tuition, etc. 33 
 
 This certificate was signed by Richard Roberts and several 
 others. With such recommendations, the citizens of Gwynedd 
 
 s Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 5 29 1751, 78. 
 
 31 Jenkins, Historical Collections of Gwynedd. 
 
 82 For example, those in Philadelphia, Middletown and Merion. 
 
 ^Quoted from Jenkins, Historical Collections of Gwynedd, pp. 395-6.
 
 Schools in Montgomery County 
 
 in 
 
 were very fortunate if perchance they did secure him as a 
 master. Other writers have, it seems, taken for granted that 
 he actually taught in the school, but there is no exact evi- 
 dence on the point, only a very great probability.* 
 
 The following extract indicates there was an established 
 school at Morristown in 1766. 
 
 Plymouth overseers acquaint this meeting that Mordecai Moore on 
 his own and family's account and several neighboring friends request the 
 privilege of holding a meeting at the schoolhouse near his dwelling house 
 in Morristown every first day until the general spring meeting. The 
 which is granted. 34 
 
 As with the schools and school affairs of other meetings, 
 their history becomes more tangible about the last quarter of 
 the century. The recommendations of the yearly meeting 
 being received in 1777 and their attention thus directed con- 
 sciously to the question of education, a committee was 
 appointed consisting of the following men: David Bacon, 
 John Elliott, Jr., Charles West, David Estaugh, William 
 Brown, Thomas Hollowell, John Gracey, Abraham Liddon, 
 Samuel Lloyd, Abraham Cadwalader, John Heman, David 
 Evans, Samuel Lee, Joseph Penrose, Joseph Lukens and John 
 Evans. 35 The committee reported in 1779 that the establish- 
 ment of schools had been under consideration, but that no 
 fund had yet been raised or land purchased for the establish- 
 ment thereof, as the yearly meeting had directed.** Accord- 
 ingly the same committee was continued. In 1780 a minute 
 of the meeting states that : 
 
 The matter relating to the establishment of schools is continued and 
 it is desired that the several preparative meetings will attend to that 
 matter as recommended by the committee some time past, and that the 
 committee . . . the same under their care and make a report when 
 anything is done toward accomplishing that service. 36 
 
 And again in 1785: 
 
 A care remains on the Friends' minds for the right education of the 
 youth, though little progress hath yet been made in establishing schools 
 under proper regulations, although attention hath been paid thereto. 
 
 *Wickersham, 83. 
 
 34 Min. Gwynedd Mo. Mtg., 10 28 1766, 457. 
 
 z *Ibid., 12 30 1777, 259. 
 
 **Ibid., 4271779, 296. 
 
 K Ibid., i 25 1780, 16. 
 
 School at 
 
 Morristown 
 
 Quaker? 
 
 Committee 
 on schools 
 appointed 
 
 "Little 
 
 progress'' 
 
 reported
 
 112 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Committee 
 to aid in 
 raising 
 funds 
 
 School in 
 
 Montgomery 
 
 Township 
 
 Plymouth 
 school 
 
 Temporary 
 schools 
 
 Education 
 of poor and 
 orphans 
 
 Those matters respecting the Africans are under the care of a committee, 
 though little progress hath been made in inspecting their particular 
 cases. 37 
 
 The activity of the committee does not appear to have been 
 very great. After a consideration of their obligations on the 
 subject again in 1791 it was decided to appoint a new com- 
 mittee which was to work definitely toward a plan for raising 
 a fund for school purposes, and to make a report on the state 
 of schools in the monthly meeting. Their report which 
 appeared in 1793 showed a considerable number of schools but 
 none established on permanent foundations, and many not 
 in the membership of Friends. The state of all the schools as 
 reported is given in the following extract. 38 
 
 The committee appointed on schools reports that within the limits 
 of Gwynedd Meeting a school in the township of Montgomery is kept 
 in a house, property of Friends, there is a lot on two acres of land and two 
 rooms for a master to live in, adjoining the schoolhouse, and there is 
 remaining of a donation to the inhabitants of said township in common 
 towards the support of a school, about fifty pounds per annum, to be 
 kept in the said schoolhouse, the master a member of our Society; within 
 the compass of Plymouth meeting, there is a schoolhouse built by a sub- 
 scription on a small lot of land given as a donation with the interest 
 accruing on five hundred pounds, which is free for all the inhabitants 
 within a mile and a half of the donor's land, the master not in member- 
 ship with Friends. 
 
 One school, held in a house adjoining the meeting house at Plymouth 
 which hath for several years been continued under the care and direction 
 of that preparative meeting. There are several temporary schools 
 within the limits of our Monthly Meetings, chiefly made up of persons 
 not of our society, and kept by masters of different professions, no 
 funds provided for any of them, into which Friends in such neighborhood 
 send their children, there is a subscription gone into within the compass 
 of one of the preparative meetings towards building a schoolhouse on a 
 lot of land given for that purpose the raising of funds for the support of 
 schools has been under care, but not much progress has yet been made 
 therein. Signed in behalf of the committee by 
 
 EVAN JONES, 
 JOHN WILSON, 
 ISAAC WEEKS. 
 
 The care and education of the poor was an occasion for 
 great concern among the Friends of Gwynedd. This means 
 
 87 Min. Gwynedd Mo. Mtg., 7 26 1785, 221. 
 3S Ibid., I 29 1793, 177.
 
 Schools in Montgomery County 
 
 not only that their education was looked after but that in case 
 father and mother married a second time, the meeting saw to 
 it that the children's (if any by the first marriage) rights 
 should be regarded. The affairs of the children had to be 
 settled before permission for marriage was fully and freely 
 given. 39 They were not always satisfied with their dealing 
 with such children, however. About 1756 they declared that 
 the children are well taken care of physically but that there is 
 too great a neglect in regard to their learning and apprentice- 
 ship among Friends. 40 
 
 Later they are able to report, no doubt with considerable 
 satisfaction, that after due inspection, no Friends' children 
 are found placed from among Friends. 41 All cases of neces- 
 sity in the concern of education were resolutely dealt with, 
 even though, as shown in the following extract, the recipients 
 of the assistance were rather unwilling. 
 
 The Gwynedd Friends acquaint this meeting that Robert Roberts, 
 Jr., is in very low circumstances and not able to maintain his wife and 
 children reputably and that they have not been able to prevail with him 
 and his wife to bind their children out to lessen their expense, therefore, 
 this meeting appoints John Davies and John Evans to advise them to 
 comply with Friends' direction, otherwise, this meeting must take 
 further notice of them. 42 
 
 For a slight insight into the condition of schools in the 
 latter years of the eighteenth century, we can do no better 
 than present a letter written by Joseph Foulke, which 
 furnishes a personal touch not found elsewhere. 
 
 My earliest recollection of the schools which I attended was at 
 Gwynedd meeting. There was no house for the purpose, but what was 
 called the "little meeting house" was used. An old tottering man by 
 the name of Samuel Evans was the teacher. The reading books were 
 the Bible and the Testament; we had Dilworth's spelling book, and 
 Dilworth's Assistant or arithmetic. Grammar was a thing hardly 
 thought of; there was, however, a small part of the spelling book, called 
 "a new guide to the English tongue," and a few of the older pupils 
 learned portions of this by rote, and would occasionally recite to the 
 master, but the substance appeared to be equally obscure both to master 
 and scholar. 
 
 Their 
 
 education 
 
 neglected 
 
 Some 
 unwilling 
 to receive 
 aid 
 
 Schools as 
 related by 
 Joseph 
 Foulke 
 
 39 Min. Gwynedd Mo. .Mtg., 4 27 1727, 100. 
 40 Ibid., 7 27 1756, 163. 
 "Ibid., 7 26 1768, 40. 
 a lbid., 9 17 1765, 424.
 
 114 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Merion 
 
 School, at 
 least not 
 according to 
 plan of 
 yearly 
 meeting 
 
 Horsham 
 
 My next schooling was in 1795, in the house, late the property of 
 William Buzby, on the Bethlehem road, above the spring house. It was 
 a kind of family school taught by Hannah Lukens. Here, Dr. Walton, 
 of Stroudsburg, laid the foundation of his education. I went to Joshua 
 Foulke, my father's elder brother, an old man. He taught in a log 
 schoolhouse near the eighteen-mile stone on the Bethlehem road. My 
 father, with the help of his neighbors, built this house (about 1798) on 
 a lot set apart for the purpose on the southern extremity of his premises. 
 This log schoolhouse stood about thirty years, and beside Joshua Foulke, 
 we had for teachers William Coggins, Hannah Foulke, Benjamin 
 Albertson, Hugh Foulke (my brother), John Chamberlain, Christian 
 Dull, Daniel Price, and Samuel Jones. I have probably not named all 
 or given them in the order in which they came. 43 
 
 Merion seems to have left no written records of educational 
 activity. There is a possibility that Marmaduke Pardo 44 
 may have been connected with a school there, soon after his 
 coming from Wales, but this is little better than a conjecture.* 
 In the loft of the present building (which, however, does not 
 date back so early as this study) there is a school room in 
 which are rude tables and benches. One of them bears the 
 date, 1711, rudely cut with a jackknife. If, in the early 
 eighteenth century, the meeting house still sufficed for 
 school, it is quite probable that the same was true much 
 earlier; at any rate, no search thus far has revealed anything 
 concerning an early schoolhouse. The Radnor Monthly 
 Meeting Minutes in 1791 state: 
 
 At Merion and Valley we have not discovered any progress in laying a 
 foundation for schools in the way proposed by the yearly meeting. 45 
 
 which would favor still further the idea that any school held 
 there at that time was perhaps in the meeting house. 
 
 The earliest mention made of Horsham Meeting is that in 
 the Abington Minutes of 1777, stating: 
 
 It is agreed that there be two overseers chosen for Horsham Meeting, 
 viz., John Michener and Thomas Iredell. 46 
 
 This was doubtless very near the time of its first establish- 
 ment as a preparative meeting. The earliest preparative 
 
 ^Jenkins, Hist., Col. of Gwynedd, 396-7. 
 ^See p. no. 
 
 45 Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., 7 12 1791, 24. 
 *Wickersham, 83. 
 
 . Abington Mo. Mtg., 5 30 1717.
 
 Schools in Montgomery County 
 
 minutes accessible are those beginning i7S7. 47 We may feel 
 certain, however, that there was a school before this time, for 
 in the Gazette for 1753 there appeared an advertisement which 
 stated : 
 
 Any person well qualified for keeping a school and comes well recom- 
 mended by applying to John Lukens, surveyor, Abraham Lukens, or 
 Benjamin Cadwalader, living in Horsham township, near the meeting 
 house, may meet with proper encouragement. 48 
 
 This may have been the same stone house in which Isaac 
 Comly of Byberry taught in 1799, we cannot say. In the 
 records of the preparative meeting on the first page there is an 
 account of donations concerning schools, but the page is 
 so badly mutilated that no straight account can be made of 
 it. 49 It will be recalled from the account given of Abington 
 schools that Horsham members were also benefitted by 
 Carter's legacy and others. 50 
 
 A committee appointed to investigate the conditions of 
 schools in Horsham Meeting reported (1779): 
 
 We, the committee appointed, report as follows: That upon inquiry 
 we found that the schoolhouse on the meeting house land is wholly 
 the property of Friends, and the subscribers generally Friends; we also 
 find that there has been a schoolhouse lately built on a piece of land held 
 in trust for that purpose between John Parry's and John Walton's 
 wholly by the Friends, and generally Friends subscribers; there is also 
 one other schoolhouse near the Billet on a piece of land held in trust for 
 that purpose by Friends and others, and one other schoolhouse near 
 John Jarret's upon sufferance; the two last mentioned schools being 
 made up by subscribers of different societies; which, after being con- 
 sidered, the same Friends are continued with John Parry, Samuel 
 Shoemaker (mason), John Conrad, and John Jarrett added to them as a 
 committee, to have the oversight of such schools as may be properly 
 under the notice of this meeting. 61 
 
 And again in 1783 that, 
 
 The committee on schools report they have several times visited the 
 schools of Friends belonging to this meeting since their appointment, and 
 that there appears an improvement in them, they having drawn up an 
 
 47 At 1 5th and Race Streets, Philadelphia. 
 
 48 Pa. Gazette, No. 1261, 1753. 
 
 49 Min. Horsham Prep. Mtg., Vol. I. 
 
 80 See pp. iO7f; Horsham Prep. Mtg., i 24 1772. 
 
 &1 Ibid., 12 24 1779. 
 
 Assistance 
 by donations 
 
 Report on 
 Horsham 
 schools, 
 1779 
 
 Four schools 
 mentioned 
 
 Rules drawn 
 for the 
 conduct of 
 schools
 
 n6 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Report 
 made to 
 Horsham 
 monthly on 
 schools 
 
 Four schools 
 
 named; 
 
 others, 
 
 where the 
 
 houses 
 
 belong to 
 
 Friends 
 
 No funds 
 established 
 
 Each parti- 
 cular meet- 
 ing to name 
 its own 
 committee 
 
 Three 
 schools in 
 the pre- 
 paratives 
 
 essay of rules for the government of said schools, which were read and 
 approved by this meeting. . , 82 
 
 From 1782 onwards Horsham was a regularly constituted 
 monthly meeting. 53 Almost the first thing performed by this 
 newly constituted body was to order a report on schools which 
 was brought into the monthly meeting in I784, 64 the text of 
 which is reproduced below. 
 
 We, the committee on schools, having met and examined into the 
 situation of such within the compass of this meeting find them as follows, 
 viz. : that within the verge of Byberry meeting there is a school kept in 
 a part of the meeting house under the inspection of part of the same 
 committee, by Christopher Smith, a member of our society, whose num- 
 ber of scholars are about thirty at io/ a scholar, per quarter, raised by 
 subscription; also another school taught a small distance from said 
 meeting house by Isaac Carver in his own house who formerly was a 
 member among us, to which some Friends send their children, and 
 within the compass of Horsham Particular Meeting there is a school 
 taught on the meeting land near the meeting house by Byran Fitz- 
 patrick, who is not a member, the number of scholars about twenty-five 
 at io/ a scholar per quarter; 'there is also one other schoolhouse built 
 by Friends on a piece of land given for a term of years for that purpose 
 in which there is no school kept at present. There are several other 
 schools within the compass of said meeting, the houses of which are the 
 property of Friends and others to which some Friends send their children. 
 There are no funds belonging to any of the aforesaid schools, but there is 
 a donation left to Horsham Particular Meeting, which if it were not for 
 some circumstances attending it, might be of an advantage in establish- 
 ing schools within the limits of that meeting which we think demands the 
 attention of this meeting. 
 
 Signed on behalf of the committee by 
 
 DANIEL THOMAS. 
 
 After this there was no report for nearly two years, when 
 the meeting, taking cognizance of the fact, urged all the 
 preparatives to appoint individual committees of their own 
 to attend to school affairs. In 1787 the committee of the 
 monthly meeting made report that within the compass of the 
 monthly meeting there were three schools under the care of 
 the preparative meetings, in all of which the masters were 
 members of the society of Friends. 86 
 
 62 Horsham Prep., Mtg. I 24 1783 ; (the rules are quite similar to those 
 proposed for the Philadelphia schools, which are mentioned on pp. 1 83ff.) . 
 "Horsham Mo. Mtg. Vol. I, first page. 
 M Ibid., 4281784. 
 K Ibid., 511787.
 
 Schools in Montgomery County 
 
 117 
 
 The value of the organization of meetings for getting 
 something accomplished can hardly be overestimated. The 
 directing power of the quarterly meeting must have often 
 been the cause which produced a conscious activity in the 
 lower meetings. The quarterly meetings were at all times 
 feeling the educational pulse of their constituents and making 
 suggestions, requiring reports, etc., which did not fail to keep 
 up the local interest. The quarterly meeting at Abington 
 in 1792 made the following suggestions: 
 
 At a quarterly meeting held at Abington, November 8, 1792, the 
 subject of schools coming under consideration, it is thought expedient 
 that the meetings be earnestly requested to take that matter into solid 
 consideration and send up in their reports next quarter how far the 
 advice of the yearly meeting has been complied with in that respect. 
 The clerk is requested to furnish each member with a copy of this 
 minute extracted from the minutes of the quarterly meeting. 
 
 NATHAN CLEAVER, Clerk. 
 
 The clerk is directed to furnish the preparatives with a copy of the 
 above minute, and they are desired to inform this meeting of their situa- 
 tion in the above respects. 56 
 
 The report of the monthly meeting in 1792 indicates that 
 that meeting's concern for the education of the poor was 
 comparable to others mentioned; they state that all of the 
 children "partake of learning freely" and their and other 
 Friends' children "are placed among Friends" as apprentices. 
 
 The earliest Quaker settlements in Warrington were in 
 I735, 5 '' and their first meetings for worship were held with the 
 Friends at Newberry. Warrington Preparative Meeting was 
 organized in 1745 ; 88 while the monthly meeting records date 
 to I747- 89 For nearly thirty years there is no notice in the 
 records concerned with education, saving those which refer to 
 the settling of youths' meetings. Those were very frequent. 60 
 The report on the youths' meetings in 1779 was as follows: 
 
 Some of the Friends appointed to attend the Youths' Meeting report 
 that four of them attended it and gave it as their sense that it was a good 
 
 M Horsham Prep. Mtg., n 28 1792. 
 "ProwelTs Hist., I, 1084. 
 
 Value of 
 the organi- 
 zation 
 cited 
 
 The poor 
 educated; 
 1792 
 
 Warrington 
 
 Youths' 
 meetings 
 
 "Warrington Mo. Mtg. Min., Vol. I. 
 *Ibid., 4 20 1754, 44; 12 12 1761, 44; 
 
 571779, 45, etc.
 
 n8 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Committees 
 of men and 
 women 
 named on 
 schools 
 
 No progress 
 
 reported 
 
 1780 
 
 meeting, and that if it should be as well attended in the future, it might 
 be of use. 61 
 
 Three years later, 1782, it was considered necessary to 
 leave off holding the youths' meetings, for what reasons it is 
 not known, but on a protest from some members it was con- 
 cluded that it might be continued for at least another meet- 
 ing. 62 In 1778 the yearly meeting extract was received, in 
 which the establishment of schools was recommended; com- 
 mittees of both men and women were at once named for the 
 service and desired to report. 63 In the year following, the 
 report was made on the part of Warrington Preparative 
 Meeting : 
 
 Warrington Meeting informs us that they have made choice of 
 William Underwood, Peter Cleaver, Benjamin Walker, and Joseph 
 Elgar for trustees and overseers of a school, with which this meeting 
 concurs. 64 
 
 The trustees thus appointed, it seems, were not so success- 
 ful as might have been desired, if we may judge by their 
 report made in 1780. 
 
 William Underwood, on behalf of the committee appointed to have 
 under their care and labor to promote the education of the youth, as well 
 as a reformation with that respect to other deficiencies in our society, 
 informed this meeting that they have several times met and conferred 
 together on the occasion, but have not proceeded any further in that 
 service, neither have any prospect at this time of proceeding therein, 
 etc. 66 
 
 The tone of the next report of 1782 is more encouraging. 
 
 The Friends appointed to the care of schools report they have made 
 some progress therein, some of them having attended each of our 
 preparative meetings and endeavored to encourage Friends in setting 
 up of schools agreeable to the intention of the Yearly Meeting and find 
 there is a willingness in the minds of Friends to endeavor to have schools 
 set up amongst us agreeable thereto, as nearly as the circumstances of 
 the several Meetings will admit of. They are continued and desired to 
 assist where there may be occasions and report to this Meeting in the 
 third month next. 66 
 
 "Warrington Mo. Mtg. Min., Vol. I, II 13 1779, 45. 
 
 z lbid., i 12 1782, 46. 
 
 ^Ibid., I 10 1778, 46. 
 
 **Ibid., 9 ii 1779, 4&f. 
 
 6 Ibid., 8121780, 46f. 
 
 m lbid., i 12 1782, 47.
 
 Schools in Montgomery County 
 
 119 
 
 In 1784 it was reported that the committee had attended 
 at York and that there appeared to be a good prospect for a 
 school to be established there according to the desires 
 expressed in the yearly meeting's advices. 67 It was also 
 stated that some provision was made at each particular 
 meeting for the same, and it was expected a particular report 
 would be rendered thereof. 68 This report, however, did not 
 come into the monthly meeting as it appears. 
 
 The conditions at York seem to have been the most promis- 
 ing as presented in a committee's report of 1784 which is here 
 submitted : 
 
 The committee appointed to promote the establishment of schools 
 report that they have paid some attention to the service; most of them 
 attended a meeting at York, and find that Friends there have a house 
 nearly finished and have entered into some subscriptions .to encourage 
 such a school, of which it is agreed that the Quarterly Meeting be 
 informed, as well as of houses being built for that purpose at Newbury 
 and Warrington, and that the committee be released from the service. 69 
 
 The statements of the monthly meeting in the above report 
 are corroborated by a later report of the Warrington and 
 Fairfax Quarterly, which was made a few months later, 
 though it appears the schoolhouse at Warrington was not yet 
 completed. 70 
 
 The progress that had been made by Westland Monthly 
 Meeting 71 is indicated by the following report of that date : 
 
 The minutes of the school committee for several seasons past being 
 read, and they have proposed a reappointment, William Wilson, Mat- 
 thew Heald, Jonas Cattell, William Dixon, Joshua Dixon, and Eleazar 
 Brown are appointed to have the general care of schools and admission 
 of Tutors. And it appears requisite that a few Friends be appointed by 
 each Preparative Meeting to have the immediate oversight of the school 
 or schools within the limits of such meetings; said committee to unite 
 and confer together as they see occasion, and the clerk is desired to 
 notify each preparative meeting by a copy of this Minute. 72 
 
 School to 
 be at York 
 
 67 Warrington No. Mtg, Min., i 10 1784, 47. 
 *Ibid., 3131784, 47- 
 "Ibid., 581784, 47. 
 
 70 Min. Warrington and Fairfax Q. Mtg., 9 20 1784, 
 "Records of Westland Mp. Mtg. Washington County are found in the 
 collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 "Min. Westland Mo. Mtg., 12 26 1789, 49. 
 
 Schoolhouse 
 at York; 
 subscrip- 
 tions started 
 
 Same state- 
 ment by 
 quarterly 
 meeting
 
 I2O 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Later 
 reports 
 still 
 indefinite 
 
 A still later report of 1797 is no more definite than the 
 former; this is very generally characteristic of the reports, 
 and even at a late date when other meetings were making 
 very definite ones, indicates that a very unsatisfactory state 
 existed in the schools of Westland. Many other reports 
 examined, which were sent in before the committee, of the 
 century, made no improvement in regard to defmiteness. 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 The schools in the limits of Abington, Gwynedd, Horsham, 
 
 The Warrington, and Westland meetings are discussed in this 
 
 meetings chapter. 
 
 Probably the first schoolmaster at Abington, who was con- 
 
 Abington nected with a regularly established school, was Jacob Taylor. 
 
 Land for the meeting and school uses was deeded by John 
 Barnes in 1696, and a meeting house built by 1700. Assist- 
 ance was also afforded by a legacy granted by William Carter 
 for educating poor children. Such funds were in charge of, 
 and expended by, trustees appointed for that purpose. 
 Fox's and Crisp's Primers are mentioned for use in the schools. 
 Mention is made of a schoolhouse near Gwynedd in 1721, 
 
 Gwynedd but no records of the school are discovered. Marmaduke 
 
 Pardo, an experienced teacher, came to Gwynedd from Wales, 
 and being well recommended as such, it is likely that he was 
 employed in school teaching ; but nothing explicit to that 
 effect is found. Late in the century Joseph Foulke states he 
 attended school in Gwynedd. A schoolhouse at Morristown 
 is mentioned in 1766. Committees on schools and funds 
 followed the procedure noticed in other meetings. School 
 land, schoolhouse funds, and a house for a master were pro- 
 vided in Montgomery township in 1793. Another school in 
 the compass of Plymouth is mentioned, and another one, 
 "adjoining the meeting house at Plymouth." Other tem- 
 porary schools, used under varying circumstances, are said to 
 be maintained. Merion and the Valley do not appear to 
 have met the yearly meeting's requirements in any way. 
 No explicit mention is made of a school at Horsham in the 
 
 Horsham early minutes, but the advertisement for a teacher in 1753 
 
 indicates they were supplied with a school. A report of 
 
 Morristown 
 schoolhouse 
 mentioned 
 
 Three 
 
 regular 
 
 schools
 
 Schools in Montgomery County 
 
 121 
 
 Horsham Preparative in 1729 mentions four schools, kept 
 "nearly agreeable to direction." In 1783 a list of rules was 
 adopted for their government. Each preparative meeting 
 was directed in 1787 to have its own committee on schools. 
 
 Judging from the minutes of their transactions, the schools 
 of Warrington and Westland meetings seem to have been 
 organized and carried on in a very desultory fashion. Those 
 at York and Warrington were the best situated. There were 
 probably as many as twelve regularly established schools in 
 the above meetings by the end of the century. 
 
 Warrington 
 Westland 
 
 Probably 
 
 twelve 
 
 regularly 
 
 established 
 
 schools
 
 The 
 
 meetings 
 
 considered 
 
 Kennett 
 
 Early care 
 for children 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 SCHOOLS OF CHESTER COUNTY 
 
 The several monthly meetings, which are discussed in this 
 chapter, were, for the period of this study (before 1800) 
 members of Chester (or Concord Quarterly) Meeting, until 
 the establishment of Western Quarterly Meeting in 1758,* 
 when a number of them were included in that quarter. In 
 1800 a new Quarterly Meeting (Cain) was established from 
 those formerly constituting Western Quarterly. 2 The 
 monthly meetings with which we are to deal, the dates of their 
 establishment, and the order of their presentation here, are as 
 follows: (i) Kennett, known as Newark till 1760, 1686, or 
 before; (2) New Garden, set off from Kennett in 1718; (3) 
 Goshen, set off from Chester, 1722; (4) Bradford, 1737; (5) 
 Uwchlan, set off from Goshen, 1763; (6) London Grove, set 
 off from New Garden, i7Q2. 3 Those just named were situated 
 within the limits of present Chester County. 4 The last 
 meeting to be considered in this chapter, (7) Sadsbury, 
 established in 1737, was situated in Lancaster County. 6 
 
 In the records of Kennett (Newark) Meeting, the writer 
 has been unable to find any early explicit reference to educa- 
 tion. Among the early references to children, are the minutes 
 of 1715 in regard to those of the widow Howard at the time 
 of her remarriage. 6 The meeting appointed a committee to 
 look after the affairs of her children to see that the will of 
 the deceased father was entirely complied with. Again in 
 1727 the meeting appointed a committee to see that the 
 
 in. Western Q. Mtg. I, i (Deposited at West Grove); Bunting, 55. 
 2 Min. Cain Q. Mtg., I, I ; Bunting, 48. 
 
 3 Bunting, 59, 62, 43, 51, 52, and 6 1, respectively; also first volume 
 of records for each meeting. 
 4 See map. 
 8 Bunting, 49. 
 6 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., n 7 1715, 28. 
 
 (122)
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 123 
 
 provision for the orphan children be fulfilled before allowing 
 the widow to remarry. 7 These two cases serve to point out 
 that an early care and interest in the affairs of children was 
 manifested on the part of the meeting. 
 
 Local historians have very little to offer in the way of clews 
 to the education of the Quakers in the last part of the 
 seventeenth and early eighteenth century, though they all 
 agree that the Quakers furnished the foundations of educa- 
 tion, and it was begun very early, even from the first establish- 
 ment in the various counties. 8 Some of the early schools 
 have already been discussed, in cases where it was possible to 
 state the earliest beginnings. 9 
 
 In 1777 those who had attended the Western Quarterly 
 Meeting reported they had received the recommendations of 
 the yearly meeting requiring the monthly meetings to have 
 particular charge of the education of the children, with 
 especial reference to the employment of schoolmasters who 
 were Friends. 10 The same concern being mentioned a month 
 later, with emphasis on the school education, a committee of 
 six Friends was appointed to join with a committee of the 
 quarterly meeting to confer on the matter. 11 In 1779, their 
 action appears to be just a little more definite, but from the 
 records it is difficult to say whether it meant very much or 
 not ; the minutes at that time stated : 
 
 John Way, John Marshall, James Bennett, Caleb Pierce, David 
 Greame, Samuel Nichols, and Thomas Carlton, Jr., are appointed to 
 unit together and endeavor to promote such schools as (are) recom- 
 mended. 12 
 
 From that date (1779) to 1781, there appears no comment 
 on the subject, save the usual periodic announcements that 
 the Advices of the Yearly Meeting "have been regularly 
 received." In 1781, however, 
 
 Caleb Pierce on behalf of the committee on schools, reports there is a 
 school made up by some of the members of this, Bradford, and New 
 
 7 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 1231727, 188. 
 
 8 Futhey & Cope, Hist. Chester Co., 3O2f; Jordan, Hist. Del. Co., II, 
 
 Local his- 
 tory credits 
 Quakers 
 with furnish- 
 ing the 
 foundation 
 of schools 
 
 Yearly 
 recommen- 
 dations 
 received 
 
 School com- 
 mittee <j 
 appointed 
 
 Union school 
 of Kennett, 
 Bradford, 
 and New 
 Garden 
 
 'See page 42, Philadelphia 107, Abington 154, Darby. 
 10 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 12 n 1777, 625. 
 u lbid., 1151778, 626. 
 u lbid., I 14 1779, 658.
 
 124 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 The school 
 discontinued 
 
 New com- 
 mittee has 
 more specific 
 duties 
 
 Several 
 schools 
 reported; 
 some 
 
 according to 
 demand of 
 yearly 
 meeting 
 
 Garden monthly meetings; John Parker and Caleb Pierce are appointed 
 to join with the Friends of those meetings in the oversight thereof, and 
 report to this meeting when necessary. 13 
 
 In the seventh month thereafter, in the same year, John 
 Parker reported that the school which he and Caleb Pierce 
 had been appointed to oversee was discontinued. 14 They 
 were released from their service in the care of schools. The 
 former committee on that subject, appointed in 1779, seems, 
 however, from the minute of the tenth month, 1781, to have 
 been continued as a standing committee on the subject. 15 
 The following extract implies that the committee of 1779 
 was replaced by another which, by the way, had more 
 specifically named duties. The implication of the minute is 
 that there were at least two schools, perhaps more. 
 
 The concern for the promotion of schools, under the directions of 
 Friends revived, Samuel Harlan, John Way, Aaron Hollingsworth, 
 John Swain, Amos Harvey, Samuel Pennock, and James Jackson are 
 appointed to have the care and oversight of schools, also promote the 
 establishment of schools where there is yet want of assistance, and 
 report to this meeting when necessary. 16 
 
 In the same year it was also recommended to the prepara- 
 tive meetings that each appoint a committee of their own to 
 represent them and act with the committee of the monthly 
 meeting in the concern of schools. 17 The intervening years, 
 from 1783 to 1 785, offer nothing beyond the usual general 
 reports concerning the appointment of committees and the 
 like. In 1 785, the committee on schools produced this report : 
 
 We have lately had a conference on the subject, and do find that there 
 are several schools in the compass of our monthly meeting, kept by 
 Friends and under the care of this committee, and may inform that they 
 are kept to a good degree of satisfaction, yet there are some that employ 
 teachers, not members of our society, without the advice of the commit- 
 tee or the monthly meeting. We, likewise, agree to lay before the 
 monthly meeting the reappointment of a committee for this service in 
 future as the members of this committee have been long on the appoint- 
 ment and desire to be released, which we submit to the meeting. Signed 
 John Way (and five others). 18 
 
 13 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 2 15 1781, 730. 
 u lbid., 7 12 1781, 741. u lbid., 10 n 1781, 746. 
 
 l Ibid., 9111783, 787. "Ibid., 513 17 8 3, 795- 
 
 Ibid., 5121785, 814.
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 125 
 
 The answer to the fifth query of the same year likewise 
 informs us that care has been taken in the education of the 
 poor children, and Friends' children "are generally placed 
 among Friends." 19 
 
 The request for the appointment of a new committee on 
 schools, made by the old committee, does not seem to have 
 received consideration till 1788 In the meantime we must 
 assume that the old committee continued to serve, since 
 occasional reports were sent in. The men appointed on the 
 new committee were: Jacob Greave, Samuel Nichols, Amos 
 Harvey, Samuel Harlan, Moses Pennock, Robert Lambourn, 
 Jr., Christopher Hollingsworth, John Way, and William 
 Phillips, Jr. 20 In 1790 the monthly meeting ordered a 
 special committee to recommend a deeper educational con- 
 cern to the particular meetings. 21 
 
 The desired results, in the shape of a more perfected 
 organization and permanent foundation to be provided for 
 schools, did not come until about 1792 and thereafter. In 
 that year, the committee reported its past activity in respect 
 to schools established, and made certain valuable suggestions 
 to guide future action, as the following extract witnesses: 
 
 The committee, appointed at last meeting, report: We, the com- 
 mittee appointed by the monthly meeting at the request of Kennett 
 Preparative Meeting, respecting the establishment of schools within the 
 verge thereof, agree to report, we have attended thereto, and find they 
 have purchased a piece of ground, with the approbation of the commit- 
 tee of this meeting, of Abraham Taylor, about two miles and a half 
 westernly from Kennett Meeting House, adjoining the public road, 
 leading to Nottingham, and obtained his conveyance to Jacob Pierce, 
 Samuel Pennock, Townsend Lambourn, Thomas Pierce, William Parker, 
 and David Pierce, trustees for the same, meted and bounded as men- 
 tioned in the said conveyance and recorded .... and as it appears 
 to us necessary in order for a fixed object whereon to lay a foundation for 
 establishing a fund agreeable to the Yearly Meeting, that the monthly 
 meeting should appoint some Friends as trustees to have the care of the 
 said school, and that it should have a name to be distinguished by; we 
 therefore propose it to be called by the name "Number One," within the 
 verge of Kennett Preparative Meeting. We have likewise agreed on 
 some general rules to be observed by the scholars of the said school. 
 
 New school 
 
 committee 
 
 appointed 
 
 Ground 
 purchased 
 
 Rules 
 
 adopted for 
 the school 
 
 19 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 8 n 1785, 820. 
 *Ibid., 2141788, 874. 
 u lbid., I 14 1790, 914.
 
 126 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Summary of 
 committee's 
 report 
 
 Signed by Caleb Pierce, Wm. Lambourn, Caleb Kirk, and Jonathan 
 Greave. 12 24 1790. 
 
 The above report, being read, is agreed to be further con- 
 sidered at our next meeting. 22 Unfortunately for the satis- 
 faction of our curiosity about the internal organization of the 
 schools, the rules which they state were drawn up were not 
 incorporated in the minutes of the monthly meeting. They 
 were probably similar, however, to those adopted by the 
 Horsham School Committee at a slightly earlier date. 23 
 
 In consideration of the recommendations made in the above 
 report, the meeting assembled in the seventh month, ap- 
 pointed nine of their members as trustees, to receive all 
 donations for the purpose of schools. 24 About a year there- 
 after, a report signed by Joshua Pusey and John Jones was 
 submitted by the monthly meeting to the quarterly meeting, 
 which was in substantial accord with all that had already 
 been done. 25 It may be well to summarize briefly their 
 recommendations . 
 
 1 . We have considered the relative situation of the mem- 
 bers in our compass. 
 
 2. The affairs of education have not yet received the 
 attention they deserve. 
 
 3. We find several school houses have been erected, but 
 
 4. The demands made by the yearly meeting are not met, 
 therefore, 
 
 5. Friends must subscribe funds, either in monthly or 
 preparative meetings. 
 
 6. The funds must be available for application for meet- 
 ings. Friends are so scattered and few that they cannot 
 support a school alone and have been forced to patronize 
 "mixed schools." 
 
 7. Those laboring under difficulties should be taught 
 gratis, or at least, at low rates. 
 
 In 1795 the committee on schools produced a plan for 
 subscriptions to a permanent school fund, 26 which was 
 
 22 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., I 12 1792, 14. 
 M Horsham School Com. Minutes, I 27 1783. 
 24 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 7 12 1792, 25. 
 K Ibid., 3 14 1 793, 39. 
 Ibid,, 2 12 1795, 83.
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 127 
 
 referred to the next meeting. A report was then made, but 
 it was thought that since all of the committee had not 
 collaborated it should be, and accordingly was, postponed for 
 the time being. 27 In the fifth month a report was made, but 
 still some changes were thought to be necessary. 28 
 
 Not until the twelfth month (1785) was the report finally 
 produced, which is given below. There has been some refer- 
 ence made by local historians of Chester County, stating that 
 Kennett Monthly Meeting had as early as 1787 provided a 
 plan for subscription for the provision of permanent funds. 29 
 The rule "number 5," which is quoted by them, is exactly the 
 same rule as the fifth one which is mentioned below. The 
 writer has found no such reference to a plan for funds at the 
 earlier date (1787). It seems quite probable that the state- 
 ment made in Mr. Cope's work is an oversight, perhaps an 
 error in setting up an eight in place of a nine. The entire list 
 of nine rules is given. 
 
 i . A plan for raising fund for the benefit of schools within the bounds 
 of Kennett Monthly Meeting, whereby Friends may have an oppor- 
 tunity of manifesting their benevolent intentions by subscribing thereto. 
 
 1st. That each subscriber to this plan pay at the time of subscrip- 
 tion, or give his or her note to the treasurer or clerk of the trustees, or 
 their successors appointed by Kennett Monthly Meeting, to have the 
 care of this fund, for a sum of money payable at any time, not exceeding 
 three years after date, with the interest of five per cent, per annum paid 
 annually for the same. 
 
 2d. The treasurer shall have a book for that purpose, and keep fair 
 entries of all money due and received; likewise of all money expended 
 and his receipts shall be a sufficient discharge for any money paid to 
 him for the use of schools. 
 
 3rd. Whenever the treasurer may receive any new subscription or 
 any money for the benefit of schools, he shall report the same at the next 
 meeting of the trustees of the said schools. 
 
 4th. When the trustees receive any money for the use of schools, 
 they shall as soon as they can conveniently put the same to interest upon 
 good security; or they may purchase land or ground rent therewith as 
 shall appear best for the time being. 
 
 5th. The trustees shall, as soon as they see occasion, apply the 
 interest arising from this fund to securing the schooling of the children 
 
 Question of 
 a plan for 
 school funds 
 prior to 1795 
 
 Scheme for 
 funds 
 reported 
 in 1795 
 
 27 Min Kennett Mo. Mtg., 4161795, 88. 
 
 Ibid., 5141 795, 91. 
 
 "Futhey & Cope, Hist. Chester Co., 302.
 
 State of 
 schools in 
 1798 
 
 New Garden 
 
 Care for the 
 indigent 
 
 128 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 of such poor people, whether Friends or others, as live within the verge 
 of the aforesaid monthly meeting, provided such children comply with 
 their rules. 
 
 6th. We recommend it to each other as often as we find an increase 
 of property and openness of heart to add something to our subscription 
 whereby it is hoped the monthly meeting may in time be enabled more 
 fully to comply with the advice of the Yearly Meeting in 1778, respecting 
 schools. 
 
 7th. As a variety of circumstances may in future occur which the 
 human eye can not foresee, nor understanding conceive, therefore the 
 trustees shall from time to time manage this fund as shall appear to them 
 best, to promote the welfare of the said schools and the poor thereunto 
 belonging; also if the interest may be to spare, they may assist therewith 
 in keeping the schoolhouse in repair and in paying the salaries of school- 
 masters or mistresses within the verge of said meeting, provided the 
 principal be not thereby lessened. 
 
 8th. If at any time the trustees may not all judge alike how they 
 ought to proceed in such cases, they are to apply to the aforesaid 
 monthly meeting for assistance. 
 
 9th. The trustees shall from time to time be accountable to the 
 monthly meeting of Kennett for their management of this fund, as 
 directed in the minute of their appointment. Signed by order of Kennett 
 Monthly Meeting, held the I5th of the I2th month, I796. 80 
 
 The condition of the schools in Kennett Monthly Meeting 
 was made known in 1798 in the report presented by Robert 
 Lambourn for the committee. A digest of that report is as 
 follows : 
 
 1. They have had the subject "under care." 
 
 2. There are two schools "within their compass." 
 
 3. The town's schools are taught by Friends' members. 31 
 
 4. They are under the charge of the meeting's committee. 
 
 The New Garden Meeting in 1773 made record of having 
 placed 4 /i i /9 in the hands of Jacob Wright, to be applied 
 at the further directions of the meeting to the placing out of 
 poor Friends' children or the relief of indigent Friends. 32 
 Between that time and 1778, we learn no more of this edu- 
 cational philanthropic interest. In that year the usual 
 reminder sent out by the yearly meeting came to them, calling 
 
 30 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 12 15 1796, 146. 
 
 3l lbid., 8161798, 199. 
 
 82 Min. New Garden Mo. Mtg., 3 6 1773, 174.
 
 Schools in Chester County 129 
 
 attention to educational needs. 33 A committee was appointed 
 which stated in a report, 1779, "some care is taken therein, 
 and more appearing necessary, they are continued." 34 An 
 extract of a few months later is as follows : 
 
 The committee respecting schools, having the matter under care, two Two schools- 
 schools being under their notice, and another proposed to be established, another pro- 
 they are continued and desired to report when necessary, and the clerk posed 
 to enter the substance of the case in their report. 38 
 
 Following the report of 1779, which showed there were 
 two schools in charge of the meeting, there is furnished no 
 further information until 1785. In the third month, 1785, a 
 large committee of thirteen members was appointed to take 
 charge of the "weighty affairs" recommended. 36 This com- 
 mittee produced a report in the eighth month of the same 
 year, which is gratifying in that it is more substantial than 
 many others brought in. It is given herewith. 
 
 The committee in the care of schools report that they have had Report of 
 several conferences together since last meeting, and are of the mind that 1785 
 concern for the right education of our youth rather increases among 
 Friends, and that a new school house has been lately built near Jeremiah 
 Barnard's on a small piece of land conveyed by him for that purpose, 
 which account is satisfying to this meeting. The committee is con- 
 tinued for further service and desired to report as they may see occasion. 3 ? 
 
 In 1786, George Gawthrop and Thomas Richards were 
 added to the committee. 38 From the first to the fourth 
 month of that year, the committee reported they had visited 
 one school, 39 but their report indicates nothing performed, 
 more than the visit. Four months later it is reported they 
 had attended to the subject of schools somewhat, but that it 
 still required much greater attention ; and they were advised 
 to meet with the monthly meeting's clerk that he might pre- 
 pare his report on schools for the quarterly meeting. 40 
 
 Though that report and the one of the quarterly meeting 
 really tell us nothing, we are better rewarded in one produced 
 just a year later, which points plainly to some of the difficul- 
 ties the early school trustees had to face. 
 
 J3 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 6 6 1778, 388. 
 "Ibid., 5 I 1779, 22. K Ibid., 8 7 1779, 34. 
 
 Ibid., 351785, 234- "Ibid., 861785, 256. 
 
 **Ibid., 171786, 275. "Ibid., 851786, 312. 
 
 **Ibid., 4 i 1786, 290.
 
 130 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Report of 
 1787 
 
 Mistresses 
 employed in 
 summer; 
 some schools 
 not accord- 
 ing to advice 
 
 Require- 
 ments for 
 the school 
 at New 
 Garden 
 
 Goshen 
 
 The committee in the care of schools reported as follows: the sub- 
 stance whereof the clerk is directed to insert in our report of the quar- 
 terly meeting. 
 
 The care of schools has been under our care and attention and on 
 conferring together, we agree to report under the present circumstances 
 of things amongst us, it is found most convenient to employ mistresses, 
 as the teachers in our schools most generally in the summer season, 
 several of which are now under the care of Friends to pretty good satis- 
 faction, and we hope the concern is in a reviving way amongst us, though 
 there are discouragements by some Friends encouraging or promoting 
 schools taught by persons not agreeable to the advice of the society. 41 
 
 In 1794 William Jackson deeded to Joseph Preston and 
 others a piece of ground for a schoolhouse, 42 which was to be 
 in trust for the Friends' meeting. This is the first transfer 
 of ground for school purposes found among the New Garden 
 Friends. Among the stipulations of the deed are the follow- 
 ing: 
 
 1. The master is to be a member of Friends. 
 
 2 . The master must teach according to the rules laid down 
 (presumably by the school trustees) as before mentioned in 
 the case of the Horsham School Rules. 43 
 
 3. The purpose stated is for the "promotion of piety and 
 good order" and to "propagate useful learning." 
 
 On 12 2 1701, some Friends at Goshen applied to their 
 quarterly meeting for the privilege of establishing a meeting 
 for worship, 44 but this request was not approved until the 
 meeting of the quarter in I703. 45 In 1707 they proposed 
 building a house for worship which was granted by the 
 quarterly meeting in the twelfth month. 46 Their monthly 
 meeting, as stated before, was not established until I722. 4 ' 
 The preparative meetings in its compass were Goshen, New- 
 town, and Uwchlan. 48 
 
 Though starting at a much later date as a monthly meeting 
 the records of Goshen are in some ways far superior to many 
 
 41 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 8 4 1787, 355. 
 
 ^Deed No. 88, Chester Co. (the deed is deposited in a fireproof at 
 Orthodox Meeting House, custody of Edgar Haines, West Grove, Pa.). 
 "Min. Horsham Sch. Com., I 27 1783. 
 ^Min. Chester Q. Mtg., 12 2 1701. 
 46 Ibid., 9 i 1703. 
 w lbid., 12 2 1707. 
 47 See page 122. 
 48 See first book of Goshen Mo. Mtg. Records.
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 other meetings. In the first place, they devoted considerable 
 attention to the yearly meetings' proposals of 1746 and 17 so, 49 
 which by many meetings received very scant attention. The 
 concrete results of this attention, however, do not stand forth, 
 as reports on the subjects are not plentiful till the "1778 era." 
 In that year of all years, they received the urgent accounts 
 from the yearly meeting. 50 They appear to have gone to 
 work at once, or perhaps had already begun, as a committee 
 in the care of schools reported in the sixth month, 1779, that 
 "a piece of ground is agreed for and a schoolhouse is now 
 building in East Bradford." 51 This school was to be made 
 up from the Friends of Goshen, Bradford, and Birmingham, 52 
 and to be established in accord with the stipulations of the 
 yearly meeting aforesaid. 53 Goshen Monthly Meeting was 
 requested to name some Friend to receive the land in trust, 
 and Thomas Hoopes, Jr., was accordingly appointed for the 
 purpose. 54 
 
 In 1782, the present school committee, deciding that some- 
 thing should be done concerning the regulation of schools, 
 desired an addition to their number, those added being 
 Abraham Pratt, William Lewis, John Mailin, and Josiah 
 Hibberd. 55 Two months later this committee brought forth 
 the following proposals, which are self-explanatory. 
 
 We have met sundry times since the last meeting on the subject and 
 are unanimous in judgment that it will be convenient for Friends to have 
 a school house built near Jesse Garrett's smith shop on the east side of 
 the road leading from the valley where about five acres may be pur- 
 chased of William Garrett and William Garrett, Jr., in order to erect 
 a school house on, and also a house for a school master, which we request 
 the monthly meeting to take under consideration; and if they approve 
 thereof, that it may be encouraged by a subscription amongst Friends 
 only, and to be established on the plan proposed by the Yearly Meeting 
 and subject to the direction of the monthly meeting from time to time, 
 to remove or alter as they may see cause, or time may show to be neces- 
 sary. We propose the house to be twenty-seven feet square from out to 
 
 "Advices of the Yr. Mtg., 250. 
 50 Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., I 8 1779. 
 bl lbid., 6 ii 1779. 
 
 52 Futhey and Cope mention a school at Birmingham as early as 1753, 
 Hist. Chester Co., 302. 
 
 M Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 6 n 1779. 
 
 A school in 
 East Brad- 
 ford for 
 Goshen, 
 Bradford 
 and Bir- 
 mingham 
 
 Increased 
 committee 
 reported 
 1782 
 
 Land to be 
 purchased 
 for school 
 and master's 
 accommoda- 
 tions 
 
 K Jbid., 1111782.
 
 132 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 The building 
 and cost 
 
 Attempt to 
 bestir the 
 preparatives 
 
 School at 
 Willistown; 
 master's 
 house, etc., 
 proposed 
 
 One school 
 the property 
 of the 
 monthly 
 meeting 
 
 out, and compute the expense of building to be 150 exclusive of the land 
 which will be 25, which we submit to the monthly meeting. Signed in 
 behalf of the committee Thomas Hoopes, Jr. 86 
 
 Their report was left for further consideration. 
 
 In 1784 a drive was organized on the preparative meetings. 
 The monthly meeting received a visit from the committee of 
 the quarterly meeting, which suggested the appointment of a 
 large committee and the distribution of the printed advices 
 of the yearly meeting of 1778, to be read before each of the 
 preparative meetings. 57 In conformity with this suggestion, 
 the former school committee was released and a new one of 
 ten members appointed as a standing committee, directed to 
 follow out the previously made suggestions. 58 In their report 
 issued shortly thereafter, there is an account of the beginning 
 of a school in Willistown, which is as the following: 
 
 The committee in the care of schools report that a school is kept in 
 the new house built in Willistown by a Friend, and endeavors are used 
 to have it conducted as near as may be to the directions of the Yearly 
 Meeting, and the building of a house for the master is proposed and a 
 considerable sum of money is subscribed towards the same, provided a 
 sufficiency can in like manner be raised. 59 
 
 Another report for 1785 gives the state of schools for that 
 date. 
 
 There are several schools in the verge of our monthly meeting, kept by 
 members of our society, one of which belongs to the monthly meeting, 
 with several acres of land, whereon Friends are now building a house for 
 a master, which when completed there will be a small fund towards 
 schooling poor children. 60 
 
 The chief concern to which the committee now addressed 
 itself was the problem as to how they might establish a per- 
 manent fund for the schooling of poor children in their limits. 
 For this problem they seem to have found a satisfactory 
 solution for the time being, in 1786, which they reported to 
 the monthly meeting for its approval. It appears to have 
 been satisfactory to the meeting in the following form, the 
 
 M Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 3 8 1782. 
 "Ibid., 191784. 
 
 IbU., 861784. 
 "Ibid., 851785.
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 133 
 
 essential features being the same as those incorporated in the 
 plans of meetings already mentioned. 
 
 We, the subscribers, do hereby promise to pay unto .... treas- 
 urer for Friends' schools, within the compass of Goshen Monthly 
 Meeting, or to other Friends as may be from time to time appointed by 
 said committee to that service, the sum of money severally written 
 against our names, which sums are so subscribed to be and remain a 
 permanent fund under the care of and direction of the monthly meeting's 
 committee of the people called Quakers, held at Goshen for the time 
 being, appointed for this and other such purposes relative to schools, to 
 be by them laid out in such manner as they shall from time to time 
 judge most conducive to securing an income to the said schools, which 
 income or annuity so arising therefrom to be applied to the education of 
 such children as live within the compass of Goshen Monthly Meeting, 
 whose parents, whether Friends or others, are not of ability to pay for the 
 same and other such purposes as a majority of said committee shall from 
 time to time direct, consistent with the object of the institution. Wit- 
 ness our hands etc. 61 
 
 For the next six years there are but two reports worthy of 
 attention, which may be briefly summarized in this manner: 
 1787 
 
 1. One school, under the monthly meeting, 
 
 a. has a large school house, and 
 
 b. a dwelling house and garden for a master, who 
 
 c. is a member of Friends 
 
 d. The school is in charge of a standing committee 
 
 2. Another school house, whose 
 
 a. master is a member of Friends, but 
 
 b. the house is not Friends' property. 62 
 1792 
 
 i. There is a school in Williston 
 
 a. kept by a member of Friends, 
 
 b. cared for by a standing committee of the monthly 
 
 meeting, 
 
 c. much in accord with yearly meeting's demands. 
 
 d. There has been no increase in the permanent fund 
 
 since last year. 63 
 
 The report of the standing monthly meeting's committee 
 in 1795 notes these further advances. The reference to the 
 
 Goshen plan 
 for establish- 
 ing funds 
 
 similar to 
 others 
 
 The state of 
 schools in 
 1787 
 
 1792 
 
 61 Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 8 II 1786. 
 
 id., 8 10 1787. Ibid., 7 6 1792.
 
 134 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 1795 
 
 One school 
 closed tem- 
 porarily 
 
 Union school 
 of 1779 
 
 purchase of ground in Willistown would lead to the belief that 
 the school of Willistown mentioned in the report of 1792 was 
 not located on the meeting's property; but the tenor of the 
 report of 1784 leaves the impression that the "new house" 
 might have been the meeting's property. 64 The report of 
 1795 is as follows: 
 
 The meeting's committee in the care of schools report that they have 
 for some time had in contemplation the establishment of another school 
 within the verge of the monthly meeting to be conducted agreeable to 
 the advice of the Yearly Meeting, and have so far proceeded as to have 
 purchased 4^ acres of land of Samuel Thomas in Willistown, which is 
 deeded to some Friends in trust for the use and benefit of Goshen 
 Monthly Meeting, to improve, alter, sell, or otherwise as the meeting 
 may think proper, or time show to be necessary; therefore, if the 
 monthly meeting unites with our proceedings, we desire they may take 
 the same under their patronage. 66 
 
 In 1796 the school at Goshen was apparently closed for 
 several months, though the reference made to this fact may 
 have been to one at Willistown; 66 exactly which one can not 
 be deciphered from the minutes. In 1797 the committee 
 reported a house had been built on the ground lately pur- 
 chased (presumably that mentioned in the report of 1795)" 
 and a school was being kept therein, according to the advices 
 in all respects, save the membership of the master being out- 
 side of Friends. 68 "The other school" was taught by a 
 member, and was very much as might be desired in all 
 respects. 69 One of the schools (not clear which one) became 
 vacant again for a short time in I798. 70 
 
 What became of the school established about 1779 by 
 Bradford, Goshen, and Birmingham 71 is not made clear by 
 Goshen records. It is probable that when the two schools 
 at Willistown and Goshen came under their direction, they 
 ceased to have any further connection with the earlier one in 
 East Bradford. Further mention will be made of the East 
 
 64 See page 132. 
 
 65 Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 4 10 1795. 
 
 Ibid., 851796. 
 
 67 Seepage 132. 
 
 68 Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 8 n 1797. 
 
 '"'Ibid., 8 10 1798. 
 "Seepage 131.
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 135 
 
 Bradford school in the material presented for that monthly 
 meeting, in the pages just followinp. It may be only briefly 
 mentioned in this connection that in 1 797 the Goshen meeting 
 appointed a committee to secure subscriptions for the yearly 
 meeting's boarding school which had been proposed in 
 I794,' 2 and was opened for students in I799- 73 
 
 Some meetings for worship by the Friends in the district, 
 later to be known as Bradford Meeting, were held as early as 
 
 1719. 74 and regular meetings for worship were established in 
 
 1725. 75 Not until 1737, however, had they become of suffi- 
 cient importance to warrant the establishment of a monthly 
 meeting. 76 
 
 In 1762 Bradford's minutes refer to settling the affairs and 
 providing for the support and the education of the children. 7 '' 
 It was proposed that application be made to the next court 
 
 that those under indenture to might be bound out so 
 
 as to have a Christian education, and to enable them "to 
 acquire a livelihood with reputation. " V8 It is implied that the 
 Mr. - - had not provided for them properly in those 
 respects. In 1765 fourteen epistles were received and directed 
 to be read in each of the preparative meetings (Bradford and 
 Cain). 79 Though no school is mentioned at these early dates, 
 there seems to be no doubt that schools were in operation, 
 perhaps a sort of family school. This brief extract would 
 indicate that the above assumption is not without foundation : 
 
 Two of the Friends appointed report they had an opportunity with 
 Benjamin Fans respecting schooling of Isaac Few, and that he informed 
 them that he would undertake to school him for the term of one year, 
 for the sum of 25, which proposal the meeting complies with and agrees 
 to pay the half. 80 
 
 The cost of this schooling was paid by the two preparative 
 meetings which produced their quotas four months later. 81 
 
 e 73f . 
 
 oshen Mo. Mtg., I 6 1797. 
 74 Min. Chester Q. Mtg., 9 9 1719. 
 Ibid., 3 10 1725. 
 78 See page 122; also Bunting, 51. 
 "Min. Bradford Mo. Mtg., 6 18 1762. 
 
 Bradford 
 
 meeting 
 
 established 
 
 Ibid., 12 13 1765. 
 *Ibid., 4 7 1767. 
 81 Ibid., 8141767.
 
 136 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Three 
 
 schools 
 
 established; 
 
 a committee 
 
 to assist in 
 
 establishing 
 
 others 
 
 Thenceforward, till 1778, nothing of note is recorded, save 
 occasional notices of the education of the youth. 
 The year 1778 produced the following minute: 
 The extracts of last Yearly Meeting were produced here and read, 
 containing much seasonable advice and instruction which is recom- 
 mended to the solid consideration and observation of individuals; in 
 particular, that of encouragement of proper schools for the instruction 
 of youth in useful learning. 82 
 
 Like an electric current suddenly shunted into the circuit, 
 these extracts of 1777 and 1778 seemed to increase the voltage 
 in the wires of the organization, producing a general hum of 
 activity. A committee, immediately appointed, reported in 
 1779 they had considered the situation, 83 and in 1780 pro- 
 duced the report which is given below. As will be noted, 
 their report mentions the "Union School" of Goshen, East 
 Bradford and Birmingham, which has already received some 
 consideration in the case of Goshen. 84 
 
 We, the committee appointed in the care of schools, report that most 
 of us attended to the appointment and have several times met and con- 
 ferred together and have given our assistance toward the settling of a 
 school between Goshen, Bradford, and Birmingham Preparative Meet- 
 ing in a new schoolhouse built by Friends; one at East Bradford in the 
 old schoolhouse near the meeting house; one at East Cain kept at the 
 meeting house at present, agreed to be under the direction of Friends 
 nearly agreeable to the Advices of the Yearly Meeting; and we think it 
 expedient to appoint Friends to take the necessary care of said schools; 
 but there appear to be many Friends that are not yet accommodated 
 with suitable schools, and we think a committee of a few Friends to be 
 continued to assist therein will be necessary, all of which we submit to the 
 meeting. (Signed by the committee). . . . 
 
 Which being read and considered, the meeting appoints William England, 
 William Cooper, Humphrey Marshall, and Thomas Baldwin to have the 
 care of the school near Bradford Meeting House, and Thomas Fisher, 
 Griffith Mendenhall, Isaac Coates and Isaac Pirn to have the care of the 
 school now kept in the meeting house at East Cain, who are desired to 
 take the necessary care therein and the former committee is still con- 
 tinued. 86 
 
 A subsequent report of 1781 points out that an additional 
 school has been established, presumably through the coopera- 
 
 82 Min. Bradford Mo. Mtg., 12 15 1778. 
 
 ^Ibid., 2 12 1779. 
 
 '"See page I33f. 
 
 86 Min. Bradford Mo. Mtg., 512 1780.
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 137 
 
 tion of the meetings of Bradford, Kennett, and New Garden. 86 
 The records of Kennett and New Garden do not seem to 
 recognize this cooperative school, however. To the writer, 
 it seems that the probable state of affairs was that the one 
 school was so located that it was patronized by the three 
 communities though its direction lay in the hands of Bradford 
 Meeting. The contiguous situation of the townships makes 
 this a plausible and a probable solution. The school was soon 
 to be discontinued for a time. 87 The report of 1781 is here- 
 with submitted. 
 
 The Friends in the care of schools report that they attended the school 
 set between this meeting, New Garden, and Kennett Monthly Meetings, 
 and purpose taking further care therein; and those to have the care of 
 the school at Bradford report that a school is held there in pretty regular 
 order, considering the situation of the master in regard to his sight, and 
 they that had the care of the school at East Cain informed that they 
 had divers opportunities with the master and scholars, and are of the 
 mind that further care in that respect is necessary; which being con- 
 sidered, this meeting continues the said Friends and desires that they 
 may attend to the service for which they are appointed. 88 
 
 The conditions presented in the report of the second month 
 remained the same, save that the school between Kennett, 
 New Garden, and Bradford was reported "discontinued" in 
 the sixth month, i78i. 89 Later in that year, the old commit- 
 tee was released and a new list of men, Thomas Baldwin, Joel 
 Harlan, Thomas Sugar, Nathan Cooper, Benjamin Hanley, 
 John Hoopes, Thomas Fisher, Griffith Mendenhall, Samuel 
 Fisher, and George Harrison constituted a "standing com- 
 mittee." 90 In 1782 four schools were reported; 91 in 1783, 
 several schools not entirely agreeable to the desires expressed 
 in the Yearly Meeting's Advices; 92 in 1784, three are reported 
 in the verge of Bradford Particular Meeting, mostly under 
 the direction of Friends, but "none at either of the Cams" 
 (East or West). 93 Subsequent reports show that the cessa- 
 tion of the schools at Cain was only temporary. The 
 presentation of this very brief span of their history may be 
 
 M Min. Bradford Mo. Mtg., 2161781. 
 
 ^Ibid., 6161781. 
 
 "Ibid., 2 16 1781. n lbid., 2 15 1782. 
 
 "Ibid., 6161781. n lbid., 8151783. 
 
 90 Ibid., 9 14 1781. ^Ibid., 2 13 1784. 
 
 A school 
 between 
 Bradford, 
 Kennett and 
 New Garden 
 
 Four schools 
 reported by 
 committee
 
 138 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Report of 
 1792 
 
 Uwchlan 
 
 Education of 
 Negroes 
 mentioned 
 in 1765 
 
 Three 
 schools 
 mentioned 
 in 1779 
 
 closed with an abbreviated statement of a committee report 
 made in I7Q2. 94 
 
 1 . We visited four schools in our verge, one more left, making five. 
 
 2. The fifth is likely to be discontinued soon. 
 
 3. Number 
 
 one near Bradford Meeting House (in care of Friends), 
 one in East Bradford (part Friends and part not), 
 one in East Cain (the masters not members of Friends, but will- 
 ing to be under their direction). 
 4. The committee was released on request. 
 
 In the same year that Uwchlan became a monthly meeting, 
 the Friends entered a protest, saying that the making of wills 
 was too much neglected, but that such as were made were not 
 misapplied. 95 It is quite probable that the first statement is 
 an indication of a philanthropic spirit in the meeting, between 
 which and educational activity there has been noted a high 
 correlation. Moreover, their explicit statement in 1765 
 concerning the education of the negroes would indicate the 
 education of their own children was already taken care of. 96 
 The usual transformation in the kind of reports, noted in 
 other meetings about 1778 and following, is likewise apparent 
 in the meeting at present under discussion. 
 
 Though a school committee was appointed much earlier 
 (1779) there was a very definite report made before 1782. 
 Two reports made then in successive months are worthy of 
 our attention. 
 
 The committee respecting schools report that they have attended to 
 the service, having visited one school, the master whereof is a member 
 of this meeting, to a good degree of satisfaction, some of the employers 
 and scholars being present. They are continued to proceed in that 
 service as way may open and report to next meeting 97 . . . 
 
 And a month later 
 
 The Friends appointed report that they have visited two other schools, 
 the masters whereof and many of the employers are members of this 
 meeting, and .... being enabled to communicate some advice, 
 which appeared to be well received, they are continued. 98 
 
 In 1783 a new committee was commissioned to procure a 
 particular statement of the schools wherein Friends were con- 
 
 94 Min. Bradford Mo. Mtg., 9 14 1792. 
 
 96 Min. Uwchlan Mo. Mtg., 8 3 1763, 22. 
 
 M Ibid., 311765, 66. 
 
 "Ibid., II 7 1782, 132. "Ibid., 12 5 1782, 106.
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 139 
 
 cerned either as masters or as employers, viz. : Thomas 
 Richards, Jesse Jones, Joshua Baldwin, Reuben John, William 
 Millhouse, Griffith John, Simon Meredith, William Cooper, 
 Elihu Evans, Aaron Duncan, and Joseph Starr." This com- 
 mittee is not to be confused with the trustees of the school 
 funds, who were entirely distinct, and whose sole function was 
 to receive and apply the funds for the education of the indi- 
 gent children. The trustees' report stated in 1784 that the 
 amount of the legacies and donations up to that date 
 amounted to i2o/io/oo. 100 
 
 Near this time, very probably in 1784, a new school was 
 established by Friends at Nantmeal, for which Uwchlan 
 Meeting appointed a special committee which was to make a 
 report; the report made in 1785 stated that they had visited 
 the school and found it well conducted. 101 In 1 787 , the school 
 committee produced a report on all schools, which was to be 
 sent to the quarterly meeting. It embodied some statement 
 of the results achieved, difficulties to be faced, and further 
 gave an insight into the cooperation of Friends in the "mixed 
 schools" of their communities. As sent to the quarterly 
 meeting, the report was as follows : 
 
 We of the committee appointed to essay a report to the quarterly 
 meeting of the situation of our members in regard to schools and the 
 progress of our monthly meeting in that important concern, having had 
 several conferences and opportunities of enquiring into that subject, 
 report as follows: that some have been appointed and continued from 
 time to time by our monthly meeting for several years past, who have 
 used many endeavors to promote the establishment of schools agreeable 
 to the advices of the Yearly Meeting; but our number generally living 
 so remote from each other, has prevented much progress being made 
 therein, save one house being built by Friends at Nantmeal nearly on 
 the plan proposed, in which a school has been kept some time, but now 
 dropped for want of a salary for the master, there not being a sufficient 
 number of Friends settled contiguous thereto nor to each other, in any 
 other part of our meeting to support a school; and the boarding out of 
 our children appears an expense too heavy for many of us, so that we are 
 generally in the practice of schooling our children in a mixed manner, 
 though mostly under the tutorage of Friends, or persons friendly dis- 
 posed, to whom some care has been extended and their schools frequently 
 
 New 
 
 committee 
 
 appointed 
 
 The state 
 of funds 
 
 School set 
 up at 
 Nantmeal 
 
 Report of 
 1787 
 
 Nantmeal 
 
 school 
 
 discontinued 
 
 "Min. Uwchlan Mo. Mtg., 12 4 1783, 158. 
 
 100 Ibid., 2-5-1784, 162. 101 Ibid., 2-10-1785, 184.
 
 140 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 visited by our committee some time back. Signed by order of the school 
 committee by William Millhouse, clerk. 102 
 
 In 1794, the London Grove Monthly Meeting, just created, 
 began its educational work by appointing a committee to 
 take subscriptions for a fund to support a "regular school." 103 
 In 1795, the preparative meeting proposing that a standing 
 committee be appointed to inspect the necessities of the poor 
 and the school education of their children, the following were 
 named to unite with a committee of women on that concern, 
 viz.: Samuel Swayne, Josiah Hoopes, John Man, and 
 Jonathan Buslow. 104 Four months later the committee 
 appointed to raise the funds by subscription (see above) 
 reported that a sum of "more than fifty pounds" was already 
 subscribed. 105 No statement of the number of schools 
 established in the limits of the London Grove Meeting is 
 given between the time of its establishment and the end of the 
 century; nor are any other details vouchsafed. It will 
 suffice for a voucher of their intentions and the work actually 
 begun in that period, to insert the following statement of 
 their plan for founding their schools. 
 
 Pursuant to the advice and recommendations of the Yearly Meeting 
 of Friends for many years, and excited by consideration in our own 
 minds for an improvement of the school education of the youth, espec- 
 ially those in low circumstances, we, the subscribers hereto, have agreed 
 to promote the raising of a fund or stock, the increase whereof to be for 
 the benefit of the several schools which are or may be under the care of 
 London Grove Monthly Meeting, and to be distributed amongst them 
 at the direction of a committee of the said meeting, appointed from time 
 to time in the care of schools. The sum annexed to each of our names 
 we hereby engage each for himself or heirs, executors and administrators 
 respectively, to pay or to cause to be paid to such Friend or Friends as 
 the abovesaid monthly meeting shall appoint as treasurer for the same, 
 and that at any time, when demanded, after the whole subscription 
 amounts to the sum of fifty pounds. The treasurer, so appointed, we 
 enjoin to be subject to the inspection and control of the said monthly 
 meeting and to render a fair and true account thereto of his proceedings 
 therein once a year, and if the said meeting shall at any time see cause 
 to release the treasurer, then he shall give up his accounts and pay the 
 
 102 Min. Bradford Mo. Mtg., 8 91787, 235. 
 103 Min. London Grove Mtg., 12 3 1794, 56. 
 lM IMd., 3 4 1795, 62. 
 lo& Ibid., 711795, 73-
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 141 
 
 money or transfer such other property as may be under his care, apper- 
 taining to the said fund unto such other Friends as the monthly meeting 
 may appoint to succeed him in the said trust. Our subscriptions, until 
 they amount to fifty pounds or upwards, we direct to be kept in stock 
 and be deposited in some safe way so as to produce increase either by a 
 loan upon land at the discretion and direction of the said monthly 
 meeting or committee thereof. The interest, rent, or increase whereof 
 we direct to be applied for the benefit of the aforesaid schools in such a 
 manner and at such times as the school committee of the said monthly 
 meeting for the time being, or a majority of them shall direct. And 
 although our present endeavor may appear feeble and small, yet we trust 
 and hope it may gradually increase so as to become more useful in time. 106 
 
 There remains to be presented in this chapter the activities 
 of Sadsbury Meeting, which, though outside the limits of 
 Chester County, was made up very largely of members 
 residing in Chester County. 107 The most distinctly educa- 
 tional work of any sort was the youths' meeting, which was 
 very frequently mentioned as early as 1739, only two years 
 after they became a monthly meeting. 108 Numerous state- 
 ments of these meetings occur throughout the first thirty 
 years and more. Attention was also directed to a care for 
 the children of the poor. 
 
 One of the Friends appointed in the case of John Marsh's child report 
 they attended the service and met with some encouragement concerning 
 the education of the child, the person with whom it resides being its 
 grandmother; the meeting concludes to leave it under the care and 
 notice of Henry Marsh, the child's uncle. 109 
 
 In 1779 the first committee to carry out the instruction of 
 1777 and 1778 was appointed, consisting of the following 
 members: James Miller, Andrew Moore, and Samuel 
 Simons. 110 They were to afford assistance to each of the 
 preparative meetings (Sadsbury and Leacock). This they 
 reported in the second month they had done; James Moore, 
 Isaac Taylor, John Moore, James Smith, Abraham Gibbons, 
 and James Webb were then appointed to do the work. 111 In 
 1782 a visit was made to Sadsbury Meeting by the committee 
 
 106 Min. London Grove Mtg., n 4 1795, 78. 
 107 Futhey and Cope, Hist. Chester Co., 239. 
 108 Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 3 6 1739, 7. 
 lo *Ibid., 6 21 1769, 1 80. 
 no lbid., I 20 1779, 297. 
 in lbid., 2 20 1779, 298. 
 
 Sadsbury 
 
 Youths' 
 meetings 
 established 
 in 1739 
 
 Committee 
 appointed 
 on schools
 
 142 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 School at 
 
 Sadsbury 
 
 mentioned 
 
 Discon- 
 tinued, but 
 not long 
 
 Barclay's " 
 Catechism 
 for use in 
 schools 
 
 Lampeter 
 requests to 
 build school- 
 house, 1792 
 
 appointed by the quarterly meeting. 112 They reported 
 further at that time: 
 
 The Monthly Meeting committee has it under care and there is a 
 school set up at Sadsbury, and it is closely recommended to Friends for a 
 further progress and to the committee of this meeting in particular, to 
 which George Cooper, Andrew Moore, and Joseph Dickinson are 
 added. 113 
 
 The conditions remain substantially the same for the five 
 subsequent years, with frequently interspersed reports, made 
 to the monthly meetings and to be sent to the quarterly 
 meeting. In that year, as the following report shows, the 
 school at Sadsbury was discontinued, and the old committee 
 removed to make place for a new one. 
 
 Several Friends of the committee respecting schools report they have 
 conferred together since the last meeting, and it doth not appear that 
 there is any school at this time within the verge of this meeting under the 
 care and direction of Friends, and the said committee expressing their 
 desire to be released, the meeting consents thereto, yet in order to keep 
 alive the concern and promote a matter so interesting, concludes to 
 appoint a fresh committee, and James Miller, John Moore, son of James, 
 Isaac Taylor, and Joseph Williams, Joseph Brinton, Moses Brinton, 
 William Downing, and Gaius Dickinson are appointed for the service. 114 
 
 It is not ascertainable from the minutes just how long this 
 school remained closed, but a minute of 1789, directing that 
 Barclay's Catechism be distributed for the use of the schools, 
 indicates that it was not discontinued for a long time. 115 
 Isaac Taylor, R. Moore, William Gibbons, and William 
 Webb were appointed to distribute the said books. 116 
 
 In 1792, Lampeter Preparative Meeting (called Leacock 
 in 1732, but changed to Lampeter in I749) 11 '' laid before the 
 monthly meeting a request to be permitted to build a school 
 house on or near their meeting house land for the purpose of a 
 boarding school to be under the care of the monthly meeting. 118 
 Their request was not acted upon until the next meeting 
 when it was referred to a committee of eleven men, who were 
 
 112 Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 6 19 1782, 337. 
 lu lbid., 3 21 1787, 39f. 
 n& Ibid., 6 17 1789, 70. 
 
 n3 Ibid. 
 
 117 Futhey and Cope, Hist. Chester Co., 239. 
 118 Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 2 22 1792, 106.
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 143 
 
 to consider the proposals and report their judgment to the 
 monthly meeting when convenient. 119 It appears from the 
 following extract of the monthly meeting that they were 
 somewhat critical. 
 
 The committee appointed to consider the proposals of Lampeter 
 Preparative Meeting for building a school house made a report in 
 writing, which not meeting the approbation of this meeting, is returned 
 and Joseph Brinton, Abraham Gibbons, William Brinton, James Smith, 
 John Ferris, James Cooper, and Levi Powell are added to the former 
 committee and William Webb is requested to consider the matter and 
 report to the next meeting. 120 
 
 At the session of the monthly meeting held two months later, 
 the newly appointed committee was successful in getting a 
 satisfactory hearing for their decision in regard to the Lampe- 
 ter Boarding School. 
 
 The proposal of Lampeter Preparative Meeting comes again under 
 consideration and the following report being produced and divers times 
 read, is concurred with. 
 
 To Sadsbury Monthly Meeting 
 
 We, the committee appointed to consider Lampeter's proposals for 
 building a school house and having again met and had a solid conference 
 together unite in jiidgment that the proposals are nearly agreeable to the 
 advices of the Yearly Meeting and under the present circumstances are 
 of the mind the monthly meeting may be safe in leaving that meeting at 
 liberty to erect a building proportioned in size to their Friends and the 
 probabilities of what may be obtained by subscription (which is sub- 
 mitted to the meeting by James Miller and signed by fourteen others). 
 6 25 I792. m 
 
 In 1793, the school committee recommended in the follow- 
 ing report that more definite steps be taken to meet the 
 demand of the yearly meeting in regard to (i) the accommo- 
 dations for a master and (2) the establishment of a permanent 
 school fund. 
 
 The committee in the care of schools made the following report in 
 writing which, after being solidly considered, is adopted and the clerk 
 is directed to furnish each preparative meeting with a copy of this 
 minute together with the report of the committee (which follows). 
 Most of the committee appointed in the care of establishing well regu- 
 lated schools for the instruction of our youth report they met twice on 
 
 Committee's 
 suggestions 
 for Lampeter 
 school not 
 accepted 
 
 The accepted 
 report 
 
 119 Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 3 21 1792,^107. 
 no lbid., 5 23 1792, 109. 
 ltl lbid., 7 10 1792, 112.
 
 144 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Funds to be 
 raised 
 
 Plans for 
 raising funds 
 adopted 
 
 the subject and solidly considering the same, believe it would be right 
 for the monthly meeting to recommend to Sadsbury Preparative Meet- 
 ing the making of such suitable provisions for the accommodation of a 
 school master as is recommended by the Yearly Meeting Minute of 
 1778 That Sadsbury and Lampeter Preparative Meetings be stirred up 
 to use their endeavors to raise such funds for their respective meetings 
 by subscription as is recommended as well as in a minute of our last 
 quarterly meeting, by William Webb (and five others). 122 
 
 By a later minute we are informed that an instrument of 
 writing (subscription plan) has been drawn up for the purpose 
 of raising funds, 123 which, however, did not prove wholly 
 satisfactory, 124 and was postponed for further consideration. 
 As presented finally and accepted on twelfth month, loth, 
 1793, the plan for raising permanent funds was as follows: 
 
 Whereas the Yearly Meeting is impressed with a sense of the advan- 
 tages that would arise from a religious education of our youth, has fre- 
 quently recommended the establishment of schools under the care of a 
 standing committee of monthly or particular meetings and especially in 
 1778, recommended the promoting a subscription towards a fund, the 
 increase whereof rrfight be employed in paying the master's salary, if 
 necessary, and promoting the education of poor Friends' children. This 
 provision may be made to take in poor children of Friends or others 
 taught gratis or at such moderate rates as their parents or guardians can 
 afford to pay at the discretion of the trustees, etc. 
 
 And we, the subscribers, writing with the above recommendations and 
 willing to part with a portion of the substance, we as stewards are blessed 
 with, in order to carry the same into effect (provided always, neverthe- 
 less, that no part of the fund shall ever be applied towards paying the 
 master's salary so as to reduce the schooling of children who are in 
 affluent circumstances, lower than 40 shillings per annum, and may be 
 raised at the discretion of the trustees), do hereby promise for ourselves, 
 our heirs, and executors, or administrators to pay, or cause to be paid, 
 the several sums to our names annexed, to the trustees for .... 
 school. Otherwise, five per cent, interest from the dates respectively to 
 our names prefixed until paid or till such other persons as may be 
 appointed by the monthly meeting to receive the same. In witness 
 
 whereof m 
 
 The situation of schools near the close of the century is 
 shown in a report of 1 797 to be as stated below. Though this 
 report states no fund is established, a later report of 1798 
 states that some progress has been made in that respect. 126 
 
 122 Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 4 17 1793, 120. 
 
 Ibid., 5131793, 121. Ibid., 12101793, 128. 
 
 Ibid., 9181793, 125. Ibid., 171798. 175.
 
 Schools in Chester County 
 
 The report for 1797 is as follows: 
 
 The committee in the care of schools report that there is no fund 
 established for this purpose, yet there are three schools within the com- 
 pass of our monthly meeting taught by masters who are Friends and 
 are under the especial care of a committee of this meeting. 127 
 
 At the very close of the century Sadsbury Friends were 
 interested in raising a fund to help in the establishment of the 
 Yearly Meeting's boarding school at Westtown, Penn- 
 sylvania. 128 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 This chapter considers the establishment of schools in 
 Kennett, New Garden, Goshen, Bradford, Uwchlan, London 
 Grove and Sadsbury monthly meetings. 
 
 No early definite reference is made to education, though 
 the careful interest in children's welfare is at all times evident. 
 Not until the "1777 era" do the reports give any considerable 
 information concerning schools. Committees were there- 
 after always in attendance upon the problems of the schools. 
 In 1781 a "union school" was reported between Kennett, 
 Bradford and New Garden, which was afterwards discon- 
 tinued. In 1785 they report "several schools," in partial 
 accord with demands of the yearly meeting. Land for 
 Kennett school "number one" was purchased in 1792, and 
 rules drawn up for its control. Their scheme for raising 
 permanent funds was not completed until 1795. Two 
 schools, taught by members of the society, were under the 
 care of the meeting's committee in 1798. 
 
 Two schools were reported at New Garden in 1779 and 
 another was 'at that time proposed. Some land was con- 
 veyed to the meeting in 1785 for the use of a school, and a 
 house built upon it. Another piece of land was deeded by 
 William Jackson in 1794 for a similar purpose. Certain 
 stipulations were made concerning the school to be established 
 there. It was found more consistent in summer to employ 
 mistresses rather than masters. 
 
 Though established at a late date, Goshen was very active 
 educationally. Land was purchased and a house was being 
 
 Three 
 schools; no 
 funds 
 
 The meetings 
 
 Kennett 
 
 A union- 
 school 
 reported 
 
 Rules drawn 
 for school, 
 property 
 purchased 
 
 Two schools 
 under 
 Kennett 
 meeting 
 
 Two schools, 
 another pro- 
 posed 
 
 Goshen 
 
 127 Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 7 19- 
 U8 Ibid., 4 24 1799, 187. 
 
 -1797, 168.
 
 146 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Two schools 
 
 Bradford 
 
 Three school 
 1780 
 
 Five schools 
 1792 
 
 Uwchlan 
 
 Nantmeal 
 School, 1789 
 
 London 
 Grove 
 
 Sadsbury 
 
 Lampeter 
 
 boarding 
 
 school 
 
 Three 
 schools 
 
 Total, 
 i8or 19 
 schools 
 
 built for a union school between Goshen, Bradford and 
 Birmingham, in 1779. Committees were appointed, which 
 gave reports better than those usually returned. A plan for 
 funds was adopted in 1786. No further mention is found in 
 regard to the union schools after the establishment of the 
 schools at Goshen and Willistown. 
 
 Bradford's first educational activity was in connection 
 with the apprenticing of children. A single case in which a 
 boy was put to school by the meeting occurred in 1767; the 
 expense therefore was defrayed by the preparative meetings. 
 Educational activity increased in 1778; three schools were 
 reported in 1780 and a committee appointed to assist in 
 establishing others. They appear to have been successful; 
 five schools were reported in 1792, though one was about to 
 be discontinued. Not all of the masters were Friends. 
 
 The statement that Negroes were being educated in 1765, 
 induces one to believe that Friends' children were provided 
 for. Three schools were mentioned in 1779, in which the 
 masters and many of the employers were Friends. In 1789 
 a school was established at Nantmeal under a special com- 
 mittee of Uwchlan Meeting; it was reported discontinued in 
 1787. The meeting at London Grove, established (1792), 
 reported no schools in its compass before the end of the 
 century; although an elaborate plan was drawn up for the 
 establishment of school funds. 
 
 Youths' meetings were established by Sadsbury as early as 
 1739 and instances in which poor children were educated are 
 cited for 1769. The first committee seems to have been 
 appointed for schools in 1779. A school was- reported for 
 Sadsbury in 1782, but was later discontinued for a brief time, 
 which cannot be definitely determined. In 1792 it was 
 agreed that Lampeter Preparative might have permission to 
 establish a boarding school. A plan for funds was drawn up, 
 but no success reported in raising them until 1798. Three 
 schools are reported established, and under the care of 
 Quaker masters in 1797. 
 
 The entire number of schools set up by the above named 
 meetings was eighteen or nineteen.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 SCHOOLS OF DELAWARE COUNTY 
 
 The activity of the several monthly meetings in Delaware 
 County in the establishment of schools will be considered 
 under the heads of the respective meetings in the following 
 order, Chester, Darby, Radnor, and Concord. These are 
 four of the earliest monthly meetings established in Penn- 
 sylvania, the dates of their establishment being: Chester, 
 1681; and Darby, Radnor, and Concord in I684. 1 The aim 
 of this chapter, as of the others dealing with the several coun- 
 ties, is to present, first the source material which has been 
 found to have any bearing on the establishment of schools and 
 the attitude of the monthly meetings toward them. 
 
 Penn having come to New Castle on October 27, 
 1682, and performed the ceremonies of taking possession of 
 the province, 2 appears to have gone thence to Upland, from 
 whence he sent a letter to Ephriam Harman (dated October 
 29, 1682) regarding summoning a court to be held at New 
 Castle (November 2, 1682). 3 But Upland was not destined 
 to remain the name of the city, as Perm's biographers tell us. 
 It is stated that Penn, having arrived and being filled with 
 emotion at having had a successful journey, turned to a friend 
 and said, "What wilt thou that I should call this place?" 
 He replied, "Chester." 4 
 
 In passing it should be mentioned that an interest in educa- 
 tion does not date entirely from the coming of the Quakers 
 and the establishment of Perm's colony. The records of the 
 court of Upland inform us (1679) that, without a doubt, some 
 children received the advantages of an education. It may 
 
 hunting, 40, 39, 19 and 42, respectively; also first vols. of each 
 respective meeting's records. 
 
 2 Smith, Hist. Del. Co., 138; see also page 41, chapter on Philadelphia. 
 3 Ibid., 139. 
 KTlarkson's Penn, I, 259; Hazard's Annals, 695. 
 
 (147) 
 
 The 
 meetings 
 
 Naming of 
 Chester 
 
 Education 
 before com- 
 ing of 
 Quakers
 
 148 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Property 
 granted the 
 meeting and 
 house built 
 
 First land 
 devised for 
 schools in 
 1769 
 
 Hoskins wills 
 ground for 
 schools 
 
 have been very restricted, we cannot determine that. The 
 records of that date state, however, that : "The Pit demands 
 of this Deft 200 Gilders for teaching this Defts children to 
 read one yeare." 5 There is no doubt that Friends were not 
 concerned with education in this case. 6 
 
 The first meetings of Chester Monthly Meeting were held 
 in the Court House 7 at Chester, and meetings for worship 
 usually among the members at their homes, previously 
 designated. 8 In March, 1686, Urin Keen conveyed in trust 
 to John Simcock, Thomas Brassey, John Brinton, Caleb 
 Pusey, Randall Vernon, Thomas Vernon, Joshua Hastings, 
 Mordecai Maddock, Thomas Martin, Richard Few, Walter 
 Faucet and Edward Carter, a piece of ground in Chester 
 
 beginning at said Urin's lot or Garding, and so running, 60 feet along 
 and fronting the street towards the prison house, thence down the lower 
 edge in Chester Creek thence along the Creek 60 feet thence to the 
 place of beginning ... .to the use and behoof of the said Ches- 
 ter the people of God called Quakers and their successors forever. 9 
 
 In the year following, it was urged by the monthly meeting 
 that Friends agree with workmen to build a meeting house at 
 Chester 24 feet square by 16 feet in height. 10 The first meet- 
 ing house, built on the ground above mentioned, was com- 
 pleted about I7Q3- 11 
 
 The earliest record of schools established by Friends dates 
 back to about 1770. Though this is the first record of a 
 device of property for the purpose, and the minutes of the 
 meeting are also negligent of educational affairs, it does not 
 seem probable to the writer that the locality was without 
 schools. There were probably neighborhood schools, not 
 subject to any organization on the part of the meeting. On 
 December 31, 1769, Joseph Hoskins, a Friend, willed a lot 
 of ground for the use of schools, 12 and though his death did 
 
 8 Rec. Upland Court, 121; Smith, Hist. Del. Co., 121; Hazard, 
 Annals, 462. 
 
 6 Would not likely take the case to court. 
 
 7 It appears from a record of sale that the court house was sold to 
 Robert Wade, 1686. (Record of sale quoted in Jordan, Hist. Del. 
 Co., I, 112.) 
 
 "Jordan, Hist. Del. Co., I, 104; Smith, Hist. Del. Co., 137. 
 
 'Smith, Hist. Del. Co., 166. 
 
 10 Rec. of Chester Mo. Mtg., 1687, I.; Smith, 166. 
 
 "Smith, 188. "Jordan, II, 441.
 
 Schools of Delaware County 
 
 149 
 
 not occur till some years later, the meeting appears to have 
 known of the intended bequest and to have built a school 
 house in i77o. 13 It was further ordered by the will that the 
 sum of thirty pounds be paid to John Eyre and James 
 Barton for the schooling and education of such poor children 
 of the inhabitants of the borough of said Chester as the 
 preparative meeting shall for the time being think fit to order 
 and direct. 14 Mr. Jordan in his history of the county, 
 describes the schoolhouse: 
 
 The schoolhouse was built of bricks, laid in Flemish bond, the ends 
 of the headers being burnt black, a style much in vogue at that time. 
 In the south gable large numerals, 1770, were inserted in the wall, the 
 figures being formed by the black ends of the headers. 15 
 
 The school mentioned in the committee's report on schools 
 situated at Middletown, 16 was established by Friends in 1783, 
 but an earlier school existed (1740), according to Mr. Jordan, 17 
 the buildings for the same having been donated by Thomas 
 Yarnall and Thomas Minshall, whose names are very 
 prominently mentioned in Quaker records. The meeting 
 minutes make no mention of such a school being established, 
 however, and it must be understood to have been entirely on 
 individual initiative. In 1791, Enock Taylor and wife, 
 Quakers, conveyed a quarter acre of land to the use of Chester 
 Monthly Meeting of Friends for the use of a school. 18 Judg- 
 ing, however, from the later reports of the monthly meeting 
 we would be led to believe that no school was established at 
 that time. 19 On December 20, 1791, David Hall conveyed 
 adjoining property for the same use. 20 
 
 About 1778 the monthly meeting became more active in 
 regard to its interest in schools, appointing committees to 
 investigate conditions and report the state to its sessions. 21 
 In 1 7 79 and 1781, there appeared two reports on the condition 
 
 13 Jordan, II, 441. 
 
 "Ibid. 
 
 "Ibid. 
 
 16 Min. Chester Mo. Mtg., I 27 1800. 
 
 "Jordan, II, 43 45. 
 
 19 The absence of any mention of it in the meeting records. 
 20 The writer was unable to find a record of this deed. 
 M No committee reports were noted before that date. 
 
 to De 
 schooled 
 
 School at 
 Middletown 
 probably in 
 1740 
 
 Land 
 
 donated by 
 Taylor 
 and wife 
 
 Committees 
 appointed 
 on education
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Subscrip- 
 tions to be 
 started for 
 funds 
 
 Qualified 
 teachers 
 scarce 
 
 of the Negroes and their education which are presented in 
 another chapter. 22 In 1782 there likewise appeared a report 
 of the committee on schools in general. 23 This committee, 
 appointed in accord with the suggestions of the yearly meet- 
 ing, agreed substantially that the best way to the establish- 
 ment of schools systematically, was to arrange for a subscrip- 
 tion which might be applied to that use at the discretion of 
 the monthly meeting. This was to be used for paying the 
 master's salary, and to educate poor Friends' children, where 
 it mght appear to be of advantage to do so. 24 These sugges- 
 tions were directed to be copied and put into the hands of the 
 members in each of the preparative meetings. 25 Three 
 months thereafter, the meeting appointed a treasurer for 
 funds and a committee for the oversight of schools, who were 
 to act in general accord with the suggestions made in the first 
 report. 26 The minute of the meeting of that date runs as 
 follows : 
 
 A form of subscription was proposed which might be entered into by 
 those who desired, and was approved by the meeting and all urged to 
 forward the signing of it. 27 
 
 The work thus started was not entirely satisfactory to the 
 committee, however. They report that "the work goes very 
 slowly "and name, as one cause, the great difficulty of getting 
 suitable teachers. 28 Provision seems to have been made for 
 the schooling of poor children, "such as can conveniently be 
 sent. ' >29 This reference may mean that all such were schooled 
 who were within reach of a school, or that they sent all for 
 whom they had a sufficient fund. In 1 783 they acknowledged 
 the receipt of the most recent advices of the yearly meeting 
 which again recommended the serious subject of schools to 
 their attention. Again in 1792 we find this minute: 
 
 The subject of schools being now resumed and the several paragraphs 
 contained in the extracts of 1778, 1779 arid 1789 being read relative 
 thereto, Friends, of the several preparative meetings are desired to pay 
 
 chapter on Negroes, page 228. 
 in. Chester Mo. Mtg., 1281782, 87. 
 
 Ibid., 4291782. 
 id., 7281783, 130. 
 
 *Ibid. 
 29 Ibid.
 
 Schools of Delaware County 
 
 close attention to the several repeated advises of the yearly meeting no 
 this important subject. 30 
 
 In 1796 the concern of a boarding school, which we have 
 found was also interesting all of the other monthly meetings, 
 in the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, came also to the atten- 
 tion of Chester. They indicated their willingness to cooperate 
 in the scheme by the appointment of a committee, which 
 appears from a minute made in the meeting in 1793. 
 
 William Worrall, Daniel Sharpless, Josiah Rhoads, Edward Fell, 
 Mahlon Parsons, Roger Dirks, Thomas Sharpless and Jacob Minshall 
 are appointed to prepare a subscription paper and promote Friends' 
 subscriptions towards the establishment and support of the boarding 
 school agreeable to the recommendations of our last Yearly Meeting, 
 and report of their care to next or a future meeting. 31 
 
 The general state of schools under the meeting's jurisdic- 
 tion is made known by the following report sent in by the 
 school committee to the monthly meeting held on 127-1800. 
 
 The committee appointed to the care of schools report there are three 
 kept within the verge of this meeting under Friends care, viz. : 
 
 i. One at Springfield taught by a Friend. 
 
 i . One at Middletown, taught by a person not in membership. 
 
 3 . One at Blue Hill under similar circumstances, all of which we trust 
 are conducted in a good degree orderly, but that there has been little or 
 no addition to our fund since last year, except what it has increased by 
 use. The school committee also informs that the Friends who were by 
 the last will of our Friend George Miller and James Turner, left trustees 
 to the lots at Blue Hill have conveyed the same by instruments of writing 
 duly executed as follows, to wit: the dwelling house and lot to Jacob 
 Minshall, Edward Fell, Ambrose Smedley, Isaac Sharpless, John Hill, 
 Jr., and Joseph Pennell, Jr., and the schoolhouse and lot to George 
 Miller, Edward Fell, Ambrose Smedley, James Smedley, Isaac Sharpless, 
 John Hill, Jr., and Joseph Jonnell, Jr., which said conveyances have 
 since been recorded and are lodged with the other writings relating 
 thereto, in the hands of the treasurer of the school fund which is satisfac- 
 tory to the meeting. 32 
 
 The Blue Hill School, mentioned in the above report of the 
 committee, no doubt dated back to a few years following 
 1791, in which James Turner bequeathed his "Blue Hill 
 Estate" to George Miller for the use of schools established at 
 the direction of Chester Monthly Meeting. 33 
 
 Subscrip- 
 tions pro- 
 moted for 
 boarding 
 school 
 
 Three 
 
 schools 
 
 under 
 
 Chester 
 
 Meeting 
 
 30 Min. Chester Mo. Mtg., 4 30 1792, 347. 
 31 Ibid., 12 26 1796, 447. 
 
 id., i 27 1800, 508. **Ibid., 5 30 1791, 319.
 
 152 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 "Blue Hill" 
 estate 
 bequeathed 
 by James 
 Turner 
 
 Legacy from 
 
 Thomas 
 
 Evans 
 
 Printing 
 encouraged 
 by the 
 meeting 
 
 I give, devise and bequeath to George Miller, the son of my cousin 
 George Miller, my house and lot of Ground situated in the Province 
 aforesaid (commonly called Blue Hill) with the appurtenances to hold 
 by him and his heirs and assigns forever. 
 
 Upon special trust and confidence, nevertheless and to and for the use, 
 intent and purpose hereinafter expressed, mentioned and declared, and 
 moreover for the use of the society of Protestants, commonly called 
 Quakers, of and belonging to the Monthly Meeting of Chester for the 
 erecting one or more houses for the teaching and instructing youth 
 therein, and all necessary conveniences thereto belonging under and 
 subject to the rules and regulations and orders of the said meeting for the 
 time being forever. 
 
 Item, I give and bequeath to my Friend Jacob Minshall, all the rest 
 and residue of my estate in trust for the use of a school which may at 
 times be kept at or near my lot of ground above mentioned, subject to 
 the direction of the Chester Monthly Meeting. 34 
 
 The meeting's schools also received a considerable assist- 
 ance through a legacy of 50 left by Thomas Evans for the 
 establishment and support of a school within the verge of 
 Chester Monthly. 35 He makes it clear in his bequest that he 
 has been influenced to do this by the recommendations of the 
 yearly meeting, the influence of which has been instanced in 
 many cases before this one. 
 
 Not only to the advancement of education and enlighten- 
 ment by means of schools alone did Friends of the Chester 
 Meeting lend their encouragement. In a minute of 1689 we 
 find an interesting reference to assistance proposed for the 
 encouragement of printing in Philadelphia. 
 
 The business proposed to the Friends of Philadelphia concerning 
 allowing William Bradford, the printer, 40 by the year to encourage 
 him to continue in the art and practise of Printing. This meeting 
 approving the said proposal, orders for Darby Monthly Meeting John 
 Blunston and Joshua Fearne and for Chester Monthly Meeting Caleb 
 Pusey, Randall Vernon and for Chichester Monthly Jacob Chandler and 
 John Mendenhall to take subscription according to proposal. 36 
 
 We have noticed that there appeared to be very little in the 
 records of the monthly meeting until about 1 770 and that they 
 contained little of educational interest before that time. The 
 records of the Quarterly Meeting of Chester (later known as 
 
 "Min. Chester Mo. Mtg. 
 Ibid., 9231785, 177- 
 88 Min. Chester Q. Meeting, 12 3 1689, 7.
 
 Schools of Delaware County 
 
 153 
 
 Concord) are, however, full of suggestions which indicate that 
 educational interests had their attention much before that 
 date, though they were not under a perfected organization. 
 As early as 1732 advances were made for the care and instruc- 
 tion of poor children which would fit them to earn a living. 
 We may mention the financial assistance promised by Joseph 
 Mead in that year. 
 
 Our ancient Friend Joseph Mead having by letter communicated to 
 this meeting his mind, signifying his willingness to do something that 
 might be conducive towards a public good, and in order thereto offers to 
 give 50 toward a stock to be kept in this meeting for the putting of poor 
 Friends' children to trades or for relieving of poor or indigent Friends 
 which this meeting very kindly accepts of at the hand of said Friend. 37 
 . . . and this meeting being informed that our Friend Joseph Mead 
 continues steadfast in his mind respecting his donation towards pious 
 uses, and desires he may know to whom he may deliver the said gift. After 
 some consideration thereon this meeting do nominate . . . Jacob 
 Howell and John Davis to be receivers and are by this meeting empow- 
 ered to receive the above and all such bequests . . . , in behalf of 
 and for the use of this meeting, and to put out upon interest as soon as 
 they conveniently can all such money into good and responsible hands 
 and to render to this meeting when required thereto or to whom the said 
 meeting shall appoint a true and just account of what may be delivered 
 hereafter by any person or persons into their hands for the uses afore- 
 said. 58 
 
 In 1739 the interest arising from this gift was withdrawn at 
 his request and paid to the Springfield Friends to help them 
 build their meeting house. 39 
 
 In response to the yearly meeting's urgent request of 1746 
 and i75o, 40 we have their action recorded in this minute of the 
 year 1754. 
 
 According to a minute of the advice of the Last Yearly Meeting con- 
 cerning the settling of schools in the country, it is agreed for the encour- 
 agement thereof that the several and respective clerks of the monthly 
 meetings belonging to this quarterly meeting do inquire and bring in a 
 true report of all legacies, donations or estates which have been hereto- 
 fore given to their respective meetings and of the uses to which the 
 moneys arising therefrom are applied, and bring the account thereof to 
 our next meeting. 41 
 
 "Min. Chester Q. Mtg., 6 14 1732, 128. 
 
 **Ibid., 9 13 1732, 129. 
 
 "Ibid., 6 13 1739, 154. 
 
 40 Ad vices, 250. 
 
 41 Min. Chester Q. Mtg., 5 13 1754, 218. 
 
 An early 
 attention to 
 education 
 reported by 
 the quar- 
 terly meeting 
 
 Report 
 required on 
 state of 
 legacies
 
 154 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Darby 
 
 Land deeded 
 for meeting 
 
 B. Cliffs 
 school 
 
 Slight 
 activity 
 before 1778 
 
 Cooperation 
 of monthly 
 and quar- 
 terly com- 
 mittees 
 
 The meetings at Darby were at first usually held at the 
 home of John Blunston, who in 1687 deeded one acre of 
 ground in Darby aforesaid for the use of building a meeting 
 house, 42 on which the meeting house was begun in the follow- 
 ing year, 43 and finished in i68g. 44 Happily, in the case of 
 Darby Meeting we can point out a definite statement con- 
 cerning a school established by the meeting, and which, 
 quite probably, was the first school at that place. In 1692 
 the minutes note that, 
 
 Agreed at this meeting that Benjamin Clift teach school, beginning 
 the twelfth day of the 7th month, and to continue one whole year 
 except two weeks. 45 
 
 His salary for the first year is not known, but the minutes a 
 year later give some clue as to the amount paid. 
 
 Agreed at this meeting that Benjamin Clift teach school a year, begin- 
 ning this 20th day of this gth month; and to have i2/oo/po. 46 
 
 As has occurred in all other monthly meetings thus far con- 
 sidered, there was always little done in the way of organization 
 and supervision of school affairs till after i77o. 47 There were 
 however various committees appointed from time to time, 
 especially in the case of legacies and donations which were 
 quite common even at early dates. 48 The movement towards 
 better organization, however, began more earnestly in 1778, 
 with the receipt of a number of letters from the yearly 
 meeting, in regard to which the following minute was made : 
 
 This meeting received a number of the general epistles from the last 
 Yearly Meeting held in London and also the same number of copies of 
 an epistle from the same meeting to our last Yearly Meeting, one of each 
 were read at the close of the meeting for worship, to satisfaction, and the 
 clerk is directed to read one of each the forepart of a first day meeting. 
 The remainder were distributed amongst Friends. 49 
 
 In the twelfth month Darby Friends received a committee 
 appointed by the quarterly meeting (Concord) to investigate 
 
 '"Smith, Hist, of Del. Co., 166. 
 
 *Ibid. 
 
 "Ibid. 
 
 ^Min. Darby Mo. Mtg., 7 7 1692, 54. 
 
 Ibid., 9 20 1693, 56. 
 
 47 See Falls p. 87f; Abington, p. losff ; and Buckingham, p. g6f. 
 
 48 Min. Darby Mo. Mtg. 7 5 1758, 441; 7 5 1750, 322. 
 
 "Ibid., 1231778, 263.
 
 Schools of Delaware County 
 
 155 
 
 conditions and promote schools among the monthly meet- 
 ings. 80 John Howe, Aaron Oakford, Isaac Lloyd, Benjamin 
 Lobb, and Josiah Bunting were appointed by Darby to join 
 with the quarterly meeting's committee in its work. 51 The 
 next year the question of building a schoolhouse occupied 
 their attention. 52 It was proposed to deal with persons hold- 
 ing some land adjoining that of the meeting, that it might be 
 purchased as school property and a suitable building erected 
 thereon. Finding, however, that those holding the adjacent 
 property were not at the time disposed to sell, it was decided 
 to begin a subscription for erecting a schoolhouse on the 
 meeting's land, which has been mentioned as having been 
 left to the meeting's use by John Blunston. 53 The work on 
 this building was evidently begun between 1779 and 1781, as 
 we may infer from the minute of the latter year. 
 
 This meeting resuming the consideration of building a house to 
 accommodate a school were informed by one of the committee that it 
 appeared to be necessary the subscriptions should be enlarged before the 
 work could be completed; therefore Abraham Bonsall, John Hum- 
 phreys, and Phillip Price are appointed with the former committee in 
 order to forward the work and to report what progress they have made 
 therein to next meeting; Benjamin Lobb requesting to be released from 
 the above service, Morris Truman is appointed in his room. 54 
 
 The tenor of a minute of the meeting next following was to 
 the effect that enough money had been secured for the com- 
 pletion of the work. 55 
 
 In 1784 another visit was received from the committee of 
 the quarterly meeting, whose. purpose was "the establishing 
 and keeping up suitable schools," as recommended in the 
 several years past. 56 The reports of the committee of the 
 school at this date indicate that the status was nearly what 
 was expected by the yearly meeting, respecting (i) founda- 
 tion, (2) masters, (3) supervision by committees, (4) accom- 
 modations for the master, etc. 57 In 1787, Nathaniel Newlin 
 
 *Min. Darby Mo. Mtg. 
 
 "Ibid. 
 
 **Ibid., 2251779, 259. 
 
 "See page 154. 
 
 "Ibid., 311781, 319. 
 
 K Ibid., 3 29 1781, 320. 
 
 *Ibid., I I 1784, 10. 
 
 "Ibid., 7 29 1784, 22. 
 
 Building 
 for a 
 school 
 proposed 
 
 State of 
 
 school 
 satisfactory
 
 156 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 one of the meeting's representatives to the quarterly meeting 
 
 brought back a request from that body for "a circumstantial 
 
 account" of the state of schools, to be transmitted to the 
 
 quarterly meeting the next eighth month. 58 The said 
 
 Nathaniel was placed on the school committee in the eleventh 
 
 month following, 59 and later, John Bull and Benjamin 
 
 Bartram were appointed in the places of Aaron Oakford and 
 
 Phillip Price who requested to be released. 60 In the first 
 
 month of the year following there was produced a report by 
 
 A digest tne committee, which in fact became the governing document 
 
 of report for the schools established and to be established in Darby. 61 
 
 of 1790 There is presented here a digest of the report; a complete 
 
 statement of it may be found in Chapter II. 
 
 1. Recalling the advices of the yearly meeting, they 
 recognize : 
 
 a. the advantages arising from established schools, and 
 
 b. the losses sustained from a want thereof. 
 
 2. Therefore it is agreed that in the future five Friends 
 should be appointed and called the Overseers of Darby School, 
 three of them to be sufficient number to transact business. 
 
 3. Their duties: 
 
 a. Visit the school. 
 
 b. Examine the progress of the scholars. 
 
 c. Inspect the teacher's conduct. 
 
 d. Employ teachers, with the approbation of the 
 
 meeting. 
 
 e. Discharge them in similar manner, if cause therefor 
 
 arise. 
 
 /. Discharge unruly pupils, who will not submit to the 
 rules of the school. 
 
 g. Settle all differences arising between the master and 
 any employers. 
 
 h. Devise some plan for raising permanent funds for 
 the school ; also to receive interest from the trus- 
 tees of donations given for education of the poor, 
 and apply the same as intended. 
 
 B8 Min. Darby Mo. Mtg.., 3^29 1787, 68. 
 &g lbid., ii i 1787, 79. 
 60 Ibid., 4 2 1789, ggf.
 
 Schools of Delaware County 
 
 *. Aid the trustees in getting better securities for the 
 
 same. 
 ;'. Minutes of their proceedings are to be kept and 
 
 reports made to the monthly meeting once a year, 
 
 and at other times if called for. 61 
 
 In 1792 the new overseers reported they had continued to 
 visit the school and inspect the learning of the children, which 
 they did with satisfaction, implying that all conditions were 
 as desired. 62 In the eleventh month four new members were 
 appointed to the school overseers; 63 as it is not stated that 
 any had been released, we are uncertain as to whether the 
 number required had been increased or not ; quite likely they 
 were appointed only for temporary assistance. In 1793 it 
 was reported from the school overseers that Benjamin Lobb 
 had agreed to grant a lot of ground on the upper part of his 
 plantation, to build a schoolhouse upon; the overseers pro- 
 posed that the expenses be defrayed by subscription. 64 A 
 subscription was started for the same, and Friends desired to 
 forward it, that the school might be begun. 65 The cost of 
 this school was estimated at no. 66 It is not known just 
 when this school under Friends' care was begun in Upper 
 Darby but at various stages these things are known about it. 
 (i) On the 28th of the third month, 1793, it was reported that 
 Lobb had offered the ground, (2) the cost of the building was 
 estimated, fifth month, second, 1793, at 110, (3) eighth 
 month, twelfth, 1793, the Chester Quarterly Meeting received 
 the report that Darby was going to establish a school for 
 Friends, (4) in 1796 the committee of overseers reported, "our 
 school has been kept in good degree accordingly as desired by 
 the yearly meeting," 67 (5) the committee of overseers still 
 mention but one school under their care and (6) eighth month, 
 second, 1798, the school overseers report that the schools are 
 kept as recommended by the yearly meeting. It would 
 
 M Min. Darby Mo. Mtg., i 28 1790, 114. (For entire report see 
 page 23). **Ibid. t 821792, 157. 
 
 ^Ibid., II 29 1792, 160. 
 "Ibid., 3281793, 165. 
 K Ibid., 5 2 1793, 1 66. 
 "Ibid. 
 "Ibid., 7 26 1796, 207. 
 
 New over- 
 seers added 
 temporarily 
 
 Schoolhouse 
 to be built 
 on Lobb lot 
 by sub- 
 scription 
 
 Not begun 
 until 1797 
 or 1798
 
 158 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 The state 
 of education 
 in 1797 and 
 
 1798 
 
 Support of 
 schools by 
 legacies 
 
 appear then that the school did not actually begin until 
 some time between 1797 and i7Q8, 68 since all prior reports had 
 recognized but one school. 
 
 Mr. Jordan states that in 1779 a deed set aside 24 perches 
 of ground in upper Darby on the Darby-Haverford Road for 
 the use of schools. 69 This seems to have no connection with 
 the schools established by the meeting; it was the first 
 official deed for ground for schools, but many bequests of 
 great value had been made previously. 70 The text of the 
 minutes recording these bequests follows on a later page. 
 
 The state of schools as reported by the committee in 1797 
 was as follows: 
 
 Our school has been kept since last accounts .... as recom- 
 mended by the Yearly Meeting; visited by the overseers and the schol- 
 ars learning inspected to a good degree of satisfaction. There has been 
 expended for schooling children of Friends and others the sum of 
 12/10 and on settlement there appears a balance in the treasurer's 
 hands of 6/15/5; the stock remains the same as at last year. Signed 
 . . . . Morris Truman, Isaac Oakford, and John Hunt. 71 
 
 As mentioned above, the second school in Upper Darby 
 seems to have been put into operation by 1798. The com- 
 mittee's report, summarized, is as the following. 72 
 
 1. Schools kept as recommended by the yearly meeting 
 since last year. 
 
 2. Scholars' learning has been inspected. 
 
 3. Schools have been visited. 
 
 4. Children of the poor and of others have been schooled. 
 
 5. Stock remains at 14/00/00 as last year. 
 
 Signed Truman Morris, John Hunt and Isaac Oakford. 
 
 As has been previously suggested the financial assistance to 
 Darby schools came in a very considerable measure from 
 legacies, left from time to time, but it was also neccessary to 
 use subscription and rate plans for school support. The text 
 of one of these bequests, as recorded in the Darby records, is 
 given below. 
 
 88 Min. Darby Mo. Mtg., 8 2 1798, 243. 
 
 69 Jordan, II, 432. 
 
 70 Min. Darby Mo. Mtg. 1739, 258; 7 5 '1750, 322. 
 
 71 Ibid., 8 3 1797, 226. 
 
 n lbid., 821798, 243.
 
 Schools of Delaware County 
 
 159 
 
 Likewise I give and bequeath to my friend John Griffith, Thomas 
 Pearson, and Samuel Bunting, all of Darby aforesaid, the sum of 50, 
 nevertheless my aforesaid gift and bequest to them is only in trust, that 
 they the said John Griffith, Thomas Pearson and Samuel Bunting shall 
 reconvey and receive from the hands of my executors aforesaid the sum 
 of 50 and when so received, put out the said monies to interest on good 
 securities with the approbation of the monthly meeting of the people 
 called Quakers in Darby aforesaid, and at the risk of those benefitted 
 thereby and so from time to time forever, with the approbation of the 
 said meeting for the time being. To the intent and purpose that by 
 and out of the interests and profits thereof, they the said John Griffiths 
 . . . . pay for the learning to read and write of such and so many 
 poor Friends children in unity and church fellowship with the said people 
 and belonging to the said meeting, as the said meeting shall order and 
 appoint from time to time forever, and when any of my said trustees 
 shall die, it is my will and mind that the said meeting shall appoint 
 another to succeed and so from time to time forever. 71 
 
 Smith's History of Delaware County states that as early as 
 1788 there was a school established at Radnor. 74 The first 
 reference to a school found in the Radnor Monthly Meeting's 
 records was in i73i.' 5 At that date Richard Harrison and 
 some Friends 
 
 signified to this meeting in writing that the meeting appointed last 7th 
 month to be kept at the said Richard's schoolhouse was duly and 
 religiously kept and further requested to be permitted to keep an after- 
 noon meeting .... which is allowed of and to be at four o'clock. 
 
 The school had doubtless been in existence for at least a short 
 time before that. Their answers to the fifth query in 1757 
 state that they are careful of the education of the poor and 
 find themselves clear of placing children from among 
 Friends. 76 They also, at that date, report themselves free of 
 
 73 Min Darby Mo., Mtg., 1739, 258. (Other bequests were made by 
 Blunstonand . . . the value of which in 1791, amounted to 97 15/6; 
 the committee reporting thereon, add: "we are united in opinion it 
 will be best to lay out the money in a building on the meeting lot and in 
 order thereto have had an estimate made for a house 16 ft. by 26 ft. 
 from out to out, two stories high with a cellar under the whole, which 
 amounts to 160 or thereabouts." (A Committee was appointed to see 
 whether this would be according to the wish of the donor, Darby Min- 
 utes 12 29 1791, 145. In 1792 the committee reported it would be 
 best to build the house for the master's accommodation with the money 
 of the legacies, and use the rents arising therefrom for the schooling of 
 poor children, Darby Minutes, 2 2 1792, 147.) 
 
 74 Smith, Hist, of Del. County, 347. 
 
 75 Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., I n 1731, 189. 
 
 Ibid., i ii 1757, 300. 
 
 Radnor 
 
 A school 
 mentioned 
 in 1731 
 
 The poor 
 educated
 
 160 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Children 
 apprenticed 
 
 Making 
 wills 
 recom- 
 mended 
 
 Report of 
 quarterly 
 meeting 
 
 holding slaves; 77 likewise in 1759, in regard to both/' 8 In 
 1768, in regard to a case of apprenticing children, this minute 
 is recorded by the meeting: 
 
 The meeting taking the request to reimburse them the expense accru- 
 ing on account of Jane Atkinson, deceased, into consideration, came to a 
 result of paying them as soon as we can, and as there is one of her 
 children not put out yet, it is desired Samuel Humphreys and William 
 Lawrence would take some care in putting them out. . . , 79 
 
 In 1759 we find that Friends are reminded by the monthly 
 meeting of the "necessary duty" of making their wills in time 
 of health, and that endeavors are used to apply public gifts 
 to the uses intended. 80 The only "uses intended" must have 
 been for some of these purposes: The support of the poor, 
 their education, for negro support and education, or for purely 
 religious purposes, all of which, the last one excepted, were, in 
 a way, if we may judge from other meetings' practices, educa- 
 tional. The suggestion of leaving bequests for public pur- 
 poses, taken in connection with the answers to the fifth and 
 seventh queries, and the known fact that there was a school 
 in 1731, lead us to believe that the Radnor Meeting was 
 pretty well awake to educational problems. However true 
 that may be, it is just as certain that any exact data on her 
 schools are very rare for the early period before 1778. In that 
 year the usual declaration of the yearly meeting at Phila- 
 delphia was received concerning the question of schools. 81 
 
 A committee of the quarterly meeting in 1778 produced a 
 report embodying certain conclusions arrived at, both as to 
 causes of existing evils and the proposed solutions. Only a 
 digest of this report can be given here. 82 
 
 1. We believe it a subject of much importance. 
 
 2. Corruptions have been introduced by mingling in out- 
 side schools. 
 
 3. It is necessary to have schools under masters and mis- 
 tresses who take care of religious education. 
 
 "Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., see also page228, chapter on Negro education. 
 
 78 Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., 4 10 1759, 28. 
 
 Ibid., 12 8 1768, 220. 
 
 m lbid., i 71759, 18. 
 
 81 Ad vices, 250. 
 
 ^Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., 8 14 1778, 133.
 
 Schools of Delaware County 
 
 161 
 
 4. We believe it our duty to spread the work through the 
 yearly meeting. 
 
 The effect of the yearly and quarterly meetings' suggestions 
 was the appointment of Samuel Briggs, William Lawrence, 
 Jacob Jones, John Robeson, Samuel Richards, and Daniel 
 Maule to attend to the affairs of education, "as may be 
 opened in the wisdom of truth." 83 This last may, to our 
 modern way of thinking, suggest rather a blind guidance, but 
 not so to the old time Friends. The report to the quarterly 
 meeting in 1779 does not suggest that any progress has been 
 made, as was desired, save in respect to the masters employed 
 in the schools. 
 
 . . . . to attend the ensuing quarterly meeting at Philadelphia, 
 and report, that the .... answers are to be transmitted as nearly 
 our state. That some care has been taken to advise such negroes who 
 have been restored to freedom. That the proposals respecting schools 
 have been under consideration and some essays made by employing 
 masters who are Friends. That small progress has been made as yet in 
 laboring for the pious education of the youth. 84 
 
 The next step, as reported in 1781, was the appointment of 
 Friends to attend each of the preparative meetings and to do 
 all possible "to spread the concern" of schools and excite an 
 attention thereunto. No visits were as yet made to individ- 
 ual families, and the general feeling of the meeting appeared 
 to be that not much progress had been made. 85 When read- 
 ing these reports of the monthly meetings it is well to keep 
 in mind the chief things which the yearly meeting had 
 desired, (i) the establishment of permanent school funds, (2) 
 employment of Friends as teachers, (3) houses and permanent 
 lands, gardens and so forth to be provided for the accommodation 
 of the masters, etc. With this in mind it is easy to see that 
 the report of the meetings might be rather faltering even 
 though they were in som^ranner supplied with the benefits 
 of education. In 1781 tnequarterly meeting advised those 
 still unsuccessful in their attempts to meet the set standards 
 "should be animated and encouraged to give weighty atten- 
 
 w Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., 10 13- 
 M Ibid., 7 13 1779, 169. 
 ., 7 10 1781, 233. 
 
 Committee 
 appointed 
 on education 
 
 Preparatives 
 visited 
 
 The demands 
 of the yearly 
 meeting 
 
 -1778, 139.
 
 162 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Purchase of 
 ground pro- 
 posed ' 
 
 Report of 
 1791 
 
 Two schools 
 under 
 Friends' 
 meeting 
 
 Haverford 
 and Radnor 
 
 tion to this important matter." 86 The only success achieved 
 by Radnor, according to their own report, was in the employ- 
 ment of Friends for school masters. 87 In 1786, 
 
 The important subjects .... relative to schools engages in 
 some degree the minds of Friends here but have little further to mention 
 at present saving that the teachers employed in several schools appear to 
 be those in religious profession with Friends. 88 
 
 In 1 790 it was reported that one of the preparative meetings 
 was considering the purchase of a lot of ground for the purpose 
 of schools, 89 probably that of Haverford. In July 1791 the 
 committee on school affairs gave a pretty full report, at any 
 rate the best we can get, on the condition of Radnor's schools 
 situated in each of the preparative meetings. The statement 
 issued by the committee was the following: 
 
 The committee on schools also produced their report thereon in writing 
 as follows We .... take the interesting subject of schools into 
 consideration, and to visit those wherein either our preparatives are con- 
 cerned, have given unction thereto, and find that although there are 
 divers schools kept in the compass of the monthly meeting, two only 
 appear subject to the rule and direction of Friends, the one being at 
 Haverford, kept in a house erected in a small lot of ground belonging to 
 that meeting: This school we visited in company with a committee of 
 that preparative, which to us seems under its present circumstances 
 tolerably well conducted; but it does not appear there are funds estab- 
 lished, the salary of the master being made up by the neighborhood sub- 
 scription. . . . some poor children principally are taught, the 
 expense whereof is defrayed out of a small annual income arising from a 
 sum left by a friend for such uses. The other school is at Radnor, the 
 house being Friends' property also; on a visit made to this school in com- 
 pany of a committee of that preparative meeting, we found it large at the 
 time and under rules which appeared pretty well adapted for the govern- 
 ment thereof, but the salary there, as in the aforementioned school, 
 depends on the transient subscription, and therefore uncertain. At 
 Merion and the Valley we have not discovered any progress made in 
 laying a foundation for schools in the way proposed by the Yearly 
 Meeting. After considering this weighty subject with attention \ve are 
 of the mind the several preparatives (notwithstanding difficulties may 
 occur) should be encouraged to a continuance of care and exertion 
 herein as strength may be afforded; in order to carry into effect this 
 
 . Phila. Q. Mtg., 861781, 235. 
 
 . Radnor Mo. Mtg., 9 7 1782, 260. 
 **Ibid., 7111786,4. 
 "Ibid., 7 13 1790, 8.
 
 Schools of Delaware County 
 
 163 
 
 desirable object among us. Signed on behalf of the said committee by 
 James Jones. 90 
 
 The definition of the time when Concord established its first 
 schools under the meeting's care, is only possible within rather 
 extended limits. We can only say that at such a time certain 
 schools were in existence; earlier than that we have no 
 authentic source of information. Jordan, in his History of 
 Delaware County, places the date of Birmingham's first school 
 as i8o6, 91 it being built on a lot conveyed for that purpose by 
 John Burgess. From the report of the Concord Monthly 
 Meeting in 1779, which will be presented later, it appears that 
 Birmingham had a school at that date which was established 
 "in some measure agreeable to the demands of the yearly 
 meeting." 92 It is spoken of as a regularly established school, 
 which the writer has found in most meetings to mean that a 
 house, master, funds, and sometimes a permanent lot were 
 provided. This is merely suggestive. It certainly does not 
 prove that there was a lot and building provided, but the 
 indications are in favor of that, rather than against it. The 
 same author, in reference to Upper Chichester, states, 
 
 In 1793 the Society of Friends established a school in Upper Chi- 
 chester which was maintained by the Society until the public school 
 system was introduced. 93 
 
 The source for the statement is not given, but it appears it 
 must be subject to the like inaccuracy suggested above in 
 reference to Birmingham. 
 
 The report of the school committee which seems to contra- 
 vert the time of the establishment of schools, given by Jordan, 
 is herewith included. 
 
 We of the committee appointed to the care of schools and education 
 of the youth, report we have in some degree attended to the importance 
 of the service, have lately visited two schools, which are now established 
 in some measure agreeable to the concern of the Yearly Meeting as 
 recommended in the extracts for that purpose. . . . 
 
 One of which in the verge of Chichester, the other Birmingham particu- 
 lar meeting; which visits, on observing the economy and regularity of 
 said schools, have afforded us much satisfaction. With increasing desires 
 
 90 Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., 7 12 1791, 24. 
 "Jordan, II, 429. 
 
 w Min. Concord Mo. Mtg., 8 4 1779, 94. 
 "Jordan, II, 430. 
 
 Concord 
 
 Birmingham 
 School at 
 least as 
 early as 
 1779 
 
 School at 
 Chichester 
 
 Report of 
 1779 
 
 Two schools
 
 164 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Committee 
 visits pre- 
 paratives 
 
 Report of 
 1786 and 
 
 1787 
 
 Three 
 
 schools 
 
 for the establishment of another in the verge of Concord which unitedly 
 appears to be much wanting as divers Friends now labor under very 
 considerable inconvenience for want thereof. Signed by nine of the 
 committee. 94 
 
 In 1780 the minutes of the meeting state that another full 
 report on schools was brought in, but such a report is not 
 found in the minutes. In 1 78 1 , the question being revived by 
 the receipt of the yearly meeting's extracts, a committee of 
 Joshua Sharpe, Richard Strode, Hugh Judge, Samuel Trimble, 
 George Martin, and Caleb Pierce were appointed to take the 
 extracts and visit each of the preparative meetings, at which 
 they were to be read. 95 They further directed the time for 
 Birmingham to hold their meeting, so that the visit of the 
 committee might be arranged. 96 It is known that these visits 
 were performed, and others following that date. 97 
 
 It was noted in the committee's report presented in 1779, 
 that Concord did not yet have a school under its care, 98 
 though one was desired. The report of 1786 indicates that 
 all of the preparatives were at that time supplied. A 
 digest of the said report is produced here, also that of 1787. 
 
 The committee informed this meeting that they have appointed John 
 Pierce Treasurer for Chichester, Joseph Trimble for Concord, and Wil- 
 liam Townsend for Birmingham. We also agree to report, agreeable to 
 the request of the quarterly meeting. . . ." 
 
 Digest of their report. 
 
 1. We have a school and house at each preparative meet- 
 ing agreeable to the plan of the yearly meeting. 
 
 2. They are under the care of a steady committee of our 
 monthly meeting. 
 
 3. Schools are conducted to the good satisfaction of 
 Friends. 
 
 4. One of them at present is vacant. 
 
 5. We have also agreed upon a plan to establish a fund 
 for the education of poor children; also for the support of the 
 said schools. 
 
 94 Min. Concord Mo. Mtg., 8 4 1779, 94. 
 
 9& Ibid., 12 5 1781, 193. 
 
 Ibid. Ibid., 331784, 275. "Ibid., 841779, 94. 
 
 "Ibid., 891786, 370.
 
 Schools of Delaware County 
 
 165 
 
 6. There is a treasurer for each particular meeting. 
 
 7. Not much progress made in securing funds, up to date. 
 
 The report of the next year, 1787, was: 100 
 
 1. The three schools visited. 
 
 2. Are conducted to a good degree of satisfaction. 
 
 3. Chichester is at present vacant. 
 
 4. Request a future urging and some advice of the yearly 
 meeting. 
 
 The encouragement given to the school of Concord through 
 individual philanthropy is to be noted in the will of Nathan 
 Yarnall, an extract from which appeared in the Concord 
 minutes. 
 
 I give and bequeath the sum of 50 to be appropriated for the use of 
 Friends School at Concord, if established agreeable to the plan recom- 
 mended by the Yearly Meeting last year, to be paid into the hands of 
 the committee appointed for the establishment of the said school. . . . 
 It appears that Samuel Trimble, Morris Jones, William Trimble, and 
 Caleb Pierce are a committee appointed by the Concord Preparative 
 meeting to take the immediate care and oversight of that school. They 
 . . . . and to make report to next meeting. 101 
 
 Such aid as this doubtless hastened the coming of the first 
 school which was reported by the committee in I786. 102 
 
 Schools 
 encouraged 
 by individual 
 philanthropy 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 The establishment of schools in Chester, Radnor, Darby 
 and Concord meetings is discussed in this chapter. 
 
 There is evidence that education was provided for some 
 children in Chester before the Quakers came to the colony. 
 The first meetings at Chester were held in the Court House, 
 but land for a meeting house was devised in 1688. The first 
 property devised for school purposes was that of Hoskins in 
 1769. A schoolhouse was built on the land in 1770. A 
 school is said to have been at Middletown in 1740, in a building 
 donated by Thomas Yarnall and Thomas Minshall. Land 
 was also given for schools in 1791 by Enock Taylor and his 
 wife. About 1778 the usual committees were appointed and 
 
 The 
 
 meetings 
 
 Chester 
 
 Land 
 devised for 
 
 schools 
 
 100 Min. Concord Mo. Mtg., 8 8 1787, 397. 
 
 lol lbid., 6 5 1782, 213. 1<a lbid., 8 9 1786, 370; seepage 164.
 
 1 66 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Three 
 schools 
 
 Darby 
 
 Committees 
 cooperate 
 
 Two schools 
 
 Radnor 
 
 Two schools 
 under charge 
 of meeting 
 
 Concord 
 
 Two schools 
 1779 
 
 subscription plans formulated. At the end of the century 
 three schools were reported under Friends' care. 
 
 The first school at Darby was taught by Benjamin Clift in 
 1692, 1693 an d perhaps longer, though no further record is 
 found. Not much progress is noticed until about 1778, 
 when the quarterly and monthly meetings' committees united 
 on the subject of schools. A schoolhouse was erected be- 
 tween 1779 and 1781. According to reports of 1784 and 1790 
 the Darby School was satisfactorily situated. A new school 
 in Upper Darby on Benjamin Lobb's lot was proposed in 
 1793, but not built before 1798. Two schools, kept as 
 recommended, are reported in 1798. 
 
 Smith says that as early as 1 788 there was a school at Radnor. 
 The meeting records mention one as early as 1731. The 
 meeting was active in educating and apprenticing the poor. 
 The reports, however, do not indicate that they were very 
 successful in meeting the standards set by the yearly meeting 
 for the schools. In 1791 one of the preparatives, probably 
 Haverford, considered the purchase of grounds for a school. 
 A full report of the same year shows two schools (Radnor and 
 Haverford) which are subject to the control of the monthly 
 meeting. Merion and the Valley had no schools established 
 according to the plan -proposed. 
 
 The very early state of Concord's schools has not been 
 determined, though one was at Birmingham in 1779. Mr. 
 Jordan is inclined to place the date of Birmingham's first 
 school about 1806. The date stated by him for Chichester 
 (1793) also seems to be too late. The minutes recognize the 
 Birmingham school in 1779 and also one at Chichester at the 
 same date. In 1787 one school is reported for each prepara- 
 tive meeting, Concord, Chichester, and Birmingham.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 SCHOOL SUPPORT, ORGANIZATION, AND 
 CURRICULUM 
 
 SUPPORT 
 
 At various times in the course of this study, it has been 
 mentioned that the activities of the lower branches of the 
 meeting organization were directed by means of advices sent 
 out from the yearly meetings. These advices, particularly at 
 the earlier dates, were of a very general nature, and, as one 
 would judge from the name, were only recommendations as 
 to what should be done, with occasional expressions of appro- 
 bation or reproof as the action of the constituent meetings 
 merited. As years went on, however, the advices became of 
 more consequence, sometimes mapping out plans of action 
 in considerable detail. 1 One of the questions which came to 
 demand a great deal of attention was that of supporting 
 teachers in the schools. Great trouble had always been 
 experienced in getting masters, properly qualified mentally 
 and morally, who would continue long in the same place of 
 service. The suggestions of the yearly meeting in 1750 
 sought to remedy that serious condition. The opinion then 
 expressed was that, 
 
 the most likely means to induce such persons to undertake the business 
 will be to have some certain income fixed, in consideration of which, they 
 should be obliged to teach so many children on behalf of each monthly 
 meeting, as said monthly meeting might judge adequate to the salary 
 and that no person should receive the benefit of the salary, without the 
 appointment of the said meeting.* 
 
 It was directed that the meeting's clerk send copies of the 
 above recommendation to all quarterly meetings, which were 
 
 J For example, the plan suggested in 1 746 and elaborated in the years 
 following. 
 
 ^Advices, 250. 
 
 (167) 
 
 Problem of 
 support 
 
 A fixed 
 salary 
 
 necessary^to 
 secure better 
 teachers and 
 retain them
 
 i68 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 A weakness 
 of the meet- 
 ing organiza- 
 tion 
 
 How recom- 
 mendations 
 reached the 
 lower 
 meetings 
 
 Function of 
 committees 
 appointed 
 
 in turn to supply each of their monthly meetings and direct 
 them to send in a report to the next yearly meeting. 3 
 
 The above is cited as one of many similar recommenda- 
 tions ; and, without the presentation of any more of them, it 
 may be well to point out one of the great weaknesses of the 
 system that weakness being the lack of a strong central con- 
 trol in the organization which could formulate plans and 
 compel them to be carried into execution. A financial plan 
 based on that idea would no doubt have resulted quite 
 differently than did the one pursued, which left it wholly to 
 the determination of the locality whether they would settle 
 regular funds for the schools. Since this study is historical 
 we shall limit ourselves to that point of view exclusively. 
 Let us notice then the reception of the recommendations in 
 the case of a few meetings, tracing it to the lowest meeting 
 whence, in the last analysis, the funds usually came. 
 
 What became of the recommendation when it had been 
 sent out from the yearly meeting? In some cases committees 
 were appointed in the quarterly meetings to which it came. 
 An instance of this is the case of Concord Quarterly Meeting 
 which in 1754 appointed a committee to inspect and examine 
 the accounts and all moneys which were given to charitable 
 and educational purposes. 4 At another time Concord 
 appointed a committee to visit the monthly and preparative 
 meetings to ascertain the state of schools among them; this 
 committee reported soon after that they had visited the 
 meetings but that not much had been done in regard to 
 schools. 5 The appointment of these committees was quite a 
 common practice and, no doubt, they had considerable 
 influence. They often worked with the committees of the 
 monthly meetings, 6 and in some instances produced very full 
 reports of their activity, which they, of course, forwarded to 
 the yearly meeting. 7 The duties in general performed by the 
 quarterly meetings, as doers of the yearly meeting's will, were 
 as follows: 
 
 'Advices, 250. 
 
 4 Min. Concord Q. Mtg., 8 12 1754, 218. 
 6 Ibid. t 8101778, 358. *Ibid., 891784, 413. 
 
 ''Ibid., 8 12 1793, 477; Min. Warrington and Fairfax Q. Mtg., 
 920 1784, 175 ff.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 169 
 
 1. To transmit the advices through the representatives 
 to the various monthly meetings. 
 
 2. To appoint committees (a) for investigation and (6) for 
 cooperation with those in the monthly meetings. 
 
 3. To collect reports and make final report for their 
 locality to the yearly meeting. 
 
 4. At some stages of development the quarterly per- 
 formed some duties later performed by the monthly meeting. 8 
 
 What became of the recommendation when sent on from 
 quarterly meeting? After arriving at and being perused by 
 the monthly, they were always sent by the representatives 
 back to the various particulars, or preparatives, there to be 
 considered also. 9 The preparative meeting was not pri- 
 marily a "record-meeting" and little can be found of their 
 organization, if they had any, for raising funds, save from the 
 reports of the monthly meetings. This does not mean, how- 
 ever, that the preparatives did not share in raising the funds; 
 it means only that the organization for so doing was in the 
 monthly meeting. 10 The plans adopted by that body were 
 drawn up in the most part by a committee which was repre- 
 sentative of each particular meeting. Let us examine briefly 
 the general nature of the plans proposed by some of the 
 meetings for establishing permanent funds. Only those of 
 two or three will be mentioned, as there was great similarity 
 in all of them. The text of the plan for some of the meetings 
 may be found in the chapter in which those meetings are 
 considered. 11 
 
 In 1796 the minutes of Kennett recorded a plan their com- 
 mittee had devised for the establishment of a permanent 
 fund. As has already been suggested, one of the greatest 
 weaknesses of the whole system was that everything was done 
 upon individual choice. 12 That is probably the first thing to 
 
 8 Phila. Q. Mtg. in the earliest years transacted considerable detail 
 business, which, years later, it did not touch. 
 
 'Several definite references are: Min. Middletown Mo. Mtg., 6 6 
 1778, 409 and 12 4 1783, 562; Min. Horsham Mo. Mtg., II, 
 12 28 1796. 
 
 10 Min. London Grove" Mo. Mtg., n 4 1795 78; Min. Darby Mo. 
 Mtg., 231791, 133. 
 
 "To turn to the text of a plan of subscription, see "school support" in 
 index. 
 
 "See page 168. 
 
 Duties of 
 the quarterly 
 meeting 
 summarized 
 
 Procedure in 
 the monthly 
 meeting
 
 170 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Kennett 
 plans for 
 raising 
 funds 
 summarized 
 
 Similar plans 
 
 by Darby, 
 
 London 
 
 Grove, 
 
 Buckingham 
 
 Sadsbury, 
 
 and others 
 
 strike the reader's attention as he looks over the plans 
 devised. We will state as concisely as possible the chief 
 points. 
 
 (a) Subscriptions were voluntary, and if a note were given 
 it bore interest at 5%; 
 
 (6) There was a regularly constituted board of trustees 
 for the funds; 
 
 (c) Record was to be kept of receipts and expenditures and 
 reported to the monthly meeting; 
 
 (d) All money paid in was to be vested in real property as 
 soon as possible; 
 
 (e) Disagreement among the trustees must be settled 
 before the monthly meeting; 
 
 (/) Funds were to be used for paying salaries or keeping 
 buildings in repair provided the amount of the principal fund 
 be not lessened. 13 From reports of the success in establishing 
 schools in Kennett meeting, 14 one must believe that their 
 trustees managed the funds wisely and that subscriptions 
 were generously made, but their exact financial state is not 
 given. 
 
 Similar plans were devised by many other meetings, such 
 as London Grove, 15 Darby, 16 Sadsbury, 17 and Buckingham. 18 
 In all the outstanding characteristics are the same as those 
 mentioned in the Kennett plan. One very interesting 
 characteristic which frequently recurs, is that in the fifth rule 
 of Kennett which allows that the funds may be used also for 
 the poor, who are not members of Friends. 19 
 
 Other forms of support besides the subscription just men- 
 tioned were, (i) legacies, given on terms determined at the will 
 of the donors, (2) fees, and, occasionally, (3) issue of bonds for 
 rather small sums, which were needed in case of emergency, 
 such as completing a school house which had been begun. 
 An instance of the third method occurred in 1701 when Phila- 
 delphia Monthly Meeting agreed that 100 be raised in that 
 
 13 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 12 15 1796, 146. 
 "Ibid., 8 1 6 1798, 199. 
 
 18 Min. London Grove Mo. Mtg., n 4 1795, 78. 
 16 Min. Darby Mo. Mtg., 2 3 1791, 133. 
 17 Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 12 10 1793, 128. 
 18 Min. Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 4 i 1793, 302. 
 19 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 12 15 1796, 146.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 171 
 
 manner for completing the work on the school house. 20 
 Many similar instances were found in records of other meet- 
 ings. The rate system was so commonly used as a means of 
 support in the early schools that it needs no special attention 
 here. Some of the rates paid for teaching will be noted in a 
 later presentation of masters' salaries. Legacies have been 
 very frequently mentioned in previous chapters and it is here 
 necessary only to call attention to the chief characteristics of 
 the bequests and refer the reader to previous chapters if he 
 wishes to examine the text of them. 21 The common charac- 
 teristics are: 
 
 (1) Entirely voluntary, though the making of them was 
 frequently urged by the meeting 22 and was in fact the concern 
 of the queries which were regularly sent out. By this means 
 the yearly meeting was informed of the interest taken in 
 making donations. 
 
 (2) Almost universally consisted of (a) sums of money or 
 (6) land. 
 
 (3) The donor chose trustees in the meeting to be subject 
 to its direction. 
 
 (4) The purpose was generally definitely stated; also 
 how the money should be invested. 
 
 An entire chapter might be devoted to this interesting and 
 very important means of support of the Quaker schools, but 
 much less space must suffice. The value of it may be indi- 
 cated by a few figures given in statements of a few meetings 
 and school records. The table gives the yearly value of the 
 legacies or other permanent endowments at the year stated. 
 The list is not complete, due to inadequate records, but may 
 be taken as indicative of the extent of this form of 
 support.* 
 
 20 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 10 26 1701, 316. 
 
 21 To find the text of legacies granted, turn to legacies, in the index. 
 
 ^Min. Uwchlan Mo. Mtg., 8 3 1763, 22. 
 
 * Attention is called to the fact that during the years mentioned in the 
 following table currency greatly depreciated. This depreciation was 
 most marked in 1779, when, in January, the ratio was 8 to i; and in 
 November of the same year 38 > to I. (See Dewey, D. R., Financial 
 History of U. S., 39; also page 212. 
 
 Main char- 
 of acteristics 
 the bequests 
 made 
 
 The value 
 of legacies 
 in a few 
 meetings
 
 172 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 VALUE OF LEGACIES FOR 
 For whose use 
 
 Overseers of Penn Charter School 23 
 Buckingham Monthly Meeting 24 
 Buckingham Monthly Meeting 25 
 Wrightstown Monthly Meeting 26 
 Falls Monthly Meeting 27 
 Uwchlan Monthly Meeting 28 
 Horsham School Committee* 
 
 SCHOOL SUPPORT 
 
 Year 
 1776 
 1778 
 
 1793 
 1790 
 1799 
 1784 
 1793 
 
 Amount 
 
 574/00/11 1-2 
 244/ 4/1 I 1-2 
 767/10/00 
 248/13/10 
 
 777/ 9/ 4 1-2 
 
 120/10/00 
 
 35i/ 2/n 
 
 London 
 advices on 
 education 
 
 London 
 advices 
 summarized 
 
 ORGANIZATION 
 
 The machinery of organization which had any connection 
 with the direction of the school system has already been fre- 
 quently referred to. It is the same organization which was 
 discussed in Chapter II. 29 It has further been pointed out 
 that one of the functions of the head of this organization, the 
 yearly or general assembly, was to issue advices for the direc- 
 tion of the lower units. These advices began very early, so 
 far as they are concerned with education. In 1692 London 
 Yearly Meeting warned all others to be careful of a " Christian 
 care in the education of their children," 30 and followed it 
 successively each year with more suggestions. 31 These 
 advices all found their way to the Yearly Meeting of 
 Philadelphia and Burlington, and the similarity between the 
 advices of the two meetings is striking but not surprising. 
 
 It may be convenient for the reader if some of the chief 
 recommendations of the London Advices are stated briefly, 
 that the likeness of the two may be noted later when we 
 examine those of Philadelphia. They are: 
 
 i. Education is to be useful and practical. 32 
 
 M Min. Penn Charter School Overseers, I, 301. 
 
 24 Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 12 7 1778, 194. 
 
 Z6 Ibid., 4 i 1793, 302. 
 
 26 Min. Wrightstown Mo. Mtg., 12 7 1790, 60. 
 
 27 Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 1161799, 288. 
 
 28 Min. Uwchlan Mo. Mtg., 2 5 1784, 162. 
 
 *Min. Horsharn School Committee, 3 18 1793. 
 
 29 See page I4ff. 
 
 80 Min. Londcm Yr. Mtg., 3 16 1692, 68. 
 
 31 The yearly meetings also established schools; such was the case in 
 London Yearly, and Philadelphia followed in 1799 with the establish- 
 ment of Westtown Boarding School in Chester County. Justice cannot 
 be done to that institution in this work. The reader is referred to 
 Dewes, A History of Westtown Boarding School. 
 
 32 Min. London Yr. Mtg. ,3 I7to24 1703,114; 5 26to3i 1760,339.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 173 
 
 2. The major emphasis is placed on Christian and moral 
 instruction. 33 
 
 3. The teachers must be capable of good moral influence. 34 
 
 4. Teachers must be members of Friends. 35 
 
 5. Free education is to be provided for the poor 36 (first it 
 was only mentioned for the children of Friends, later others). 
 
 6. The cooperation of teachers is urged for the betterment 
 of methods of teaching. 37 
 
 7. The weaker communities are to be aided by the 
 stronger. 38 
 
 8. Both parents and teachers must realize the force of 
 example. 39 
 
 9. Close censorship of all reading material for the youth. 40 
 From this very brief statement of London Advices and with 
 little attention paid to their manner of getting into and 
 influencing those of Philadelphia, save to state that the chief 
 means were: (i) epistles sent, (2) travelling ministers, and (3) 
 through representatives sent from the lower meetings, let us turn 
 to consider those of the last named meeting. As early as 
 1694 we find that that body approved certain "proposals 
 about the education of youth," the initiative for which seems 
 to have come from Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting. 41 So 
 far as the minute of the meeting goes, one would hardly dig- 
 nify this statement so much as to say that it suggested a plan 
 of education. If such a plan were submitted, it was carefully 
 kept out of the minutes of that date. The very nature of the 
 advice continues as with those of London until near the 
 middle of the century, but as one reads the records they are 
 seen to grow gradually in definiteness until beginning (to 
 name a definite date) about 1746 and on through the period 
 of 1777 and 1778, there are elaborated certain ideas for the 
 establishment of schools in town and country. It is not 
 
 M Min. London Yr. Mtg., 3 16 to 19 1692, 68. 
 M Ibid., 4 2 to 7 1745, 268. 
 
 K Ibid., 4 9 to ii 1690, 52; 4 i to 4 1691, 60. 
 Ibid., 313 to 171695, 89. 
 ^Ibid. 
 
 **Ibid., 4 2 to 10 1718, 160. 
 "Ibid., 5-31 to 651773, 399. 
 
 M Ibid., 3 29 to 4 3 1732, 210; 4 9 to 11 1690, 52. 
 . Phila. Yr. Mtg., 7 16 and 17 1694, 39. 
 
 Means of 
 exercising 
 influence: 
 epistles, 
 ministers, 
 and repre- 
 sentatives 
 
 Philadelphia 
 advices also 
 general for 
 first half 
 century
 
 Summary of 
 Philadelphia 
 advices 
 
 The func- 
 tions of the 
 quarterly 
 meeting 
 
 174 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 until those later years that anything like strong central con- 
 trol is felt, and certainly there were earlier no visible results 
 of such centralizing influence. Even then it took the form of 
 urgent suggestions which, though producing very considerable 
 results, cannot be regarded candidly as the best that might 
 have been done. It is with these suggestions of the latter 
 part of the century that we are chiefly concerned. The most 
 important are here stated in brief manner. 42 
 
 1. Education is to be useful in nature. 
 
 2. The minima to be attained are moral and Christian 
 training and an ability to read and write. 
 
 3 . The meetings are to assist each other in settling schools. 
 
 4. Members of Friends are to be employed as teachers in 
 the schools; good moral influence of the teachers is of first 
 importance. 
 
 5. A fixed income, house, and garden are necessary for 
 securing a better and more permanent teaching body. 
 
 6. All teachers, employed, are to be approved by the 
 monthly meeting. 
 
 7. Quarterly meetings are to appoint visiting committees. 
 
 8. Permanent funds recommended to be put in care of 
 trustees. 
 
 9. Schools to be under the care of monthly meetings' 
 committees and reports are to be made thereon. 
 
 10. The poor children to be educated free of charge, and 
 also the Negroes, where they are not able to pay. Children 
 not Friends were not omitted, 42 as we find in the plans actually 
 followed by the monthly meetings. 
 
 The chief functions of the quarterly meeting were: (i) to 
 transmit these advices ; (2) to gather and return reports of the 
 accomplishments within its limits; and (3) to keep in touch 
 with the work by means of committees. Sufficient material has 
 in the writer's opinion been presented in the way of reports in 
 previous chapters relating to schools established in the vari- 
 ous counties, to make it unnecessary here. 43 To characterize 
 
 ^Advices from Burlington and Philadelphia Yr. Mtg., 1746. 1750, 
 1753, 1755. *777i and so forth, page 250 ff. Also the yearly meeting 
 minutes records for those years, deposited at 304 Arch Street, Phila. 
 (The first reference is the more accessible.) 
 
 ^The reader is referred to the account of establishing schools in Bucks, 
 Montgomery, Delaware Counties, etc. 

 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 175 
 
 it as an intermediary agent and its functions as supervisory 
 and directive seems to be adequate. 
 
 The monthly meeting was above all others the organizing 
 business unit and the welfare of schools appears to have 
 depended much on its activity. It is to the monthly meeting 
 that we are indebted for almost all of the reports on schools, 
 and it has been noticed that not until raised to the dignity of 
 being a monthly meeting, did many meetings assume any 
 important part in directing education. A few preparatives, 
 which might be considered as a little exceptional, were By- 
 berry, Falls, and Horsham. They appear to have handled 
 their schools a little more independently than did others. 
 Duties which were as a general rule performed by each of the 
 monthly meetings were these: 44 
 
 1 . To investigate the state of schools in their preparatives. 
 
 2. To appoint committees to visit, assist and report on 
 schools established, and recommend the establishment of 
 others where necessary. 
 
 3. To approve masters, retire them, and fill vacancies. 
 
 4. Through trustees or committees on funds, (a) to 
 finance the education of poor children, (6) to pay salaries, (c) 
 to build school houses, and (d) to establish permanent endow- 
 ments. 
 
 5. To take final reports to be sent to the yearly meeting. 
 These functions have all been brought to the reader's 
 
 attention by reports and minutes quoted in chapters on the 
 schools in various counties. This brief presentation of the 
 organization and direction on the part of the meetings should 
 be sufficient to point out: (i) that the general nature of the 
 organization is a hierarchy of units; (2) that the direction of 
 school activities comes from the higher to the lower, and is of 
 a general and suggestive rather than specific and mandatory 
 nature; (3) that the monthly meeting formed the real work- 
 ing unit, and that on its diligence probably depended the 
 
 "These references are, respectively, to the five points stated below: 
 
 a. Min. Westland Mo. Mtg., n n 1786, 12; 3 10 1787, 19. 
 
 b. Min. Horsham Mo. Mtg., 4 28 1784. 
 
 c. Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., II 29 1719, 57. 
 
 d. Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 12 15 1796, 146. 
 
 e. Min. Chester Mo. Mtg., i 27 1800, 508; Min. Concord Mo. 
 Mtg., 8 9 1786, 370. 
 
 Monthly 
 meeting 
 the business 
 unit 
 
 Duties 
 summarized 
 
 Three points 
 indicated 
 concerning 
 the organiza- 
 tion
 
 i 7 6 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 welfare of the preparatives' schools. We shall now attend 
 for a moment to a few of the details of the school in so far as 
 we may judge them from the records at our disposal. 
 
 Permanent 
 properties 
 recom- 
 mended 
 for schools 
 
 Property 
 acquired by 
 Philadelphia 
 schools and 
 meeting 
 
 and 
 Abington 
 
 THE SCHOOL 
 
 It has already been mentioned that one of the yearly 
 meeting's earnest recommendations was that a lot of ground 
 be provided where schools might be necessary, sufficient for a 
 garden, orchard, grass for a cow, etc., and that a suitable 
 house and stables and other necessary things be arranged for 
 the securing of more permanent and better qualified teachers. 45 
 There were certainly several of the meetings where land for the 
 purposes of schools was possessed before these recommenda- 
 tions were made. Notable instances, which may be men- 
 tioned, were Philadelphia and Abington, and many others, 
 who early secured permanent lands for the meeting which 
 were also used for the erection of schools. Some of the early 
 acquisitions of school property in Philadelphia were: (i) 
 that purchased in 1698 of Lionell Brittain; 46 (2) another 
 deeded by John Goodson and Thomas Lightfoot to the over- 
 seers; 47 and (3) that devised by William Forrest, upon which 
 the overseers erected a school in I744- 48 There was also the 
 piece of ground left to the monthly meeting of that place by 
 George Fox, upon which the meeting gave permission for the 
 building of a school, free from ground rent. 49 The property 
 gained by Abington in 1696 was for the support of a school. 50 
 A meeting house was erected on the land between 1696 and 
 1700. These cases of endowment directly for schools were 
 very limited as to locality at the early part of the eighteenth 
 century. Their number increased in later years, and the 
 increase may have been due partly to the influence of the 
 yearly meeting's urgent advices. 
 
 ^See the Advices, 250; or the Book of Discipline which has, under the 
 head of schools, a statement of the various recommendations of the 
 yearly meetings. See also Yearly Meeting Minute Books at 4th and 
 Arch Streets, Phila., for years 1746, 1753, 1755, 1777, and 1778. 
 
 46 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 2291698, 229; P. C. S. M., I, 13. 
 
 47 Deed No. 33, mentioned in P. C. S. M., I, 13. 
 
 *Ibid., 40. t9 Ibid., 147. 
 
 ^Friends' Intelligencer, 8 15 1896, 539; Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 
 I 26 1722, 124.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 177 
 
 A few instances of the tendency toward the policy of pur- 
 chasing permanent lands may be mentioned. In 1779, 
 Warrington and Fairfax Quarterly reported two of their 
 monthly meetings had purchased grounds and erected houses 
 for the said purpose. 51 Another meeting had purchased six- 
 teen acres, built a house, but had difficulty in securing a suit- 
 able master. 52 All other accommodations recommended for 
 masters had been provided. Near the close of the century 
 (1794) William Jackson of New Garden deeded a lot of ground 
 to Friends of that meeting for the use of a school. 63 New 
 Garden also reported a school house built about 1795 on land 
 given for the purpose by Jeremiah Barnard. 54 In 1792 
 Kennett reported that their preparative meeting had pur- 
 chased of Abraham Taylor a piece of ground for a school and 
 were preparing to build a house on it. It was situated about 
 2^2 miles from Kennett. 55 Other instances of like procedure 
 were: Goshen, I795 56 and 1782 f Darby, i793; 88 and 
 Buckingham in I794. 59 Similar cases might be cited for 
 almost every monthly meeting in the southeastern part of 
 Pennsylvania, and it doubtless extended elsewhere. It is to 
 be noted that this general purchasing of school property did 
 not come until late in the eighteenth century, when the great 
 advancement in Quaker education had its beginning. It may 
 be fairly stated that by the end of the century most of the 
 schools were established on school property held by the 
 meeting for that purpose. As pointed out above, this had 
 been a slow development, beginning with a few in the seven- 
 teenth century that started with land endowments. 
 
 The earliest schoolhouses would doubtless present an 
 interesting picture if we could see them inside and out. 
 Unfortunately there is little information extant, which 
 throws light upon the earliest. In fact, at the very earliest 
 
 "Min. Warrington and Fairfax Q. Mtg., 9 20 1779, 73. 
 & *Ibid., 77; Warrington Mo. Mtg., 8 7 1779, 46. 
 M Deed No. 88 New Garden Township, Chester County. (The original 
 is in Orthodox Friends Meeting House, West Grove, Pa.) 
 M Min. New Garden Mo. Mtg., 8 6 1785, 256. 
 M Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., I 12 1792, 14. 
 M Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 4 10 1795. 
 "Ibid., 381782. 
 
 68 Min. Darby Mo. Mtg., 3 28 1793, 165. 
 "Min. Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 4 10 1794, 314. 
 
 Warrington 
 and Fairfax 
 Quarterly 
 
 New Garden 
 
 Goshen, 
 
 Darby, 
 
 Buckingham
 
 I 7 8 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Early 
 
 schools held 
 in meeting 
 houses 
 
 Family 
 school 
 
 An old 
 schoolroom 
 at Merion, 
 Pa. 
 
 establishment of schools, there were no special houses built 
 for them. For many of them this condition prevailed till 
 fairly near the close of the century. Joseph Foulke, writing 
 in 1859, concerning his first school days, stated that he first 
 attended school at Gwynedd, which was held in the meeting 
 house, there being none other for that purpose. 60 His next 
 schooling, in 1795, was at a family school taught by Hannah 
 Lukens, who lived in a little house on the Bethlehem Road. 
 He then attended school in a log schoolhouse, built about 
 1798 by his father. 61 Other instances may be cited in con- 
 nection with the use of the meeting house for schoolhouse. 
 In 1693-4 Middletown Friends allowed a school to be held in 
 the meeting house, provided it should cause no disturbance, 62 
 and again in 1699 a similar request was granted. 63 As late 
 as 1740 Philadelphia Meeting proposed to erect a meeting 
 house with chambers over it sufficiently large for the accom- 
 modation of a school, 64 though, as mentioned before, they 
 already had some of their schools in regularly constructed 
 schoolhouses. 65 
 
 The writer has had the opportunity to visit one of these 
 little schoolrooms established in the meeting house. Not 
 much is known of the school at Merion, though the oldest of 
 Friends meetings, but it is quite certain that whenever their 
 school began and however pretentious it may have been, it 
 must have been held in the upper part of the meeting house. 
 The schoolroom in the present building is quite hidden away 
 under the eaves. The walls are bare and the rafters low 
 overhead. Ample light is furnished. Rude wooden benches 
 and tables, the latter with sloping tops, constitute the furni- 
 ture of the room as it now stands. One of the table tops 
 bears the date 1711, doubtless the telltale of some vandal 
 outcropping, which might tempt one to place a school at that 
 
 60 Jenkins, Historical Col. of Gwynedd, 396. 
 
 62 Min. Middletown Mo. Mtg., 12 ! 1693 -4, 64. 
 ^Ibid., i i 1699, 114. 
 M Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 5 25 1740, 318. 
 
 M In 1701 they had begun a school house which was to be 60 by 24 feet. 
 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 4 27 1701, 298.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 179 
 
 early date. It is however too meagre and uncertain evidence 
 to justify such a conclusion. 66 
 
 From a few sources of information we gather some clews 
 as to the size of the schoolhouse generally. The house pro- 
 posed by the Goshen Meeting in 1782 was to be 27 feet square 
 from out to out and to cost about i5o. 67 The new one 
 proposed at Falls some twelve years later was to be somewhat 
 more pretentious being twenty-two feet by thirty and having 
 two stories. Its cost was estimated at 2oo. 68 We infer 
 from the minutes that a building was badly needed at Falls, 
 the old roof being "very leaky and the ceiling about to fall." 
 In spite of this fact it does not appear that the house was 
 erected until about 1799; the final dimensions decided upon 
 were twenty-six feet by twenty-four, one story, and a cellar 
 of the same dimensions. 69 It is not certain how much space 
 was actually devoted to the use of the school room, since the 
 building doubtless accommodated the master and his family 
 at the same time. The schoolhouse begun in Philadelphia 
 about 1 70 1, 70 was to be twenty-four by sixty feet. Another 
 one in 1744, built on the Forrest property, was to be about 
 sixty by thirty-five feet, two stories high, with a basement 
 underneath raised three feet above the surface of the 
 ground. 71 The cost of the last building when completed in 
 1746 was 794/' 2 Anthony Benezet, who apparently was 
 teaching in an old building, made complaint in 1744 that it 
 was "too hot in summer and too dark in winter" and therefore 
 urged that a window be put in the south side. 73 The writer 
 has found a single instance to indicate how the school building 
 was heated. Judging from such meager data we would say 
 that the first schools probably up to 1715 or 1720 were heated 
 
 "The schoolroom described is in Merion Meeting House, which may 
 be reached from Philadelphia via P.R.R. to Narberth, Pa.; from 
 thence a ten-minute walk. 
 
 67 Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 3 8 1782. 
 
 68 Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 12-3-1794, 169; for value of money see page 
 
 212. 
 
 9 Ibid., 9 4 1799, 283. 
 
 70 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 4 27 1701, 298. 
 
 n lbid., 1 1-25-1744, 379; P. C. S. M., I, 40. Parts of the school build- 
 ings were at times used as tenant property thus affording a supporting 
 income, P. C. S. M., I, 22. 
 
 72 P. C. S. M., I, 56. 
 
 "Ibid., I, 39- 
 
 Size and 
 
 cost of 
 
 school 
 
 houses; 
 
 Goshen, 
 
 Falls 
 
 Philadelphia 
 
 Manner of 
 heating
 
 i8o 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Number of 
 children 
 attending 
 schools 
 
 Two classes: 
 the "pay" 
 and the 
 "free" 
 scholar 
 
 Both boys 
 and girls 
 assisted 
 
 Everything 
 furnished to 
 the "free" 
 scholar 
 
 by the old-fashioned brick stoves. They were at any rate 
 employed in some, but were beginning to lose their popularity 
 in that period. One was removed in 1715 and an iron stove 
 substituted for it. 74 
 
 The size of the schools, measured by the number of pupils, 
 must be judged mostly from material found relating to 
 Philadelphia. It was doubtless true that in the country 
 regions there were fewer children within reach of the school 
 and it was not necessary to state limits beyond which they 
 might not go. The yearly meeting certainly recommended 
 that the number of children be specified, which the master was 
 to teach, but this was often taken to mean that they should 
 promise to teach a certain number of children for the use of 
 the school. The schools were always composed of these two 
 classes, the independent or pay scholar and the poor or free 
 scholar. Some of the Philadelphia reports state the number 
 attending, of each of these classes. In that system the teach- 
 ers were required to keep a roll, especially of the poor children, 
 and turn it over for the inspection of the overseers. 78 In 
 country districts the school committee usually kept account 
 of the poor scholars, seeing that they were supplied with all 
 things necessary. 76 It may prove interesting to examine the 
 Philadelphia system a little more fully. 
 
 First, let it be noted that cases of both boys and girls were 
 investigated by the overseers, and if capable and in need of 
 assistance, they were put under the tutorage of masters or 
 mistresses free of any charge. 77 Not only were the children 
 of Friends admitted, but an effort was made to find out the 
 needy, of other denominations, and put them to school also. 78 
 All articles necessary were furnished free to the poor scholars 
 by the Board, the master was required to keep an account of 
 each item and present the bill therefor in his reports to that 
 body. 79 The number of poor in Anthony Benezet's school in 
 1743-4, about a year after he entered it, was i4. 80 There 
 
 74 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 9 25 1715, 10 ff. 
 76 P. C. S. M., I, 95 and 37. 
 
 76 Min. Bradford Mo. Mtg., 6 181762; 4 71767; 
 "P. C. S. M., I, 29 and 25. 
 31. 
 
 ., 95. 
 
 ., 37. 
 
 3141767.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 181 
 
 was very little fluctuation as to the number for many years; 
 in 1749 there were i;. 81 Below are given the reports of some 
 of the schools in I757- 82 It seldom or never occurred that a 
 report for all schools was made at one time. 
 
 Master . 
 CHARLES THOMPSON 
 
 (Latin) 
 
 ALEXANDER SEATON 
 (English) 
 
 JOSEPH STILES 
 
 REBECKAH BURCHALL 1757 
 
 ANN THORNTON 
 
 Year Items 
 
 Pay Free 
 Scholars Scholars Amount 
 
 1757 Books and firing 
 
 for poor scholars 31 
 1 757 Teaching poor 
 
 scholars 30 
 
 Premiums 
 Books and firewood 
 Clothing for poor 
 1757 Teaching poor 
 
 scholars 
 
 Books and firewood 
 Teaching poor 
 
 children 
 Firewood 
 
 1757 Teaching poor 
 children 
 
 7 150/00/00 
 
 41 58/157 4 
 3/00/00 
 
 15/ 4/ 9>^ 
 6/177 8# 
 
 14 28/187 i 
 3/I4/ 7 
 
 23 36/ 9/10 
 3/ 4/ 6 
 
 3/ 2/ 9 
 
 Immediately following the above report, another stated 
 there were 38 in the Latin School, 37 free scholars under 
 Alexander Seaton, 17 (free) under Joseph Stiles, 30 under Ann 
 Thornton, and 30 (free) under Rebeckah Burchall. 83 The 
 slight discrepancy in the figures is not explained. A later 
 report of 1784 shows the following schools and the enrollment 
 of each, (i) Proud, (Latin), number not given; Todd, 
 (English), 88 on the list; Isaac Weaver, 28; William Brown, 
 2 9 girls; Sarah Lancaster, 64 ; Mary Harry, 15 or 16; Joseph 
 Clarke, about 30; Mrs. Clarke, 15 or 1 6 boys and girls; Ann 
 Marsh, about 50 boys and girls; Mary McDonnell, 15 young 
 children. 84 From this it seems that the only two schools 
 which have increased considerably in number are the Latin 
 and English, both of which employed ushers or assistants. 85 
 The chief indication of the system's growth is the increase 
 from five or six schools to at least ten. The approximate 
 
 81 P. C. S. M., 72. 
 id., 151 ff. 
 
 Number of 
 poor and 
 pay scholars 
 stated 
 
 Indication 
 of the sys- 
 tem's 
 growth in 
 the number 
 of schools 
 
 M Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., I 30 1784, 123 ff. 
 wp. C. S. M., I, 76 and 79; also I, 198.
 
 182 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Children 
 sent from 
 home to 
 attend 
 school 
 
 Rules for 
 the govern- 
 ment of 
 schools 
 .summarized 
 
 number of children recorded as having attended the schools 
 under the overseers from 1712 to 1770 was 72o. 86 
 
 Children were frequently sent away from home to attend 
 school, due to a lack of adequate facilities near at hand. The 
 following letter, from an anxious mother, is a very interesting 
 commentary on the attitude taken by the less educated 
 toward the propriety of spending time for education. Though 
 impolite to read private letters, it may be pardoned in this 
 case. 
 
 The 20 of December, 1702. 
 Dear Brother: 
 
 The few liens comes to salute thee and fore prisila which I hope are in 
 helth as blessed be the God of all our mersies I am at this writing. I 
 long to hear from you both and how prisila likes being at scool and how 
 the like her and whether she thinks that shee will lern anything worth 
 her while to be kept at cool here. I have sent her some thred to knit me 
 too pares of golves and herself on if there be anough for to mak so much 
 if not one for me and one for her. bid her be a good gerl and larn well 
 and then I shall love her. if Abraham Antone have brought .... 
 purchas me twenty pound and send it me if thou can by some oppor- 
 tunity in so doing thou wilt much oblige thy most affectionate sister 
 
 Abigail 
 
 A fairly good mental picture of the school, and the atmos- 
 phere pervading it, is obtained from a perusal of the list of 
 rules which were adopted both for the guidance of the masters 
 and the observance of the pupils. We cannot gain much 
 from a discussion since they are self-explanatory, hence there 
 is submitted a concise digest of those issued for the masters 
 and mistresses in the several schools. 
 
 1. All pupils must be at school promptly. 
 
 2. No one shall be absent without a permit from parents. 
 
 3. Strict obedience to the monitor is demanded, but if 
 there is a real grievance, complaint may be made to the 
 master. 
 
 4. Be orderly in coming to and leaving school. 
 
 5. Use the plain language to all persons; be civil to all. 
 
 6. To avoid, in hours of leisure, all "ranting games" and 
 quarrelling with one another. 
 
 M P. C. S. M., see list of scholars; number is approximate. 
 S7 Pemberton Mss., Vol. 3, p. 2.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 183 
 
 7. Shall not play or keep company with rude boys of the 
 town, but play with own school fellows. 
 
 8. They shall come to school on 5th day prepared to go to 
 the regular meeting. 88 
 
 The rules above, which, if all followed, one must admit 
 would have made an almost model school so far as behavior 
 was concerned, were shortly thereafter expanded a little to 
 meet the needs of the Latin and English schools. Those 
 rules, however, were more concerned with the curriculum and 
 part of method, and were doubtless a guide for the instructors 
 more than to be followed by the pupils. They will receive 
 attention in the next few pages in the discussion of the 
 curriculum. We shall however be interested at this juncture 
 to read the rules adopted by Robert Proud, schoolmaster and 
 historian, for the government of the Latin School, in which 
 he was the head master for many years. They are very 
 similar to those already noted, though drawn up by Proud 
 for his school alone. 
 
 Orders and Directions 
 In the School 
 
 Reverentia Jehovae Caput Scientiae 
 
 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 
 
 1. Duty in attending. 
 
 Fail not to be present in school precisely at or before the time ap- 
 pointed for learning, being clean and decent; except sufficient reason 
 require thy absense; in which case, on thy first returning .... 
 before the master, immediately inform him thereof to his satisfaction. 
 
 2. On entering, remaining in and departing from school, having 
 taken thy appointed seat, with as little noise and disturbance as may 
 be, move not therefrom, to that of another during the time of learning 
 without absolute necessity and then, very seldom; nor go out of the 
 school without the master's leave or knowledge. And observe the same 
 silently and orderly behavior, in thy departing from the school, as in thy 
 entering it. 
 
 3. How to behave and study in the School. 
 
 Be always silent, in School or during the time of thy studies, so as to 
 be heard, neither in voice, nor otherwise, as little as possible; except in 
 writing or speaking to the Master or Teacher; and discourse not with 
 
 Rules 
 
 adopted by 
 Robert 
 Proud while 
 master of the 
 Latin School 
 
 88 P. C. S. M., I, 102 f. (Rules adopted in 1748.)
 
 184 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 thy Schoolfellows during the hours of study, without the Master's per- 
 mission; unless in asking, or giving information relating to thine or their 
 learning; and even then observe to whisper, or speak as low as possible 
 to be heard by him, who is next thee. 
 
 4. Behavior to the Master, and during the presence of visitants, etc. 
 Make all thy speeches to the master with due respect; and observe 
 
 cheerfully to perform all his directions and commands, with readiness 
 according to thy ability. And, if a stranger or visitant speak to thee in 
 the school, stand up, turn thy face towards him respectfully and give a 
 modest and ready answer, if any answer be required or necessary; 
 resuming thy seat again, with a silent application to thy study; which 
 order and silence are more particularly and especially to be strictly 
 observed and kept during the presence of any stranger, or visitant, in 
 the School. 
 
 5. Behavior to one another. 
 
 Behave thyself always in a submissive and kind manner to thy School 
 fellows, never provoking, quarreling, nor complaining, especially about 
 frivolous matters; but use the word please, etc., or expressions of similar 
 signification when asking anything of them ; and observe a proper grati- 
 tude for every kindness received, be it ever so small; using thy utmost 
 to cultivate a special Friendship with them; not returning injuries, but 
 learning to forgive; and shew them, by thy exemplary Deportment, how 
 they ought to behave. 
 
 6. Not to take Another's Property, etc. 
 
 Neither take nor use anything which is the property of another or in 
 his custody, without first having his permission and as much as possible, 
 avoid borrowing, at any time, but provide thyself with all books, instru- 
 ments and things necessary for thy learning and studies according to the 
 Master's direction; always keeping them clean and in good order. 
 
 7. The Language. 
 
 Let the common language, used in School, be Latin, as much as con- 
 veniently may be, according to the speaker's knowledge and ability 
 therein, but in all places let every one speak with as much propriety and 
 grammatical accuracy as he is capable in whatever language he makes 
 use of. 
 
 8. School transactions not to be divulged. 
 
 Be not forward to divulge any transaction, passed in school, more 
 especially, to the disreputation of any in it; nor mock, nor jeer any of 
 thy school fellows, for being reproved or corrected, lest it may sometime 
 happen to be thy own case; but rather be assisting, than troublesome, 
 to the masters or teachers by rendering thyself as agreeable, both to him 
 and them, as possible, in all laudable and good order and discipline, as 
 well as in the advancement and increase of learning and all real improve- 
 ment in the respective branches thereof: that, instead of introducing
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 185 
 
 any cause of punishing, severe reproof, or servile fear, the place of thy 
 learning may be a place of pleasure and delight. 89 
 
 Rule 9 deals with the proper attitude and behavior. 
 
 Rule 10 deals with the behavior in the religious meetings. 
 
 In spite of the most excellent rules, which, we have seen, 
 were drawn,* it appears the attendance problem was one 
 which caused some masters no little worry. Proud's manu- 
 scripts again inform us that on one occasion, after continuous 
 aggravation due to absences, he felt called upon to send a note 
 to the overseers concerning that serious affair. He first 
 mentions the ends desired to be gained by such a school, and 
 points out that they are being fallen short of, because of the 
 laxity in attendance. Moreover, the worst offenders are the 
 sons of the overseers. He says in particular : 
 
 But the occasion of this present observation to the Board is more 
 particularly that of the present day, viz. the 4th instant, when out of 
 six of these, vho attend the said school (the Latin School) and ought 
 more particularly to have been present at that time, for the example of 
 others and their own benefit, only one of the smallest was at the school 
 and two at the meeting. The rest, being grown and advanced in years, 
 and learning, etc., and consequently more regarded for examples, were at 
 that particular and important time, all absent with about the same 
 proportion of the rest of the school. 90 
 
 There were, it seems, the usual causes at work which pro- 
 duced such havoc in the attendance record, and such distress 
 in the minds of masters. A letter written by James Logan to 
 his friend John Dickinson, in 1 704, strengthens our belief that 
 such was the case. He wrote in part : 
 
 Dear Friend: 
 
 I shall acquaint thee that thy two rugged boys are very lusty, love 
 the river much better this hot weather than their masters' countenances, 
 and the fields and boats far before schools or books. . . . 
 
 Thy affectionate Friend, 
 JAMES LOGAN." 
 
 ^Robert Proud Mss. Collection, No. 20, pp. 3-7. The rules, he states, 
 were drawn up for his use in the school in 1780. 
 
 *The rules presented, taken fromrecordsof the Overseers of theSchools 
 in Philadelphia, are quite like those later drawn up by Horsham School 
 Committee. There is nothing additional in the later ones and they were 
 doubtless patterned after them. (Horsham Sch. Com. Min., I 27 
 
 1783). 
 
 90 Robert Proud Mss., No. 156, 45. 
 
 9l Logan Mss. Letter for 4th month, I2th, 1704. Vol. I, 49. (J. 
 Dickinson was away on a voyage of some length.) 
 
 Pupils 
 remiss in 
 attendance 
 
 The atten- 
 tion of 
 board called 
 to the fact
 
 i86 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Two ex- 
 tremes in 
 discipline 
 
 Premium 
 given to 
 most satis- 
 factory 
 pupils 
 
 Length of 
 school day 
 
 We have not much information from which to judge the 
 discipline of the school. From the rules already considered 
 one would expect that strict discipline was observed, but of 
 the master's methods of enforcing it we know but little. 
 There were doubtless two extremes. On the one hand, we 
 might take Anthony Benezet as the very personification of 
 mildness, and who ruled by love. 92 On the other hand, there 
 was John Todd who would thrash a boy very severely, and 
 who took great delight in getting his victim to admit the pain 
 that he knew he felt. 93 
 
 To secure better discipline, attendance, and also to induce 
 striving for scholarship, it was customary to give rewards. 
 We noted in the items sent in to the overseers in masters' 
 reports that certain amounts were for "premiums." 94 This 
 policy of rewards was early agreed upon by the overseers who 
 sought in various ways to establish little funds for that pur- 
 pose. In 1755 it was proposed that each one pay two shil- 
 lings for missing a board meeting and one shilling for being 
 late; the accruing amount to be paid out in premiums to 
 encourage industry among the boys. 95 The fines were 
 collected and then turned over to the masters who applied 
 them as they saw fit. 96 The extent of the practice of giving 
 rewards is not exactly known, but it seems to have been 
 general throughout all the schools of the Board in Philadel- 
 phia, if we may judge from the regularity with which the bills 
 for "premiums" were presented. It was also true that the 
 school committees in other monthly meetings arranged to 
 give rewards on visiting day to the scholars having the best 
 records. 97 
 
 The early school days seem to have been long and tedious. 
 Attention has already been called to the letter of Pastorious' 
 children to their grandfather, in which they complained of the 
 long eight hour school day. 98 The school continued, accord- 
 ing to their account, six days in the week excepting Saturday 
 
 ^Vaux, Memoirs of Benezet, 1 5 f . 
 
 93 Watson, Annals, I, 291-2. 
 
 94 See page 181. 
 
 95 P. C. S. M., I, 137. 
 
 96 Ibid., 150. 
 
 97 Min. Horsham Sch. Com., 3 16 1792. 
 
 98 See page 78.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 187 
 
 afternoon." Besides this it was customary in all places to 
 attend meeting on fifth day (Thursday), 100 save in places 
 where it may have been too far distant, an exception was 
 made possible. 101 Evening schools were quite common, as 
 has been stated before in the case of Germantown, 102 and 
 increased in number toward the latter part of the century. 
 In 1750 John Wilson, usher to Robert Willian, expressed his 
 intention of opening an evening school which appears to have 
 been acceptable to the Board. 103 The prevalence of the 
 evening school among people not Friends is at once apparent 
 when one glances at the advertisements in the colonial 
 newspapers. A few of those private evening schools were: 
 one kept by William Dawson and John Gladson, teaching 
 writing, arithmetic, and navigation; 104 others by John 
 Shuppy, 105 Mr. Lyonet, 106 and Messrs. Barthelemy and 
 Besayde. 107 
 
 The length of the school day is better indicated, and per- 
 haps the source of information is more reliable, near the end 
 of the century. The rules issued by the Board in 1795 state 
 that the hours are to be from 8 to 1 2 in the morning, and from 
 2 to 5 in the afternoon, these hours to be observed from third 
 month, first to eleventh month, first; in the remaining 
 months the hours were 9 to 12 and 2 to s. 108 Vacations were 
 very scarce and very brief.* In the main, according to the 
 rules issued at least, they were to be: (i) at the periods of 
 the quarterly and yearly meetings; and (2) a vacation of 
 three weeks, commencing on seventh day preceding the last 
 sixth day of the week of the seventh month. 109 The other 
 
 "Page 78. 
 
 100 Fee list of printed rules for the school in custody of P.C.S. 
 
 101 Min. Horsham Sch. Com., I 27 1783 (also mentioned in the 
 monthly meeting minutes very frequently). 
 
 102 See page 78f. 
 
 1M P. C. S. M., I, 84. 
 
 104 Pa. Gazette, No. 1449, 1756. 
 
 106 Ibid., No. 824, 1744. 
 
 io6p Packet and Daily Advertiser, No. 2385, 1786. 
 
 107 Ibid., No. 2386, 1786. 
 
 108 A list of printed rules issued by the Board, found in the depository 
 for the P. C. S. M., in the Provident Life and Trust Building, Phila. 
 
 *Darby Meeting employed B. Clift to teach a whole year with the 
 exception of two weeks. (Darby Min., 7 7 1692, 54). 
 
 109 Ibid. 
 
 Evening 
 
 schools 
 
 customary 
 
 Length of 
 school day 
 in 1795: 
 seven hours
 
 i88 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Student 
 papers, and 
 magazines, 
 etc. 
 
 rules issued at this date besides these mentioned relating to 
 holidays and length of the school day were the same as were 
 previously stated. 110 The hours named above appear to us 
 rather long for the small children ; arrangement seems to have 
 been made for them, though no statement of it is made in the 
 school regulations. There were, however, the schools of (i) 
 William Brown and (2) Sarah Lancaster, who taught children 
 for half days, 111 and also the Girls' School, in which Anthony 
 Benezet taught (1754), was mentioned as though it were to 
 be conducted only in the morning. 112 It is not to be under- 
 stood that the half day arrangement was always followed in 
 the case of younger children, for Sarah Lancaster taught 
 thirty-five children whole days "at 15 / per quarter." 113 It 
 seems that the amount of time for them to attend was 
 probably determined by the desires of their parents. 
 
 An interesting and instructive light is cast upon the inner 
 life of the school in Philadelphia, by some of the manuscript 
 collections of the very old Philadelphia families. For 
 instance, we learn that in the public school there were 
 published certain magazines, gazettes, chronicles, and so 
 forth, a few of them named as follows : The Examiner, The 
 Universal Magazine, 1774, Students' Gazette (about 1774 to 
 J 777)> The P. S. Gazette, Latonia, 1777 to 1778, the Public 
 School Gazetteer, containing the freshest advices, foreign and 
 domestic (a palpable imitation of the newspapers in the city 
 of that date), and The Students' Magazine. lu The contents 
 of all of them were no doubt very interesting to the boys and 
 girls at the time of their publication, and are so even now, and 
 at times give light on topics of importance. It may perhaps 
 interest the reader to see some of the entries. We find the 
 following which gives a clew to the book used for instruction 
 in grammar. 
 
 ""Seepage i83f. 
 
 m Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., I 30 1784, 123 ff. 
 112 P. C. S. M., I, 117. 
 
 113 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., I 301784, 123 ff. 
 
 114 Some copies and volumes of these illustrious news sheets are found 
 in the Norris Ms. Collection.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 189 
 
 Was lost on Wednesday in The Public School Rudiman's Gram- 
 mar newly bound Whoever has found the same and will bring it to me 
 . . . . shall receive i sheet of paper reward. 
 
 S. FISHER. 1 " 
 
 Another of interest bewails the departure of Thomas Lloyd 
 from school to go into Lancaster County. 
 
 This worthy Gentleman, was admitted aboat a 12 month ago 
 into the society of freeholders, since which time he has been a very dis- 
 tinguished member of our community and a firm supporter of our institu- 
 tions. He has been twice elected Clerk of the Supreme Court and twice 
 raised to the dignity of President of the Honorable House of Assembly, 
 which offices together with Treasurer he filled with most unblemished 
 reputation and unshaked fidelity. His character in the literary world 
 is sufficiently established by many genuine productions of judgment and 
 humor. His affable disposition, his engaging address and behavior 
 endear him to all that had the happiness of his acquaintance and render 
 his departure a cause of great regret. 116 
 
 Another brief notice indicates that the Quaker preferment 
 for plain dress was also made to prevail in the schoolroom. 
 
 From a certain expression which lately drop'd from one of the over- 
 seers, we would have the greatest reason to believe that Mr. Webster's 
 gay appearance is rather disagreeable. 117 
 
 Some supervision of the work on the part of over- 
 seers and school committees seems to have been at all times 
 expected, though attention hardly needs be called to it 
 after the presentation of so many reports made by commit- 
 tees, in the chapters relating to the establishment of schools 
 in the several counties. From the irregularity in the reports 
 we judge, however, that the visitation must have likewise 
 been irregular in many places. In 1755 the Board in Phila- 
 delphia decided that for the encouragement of masters and 
 scholars there should be visits made each month, preceding 
 the usual monthly meetings. Also if "play days" were 
 thought necessary they were to be arranged for between the 
 masters and the committee of visitors. 118 The minutes indi- 
 cate that these monthly visits were regularly performed. The 
 
 ll *Norris Ms. Collection The Student's Magazine. 
 are unpaged; page references are impossible. 
 Norris Ms. Collection. "Ubid. 
 
 'P. C. S. M., I, 135. 
 
 The little volumes 
 
 A few items 
 of interest 
 and value 
 
 Thomas 
 Lloyd 
 
 Gay cloth- 
 ing dis- 
 agreeable 
 
 Supervision 
 
 Somewhat 
 irregular 
 
 Monthly 
 visits 
 decided 
 upon
 
 IQO 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 The curri- 
 cula are in 
 general in 
 harmony 
 with the 
 recommen- 
 dations of 
 the yearly 
 meetings; 
 and the 
 Frame of 
 Government 
 
 Studies pur- 
 sued in 
 Flower's 
 school 
 
 In Benezet's 
 Walby's 
 
 Negro School, established in 1770, was also in charge of a 
 committee to visit, superintend, and advise regarding its 
 affairs. 119 
 
 THE CURRICULUM 
 
 If we go back to our references on the advices of the yearly 
 meetings of London and Philadelphia we shall find there the 
 basic reasons for the subjects which are to be mentioned as 
 taught regularly in the schools. We recall that there was an 
 emphasis placed on the moral, the useful and practical, and 
 the subjects first to be mentioned were: writing, reading, 
 and arithmetic, which constituted the necessities. 121 Fur- 
 thermore, the Frame of Government of 1696, the product of 
 Quaker minds and hands, recommended to erect and order all 
 public houses and encourage and reward the authors of useful 
 sciences and laudable inventions. 122 It is seen also from 
 later advices of the yearly meeting that the useful was not 
 limited necessarily to the four R's, religion, arithmetic, writ- 
 ing, and reading. In 1737, they recommended that as 
 opportunity could be found, children should be permitted to 
 learn "French, High and Low Dutch, Danish, etc." 123 The 
 use of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew is also justified by Crouch, 124 
 and it is well known and evident in all their writings that 
 Penn, Barclay, Fothergill, Lloyd, Proud, Pastorius, and 
 innumerable others were classically educated men. 
 
 The curriculum of the first school (Enoch Flower's) con- 
 sisted of reading, writing, and casting accounts, 125 and it seems 
 entirely probable that these were the chief constituents, along 
 with moral instruction, for many years, in all save the Latin 
 School. At any rate there occur no disproving factors in 
 that early period. In 1742, when Anthony Benezet came 
 from the Germantown school to Philadelphia, he was em- 
 ployed to teach arithmetic, writing, accounts, and French. 126 
 
 119 Phila. Mo. Min., I 25 1771, 430. 
 
 121 London Yr. Mtg. Min., 4 2to 10 1718, 160. Phila. Advices XXX, 
 page 250 (for years from 1746-1778). Also a copy of the Discipline 
 containing the digested recommendations on schools, p. 386 ff. (In 
 first National Bank, Newtown, Pa.). 
 
 Col. Rec., I, LXVI. 
 
 123 Extracts from London Yr. Mtg. Min., pub. 1802, 124. 
 
 124 Crouch, Collection of His Papers, 183. 
 
 12B Co/. Rec., I, 36. 
 
 126 P. C. S. M., I, 33.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 191 
 
 John Walby, employed about ten years before him (Benezet) 
 was to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. 127 Alexander 
 Seaton was employed in 1751 to teach a school "in the upper 
 part of the City," the subjects being writing, arithmetic, and 
 parts of the mathematics. 128 In 1754, when Benezet first 
 began in the Girls' School (mornings), he was required to 
 instruct in reading, writing, arithmetic, and English gram- 
 mar. 129 Then, besides what we may term the English School, 
 in which Seaton and Benezet taught for some time, there were 
 others which we might term "petty schools," for example, one 
 kept by Debby Godfrey, 130 who taught some poor children to 
 learn to sew and read, and another, taught by Ann Redman 
 (1761), previously occupied by Rebeckah Burchall, where 
 were taught reading, writing, and plain sewing. 131 
 
 Since writing letters was an art much used and cultivated 
 in the Colonial Period, and writing was greatly emphasized in 
 the schools, it may be of interest to insert a letter written by a 
 school boy in 1735. The letter is written in a fairly regular 
 boyish hand, and is probably the production of a youngster 
 about 12 years of age. 
 
 Nov. 21, 1735. 
 Dear Uncle, 
 
 I think in duty, I ought to wait on you with my first letter, which I 
 hope will plead excuse for all faults. I remember what you told me, and 
 write or go to school every day I am much obliged to you for your kind 
 present of tickets, and hope I shall have good success. Pray give my 
 duty to Uncle and Aunt Penn and all my Cousins. My love to Mr. 
 Philaps, Mr. Jervice and Farmer Dill. With all my Friends. So 
 conclude. 
 
 Dear Uncle 
 
 Your Affct. Nep. 
 
 THOMAS FREAME.* 
 Phil. d. Novbr. 21, 1735. 
 
 At later dates than those above mentioned the records of 
 the overseers, reports made in the monthly meetings of 
 
 IS7 P. C. S. M., 14. 
 Ibid., go. 
 Ibid., 117. 
 Ibid., 145. 
 
 /(*., 221. 
 
 *A letter written to John Penn, Penn Ms. Collections, I, 233. 
 
 Seaton 's 
 
 Girls' 
 School 
 
 Godfrey's 
 
 Letter 
 writing
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Curriculum 
 of later dates 
 
 Spelling 
 
 Quaker 
 school 
 curricula 
 compared 
 with others 
 
 Studies pur- 
 sued in the 
 Negro School 
 
 Philadelphia, Horsham School Minutes, Darby, and others, 
 indicate that the curriculum consisted of reading, English, 
 writing, arithmetic, branches of the mathematics, sewing, 
 spelling, needlework, and other things suitable for girls. 132 
 The only one which is mentioned at this latter date, and not 
 at the former, is spelling. This of course does not mean, 
 necessarily, that spelling had just been introduced. In 1756 
 the visiting committee reported that spelling books and 
 Bibles were needed in the schools for the poor children, 133 and 
 since Benezet's spelling book came to a second edition in 
 I779, 134 and Fox's Instructions for Right Spelling was pub- 
 lished in Philadelphia in I702, 135 we may be certain that 
 spelling as a regular study began at a very early date. If we 
 compare this curriculum with those mentioned by private 
 tutors at the same time, we find them essentially the same. 
 There was, however, frequent mention of such subjects as 
 navigation, calk guaging, mensuration, bookkeeping, 136 sur- 
 veying, 13 ' dialling, 138 astronomy, and fortification, 139 which 
 are not mentioned definitely in the curriculum of the Friends' 
 schools. It is quite probable that those above, dealing with 
 higher mathematics, were included in the higher mathematics 
 taught in the Classical School. But one cannot imagine that 
 "fortification" was granted a place. Those studies of the 
 mathematics may be mentioned again in studying the curric- 
 ulum of the Latin School. 
 
 The curriculum in the Negro School (1770) consisted 
 approximately of the same subjects, though they may have 
 been modified to some extent in presentation, and restricted 
 more or less to the rudiments. The subjects of instruction 
 mentioned when the school first began were reading, writing, 
 and arithmetic, and were to be taught under "prudent" and 
 ' ' competent" direction. 14 
 
 132 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 7 30, 1779, 151; i 30 1784, 123 ff. Also, 
 Min. Horsham Sch. Com., i 27 1783; Min. Horsham Prep. Mtg., 
 I 24 1783, and Min. Darby Mo. Mtg. ,2 28 1793, 165, give some of 
 the books which were used in the schools. 
 
 133 P. C. S. M., I, 138. "'Hildeburn, II, 332. 
 
 Ibid., I, 39. m Pa. Gaz., No. 1245, 1752. 
 
 lbid., No. 1499, 1757. 13s lbid., No. 1861, 1764. 
 
 139 Ibid., No. 1556, 1758. 
 
 140 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 3 30 1770, 370.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 193 
 
 What books were used for the instruction in this curriculum 
 of the English and Lower schools? We cannot state abso- 
 lutely in the case of all studies, but we can judge with com- 
 parative certainty what books were most available for their 
 use. 
 
 In the case of those used for religious instruction, the meet- 
 ing records usually mentioned the name, which enables one to 
 state with absolute certainty that certain books were used. 
 Bibles for the use of schools were requested by the visiting 
 committees of the overseers in Philadelphia, for the use of 
 poor scholars. 141 Other books of religious and denomina- 
 tional character such as Penn's Reflections, Maxims, and 
 Advice to His Children, are mentioned definitely by Darby, 142 
 Horsham School Committee, 143 Sadsbury, 144 and Byberry 
 Preparative meetings 146 as being received for use in connection 
 with the schools. Byberry Preparative, 146 Radnor 147 and Sads- 
 bury 148 monthly meetings mention further the receipt of Bar- 
 clay's Apologies for school use. Besides these, which were un- 
 doubtedly used for school instruction, there was a long list of 
 journals, essays, letters, epistles, histories of Friends, etc., 
 which always were in the possession of each meeting and may 
 have been used indirectly at least. They will be mentioned 
 more at length in pages following. 
 
 The spelling book prepared by Fox and published in 
 Philadelphia in I702, 149 must have claimed a place in the 
 Friends' schools, though the books are nowhere mentioned by 
 name. The title of this book includes reading, writing, 
 spelling, and other things useful and necessary, and may 
 easily have served for other purposes than use in spelling 
 instruction. Other spellers, which became available from 
 time to time, were Benezet's Pennsylvania Spelling Book and 
 The Alphabet printed by Henry Miller, i77o. 150 Among 
 
 141 P. C. S. M., 1, 138. 
 
 142 Min. Darby Mo. Mtg., 2 28 1793, 165. 
 
 14S Min. Horsham Sch. Com., i n 1793. 
 
 144 Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 2 20 1793, 118. 
 
 146 Min. Byberry Prep. Mtg., 12 26 1792. 
 
 wibid.,8 26 1789. 
 
 M7 Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., 5 8 1789, 55. 
 
 148 Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 6 17 1789, II, 70. 
 
 149 Hildeburn, I, 39 (published in London 1697). 
 
 Ibid., II, 100. 
 
 Books 
 prominent 
 for religious 
 instruction 
 in the schools 
 
 Bible 
 
 Apology of 
 Barclay, and 
 Penn's 
 Reflections, 
 Maxims, and 
 Advice to His 
 Children 
 
 Books 
 probably 
 used in 
 spelling
 
 1 94 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Primers 
 likely to be 
 used 
 
 Other 
 primers 
 available for 
 use during 
 the century 
 
 those which were used later in the century, Prowell, in speak- 
 ing of the schools in York County, notes Comly's, Cobb's, 
 and Webster's. 151 From this array, which is no doubt incom- 
 plete, we may judge the schools were well supplied. 
 
 Of the primers available, and likely to be used, there were 
 a host. The first which should be mentioned was that 
 published by Fox in 1659; it is not known whether this 
 primer was used in Philadelphia. It seems that it was not 
 printed there. 152 In 1677-8, the monthly meeting authorized 
 the purchase of "primmers," 153 however, and the choice must 
 have been either Fox's or Pastorius'. No student of early 
 printing in Philadelphia has yet been able to determine when 
 the latter's was published. Hildeburn is in doubt, 154 while 
 Smith thinks the "primmers" ordered by the meeting 1697-8 
 must have been those of Pastorius. 155 The minute, however, 
 does not state which. In 1696 Pastorius indicated his willing- 
 ness to take charge of a printing press for Friends, 186 but, 
 since it had to be brought from England, it is not likely, though 
 possible, that he himself could have printed the book, before 
 the time of the "primmer" purchase was mentioned. Since 
 Pastorius lists a Fox's Primmer among the books in his 
 possession, 157 that book must have been known in the monthly 
 too meeting, and may have been the one used.* The data are 
 inadequate and uncertain for reaching a decision in the matter. 
 
 Other primers published and available in Philadelphia and 
 which may well have gotten into Friends' schools were 
 Franklin's, 1764; The New England Primmer Improved, 1770; 
 The Newest American Primer, 1779; The New England Prim- 
 mer Improved, 1779; and A Primmer, I779. 158 The minutes 
 
 181 Prowell, I, 540. 
 
 152 In 1689 Phila. Mo. Mtg. authorized W. Bradford to print certain of 
 G. Fox's papers. These are not named and it hardly seems probable 
 that Fox's Primmer was in the list. Bradford's request for permission 
 (Geneological Publications, II, 139), H. S. P. 
 
 163 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 12251697-8, p. 227 (G. S. P. P.) 
 
 164 Hildeburn, I, 38. 
 
 165 Smith, Supplement to Catalogue of Friends Books, 262. 
 
 1B6 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 11291696-7, 211. (G. S. P. P., Vol. 4). 
 
 1B7 Pastorius's Common Place Book (Mss.) H. S. P. 
 
 168 Hildeburn, II, 21, 114, 341, 340, and 343, respectively. 
 
 The Primer of Stephen Crisp is also mentioned frequently with that of 
 Fox, as being used in the schools. (Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 8 27 
 1735, 207.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 195 
 
 of the meetings give little guidance as to which were or were 
 not used. We know only they had this list (and perhaps 
 more) from which to select. Still other books which were 
 probably used in the English work were Dilworth's A New 
 Guide to the English Tongue and The Child's New Plaything or 
 Best Amusement, intended to make the Learning to Read a 
 Diversion instead of a Task, both of which were published in 
 
 I7S7- 159 
 
 For use in the writing school, we find one definite refer- 
 ence made to Bickam's Universal Penman, which was pur- 
 chased for use in Alexander Seaton's School in I762. 160 The 
 various primers and spellers already mentioned dealt largely 
 with writing also, giving models which were to be set before 
 the pupil in the books or to be written out for him by the 
 master. Some of the mottoes called to mind were: "Com- 
 mand you may your mind from Play" and "A man of words 
 and not of deeds, is like a garden full of weeds." 161 The first 
 exercises in writing were the making of elements such as 
 straight lines, curves, and then single letters, and words. The 
 various samples which the writer has noticed in the boy's 
 letter quoted, 162 and the student manuscript papers, 163 were of 
 very good quality, the median grade of them being about 
 "eleven" on the Thorndike Handwriting Scale.* 
 
 Various arithmetics may be mentioned. There were 
 Gough's A Treatise of Arithmetic, Theory, etc., 1770, and 
 Practical Arithmetic, 1767, neither of which appears to have 
 been published in Philadelphia, but may have been better 
 recommended than others, since gotten up by a Friend. 
 Dilworth's Schoolmaster's Assistant published in Philadelphia, 
 i773, 164 was no doubt a close competitor with Pike's, Park's, 
 and Daboll's arithmetics, which Prowell mentions as being 
 common in the latter part of the century. 165 He also describes 
 
 159 Hildeburn, I, 318. 
 160 P. C. S. M., I, 240. 
 181 Prowell, I, 541. 
 162 See page 191. 
 
 1B Chiefly in the Norris Mss. Collections. 
 
 *A scale, having units of known value, which is used in measuring 
 accomplishment in handwriting. 
 164 Hildeburn, II, 164. 
 166 Prowell, I, 540. 
 
 In the 
 writing 
 schools 
 
 Quality of 
 some samples 
 noted 
 
 Arithmetics 
 used in some 
 of the 
 schools
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Ms. collec- 
 tion indi- 
 cates the 
 nature of the 
 arithmetic 
 work 
 
 Classical 
 
 school 
 
 curriculum 
 
 a book gotten up by Elihu Underwood, schoolmaster at 
 Warrington, in which he copied very orderly all the exercises 
 of the arithmetic, 166 The Norris Collection likewise contains a 
 few pupils' copy books filled with neatly arranged exercises in 
 addition, multiplication, division, both decimal and vulgar 
 fractions, and another one which would correspond to our 
 present-day commercial arithmetic, but which Isaac Norris 
 probably called his merchants' accounts. 167 The books vary 
 in dates from 1729 to 1779. 
 
 The curriculum of the classical school is best indicated by 
 statements made on employing teachers for that place, which, 
 though they indicate the subjects, do not state what materials 
 were used for study. Whether the materials used in the 
 study of the Greek and Latin tongues included the so-called 
 "profane authors" is a matter for speculation. Robert 
 Willian in 1748 was brought from England to teach Latin 
 and Greek and other parts of learning. 168 The "other parts" 
 may have included some English grammar, writing, and 
 mathematics, as these are frequently mentioned elsewhere as 
 being a part of the Latin school course. 169 Several masters 
 employed from time to time for instruction in these subjects 
 were (after Willian): Alexander Buller,* writing, mathe- 
 matics, and the Latin tongue ; John Wilson, as usher 170 to the 
 master in the same school, and later as master; 171 King; 172 
 William Johnson; 173 Charles Thompson; 174 and Robert 
 Proud. 1 '' 5 Others might be named, all of whom seem to have 
 been employed for teaching substantially the same curricu- 
 lum. Arithmetic and reading are at times mentioned as 
 being taught in the Latin school, usually by the ushers. 176 
 
 166 Elihu Underwood was teacher at Warrington in York County in 
 1784 (See Warrington Mo. Mtg. Min., I 10 1784, 47. 
 
 167 'Norris Ms. Collection, H. S. P. 
 
 168 P. C. S. M., I, 64. 
 
 16g lbid., 26; also Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 7-30-1779, 151. 
 
 *In 1741 Buller advertised the teaching of writing, arithmetic, mer- 
 chants' accounts, navigation, algebra, and other parts of the mathema- 
 tics to be taught at the "Public School." (Pa. Gaz. No. 673, 1741). 
 
 Ibid., 84. 
 
 Ibid., 101. 
 
 m lbid., 122. 
 
 Ibid., 131. lbid., 133. 
 
 m Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., I 30 1784, 123 ff. 
 
 in lbid., 7301779, I5i-
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 197 
 
 The curriculum of what was known as the English School 
 overlapped in some respects that of the Latin. Among the 
 subjects usually taught there may be mentioned: arithme- 
 tic, writing, accounts, French, 177 reading, 178 and probably 
 some mathematics. 179 The Girls School's curriculum, taught 
 by Benezet in 1754, consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, 
 and English grammar. 180 
 
 Some light is cast on the method of instruction in the 
 English and Latin schools by instructions given by the Board 
 for the use of the master. Latin scholars were to be accus- 
 tomed to analyze and parse their several lessons; and the 
 English scholars to learn it grammatically. Moreover the 
 double translation method for Latin and Greek was required 
 for instruction in those subjects; and practice in hand- 
 writing and spelling. 181 The reader is also referred to page 
 183 to the rules of Robert Proud, in which he states that 
 Latin, as far as the pupils are able, must be used in the school. 
 The reading of the Scriptures was required three times a 
 week, 182 and in later rules (1795), they name also the works of 
 Penn and Barclay as being required. They are placed in .the 
 same category with the Scriptures. 183 
 
 Of the grammars used we made reference previously to 
 that of Rudiman, 184 which was published in Philadelphia in 
 I776. 185 This was the first American edition. Another, 
 Davy's Adminiculum Puerile, 196 or a help for school boys, 
 containing fundamental exercises for beginners, syntax, 
 cautions for mistakes, English for Latin verses, and so forth, 
 which was made easily available by a Philadelphia reprint in 
 1758, may have been in use. We might expect to find that 
 
 "P. C. S. M., I, 33. 
 
 "*Ibid., 14. 
 
 ""Alexander Seaton.who came to the English School about 1754 (P.C. 
 S. M. 1,117) had been teaching a school of the same nature in the upper 
 part of the city, in which he taught mathematics. That school was 
 also under the direction of the Board. (P. C. S. M., I, 90). 
 
 180 /Wd., 80. 
 
 isi lbid., 104 f . 
 
 Curriculum 
 in the 
 English 
 school 
 
 Methods 
 used in 
 language 
 instruction 
 
 Latin to be 
 used in 
 school as 
 much as 
 possible; 
 Scriptures, 
 Penn, and 
 Barclay 
 required 
 
 Grammar 
 used; 
 
 others that 
 were 
 available 
 
 183 A list of the rules for the government of the schools, printed, in the 
 P. C. S. depository. 
 1M See page 189. 
 185 Hildeburn, II, 266. 
 ., 464.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 French 
 grammars 
 
 School 
 books 
 
 possessed by 
 Daniel 
 Pastorius 
 
 Mathematics 
 
 some of the worthy masters, Pastorius, Willian, Thompson, 
 Wilson, Proud, and others made some contribution in the 
 way of Latin text -books; we are, in that respect, disap- 
 pointed. Another grammar, but of the English tongue, was 
 that prepared by James and John Gough, which, after being 
 duly inspected by the Board, was adopted for use in the 
 English School in i76i. 187 Since English grammar was also 
 taught in the Latin School, it may have been used in that 
 department also. Concerning the French book or grammar 
 which Anthony Benezet may have used when he was engaged 
 to teach that subject in I742, 188 we cannot state definitely. 
 However, there was a French School Book published in 
 Philadelphia in I730, 189 and it may safely be assumed to have 
 been available for his use. The character of the book we do 
 not know. Perrin's Grammar of the French Tongue was printed 
 in Philadelphia, 1 7 79, 190 and was no doubt the best book avail- 
 able for use of the schools at and subsequent to that time. 
 It may be well to mention here some school books which were 
 in the possession of Daniel Pastorius; their presence may 
 indicate that they, or a part of them, were used in the school. 
 They were: Education, The Young Clerk's Tutor, Elements 
 of Geometry, A Short Introduction to Grammar, The English 
 School Master, G. Fox's Primmer, and Teacher's Instruction 
 for Children. 191 
 
 Some idea of the extent to which mathematics was taught 
 may be gained from certain old exercise books. Some of 
 those, which doubtless belong to the lower schools, dealt with 
 arithmetical exercises, with whole numbers, vulgar and deci- 
 mal fractions, and commercial arithmetic. 192 Others, clearly 
 more advanced, and doubtless belonging to the Latin school, 
 though some were taught in the English, are chiefly filled 
 with theorems and proven solutions in geometry, trigonome- 
 try, conic sections, and spherical trigonometry. 193 This 
 
 187 P. C. S. M., I, 235. 
 188 Seepage57. 
 189 Pa. Gaz., Apr. 16, 1730. 
 190 Hildeburn,II, 342. 
 
 191 Pastorius, Common Place Book (Mss.) H. S. P. 
 192 Books of Charles and Isaac Norris in Norris Ms. Collection. 
 193 Books chiefly of Norris, I. Griffiths, and King, in the Norris Ms. 
 Collection.
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 199 
 
 compares quite favorably with the courses suggested in the 
 newspapers, as we have already mentioned. 
 
 METHOD 
 
 Concerning this topic little is to be added to what has 
 already been suggested in connection with the discussion of 
 the subject matter. Some points of method, of which we are 
 reasonably certain, will be stated. In religious instruction, 
 where the Bible, Perm's, Barclay's, Fox's, and other works 
 were used as the material, a catechetical method was used by 
 parents in the home, by the masters and mistresses in the 
 schools, and in the youths' meetings, which were always 
 among the first established. This method still prevails to 
 some extent for the young children. Drill in spelling and 
 handwriting has already been mentioned as urged by the 
 overseers in their directions to the masters and mistresses in 
 the Latin and English schools. 194 The chief elements of 
 Latin and Greek instruction were: analysis, parsing, double 
 translation, and the necessary memory drills. The pupils in 
 Proud's school were also required to speak Latin so far as able 
 to do so. We have also mentioned that in teaching writing 
 the practise was to begin with simple lines, curves, etc., and 
 proceed to the more complex performances. 195 In the 
 majority of subjects "copybooks" were required to be kept. 
 All of these the writer has been privileged to observe, being 
 kept in a very neat and regular fashion. 196 
 
 Methods 
 
 Catechetical 
 method in 
 religion 
 
 Drill in 
 spelling and 
 writing 
 
 Parsing, 
 double 
 translation 
 in classics 
 
 OTHER LITERATURE USED IN THE MEETINGS 
 
 Besides the books already mentioned that are known to 
 have been concerned directly with schools, there were 
 innumerable others which were printed by Friends and cir- 
 culated at their suggestion among all the meetings. They 
 are largely religious and doctrinal treatises; many of them, 
 though not found thus stated, may have been used in instruc- 
 tion. They were at least of educational importance to the 
 
 ""P. C. S. M., I, 104 f. 
 
 19S See page 195. 
 
 iSee Norris Ms. Collection, H. S. P. 
 
 Books cir- 
 culated 
 regularly 
 among 
 meetings
 
 200 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Usually 
 purchased 
 by the 
 meetings; 
 not always 
 
 A list of 
 books most 
 commonly 
 found in the 
 meeting 
 
 communities that read them. They are mentioned in the 
 minutes of every meeting. Though usually paid for by the 
 meeting, the Board of Overseers in Philadelphia went on 
 record to the effect that fines for absence from, or tardiness in 
 coming to their meetings should be applied to the purchase of 
 books for the school library. 197 Sometimes they were given 
 by bequest, as in the case of the Philadelphia school, which 
 received through the monthly meeting a large collection (for 
 that day) from Thomas Chalkly. 198 The list, as given below, 
 is made up from records of Sadsbury, Westland, Warrington 
 and Fairfax, Uwchlan, Concord, Radnor, New Garden, 
 London Yearly, Philadelphia Yearly, Gwynedd, Falls, 
 Exeter, Wrightstown, Darby, Byberry, Horsham, Abington, 
 and Buckingham meetings, and though perhaps it does not 
 contain all, it does have those most commonly used. This 
 list is as follows: 
 
 Banks, Journal, Life and Travels. 
 
 Barclay, Anarchy of the Ranters. 
 
 Bathurst, Truth Vindicated. 
 
 Benezet, Account of the Friends (in the German language). 
 
 On the Keeping of Slaves. 
 Churchman, Journal. 
 Claridge, Posthumous works. 
 Crisp, Epistles of Stephen Crisp. 
 Davis, Journal. 
 Edmundson, Journal. 
 Elwood, Works. 
 Fothergill, Journal. 
 Fox, Journal. 
 Fuller, Catechism. 
 Hall, A Mite into the Treasury. 
 
 Holme, A Serious Call in Christian Love to all People. 
 Keith, Way to the City of God. 
 London Yearly Meeting's Epistles. 
 Perm, No Cross No Crown. 
 
 Rise and Progress of the Quakers. 
 Travels in Germany. 
 Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's Epistles. 
 Richardson, Life of John Richardson. 
 Sewell, History of Friends. 
 
 197 P. C. S. M., I, 239. 
 *Ibid., 75-
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 201 
 
 Scott, Journal. 
 
 Spaulding, Reason for leaving the National Mode of Worship. 
 
 Stanton, Journal. 
 
 Treatises on Tyihes. 
 
 Treatises on Reasons for Silent Waiting. 
 
 Turford, Grounds of an Holy Life. 
 
 Woolman, Journal. 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 The first problem presented was how to establish some 
 satisfactory means of school support, which should be per- 
 manent, and thus conducive to better schools in every way. 
 Recommendations from the yearly meetings dwelt upon 
 this point in the yearly advices, but being of a general and 
 advisory character, could not compel the lower units to act at 
 once. This lack of power in a control authority was the 
 greatest weakness, and because of it, educational develop- 
 ment was not so rapid as it might otherwise have been. The 
 chief forms of school support were: (i) subscription, (2) 
 rates, (3) bonds, and (4) legacies. In accordance with sugges- 
 tions made by the yearly meeting, plans were adopted by 
 most meetings (in the latter half of the century) for the 
 establishment of permanent funds. These plans were based 
 upon the subscription idea. The chief characteristics of the 
 plans adopted were: 
 
 1. Voluntary subscriptions; interest-bearing notes given. 
 
 2. Trustees always named in the monthly meetings. 
 
 3. Reports to be made regularly to the trustees. 
 
 4. All money received was to be invested, real property preferred. 
 
 5. The monthly meeting to decide any disputes arising among 
 trustees. 
 
 6. Funds were to pay salaries, and provide and repair buildings. 
 
 The organization was headed by the yearly meeting, whose 
 advices were distributed among the lower units. The 
 quarterly meeting was nothing more than a supervisory and 
 directing group. The real work of organizing schools was 
 performed by the monthly and preparative meetings. The 
 other quarterly and monthly meetings worked through 
 specially appointed committees. 
 
 Several schools, in Philadelphia and Abington, for example, 
 very early acquired permanent lands for their foundation. 
 
 Support 
 
 Weakness in 
 the organi- 
 zation 
 
 Forms of 
 support 
 
 Subscription 
 plans gener- 
 ally adopted 
 
 Organization
 
 2O2 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 The school 
 lands 
 
 Houses 
 
 Two classes 
 of pupils 
 
 Growth of 
 schools 
 
 Length of 
 school week 
 and day 
 
 Vacations 
 
 Supervision 
 
 Curriculum 
 of Latin 
 School 
 
 Grammars 
 used 
 
 Method 
 
 Others did not gain such foundations until the latter part of 
 the eighteenth century. Even where land was possessed, the 
 schools were quite often held for a 1 ime in the meeting houses. 
 Sometimes the meeting house was used until late in the igth 
 century, as in the case of the Merion School. Other schools 
 were held in the home of the teacher. The buildings were not 
 large, and were often used for the masters' families, or parts 
 of them let out to tenants. In one case in Philadelphia the 
 schoolhouse was heated for a time with a brick stove. 
 
 There were always two classes recognized, the pay pupil 
 and the free pupil. Every necessity was furnished the latter 
 by the board or committee in charge of schools. Teachers (in 
 Philadelphia, at least) had to keep a list of scholars and their 
 expenditures and report to the board. The size of schools 
 remained about the same, but the increase in number of 
 schools indicated the growth of the system in Philadelphia. 
 
 Very explicit rules were laid down for the government of 
 the pupils' behavior, both in school and out. By some 
 masters they were enforced mildly; by others harshly. In 
 spite of excellent rules and premiums offered, the masters 
 were perplexed with the discipline and attendance problems. 
 School was kept for five and one-half days per week and from 
 seven to eight hours each day; however, some were kept only 
 half days. Vacations were brief and seldom. The various 
 student papers indicate the presence of a student organiza- 
 tion. To promote the interest of the pupils and assist the 
 master, visitations were performed at periods by the commit- 
 tee on schools. 
 
 The curriculum of the Latin School consisted of Latin, 
 Greek, English grammar, writing and mathematics. There 
 was some overlapping of the curricula of the English and 
 Latin schools. Rudiman's Grammar was used, and Davy's 
 Adminiculum Puerile, Cough's English Mannor, and Perrin's 
 Grammar of the French Tongue were available for use. 
 Whether classical authors were or were not included in the 
 materials used in Greek and Latin classes is not shown by the 
 records. It has been stated that parsing, analysis, double 
 translation, and speaking Latin as much as possible in school, 
 were the chief elements in the method of instruction. Mathe-
 
 School Support, Organization and Curriculum 203 
 
 matics included anything as advanced as spherical trigonome- 
 try and conic sections. 
 
 The curriculum of the lower schools consisted of reading, 
 writing, casting accounts and arithmetic. No mention is 
 made that French was taught before Benezet's coming in 
 1742. Though no early explicit reference to spelling is made, 
 we infer it must have been taught at an early date. Many 
 schools were kept for poor children in which were taught 
 reading, writing and sewing. The curriculum of the Negro 
 School consisted of reading, writing and arithmetic. 
 
 A large amount of literature of religious character was 
 circulated through the meetings, and probably constituted 
 a good part of the materials used in the schools. 
 
 Curriculum 
 of lower 
 schools 
 
 In the 
 Negro School 
 
 Literature 
 used in the 
 meetings
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 MASTERS AND MISTRESSES 
 
 Discussion 
 of individual 
 masters to 
 be brief 
 
 Qualifica- 
 tions de- 
 manded of 
 teachers; 
 morality, 
 membership 
 and 
 competency 
 
 Serious 
 attempt 
 made to 
 meet the 
 standards 
 set 
 
 There is on this subject a considerable amount of available 
 material, though much of it is difficult of access. Of a long 
 list of Quaker masters, and mistresses too, for they employed 
 women from the very earliest date, it will be impossible in the 
 brief space of this chapter to say more than a word. Some 
 will only be mentioned because of scarcity of material con- 
 cerning them; others must be only mentioned, even though 
 they are of such importance that the story of their lives have 
 required and would require volumes to write. 1 
 
 Before a discussion of the masters and mistresses employed 
 in the Quaker schools, it should be ascertained, if possible, 
 what were the ideals or standards which were consciously set 
 up to guide in their selection. What sort of tutors did they 
 desire? This has already been touched upon, in other chap- 
 ters, so we may simply state the chief criteria without further 
 discussion. These, as stated from time to time by the yearly 
 mes Lings and reiterated by quarterly, monthly, and pre- 
 paratives, were: (i) morality, (2) be a member of Friends, 
 and (3) competent to teach the subjects for which employed. 2 
 The selection of teachers possessing such qualifications was 
 usually entrusted to the care of committees as has already 
 been sufficiently pointed out. 
 
 In a majority of cases there was a real concern on the part 
 of the monthly meetings' committees to secure teachers 
 possessing the above named qualities, 3 their success in so 
 doing increasing towards the latter part of the i8th century. 
 
 Tor instance, F. D. Pastorius, Anthony Benezet, Robert Proud, 
 Christopher Taylor, and many others. 
 
 2 Min. London Yr. Mtg., 4 9 to u 1690, 52; 4 I to 4 1691, 60; 
 3 13 to 17 1695, 89; also collected Advices of Philadelphia and 
 Burlington Yr. Mtg., 250 ff. 
 
 3 Min. Byberry Prep. Mtg., 2 22 1786. 
 
 (204)
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 205 
 
 The fact that they have been successful in securing Friends 
 for teachers is usually mentioned in their reports. 4 In 
 bequests of property for use of schools, it was quite customary 
 to state that the masters or mistresses should be Friends, and 
 to be otherwise conducted as directed by the yearly meeting. 6 
 There were of necessity some failures in the attempt to 
 secure such qualified masters, the failures being sometimes 
 recorded in the minutes. 6 The failures seem generally to 
 have been caused by the scarcity of the masters rather than 
 carelessness on the part of the meeting or its committees. 7 
 
 The source whence teachers were secured was usually, in 
 the case of the lower schools, home talent, no record having 
 been found where a teacher was sent for or came from a great 
 distance especially to take charge of schools. But innumer- 
 able instances, of which a few are cited later in this work, are 
 at hand, where home talent was employed. 8 Enoch Flower, 
 the first master employed, was "an inhabitant of the said 
 town." 9 
 
 In the case of the classical school, the practice was quite 
 different. The difference was doubtless the result of neces- 
 sity, rather than of choice. The first master, Keith, of the 
 school which was first established by the meeting, and his 
 successors, Makin, Cadwalader, and Pastorius, were, of 
 course, as much native to the place as were any of the early 
 settlers in the city. Of later masters, however, quite a num- 
 ber were brought from England especially for the business of 
 "keeping school" or sought in other of the colonies. Certain 
 specific cases may be mentioned. In 1784 Robert Willian 
 came from England "to undertake keeping Friends' school," 
 producing a certificate from Scarborough Meeting in York- 
 shire. 10 In 1746 the committee had been appointed to write 
 
 4 Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 7 6 1792; Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 5 
 12 1785 814; Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., 7 n 1786,4; Min. Uwchlan 
 Mo. Mtg., 12 5 1782, 136; ii 7 1782, 132. 
 
 'Deed No. 88, New Garden, Tp. .Chester Co. (In Fireproof of Ortho- 
 dox Friends in West Grove, Pa.). 
 
 6 Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 8-11-1797; Min. Ken. Mo. Mtg., 3 14 
 
 1793, 39- 
 
 7 Min. Goshen Mtg., 8 5 1796. 
 
 8 P. C. S. M., i, 3, 33, and 90; Min. Darby Mo. Mtg., 7171692, 
 54; Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., i 29 1700, 254; 4 24 1720, 63. 
 
 9 Col. Rec. I, 36. 10 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 6261784, 64. 
 
 Teachers in 
 lower 
 schools 
 usually from 
 the home 
 locality 
 
 Many Latin 
 School mas- 
 ters came 
 from a dis- 
 tance 
 
 Willian
 
 206 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Robert 
 Proud 
 
 Peter 
 Warren 
 
 To supply 
 teachers, the 
 apprentice- 
 ship system 
 used 
 
 Samuel 
 
 Eldridge 
 
 apprenticed 
 
 and others 
 
 to England concerning a teacher for the Public School. 11 
 Previous to this time a similar attempt had been made to 
 secure someone to take the place of William Robbins. 12 
 Similarly, Robert Proud was recommended by John Fother- 
 gill in 1758 to Israel Pemberton (of Philadelphia) as a very 
 suitable master for the school. 13 Their "teacher's agency" in 
 England was constituted by two members, John Fothergill 
 and John Hunt ; at any rate, for some forty or fifty years they 
 always informed them as soon as they had need of masters, 
 and except in a few cases, masters were sent over. At one 
 time (1760) not being able to hear of a possible applicant in 
 England, an attempt was made to induce Peter Warren, an 
 inhabitant of Virginia, to come to the position, at a salary of 
 150, plus 20 to transport his family. 14 In the ensuing 
 correspondence it was stated by the said Warren that he 
 chose to go to Pittsburg; to inhabitants of Philadelphia his 
 choice must have seemed ridiculous. 
 
 However, the overseers of the school were not daunted. 
 Quite in keeping with the system of apprenticing the youth 
 in various occupations to members of Friends, and also in 
 keeping with the general custom of the day, they sought out 
 the brightest and most capable poor lad in their limits, and if 
 they found him interested at all in the "futures" of teaching, 
 they made the offer of an apprenticeship in the school. 
 Instances may be cited which will clarify their procedure. 
 
 In 1 7 56 it was proposed that Samuel Eldridge be apprenticed 
 to the board to prepare him to become a teacher of Latin and 
 Greek ; 18 he was to study Latin, Greek, Arithmetic, Accounts, 
 and Mathematics. 16 He was to be furnished, besides the 
 instruction, clothing and board, and was paid 30 annually. 
 In return for this he studied and performed such duties in the 
 capacity of usher as his progress in the various subjects would 
 permit. At the end of the period of his indenture (1760) the 
 board manifested their approval of his services by a gift of 
 io. 17 At another time shortly subsequent thereto there was 
 
 "P. C. S. M., I, 58. 
 "Ibid., 5 f- 
 "Ibid., 175- 
 "Ibid., 208. 
 "Ibid., 139- 
 
 "Ibid., 141. 
 
 "Ibid., 265.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 207 
 
 mentioned the desirability of encouraging James Dickinson, 
 Richard Dickinson, and Joseph Rice to continue their 
 schooling in order to become school masters; members of the 
 board were named to speak with them and to ascertain their 
 desires and intentions. 18 One of them, James Dickinson, was 
 in 1762 indented to serve three years in the same manner as 
 Eldridge. 19 King also, in 1754, was taken in as usher 
 at a very small salary, later to become a master in the 
 school. 20 The exact extent of the apprenticing of school mas- 
 ters is not determined, but it does not seem to have been 
 widely practised in and around Philadelphia. This appear- 
 ance might, however, be corrected if greater sources of 
 information were available. 
 
 One would judge from the complaints of the yearly meet- 
 ings, and their recommendations, that better and more 
 permanent accommodations be afforded, so that teachers 
 might be more easily kept, 21 that the tenure of the early 
 Quaker schoolmaster was short. The yearly meeting recog- 
 nized the advantage accruing from longer tenure, and did seek 
 to remove some of the causes which worked against it. Just 
 how much they were able to increase the tenure it is impossi- 
 ble to say. We may, however, cite certain cases in which the 
 duration of a master's service is known. Benjamin Clift 
 was apparently employed to teach in Darby for two years at 
 least. 22 Jacob Taylor, who was concerned with a school 
 at Abington about I70I, 23 and became a land surveyor about 
 1 706 24 , may have continued to teach there between those two 
 dates. He seems to have been resident there in that period, 26 
 and the scarcity of teachers was everywhere evident, as has 
 already been pointed out. This is certainly not a proof of 
 his incumbency; it indicates a probability. Keith was 
 employed from i68g 26 to 1691 j 27 Thomas Makin from the 
 
 "P. C. S. M., I, 237. 
 "Ibid., 245. *<>Ibid., 116. 
 
 "See Yearly Meetings' Advices, 250. 
 M Min. Darby Mo. Mtg., 7 7 1692, 54; 9-20 1693, 56. 
 2 Pa. Arch. XIX, 248. 
 M Bean, 680. 
 
 M There is found no record of his removal by letter, though he may 
 have done so without, which, however, was not according to practice. 
 M Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 5 26 1689, 154. 
 "Ibid., 3 29 1691, 146. 
 
 The extent 
 of the system 
 not great 
 
 The tenure 
 of masters 
 
 Cases cited 
 of B. Clift 
 J. Taylor 
 
 G. Keith, 
 Makin and 
 others
 
 208 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Tenure of 
 mistresses 
 
 Songhurst 
 
 Burchall 
 
 latter date, intermittently, until his death, i;33; 28 Pastorius 
 from the latter part of 1697 or the first part of i6g8 29 to 
 i7oo; 30 Robert Willian probably from I748 31 to I753; 32 
 Seaton from I75I 33 to I763, 34 and Robert Proud, not con- 
 tinuously however, from i75p 35 to i77o 36 and again mas- 
 ter in 1 784.^ These were taken at random. The longest 
 period of service, doubtless, must be credited to Anthony 
 Benezet who first taught in Philadelphia in I742 38 and con- 
 tinued there with very brief intermissions until his death in 
 I784- 39 
 
 These are only a few cases and the majority of them in the 
 city where it was possible to employ the best, pay them better, 
 and hence, keep them longer. Hence, too much weight must 
 not be given to the facts above stated as proving a long term 
 of service was common. If a study of a number of cases in 
 country districts were possible, the results would probably be 
 very different. 
 
 It is difficult to get information about the length of service 
 of the mistresses. When first mentioned in Philadelphia 
 records 40 they are spoken of as so many nonentities, their 
 names not given. The term of service of Olive Songhurst, the 
 first mistress whose name is mentioned, 41 we cannot deter- 
 mine. The women teachers seem quite frequently to have 
 begun work under the overseers without much notice and to 
 have left off with little more. There are, however, a few 
 cases where we know that the term of service was of 
 considerable length. Rebeckah Burchall seems to have 
 taught continuously at one school from I7S5 42 to i76i. 43 
 
 2S Weekly Mercury, Nov. 29, 1733. 
 29 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., n 28 1697, 227. 
 *Ibid., i 29 1700, 254. 
 31 P. C. S. M., I, 64. 
 3z lbid., 101. 
 33 Ibid., 90. 
 3 *Ibid., 266. 
 "Ibid., 175. 
 "Ibid., 334- 
 
 87 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 1301784, 123. 
 3 "P. C. S. M., I, 33. 
 
 "Simpson's Lives of Eminent Philadelphians, 53. 
 Mtg., i 30 1784, 128. 
 *Ibid., i 31 1699, 244. 
 u lbid., i 27 1702, 326. 
 ^P. C. S. M., I, 126. *Ibid., 221. 
 
 Min. Phila. Mo.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 209 
 
 Whether she discontinued service on leaving that school is 
 not known. Ann Thornton was probably not continued in 
 service more than two years. She began in 1755 when she 
 filled Anthony Benezet's 44 place and left in i75;. 46 In the 
 meantime, it had been necessary for the board to draw up a 
 set of special rules for the government of her school, 46 from 
 the nature of which it is probable that she did not take 
 another school under their direction. 
 
 From none of the sources of information does it appear that 
 there was any license system whatsoever. The recommenda- 
 tion of well-known Friends was the best pass a teacher could 
 have, as was instanced by those sent over by John Fothergill. 
 In addition to the personal recommendation, the certificate 
 of removal from his home meeting was an assurance to 
 Friends in other parts that an individual was "clear" of all 
 entangling alliances and might be received into full member- 
 ship. In no case where a teacher came to teach, from a dis- 
 tance, did he fail to take and produce a certificate on his 
 arrival. These, of course, did not certify the things which 
 modern licenses do, but they, in conjunction with the per- 
 sonal recommendation as to ability, seem to have answered 
 the purpose. 
 
 The term for which a teacher was hired was in most cases a 
 year for trial, which was renewed again at the year's end, if 
 satisfactory to both parties. Mention has been made of 
 Benjamin Clift of Darby, 47 Keith, Makin, Cadwalader, 
 Willian, Proud, and many others. Some were taken for a 
 trial of six months, 48 and there were cases in which the board 
 reserved the right to discharge the individual on three 
 months' notice. 49 The board desired, and in some cases 
 requested, that the employee should give six months' notice 
 before his resignation should take place. Such notice was 
 customary in i7S5. 50 Two instances have come under the 
 writer's attention, in which a contract was made for three 
 
 "P. C. S. M., 1, 130. 
 
 "Ibid., 161. 
 
 "Ibid., 158. 
 
 47 Min. Darby Mo. Mtg., 7 7 1692, 54. 
 
 "P. C. S. M., I, 133- 
 
 "Ibid., 274. 
 
 *Ibid., 131. 
 
 Thornton 
 
 Her success 
 questionable 
 
 No system 
 of license 
 found 
 
 Recommen- 
 dation and 
 certificate of 
 removal; 
 their use 
 
 The term of 
 employment 
 usually a 
 year
 
 2IO 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 years. King (son of Joseph King) was employed in 1754 for 
 the three years subsequent thereto at 40, 50 and 60 for 
 the years respectively. 51 Mr. King resigned regardless of 
 the contract, after six months' notice, because the school did 
 not agree with his health or inclination. 82 The other case was 
 that of Keith who was to be employed for one year at 50 and 
 for two years more at 120 each, if he should desire to stay. 53 
 In neither of the two cases does there appear to have been any 
 instrument in writing. 
 
 The salaries and rates received by many of the teachers 
 have been mentioned in several pages previous to this. For 
 convenience for reference there is presented without discus- 
 sion a table showing the pay received by various masters at 
 the times their respective services were rendered.* One case, 
 neither so prosaic to us, nor so profitable to the master, defies 
 tabulation, so it is given verbatim. 
 
 1 8th Day of X br 1735. 
 
 Reced of Richard Buffington, Junior 18 s per Hatt, 43 6d by stockings, 
 173 6d In money In all forty Shillings; Being in full for a yeare 
 Scholeing, I say Reced per 
 
 me JOH MORSE f. 
 
 Name 
 Flower, E. 
 Keith, G. 
 
 Year 
 1683 
 1689 
 
 per Q per year (Reference) 
 4/ 6/ or8/or 10 Col. Rec., I, 13. 
 (following) 50 Ph., 5 26 1689. 
 
 
 
 
 120 
 
 Makin 
 Pastorius 
 
 1697 
 1697 
 
 
 4 f Ph., 11281697. 
 40) 
 
 Cadwalader 
 
 1700 
 
 for a half year trial 
 
 20 Ph., 128 1700. 
 
 Cadwalader 
 
 1702 
 
 
 50 Ph., i 27 1702. 
 
 Every, J. 
 
 1702 
 
 Usher 
 
 30 Ph., 4 26 1702. 
 
 Benezet, A. 
 
 1742 
 
 
 50 P.C.S.M.,1,33. 
 
 Willian, R. 
 
 1749 
 
 
 150 Ibid., 73. 
 
 Wilson, J. 
 
 1750 
 
 Usher 
 
 60 Ibid., 84. 
 
 Seaton, A. 
 
 1751 
 
 (allowed) 
 
 20 Ibid., 90. 
 
 Wilson, J. 
 
 1753 
 
 ' 
 
 70 Ibid.,ioi. 
 
 Johnson, Wm. 
 
 1753 
 
 (allowed) 
 
 10 Ibid., 1 06. 
 
 Benezet 
 
 1754 
 
 
 80 Ibid. ,117. 
 
 P. C. S. M., I., 123. 
 
 62 Ibid., 131. 
 
 63 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 5261689. 
 
 *In the references at the right hand margin of the table "Ph" refers to 
 Minutes of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for the date given; Darby 
 refers to Minutes of Darby Monthly Meeting. 
 
 fFuthey and Cope, 308.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 211 
 
 King 
 
 1754 
 
 (proposed in a con- 
 
 
 tract) 40 Ibid., 122. 
 
 50 
 
 60 
 
 Thornton, Ann 
 
 1755 
 
 20 Ibid., 130. 
 
 Johnson, Wm. 
 
 1755 
 
 (assistant) 40 Ibid., 131. 
 
 Thompson, Chas. 
 
 1755 
 
 150 Ibid., 133. 
 
 Johnson, Wm. 
 
 1756 (raised 20 to keep him) 60 Ibid., 141 . 
 
 Fentham, Jos. 
 
 1756 
 
 85 Ibid., 144. 
 
 Patterson, M. 
 
 1761 
 
 70 Ibid., 235. 
 
 Thompson, J. 
 
 1770 
 
 200 
 
 Ibid., 341. 
 
 Proud, Robert 
 
 1759 
 
 150 Ibid., 175. 
 
 Proud, Robert 
 
 1784 
 
 250 Ph., i 30 1784. 
 
 His usher 
 
 80 Ibid. 
 
 Todd, J. 
 
 1784 (for entrance 
 
 
 
 !5/and2O/) 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 
 
 (for poor sent by 
 
 
 
 
 Board io/) 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Weaver, I. 
 
 1784 
 
 3<>/ 30 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Brown, Wm. 
 
 1784 
 
 (whole days) 3O/) 
 
 . Ibid. 
 
 
 
 half days) is/ 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 (children) is/ 
 
 
 
 
 (sent by board) io/ 
 
 
 Lancaster, Sarah 
 
 1784' 
 
 (sent by board) half 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 
 
 (sent by board half 
 
 
 
 
 day) 7/6 
 
 
 Harry, Mary 
 
 
 (children) is/ 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Clark, Joseph 
 
 
 (older girls 3O/) 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Mrs. Clarke 
 
 
 IS/ 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Marsh, Ann 
 
 
 2O/ 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 McDonnell, Mary 
 
 1784 
 
 IS/ 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Clift, B. 
 
 1693 
 
 12 
 
 Darby, 9 20 1693 
 
 Underwood, Elihu 
 
 1773 
 
 (Credit for school 
 
 
 keeping) 2/2/O/ 
 by 2 raccoon skins 
 
 o/4/o/ 
 
 By netting a pair of 
 stockings 0/2 /6/ M 
 
 Meccum, Eliza 
 
 1798 
 
 (Negro School) 
 
 50 
 
 Ph., 2 25 1798 
 
 Pickering, Elisha 
 
 1798 
 
 (Negro School) 
 
 ISO 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Benezet, A. 
 
 1794 
 
 (Negro School) 
 
 I2O 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Britt, Daniel 
 
 1793 
 
 (Negro School) 
 
 100 
 
 Ibid., i 25 1793 
 
 Dougherty, Sarah 
 
 1793 
 
 (Negro School) 
 
 50 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 "From an old account book in possession of Albert Cook Myers, 
 Moylan, Pa.
 
 212 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Pay of 
 Friends' 
 masters simi- 
 lar to that of 
 other private 
 masters 
 
 The charge 
 for poor 
 children less 
 
 Country 
 masters ill 
 paid 
 
 Mistresses 
 to be first 
 considered 
 
 As stated elsewhere in this work, the amounts received by 
 masters and mistresses in the Friends' school measure about 
 the same as those stated for other private masters in the city 
 at the same time. In the table above, the seeming increase 
 from 50 per year in 1689 to 250 per year paid Robert Proud 
 in 1784, and the slender salaries of the women as compared 
 with those of the men, are worthy of attention. 55 Though all 
 of the teachers in the Negro School had had long experience, 
 their salaries did not equal that of Classical School teachers; 
 but they did keep pace with those in the English School. The 
 price paid for young children was usually low, about one-half 
 that paid for older ones in the same subjects. Children sent 
 by the board were received at a less charge, or perhaps free of 
 charge if that body had already made arrangement to that 
 effect. The contrast between the salary received by the 
 country masters Clift (Darby) and Underwood (Warrington) 
 is very interesting. Such salaries were doubtless effective in 
 causing unrest and a floating teacher population, against 
 which the yearly meeting frequently remonstrated, and 
 earnestly sought to correct. 
 
 In the pages following, brief attention will be given to 
 several of the Quaker teachers who have come to the attention 
 of the writer during the course of this study. Many of them 
 have been mentioned in other parts of it, reference to whom 
 is to be found in the index. Though the women were given 
 more scanty attention in the records and seem to have filled a 
 less prominent place in the schools, we may gallantly, yet 
 illogically, give them first attention here. In another light, 
 
 M Dewey, D. R., Financial History of the U. S., 39. 
 
 The reader is reminded of the fact that because of greatly depreciated 
 currency the amounts paid, as shown in the above table, did not repre- 
 sent so much absolute increase. That some exact idea of the extent of 
 depreciation of the continental currency may be gained, there is given 
 the following table for the year 1779, when the depreciation became 
 most marked. 
 
 Jan. 14, 1779 8 to I June 4,1779 20 to I 
 
 Feb. 3 10 to i Sept. 17 24toi 
 
 Apr. 2 17 to i Oct. 14 30 to I 
 
 May 5 24toi No.v 17 38>toi 
 
 The fact of such depreciation was not officially recognized by Congress 
 until March 18, 1780, it being then provided that paper be accepted for 
 silver at a ratio of 40 to i.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 213 
 
 it may not seem illogical. Women were leaders in the 
 Quaker meetings and were privileged to speak, a favor not 
 granted elsewhere. In the early yearly meeting recommen- 
 dations they urged good mistresses be chosen as well as good 
 masters. 66 Women were also recognized by London Grove 
 Monthly Meeting in 1795, when a committee of women 
 Friends were appointed to meet with a like committee of men 
 to consider the question of schools. 57 
 
 As before stated, mistresses in Philadelphia were 
 mentioned by the monthly meeting as early as i6gg, b * 
 but we are not informed who they were. The first, Olive 
 Songhurst, whose name is given, was employed for some 
 time about I702, 59 and if we may judge her service by 
 a raise of salary granted in that year, it seems to have 
 been acceptable to the meeting. After Olive Songhurst 
 a long period of time passes in which the writer has found no 
 mistress named in the minutes, though mistresses are 
 frequently mentioned. It is not, therefore, to be assumed 
 that this list is complete either in the case of masters or mis- 
 tresses ; those who are mentioned may prove of some interest 
 or service to other students. 
 
 Ann Thornton was mentioned as being employed by the 
 board in 1755, when it was proposed that she might take 
 Anthony Benezet's place in a Girls' School, which he had 
 entered the year before. It is not very probable that she 
 was an inexperienced teacher at the time, since the board was 
 usually careful to place strong and proven teachers in its best 
 schools. She was to receive no more than thirty scholars and 
 had to promise to look after them in meeting, which seem- 
 ingly unpleasant task she hesitated to take. 60 It is the 
 writer's opinion, based on the fact that the board was forced 
 to make a list of rules especially for her school, 61 and the tenor 
 of her dismissal when Benezet was again available, and that 
 she does not appear to have been employed again by the board, 
 
 ^See page 20. 
 
 67 Min. London Grove Mtg., 3 4 1795, 62. 
 
 6 *Ibid., 31 1699, 244. 
 
 K Ibid., i 31 1699, 244. 
 
 M Ibid., i 27 1702, 326. 
 
 P. C. S. M., I, 130. 
 
 "Ibid., 158. 
 
 Olive 
 Songhurst 
 
 Ann Thorn- 
 ton in Girls' 
 School, 1755
 
 214 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Burchall 
 employed at 
 same time; 
 duties 
 
 that her work in the school and agreement with the board 
 were not satisfactory. 
 
 Rebeckah Burchall, employed near the same time as 
 Ann Thornton, was engaged in teaching poor children. 62 
 It was also stipulated that she guard the girls in meet- 
 ings, especially her pupils. 63 So in 1755, had we entered 
 the quiet Friend's meeting we would have no doubt seen the 
 two prim Quaker ladies just mentioned sitting in silent and 
 upright watchfulness amid their youthful charges. Gentle- 
 men were not immune from such duties. 
 
 Widow Mellor is mentioned in 1755 as keeping a small 
 school, 64 which probably was quite similar to the one kept by 
 Debby Godfrey, a poor woman to whom the board decided to 
 send some poor children to learn to read and write. 65 The 
 minute reads as though it was a condescension, and very 
 likely it was a form of charity on their part. Jane Loftu, 
 likewise, (1761) taught thirty-two poor children, her charge 
 made to the board for the service being 32. 66 Ann Redman 
 seems to have been a teacher of more than ordinary merit. 
 She is first noted as a teacher at the Fairhill School, at which 
 place she was visited by members of the Public School Board, 
 who seem to have been so well impressed with her as a teacher 
 that she was immediately asked to come into the school just 
 vacated by Rebekah Burchall. Her employment was teach- 
 ing reading, writing, and plain sewing. 67 Mary Wily, a 
 teacher employed by the board in 1762, received very little 
 attention. A question is raised concerning her, however, by 
 an objection made by the board to her account presented for 
 certain schooling. 68 It was settled amicably it seems. Ann 
 Pattison, first mentioned as being employed in 1763, 69 isdoubt-, 
 less the same as the Patterson later employed in I766. 70 She 
 .was employed in teaching poor children. Mary Gosnold, 
 Rebecca Seaton, and Mary Moss are mentioned in 1764 as 
 teachers of poor children. 71 Rebecca Seaton does not appear 
 in the ranks of teachers (at least on Friends' records) till after 
 
 62 P. C. S. M., I., 126. 
 "Ibid., 130. 
 
 ^Ibid., 128. 
 "Ibid., 145. 
 <*Ibid., 216. 
 
 61 'Ibid., 221. 
 ., 239. 
 
 id., 266. 
 
 id., 288. 
 n lbid., 276, 277, 279.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 215 
 
 the death of Alexander Seaton, her husband. It seems quite 
 evident that the mistresses were assigned, more especially, to 
 the keeping of school for the poor, though it was by no means 
 limited to them. Sarah Mott was also a teacher for poor 
 children/' 2 
 
 Hannah Cathall, we feel certain, must have been a teacher 
 of considerable merit. She began her service at least as early 
 as i;65 73 and in 1779 was still in that employment, being at 
 that date engaged in a school with Rebecca Jones, for in- 
 structing girls in reading, writing, "and other branches suit- 
 able to them." 74 They also received poor girls sent by the 
 overseers. Other mistresses employed by the board in 1779 
 were Sarah Lancaster, teaching the rudiments to young 
 children of both sexes (sewing especially for girls), Essex 
 Flower in a school similar to Lancaster's, and Ann Rakestraw 
 who had charge of a reading and spelling school. 78 Sarah 
 Lancaster still continued in the schools' service in 1784, hav- 
 ing in attendance sixty-four scholars, part of whom attended 
 only half days. The other mistresses mentioned at that time 
 were Mary Harry, teaching a school for children, Mrs. 
 Clarke, teaching boys and girls, reading and sewing for the 
 girls ; Ann Marsh in a school similar to that of Mrs. Clarke's, 
 and Mary McDonnell, who taught fifteen young children, 
 what studies we do not know. 76 The committee's report for 
 that date shows that nearly one-half or perhaps more of the 
 children attending the schools of the Friends' masters and 
 mistresses were children of the members of other denomina- 
 tions. In almost every case the teachers were Friends, or, as 
 they termed it, "people of friendly persuasions." 
 
 Mistresses devoted their abilities also to the instruction of 
 the Negro children. Sarah Dougherty was for a time (about 
 1790) employed in the Negro School, but for some reason, 
 unexplained, Elizabeth Meccum was employed in her stead. 77 
 Elizabeth Meccum remained in that capacity till the time of 
 
 P. C. S. M., I., 309. 
 
 Ibid., 288. 
 
 74 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg. 7 30 1779, 151. 
 
 lb lbid. (An extract of the report to the monthly meeting is given on 
 page 71 ff., chapter on Philadelphia, showing the state of schools in 1784.) 
 Ibid., 130 1784, 123 ff. 
 ""Ibid., 1251793, 184. 
 
 Subjects of 
 
 instruction; 
 
 reading, 
 
 writing, 
 
 sewing, 
 
 spelling, 
 
 and other 
 
 "suitable 
 
 subjects for 
 
 girls" 
 
 Other 
 denomina- 
 tions in 
 Friends 
 schools 
 
 Mistresses 
 in the Negro 
 School
 
 2i6 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Teachers 
 rated by the 
 frequency 
 with which 
 they are 
 mentioned 
 by well recog- 
 nized writers 
 
 Individual 
 notice to be 
 very brief 
 
 Anthony 
 Benezet 
 
 her death, which occurred between 1795 and I7g8. 78 Joseph 
 Foulke, in a letter concerning his schooling at Gwynedd 
 Meeting, mentions Hannah Lukens who kept a "family 
 school" and also Hannah Foulke, 79 both of whom were mem- 
 bers of Gwynedd, but further information of them the writer 
 does not have. 
 
 If one were to measure American Quaker schoolmasters as 
 some American men of science have been measured, by the 
 amount of space they have gained in literature, they would 
 not stand out very strikingly. Of fifty-five male teachers in 
 and around Philadelphia, but twenty-one of them are men- 
 tioned in five standard works on local history and genealogy. 
 None of the fifty-five teachers receive mention in all five of 
 the works; three of them are chronicled in four; seven are 
 mentioned in three of the five; ten are spoken of in two, 
 twenty-one are given a place in one; and thirty-four receive 
 no notice. If rated according to such a scheme, Partorius, 
 Benezet, and Charles Thompson would head the list, while 
 quite a number group themselves at the other end of it. The 
 scheme, though it has not been carried out fully, for example 
 no attempt has been made to measure the length of the 
 notice, does seem to favor those who stood high at the time 
 of their service. 80 
 
 In the brief notices following, concerning the male teachers, 
 it is not intended to write biographies. Some of them have 
 already been written, and to them the reader is directed, if he 
 or she wishes a full account of the man's life. Others will 
 not, cannot, ever be written for obvious reasons. In the 
 space allotted to them here, there is set down only what has 
 been found of interest concerning them as teachers. 
 
 In 1842 Anthony Benezet came from Germantown where 
 he had been engaged in a school, 81 to be employed by the 
 Board of Overseers of Philadelphia. He was employed at a 
 salary of 50 to teach arithmetic, writing, accounts, and 
 
 78 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 2 23 1798, 149. 
 
 "Quoted in Jenkins' Hist. Collections oj Gwynedd, 396-7. 
 
 80 The works from which the notices were taken: Watson, Annals of 
 Philadelphia; Simpson, Lives cf Eminent Philadelphians; Jordan, 
 Colonial Families of Philadelphia; Oberholtzer, Philadelphia City and 
 Its People; W. Thompson, History of Philadelphia. 
 
 81 Vaux, Memoirs, p. 7; also Keyser, Old Germantown, I, 79.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 217 
 
 French. 82 He appears to have given very satisfactory service 
 and to have remained in the same position until 1754 when 
 he was placed in charge of the Girls School, under the Board's 
 direction. 83 Some students have been under the impression 
 that the Girls School was entirely independent and a private 
 venture; 84 but this could not have been true, for the Board 
 named the subjects he should teach and specified that he 
 receive at the school "no more than thirty scholars." 85 The 
 school was, however, the result of Benezet's proposal. 
 
 Not only was he kindly to the pupils as a teacher, 86 but he was 
 a father to the poor lads whenever he could help them in any 
 way. In 1754 Samuel Boulds was bound to him, so that he 
 might look after his schooling, and he further requested the 
 Board to care for the same, if he should die or leave the 
 school before the lad was grown up. 87 His health not being 
 good, he requested leave from his school during the summer 
 of i754- 88 Apparently his health did not improve sufficiently 
 and he did not return to the school till 1757, taking the place 
 of Ann Thornton. 89 Another instance of his philanthropy 
 came to light in his request (1762) that certain of the children 
 of the poor French neutrals be allowed to go to the Public 
 School which was granted only upon his certification of those 
 he felt sure would attend regularly. 90 Shortly thereafter on 
 account of ill health, he was again forced to leave the Girls 
 School, which he did until 1767, when he returned to resume 
 his work again. 91 It was no difficulty for him to start a 
 school. The suggestion was made to the Board in one month, 
 and in the following he was teaching the school, and made his 
 regular report at their meeting. 
 
 From the information the writer has assembled, it appears 
 that he continued with the White school, after his return in 
 1767, until 1782, when at his request he was accepted by the 
 
 "P. C. S. M., I, 33. 
 Blind., 117. 
 "Oberholtzer, I, 233. 
 *?. C. S. M., I, 117. 
 M Vaux, Memoirs, p. 8 
 W P. C. S. M., I, 114. 
 Ibid., 115. 
 "Ibid., 161. 
 90 Ibid., 244. 
 n lbid., 311. 
 
 Given charge 
 of Girls 
 School 
 
 Attitude as 
 a teacher 
 
 Aids 
 
 children of 
 French 
 neutrals 
 
 Enters the 
 Negro School 
 in 1782
 
 2l8 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Jonathan 
 Binns 
 
 Alexander 
 Duller; one 
 of few who 
 advertised 
 for pupils 
 
 William 
 
 Brown, 
 
 Daniel 
 
 Britt, 
 
 Pickering 
 
 and Mears 
 
 John 
 Cadwalader 
 
 committee to take charge of the Negro School. 92 He had 
 throughout his life written eloquently in defense of freedom's 
 cause, 93 and the origin of the Negro School, in 1770, was per- 
 haps due to him more than to any other man in the Friends' 
 meeting. 
 
 Jonathan Binns was to have taken charge of the Public 
 School in 1734, if his health improved, but no report being 
 made by him it is inferred he did not perform such service. 94 
 Alexander Buller was employed in 1738 to teach writing, 
 mathematics, and the Latin tongue. Three years later he 
 ran an advertisement in the Pennsylvania Gazette, as follows : 
 
 Writing, Arithmetic, Merchants' Accounts, Navigation, Algebra, and 
 other parts of the mathematics are taught by Alexander Buller, at the 
 Public School in Strawberry Alley. He proposes to keep a night school 
 for the winter and begins on the 23d instant when constant attendance 
 shall be given. November 5, 1741.* 
 
 William Brown was teaching girls reading, writing, arith- 
 metic and language in i784. 95 Daniel Britt interested him- 
 self in the instruction of Negroes in whose school he was 
 employed from about i7po 96 to 1796 or 1797. w He was 
 succeeded by Elisha Pickering who probably taught till 1799, 
 being followed by Benjamin Mears. 98 
 
 John Cadwalader came to Philadelphia in 1699" an d the 
 year following was recommended by Griffith Owen as a man 
 "fit for an assistant in the school." 100 He was accordingly 
 
 ^Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 5311782, 28. 
 
 93 For list of his works, see Hildeburn or Smith. 
 
 94 P. C. S. M., I, 21. 
 
 *Pa. Gaz., No. 673, 1741. 
 
 (Advertising for pupils in newspapers was not the usual rule among 
 Quaker masters in early Pennsylvania, though some cases occurred. 
 345 advertisements from 1730 to 1790 have been noted in various 
 newspapers of the period. Of a list of seventy Quakers who are known 
 to have taught school, only 15 were found in the list of advertisers. The 
 papers examined were the Weekly Mercury, Pennsylvania Gazette, 
 Freeman's Journal, Evening Post, Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly 
 Advertiser, Pa. Packet, and the Pa. Chronicle; also the Courrier Francais 
 (which is not mentioned in the bibliography). 
 
 9B Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., i 30 1784, 123. 
 
 w lbid., i 25 1793, 184. 
 
 97 Ibid., 2 23 1798, 149. 
 
 a *Ibid., ii 28 1800, 300. 
 
 "Oberholtzer, I, 181. 
 
 100 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., I 291700, 254.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 219 
 
 employed, it being decided that he and Thomas Makin, who 
 had entered the school as usher to Keith, should compete with 
 each other to show the best results. From the records one 
 cannot determine just when he left the school, though he 
 stated, in I702, 101 that he intended to do so. It seems likely, 
 from a minute of 1703, that he must have taught longer than 
 he intended when making the above statements. 102 Thomas 
 Makin, with whom he was associated, was employed at 
 various times until his death in I733- 103 He is credited with 
 being "a good Latinist," 104 and was the author of a Latin 
 poem in which he celebrated Pennsylvania. George Keith, 
 Scotchman, kindly recommended him for the mastership in 
 1691, when he (Keith) decided to leave. 105 Keith had come 
 to the school as first master when the school was set up in 
 1689. He is stated, by writers of history, to have been of 
 disputatious disposition, and this probably accounted for the 
 dissatisfaction which arose in the school. Soon after leaving 
 the school he published in connection with Talbot a critical 
 article, "Means of Quaker Stability," 106 in which is evident the 
 rancor toward the society, which he had previously concealed. 
 Concerning Benjamin Clift, schoolmaster at Darby, no 
 additional information has been found, beyond that given in 
 the minutes of the monthly meeting. Joseph Clarke was a 
 teacher of a girls' school in i784, 107 which was attended by 
 about thirty girls. William Dickinson was first employed 
 (1764) to take the place of Moses Patterson,* as usher to 
 John Todd in the Latin School. 108 The Board seems to have 
 taken exception to him, though nothing has been intimated 
 elsewhere as to his character, for they reserved the right to 
 discharge him on three months' notice, if they desired. 
 Such reservations were not general. 
 
 101 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 2 24 1702, 329. 
 
 l *Ibid., 6 27 1703, 376. 
 
 lo3 Am. Wk. Mercury, Nov. 29, 1733. 
 
 104 Watson I, 287. 
 
 106 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 3 29 1691, 146. 
 
 ^Collections of the Protestant Episcopal Historical Soc., 1851, Vol. I, 
 XIX to XX. 
 
 107 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 1301784, 123 ff. 
 
 *Moses Patterson was the first teacher in the Negro School. Phila. 
 Mo. Mtg. Min., 6 29 1799, 398. 
 
 108 P. C. S. M., I, 274. 
 
 Thomas 
 Makin 
 
 George 
 
 Keith; 
 
 dissatis- 
 
 faction'with 
 
 him 
 
 Clift 
 Clarke 
 
 Dickinson
 
 22O Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Patterson 
 
 Masters in 
 Latin School 
 after 1748; 
 Willian 
 
 Wilson and 
 King 
 
 Latin 
 School 
 tries to 
 obtain 
 services of 
 Jackson 
 
 Thompson 
 
 engaged, 
 
 however 
 
 Moses Patterson, had begun his teaching career in 1760 
 when he undertook to teach a school at Fairhill Meeting. 109 
 He then was made usher to Alexander Seaton in which posi- 
 tion he remained till I764. 110 He desired then to quit as 
 usher, and apparently did; he is next heard of in 1765 as 
 teacher of "poor children." 111 
 
 Robert Willian was employed in 1748, having been brought 
 from England, to teach Latin, Greek and other learning. 112 
 His first term of employment was for one year, as was the 
 Board's general custom in hiring teachers, but it seems that 
 his contract was renewed until 1753, at which time his place 
 was taken by John Wilson. 113 Wilson had entered the school's 
 employ as usher in 1750, but was, in addition to that, granted 
 permission to teach an evening school. 114 It is not known 
 how long he remained as master, but in 1754 there was a 
 proposition to allow J. King to go into the Latin School, 116 
 and it is likely he took Wilson's place. King, however, as 
 stated -elsewhere, did not remain there more than a year, 
 because of ill health and inclination. 113 Wi'son is later 
 mentioned in connection with the Latin school (1769); how 
 much of the time, between 1754 and 1769 he had spent in the 
 Latin School it is impossible to say. 
 
 When King (1755) announced his intention to resign at the 
 end of six months, the Board attempted to procure Paul 
 Jackson, who at the time was instructor at the Academy. 117 
 Jackson was well qualified for the place and, besides his work 
 at the Academy, had prepared lectures in "experimental 
 philosophy" which he proposed to give for the " entertainment 
 of the curious." 118 He did not find himself free at this time 
 to remove from the employ of the trustees of that institution, 
 but Charles Thompson, who had been employed there as 
 usher was engaged for the Friends' School. 119 It seems that 
 the logical man for the place would have been William 
 
 i 9 P. C. S. M., I, 208. 
 
 Ibid., 272. 
 
 Ul lbid., 288. 
 
 112 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 6-26-1748, 64. 
 
 Ibid., 131. 
 
 wibid., 133. 
 
 118 Pa. Gaz., No. 1403, 1755. 
 
 " 9 P.C.S.M.,I, 133. 
 
 113 P. C. S. M., 1, 101. 
 
 122.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 221 
 
 Johnson, who first taught a school at Fairhill 120 (1753) and 
 attended Latin School, free of charge, to prepare him to be an 
 usher (i754). 121 The headship was not offered him, however, 
 but a year later his salary for the assistantship was raised 20 
 to keep him from going to Burlington. 123 We find that 
 Charles Thompson (from the Academy) remained in the 
 Friends' School until 1760, when he decided to leave the 
 business of school keeping for another. 124 His first training 
 in Latin, Greek, and mathematics was gained in Alison's 
 Seminary. After leaving the Friends' School he was inter- 
 ested in political life and became secretary of the Revolution- 
 ary Congress in I775- 125 
 
 When Thompson indicated his desire to leave the Latin 
 School, the Board took steps to secure a master from England. 
 A letter was sent to J. Fothergill and John Hunt who recom- 
 mended Robert Proud as a very likely candidate. 126 This 
 recommendation was favorably considered and Proud accord- 
 ingly came to Philadelphia. He immediately chose W. W. 
 Fentham as his usher, whom, he stated, the Board might 
 remove if they did not find him satisfactory. 127 It appears 
 that Proud remained master from this time until 1770, when 
 he announced his resignation. 128 He was again in the employ 
 of the Latin School in 1784, having an usher to assist him in 
 instructing the thirty boys who are stated to have been in 
 attendance on that date. 129 How long this period of service 
 continued the writer has not determined. The reader has 
 already been introduced to Proud's school by means of the 
 rules he constructed for it, which were presented on a previous 
 page. His reverence for learning and his attempt to inculcate 
 that respect for it in the minds of his pupils is perhaps best 
 indicated by these lines: 
 
 "To learning ever be inclined; 
 With good instruction store thy mind, 
 For without learning, living here 
 Like Death and Darkness doth appear." 
 
 120 P.C.S.M.,I, 106. m lbid., 122. l ^Ibid., 131. 
 lK Ibid., 141. 1I4 /Wd., 188. 
 
 1K Simpson, 912-13. 12 P. C. S. M., I, 175- 
 
 wibid., 234. u*Ibid., 334. 
 
 129 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., I 30 1784, 123. 
 130 Robert Proud Ms. Col., No. 20, 27. 
 
 His training 
 and later 
 interests 
 
 Robert 
 Proud 
 recom- 
 mended for 
 master 
 
 Time of his 
 service
 
 222 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 John 
 
 Thompson 
 recom- 
 mended 
 
 Masters of 
 the English 
 School: 
 Seaton 
 
 John Todd, 
 a teacher 
 for many 
 years 
 
 When Proud left the Latin school in 1770, Friends again 
 had recourse to the English supply house, receiving from 
 thence John Thompson, eldest son of Jonah Thompson, who 
 had previously taught in Philadelphia. 131 John Thompson 
 entered the school on twelfth month, fifth, 1770 and remained 
 in that position at least until 1779. At that date he had 
 twenty-four boys in charge, to whom he taught Latin and 
 Greek, with occasionally some writing and arithmetic. 132 
 
 An interesting student's commentary on the "Hon. John 
 Thompson" is furnished by the following extract from the 
 publications of the Public School Gazeteer, 1777. 
 
 On Thursday last in the afternoon the Hon. John Thompson, Esq., 
 dismissed the school long before the usual time. This (we hope) is a 
 prelude to the restoration of our rights.* 
 
 One of the most worthy masters to be noted in the English 
 School, near the middle of the century, was Alexander Seaton. 
 In 1751 he desired to start a school in the upper part of the 
 city, which was to be under the care of the Board. In this 
 school, which was accordingly set up, were taught writing, 
 arithmetic, and mathematics. 133 He was thus employed 
 until 1754 when, as above stated, Benezet desiring to set up a 
 girls' school, he was requested to take Benezet's place in the 
 English School. 134 At various dates he was assisted by Moses 
 Patterson, Phineas Jenkins, 135 and George Smith. 136 In 1763, 
 when he died, his place was filled by John Todd. 137 
 
 Todd remained many years in Friends' School. In 1779 
 he is reported by the overseers as having 60 boys of various 
 religious denominations, to whom was taught reading, English 
 writing, arithmetic and some branches of mathematics. 138 
 A like condition prevailed in his school five years later, with 
 the exception that the number of boys had increased to 88. 
 The committee report states that the "master is careful to 
 preserve good order in his school." 139 This agrees, but is a 
 
 131 Watson, I, 282. 
 
 132 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 7 30 1779, 151. 
 
 *The Public School Gazeteer, 1777, in Norris Ms. Collections, H. S. P. 
 
 133 P. C. S. M., I, 90. 
 
 ., 117. 
 
 ., 198. 
 
 ., 199. 
 
 ., 266. 138 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 7 30 1779, 151. 
 
 ., 1301784, 123 f.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 223 
 
 mueh less picturesque statement of the case than is por- 
 trayed by Watson. 140 He is pictured as immoderately strict 
 and as taking diabolic satisfaction in every opportunity to 
 use the strap. Watson closes his description with the state- 
 ment that "it was not that his love of learning was at fault, 
 so much as the old British system of introducing learning and 
 discipline into the brains of boys and soldiers by dint of 
 punishment." 141 
 
 A number of other almost unknown masters who taught in 
 and around Philadelphia may be briefly mentioned. William 
 Waring is stated by Watson to have taught astronomy and 
 mathematics in the Friends' School at the same time with 
 Jeremiah Paul. 142 Associated with the school, at the same 
 time with Paul, Todd, and Waring, was Jimmy McCue, who 
 performed the services of usher. 143 Yerkes, mentioned as 
 having been in a single school, is mentioned by the monthly 
 meeting reports as though it were under the direction of 
 Friends. When so reported (1779) he was teaching not more 
 than 50 scholars (all Friends). The subjects of instruction 
 were reading, writing, English, arithmetic, and some branches 
 of mathematics. 144 No further information of Isaac Weaver 
 has been obtained than is given on page 260. 
 
 Leonard Snowdon was reported to have arrived from 
 London about 1737 to take charge of a school, but no further 
 particulars are found concerning him. 145 In 1757 William 
 Thorne was reported as teaching poor children. 146 He is one 
 of the very few masters who taught in the Friends' Schools, 
 who advertised in the newspapers for pupils ; such advertise- 
 ment was possibly after he discontinued his services for the 
 Board. 147 The advertisement does, however, serve to give 
 us more information as to his qualifications, than we could 
 otherwise obtain. He was engaged at the time (1766) in con- 
 ducting a writing, arithmetic, mathematics and merchants' 
 accounts school in Vidal's Alley. 148 At another time he 
 
 140 Watson, I, 290 f . 
 
 Ibid., 292. 146 P.C.S. M.,1,24. 
 
 Ibid., 290. i/Wd., 165. 
 
 143 Ibid., 291. ia Pa. Gaz., No. 1951, 1766- 
 
 144 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 7 30 1779, 151. 
 
 Severity of 
 his discipline 
 
 Waring, J. 
 Paul, and 
 Yerkes men- 
 tioned 
 
 Snowdon 
 Thome 
 
 Subjects 
 taught by 
 Thorne
 
 224 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Sitch, 
 Pemberton, 
 Richards, 
 Every and 
 others 
 
 Early school- 
 masters at 
 Byberry 
 
 Character of 
 Moor un- 
 satisfactory 
 to Friends 
 
 advertised to teach writing, arithmetic, geometry, trigonome- 
 try, navigation, mensuration, surveying, guaging, and 
 accounts. 149 John Sitch (1758) is mentioned as receiving 
 some of the scholars from William Johnson's school. 180 
 Joseph Pemberton was encouraged by the Board to start a 
 school in 1758. Its location, as everything else concerning 
 it, is very indefinite, being "in the upper part of town." 151 
 Other masters mentioned by various authors, and to 
 whom reference has been made before, but whose history is 
 almost unknown, are Rowland Richards, John Every, Marma- 
 duke Pardo, John Walby, William Coggins, Benjamin 
 Albertson, Hugh Foulke, John Chamberlain, Christian Dull, 
 Daniel Price, Samuel Jones, and Samuel Evans. 152 
 
 Of Richard Brockden, who taught at Byberry about 
 1710 or 1711, 183 and later (about I722) 154 for a short 
 time in Philadelphia, very little is known. The minute just 
 referred to, however, leaves the impression that Friends were 
 very willing for him to leave the school, but, on his request, 
 allowed him to remain. Walter Moor, a schoolmaster at 
 Byberry (about 1753) leaves no record as a master, but we are 
 certain his character was not satisfactory to Friends. In 1753 
 they complained of his drinking to excess and removing from 
 place to place without giving notice of it. 155 An instance of 
 this sort, though not entirely out of keeping with custom 
 in those days, was severely criticised at all times in the 
 meetings. This is the only explicit case of drunkenness, on 
 the part of teachers who were employed by Friends, which has 
 come to the writer's attention. The frequent mention of 
 reproof of members for that offense, in the early years of the 
 century, however, would lead one to believe that such great 
 success in eliminating it from those in the teaching profession 
 was scarcely possible. However that may be, no case has 
 been found (in newspaper reports, where the names were 
 
 149 Po. Gaz., No. 1865, 1764. 
 150 P. C. S. M., I, 164. 
 161 Ibid., 173. 
 
 1B2 The last eight mentioned are named as teachers in Gwynedd neigh- 
 borhood school, by Joseph Foulke. (Jenkins, 396-7.) 
 183 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 4 25 1711, 73. 
 1M Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 2 27 1722, 83. 
 166 Min. Abington Mo. Mtg., 10 29 1753, in.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 225 
 
 mentioned) in which any Quaker master engaged in dis- 
 reputable brawling was lodged in jail, which was noted on the 
 part of several other private masters of Philadelphia. 166 
 This latter source of information is perhaps more reliable 
 than the meeting records. 
 
 Among Quaker schoolmasters, who have been mentioned 
 frequently, is Christopher Taylor. He was educated in 
 Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and, in i6p5, 187 published a com- 
 pendium of the three languages. He was a teacher at 
 Waltham Abbey School, 188 and, coming to Philadelphia in 
 1682, established a school on Tinicum Island, of which very 
 little authentic information is to be had. William Under- 
 wood was a teacher at Warington about i74o. 189 Elihu 
 Underwood has already been mentioned on several occasions 
 as the most extraordinary master of Warington, having exe- 
 cuted an attractive copy of arithmetic exercises from an old 
 English arithmetic. 160 Others, only to be mentioned, were: 
 D. B. Ayres, Richland Meeting, i7Q3; 161 Christopher Smith, 
 Byberry, I784; 162 Bryan Fitzpatrick, Horsham, I784; 163 
 Joseph Kirk, I793, 164 and Isaac Carver, at or near Horsham, 
 I784; 165 Thomas Pearson at Maiden Creek (Exeter Monthly 
 Meeting), I784; 166 Benjamin Parks and wife, at Reading, 
 I784; 167 and Caleb Johnson at Reading, I787. 168 An 
 unknown master of Bucks County is mentioned by General 
 John Lacey in his memoirs, as he comments on his early 
 educational opportunities. He, himself, was a member of a 
 family of Friends. 
 
 m Pa. Gaz., No. 2371, 1774. Ibid., No. 2147, 1770. Ibid., No. 2118, 
 1769. Ibid., No. 1821, 1763. 
 
 ls7 Wickersham, 26. 
 
 Ibid., 27. 
 
 159 Prowell, I, 539. 
 
 ""Ibid., 541 
 
 161 Name found in the account book for the Jonathan Walton Fund 
 used for that meeting, p. I. (Deposited at Friends Meeting House in 
 Quaker-town, Pa.) 
 
 162 Min. Horsham Mo. Mtg., 4 28 1784. 
 
 164 Min. Horsham Sch. Com., i n 1793. 
 165 Min. Horsham Mo. Mtg., 4 28 1784. 
 186 Min. Exeter Mo. Mtg., 4 28 1784, siof. 
 
 ., 10 31 1787, 60 f. 
 
 No extreme 
 cases of law- 
 lessness 
 among 
 Quaker 
 masters 
 
 Taylor 
 
 Underwood 
 
 Teachers 
 
 previously 
 
 mentioned
 
 226 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 I was early sent to school, such as it was. The master himself could 
 neither read or write correctly, as he knew nothing of Grammar, it was 
 not to be expected he could teach it to others. Grammar was never 
 taught in any school I went to no book of this kind, or the remote 
 rudiments of it was that I remember talked of at any of the country 
 schools I was acquainted with. None but Quaker families resided in the 
 neighborhood where I was brought up, among whom the Bible and 
 Testament and Dilworth's spelling-book "were the only books suffered to 
 be used in the Quaker schools from which circumstances no one will 
 hesitate to acknowledge the extreme limited education and acquirements 
 of literal knowledge by youth so circumscribed. 169 
 
 Such were the country schools, if judged by his writing as a 
 fair sample. 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 The primary requirements for masters and mistresses, as 
 determined by the yearly meeting, were (i) high morality, 
 (2) membership with Friends, and (3) competency to teach 
 the subjects for which employed. These standards were 
 consciously striven for, as indicated by their reports on the 
 subject. 
 
 As a rule, the teachers selected for the lower schools were 
 native to the place, though there were exceptions. A large 
 number of the Latin masters, however, were secured through 
 Friends in England. To supply the lack of teachers, in 
 Philadelphia at any rate, recourse was occasionally had to 
 the apprenticeship system, as instanced by the cases of 
 Eldridge, and James Dickinson. 
 
 The yearly assembly recommended better accommodations 
 for teachers, that they might be more easily retained in the 
 same position. The cases mentioned indicate a very good 
 length of tenure; Clift, two years; Taylor, perhaps five; 
 Keith, about two; Makin, intermittently for about forty; 
 and many others, similarly. These figures are undoubtedly 
 not representative, the majority being taken from the city. 
 Personal recommendation and certificates of removal served 
 some of the purposes of the teacher license system. The con- 
 tract was verbal only, so far as evidence appears and the term 
 of it usually for one year. 
 
 189 Pa. Mag. Hist., XXV, 3.
 
 Masters and Mistresses 
 
 227 
 
 Attention is called to the seeming great increase in salaries 
 during the century, and great variation in the amounts paid 
 at any one time, especially between those of country and cicy 
 masters. The salaries of women appear to have been very 
 meager as compared with those of the men. No appreciable 
 difference is found between the salaries or rates of Quaker 
 masters and those of private masters in the city at the same 
 time. Rates charged for poor children, schooled by the 
 Board, were less than those fixed for others. 
 
 A few mistresses in the schools are mentioned. For the 
 most part, the length of their service is not known. A large 
 proportion of them were engaged in teaching poor children, 
 though not limited to that. A large proportion, over half of 
 the poor children taught by them, were members of various 
 denominations. Their service was not limited to the schools 
 for Whites, some being employed in the Negro School, near 
 the end of the century. 
 
 Brief attention is given individual masters. As rated by 
 the frequency of their mention in five standard authorities, 
 Pastorius, Benezet, and Thompson lead the list; it is not 
 believed that this measure is adequate, however. Concern- 
 ing the qualifications of the masters, we find that all degrees 
 of ability and training were represented. Pastorius may be 
 taken as a type of the classically trained master of the Latin 
 School. The other extreme might be represented by several 
 of the ill-paid country masters. John Lacey describes such 
 a master and his school in his memoirs. 
 
 One definite case of drunkenness on the part of a master 
 has come to light. Though not probable that the record is so 
 clear, it does appear that excessive outlawries were not com- 
 mitted. The chief sources studied on this point were the 
 newspapers of the period and minutes of various Quaker 
 meetings. 
 
 Salaries 
 
 Women 
 teachers 
 considered 
 
 Masters 
 Rank 
 
 Character
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 EDUCATION OF NEGROES AND INDIANS 
 
 Negroes 
 early in 
 Pennsyl- 
 
 1639 
 
 1664 
 
 Gradual 
 abolition by 
 law of 1780 
 
 EARLIEST TRACES OF THE NEGRO IN PENNSYLVANIA 
 
 To the reader of the history of Pennsylvania, the statement 
 that the colony was established in 1681 by William Penn 
 seems sufficient reason for thinking that was the first settle- 
 ment. But there were other people already established there 
 and among them were to be found Negroes, as is very readily 
 ascertained from the records. The people who occapied the 
 territory along the Delaware, later to be called Pennsylvania, 
 before its charter as a colony was granted, were chiefly 
 Swedes, English, and Dutch, who had crossed over the river 
 from the neighboring colonies. 1 
 
 Negroes were not numerous. There remains rather scant 
 evidence of their presence in any considerable number, but 
 authentic record of certain instances. It is found, for exam- 
 ple, that as early as 1639 a convict was sentenced to South 
 River, as the Delaware was then called, to serve out his time 
 with the Negroes. 2 This is the earliest record found ; though 
 frequent mention is made of them after this date. In 1664, 
 the West India Company agreed to furnish about fifty 
 Negroes to work in the lowlands on the Delaware River. 3 
 This is the earliest explicit record that is found of trafficking 
 in Negroes in Pennsylvania. The slave trade, thus begun 
 by the Dutch Company, was continued, now rising, now 
 falling, till the final abolition of slavery in i78o. 4 The law of 
 1780, which provided for a gradual abolition, was subjected 
 to such frequent evasion that in 1788 it became necessary to 
 
 J Proud, Hist, of Pa., I, 233 and lOQf. (see Ms. description of the 
 province of Pennsylvania written by "William Penn relating to the first 
 settlement written 1682. A copy in Logan Ms. Collections, Vol. I. 
 
 *2Pa. Archives, XVI, 234. 
 
 3 Hazard, Annals of Pa., 331. N. . Col. Doc. II, 213-14. 
 
 *Col. Rec., XII, 99. 
 
 (228)
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 229 
 
 pass another for its clarification and enforcement. 6 By the 
 middle of the seventeenth century, the importation of slaves 
 had become a part of the regular work of the merchants of 
 Philadelphia, with the exception of a few conscientious 
 Quakers who refused to profit thereby. Records of the end 
 of the century indicate that the number of Negroes had by 
 that time become very considerable, though no exact figures 
 are obtainable. 6 
 
 But it is not to be assumed that because the slave trade 
 began thus early and continued to grow, it did so without 
 meeting any opposition. In fact it is probably due to a few 
 years of opposition by various factors, which are here only 
 mentioned briefly, that the slave trade did not become as 
 prodigious in Pennsylvania as in other states, and that she 
 was the first to pass an abolition law against it. 7 Chief 
 among the factors which opposed the increase of Negro 
 serfdom were these: (i) the conscientious scruples of 
 Friends in reference to the traffic; 8 (2) the objection on the 
 part of the German inhabitants (partially as Quakers, but 
 not entirely); 9 and, (3) the dissatisfaction caused among 
 White laborers by the enforced competition of the Negroes. 10 
 
 As a result of this opposition to the importation of slaves, 
 there was enacted various legislation restricting it, although 
 there was at the same time an urgent demand on the part of 
 some for slave labor. One of the first attempts on the part of 
 the Colonial Assembly to restrict slave traffic was the act of 
 1700, imposing the maximum duty of 20 shillings per head 
 imported, which amount was in 1705 increased to 40 shil- 
 lings. 11 Not entirely satisfied with this stroke, the Assembly 
 attempted (1712) practically to prohibit importation by 
 placing a levy of 20 per head, but this act was at once 
 repealed by the crown. 12 However great may have been the 
 
 *Laws of Pa., Ill, 269-272; j Pa. Archives, XVIII, 3O3~43<>- 
 *Ms. Ancient Rec. oj Phtta., July 28, 1702. 
 7 Turner, The Negro in Pa., 79. 
 'London Yr. Mtg., Epistles, 1772, 394. 
 9 3 Pa. Archives, XVIII, 303-430. 
 "Turner, The Negro in Pa. 
 "Stat. at Large of Pa., II, 107, 285. 
 
 "Ms. Bd. of Trade Papers, Proprieties, IX, Q, 39, 42; Stat. at Large 
 of Pa. II, 543-4. 
 
 Opposing 
 factors 
 
 Restrictive 
 legislation 
 1700, 1705, 
 1712
 
 230 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Slack 
 
 demand for 
 slaves 
 indicated 
 
 The trade 
 formed by 
 certain 
 classes: (i) 
 traders, (2) 
 manufac- 
 turers 
 
 Trade 
 accelerated 
 
 failure in legislation, it seems that the feeling against impor- 
 tation was quite marked and, for that reason, the number 
 imported fell considerably. If the statement of a merchant, 
 Jonathan Dickinson, may be taken as indicative, we may 
 judge that it was the slack demand that brought about a 
 decrease in importation. He says, writing to Jamaica, April, 
 1715, 
 
 I must entreat you to send me no more Negroes for sale, for our people 
 don't care to buy. They are generally against any coming into the 
 country. 13 
 
 However strongly the general public was opposed to the 
 slave importation, it was nevertheless possible for the inter- 
 ests of the few to dominate. First, there was the desire on 
 the part of the trading company for the rich profits derived, 
 and the crown was loath to fail to safeguard the company in 
 its demands; this service it performed by regularly repealing 
 the obnoxious legislation, which was enacted and favored by 
 the majority of the citizens represented in the Assembly. 14 
 Second, certain influential classes of citizens, for example, the 
 iron masters, wished for the continuance of importation 
 because of the advantage accruing to them through the 
 competition between Whites and slave labor. This is 
 instanced in 1727 by a petition on their part for the removal 
 of the duty because of the scarcity of available Whites. 15 
 
 This conflict between the ideals of different classes, com- 
 plicated by the economic problem of labor, continued to be 
 fought out chiefly in words, and legislation, until by the 
 middle of the eighteenth century it is estimated, by some 
 historians of Pennsylvania, that importation had nearly 
 ceased. 16 The period following 1750, however, saw importa- 
 tion again positively accelerated, due to the greater security 
 in the possession of Negro slaves compared with that of the 
 White servants. Passing over the crest of this wave of 
 increase, we find a rapid decline in importation and sale of 
 Negroes during the years immediately preceding the Ameri- 
 
 13 Watson, Annals of Phila., II, 264. 
 
 l4 Ms. Bd. of Trade Papers, Proprieties, IX, Q, 39, 42; Stat. at Large 
 of Pa. II, 543-4. 
 
 16 Votes and Proceedings, 1726-1742, 31.- 
 
 "Smith, Hist, of Del. Co., 261; Kaln, Travels, I, 391.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 231 
 
 can Revolution; but even after the Revolution, fought for 
 the principles of freedom, independence and equality, there 
 occur not infrequent instances of the traffic in human flesh 
 and blood. 17 These cases form the exception rather than the 
 rule, however, and in 1780 there was secured the law for 
 gradual prohibition, to which reference has already been 
 made. 18 
 
 The condition of the slaves in Pennsylvania was in many 
 respects better than in other states; especially is this true 
 if they are compared with those in the South, who were 
 employed mostly in plantation work. Their clothing, if we 
 may judge by the descriptions which usually accompanied the 
 advertisement of runaways, was usually good and very 
 striking in its variety, as witnesses the following description.* 
 
 Three hundred dollars reward. Runaway from the subscriber on the 
 evening of August 14, 1779. 2Oth of June, lost, a negro man named Dan 
 about 24 or 25 years of age; 5 feet, 5 or 6 inches; something pitted with 
 the smallpox; his dress when he went off is uncertain, as he took sundry 
 clothes with him, amongst which are two coats, a light faggothy, and a 
 brown jerkin with yellow buttons, three jackets, light blue, brown, and 
 striped linen, a pair of new buckskin breeches, several pairs of old 
 striped and two pairs of tow trousers, three pairs of stockings, three good 
 shirts, and a round hat. Said negro is this country born, and talks the 
 English and German languages; is fond of playing the fiddle, and is 
 naturally left-handed, and what is very remarkable, he bows with the 
 left hand when performing on the violin. 19 
 
 Socially they were less restricted and did not suffer the 
 sharp separation from the Whites that was characteristic of 
 the South. They were not on an equality, that was not 
 to be expected, but they enjoyed considerable freedom 
 among themselves, 20 and the various religious societies were, 
 at least to a considerable degree, interested in their spiritual 
 welfare. We find, at any rate, no considerable opposition to 
 their advancement as was present in Virginia, even at a much 
 later date. 21 The Moravians, as before stated, were usually 
 
 "Pa. Gaz. and Wk. Advt., 1779, No. 2580. 
 Col. Rec., XII, 99. 
 
 *The quality of the clothing on their backs does not necessarily mean 
 they enjoyed a good location. It was in many cases stolen goods. 
 19 Pa. Gaz., No. 2568, 1779. 
 "Watson, Annals, I, 406. 
 "Heatwole, Hist, of Ed. in Va., 299. 
 
 Decline in 
 the trade 
 about 
 Revolution 
 
 Slaves: how 
 circum- 
 stanced in 
 Pennsyl- 
 
 Fewer social 
 restrictions
 
 232 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Care for 
 their religious 
 welfare 
 
 Work of 
 Whitefield 
 
 Missionary 
 work for 
 Negroes not 
 limited to 
 Quakers 
 
 opposed to holding slaves, and where they were held, they 
 were on a basis of religious equality. 22 The Lutherans were 
 likewise tolerant, but it is to the credit of the Episcopalians 
 that most is due. Negroes were baptized in their church and 
 then instructed in religion by a minister provided for that 
 purpose. 23 Not only were the established congregations 
 favorable to the aid of the Negro, but many itinerant minis- 
 ters were desirous of educating him. 
 
 There is one outstanding instance of the latter which 
 may serve as an illustration. It is that of Reverend 
 Whitefield, who took up five thousand acres of land on 
 the forks of the Delaware in Pennsylvania, where the 
 hoped to erect a Negro school. The movement was 
 given wide publicity and subscriptions were asked for 
 its support. 24 In the papers which advertise the begin- 
 ning of the project, there is found no statement as to the 
 successful outcome of it; the whole scheme seems to have 
 melted away as easily as it had arisen. The scheme of 
 Whitefield, was equalled, and perhaps even excelled, by a 
 much earlier proposal, 1722, which was made anonymously 
 through the columns of the Mercury. The service was to be 
 rendered to the servants of any religious denomination, and 
 without any expense to them whatsoever. It was chiefly 
 desired that the Negroes might be taught to read the Scrip- 
 tures. 26 
 
 If justice were to be done to the various attempts on the 
 part of itinerant ministers and the regularly established 
 churches to aid in bringing enlightenment to the Negroes in 
 Pennsylvania, it would require volumes. Such mention as has 
 been made is for the purpose of pointing out the universality 
 of the missionary spirit, so that it may not be understood that 
 that the entire work was carried on under the direction of 
 Friends, to whose activities much more space must necessarily 
 be given in this work. In the pages following it will be 
 attempted to outline as definitely as possible, from the avail- 
 
 . Mag. of Hist., XXIX, 363. 
 23 Smith, H. W., Life of W. Smith, I, 238. 
 24 Pa. Caz., 1740, 624; Am. Wk. Mer., 1740, No. 1097. 
 **>Am. Wk. Mer., 1722-3, IV, 16. 
 "Ibid.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 233 
 
 able records, what was actually accomplished by the organi- 
 zation of Friends towards Negro education. 
 
 QUAKER LEADERS AND THE NEGRO PROBLEM 
 
 However auspicious may have been the opportunity for 
 attempts to plant slavery on the soil of Pennsylvania, it was 
 neither destined to meet unqualified success nor to pass with- 
 out rigorous opposition. The German population from the 
 very outset, as we have already stated, was hostile to the idea 
 of slavery. 27 Likewise, the Quakers were dominated by men 
 who believed that slavery had no justification, and through- 
 out their lives were actuated by this belief. Brief mention 
 may be made of three of these leaders, sufficient at least to 
 indicate their viewpoint and the remedy which they advo- 
 cated. 
 
 George Fox, their revered founder, was quite naturally 
 referred to in matters of importance and far reaching conse- 
 quence. Through the influence of his ministry, the doctrine 
 of the freedom of all men and of inherent rights, which they 
 possessed by virtue of being men, came to be accepted in the 
 church organization, and was published in the discipline and 
 various letters of that body. 28 These acts of the church 
 organization will be dealt with presently. Fox defends his 
 position mainly on the religious basis ; it is quite likely that a 
 religious training and education is uppermost in his mind 
 throughout his plea for the Negro. He does not limit himself 
 to their case, but insists, also, on the education of the Indian 
 natives. The education (religious) which he specifically 
 mentions, is for the purpose of their salvation, but the atten- 
 tion of Quakers was not limited to that alone. Religious 
 education did, however, receive their first consideration. 
 The essence of Fox's influential utterances on this subject is 
 contained in the following extract. 
 
 And, also, you must instruct and teach your Indians and Negroes, and 
 all others, how that Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every 
 man and gave himself a ransom for all men to be testified in due time; 
 
 *>Pa. Archives, XVIII, 303-430. Ibid., XXI, 165-324. Ibid., XVII, 
 489-685. 
 
 "Christian Doc. Prac. and Dis. Relig. Soc. of Friends, 1727, 122, 
 (published 1861). Ibid., extract of 1758. 
 
 Slavery's 
 opponents 
 
 George Fox 
 
 Pleads for 
 education of 
 Negro and 
 Indian
 
 234 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 John 
 Woolman 
 
 His sermons, 
 tracts, etc. 
 
 Woolman on 
 slave holding 
 
 and is the propitiation not only for the sins of Christians, but for the sins 
 of the whole world; and that He doth enlighten every man that cometh 
 into the world, with His true light, which is the life in Christ by Whom 
 the world was made. 29 
 
 From among the Quaker exponents of the freedom of all 
 men, we can scarcely select one of greater influence than John 
 Woolman. He was born in i72o, 30 and thus grew up to man- 
 hood in a period when the opposition to slavery on the part of 
 Friends was on the increase, and lived through its zenith, 
 after which slavery among Pennsylvania Friends scarcely 
 existed. 31 He was well educated. The greater part of his 
 life was spent travelling as a minister from place to place, 
 now working among the Indians 32 and again visiting meetings 
 in the interest of the freedom of the Negro. 33 His journeys 
 throughout the colonies served to keep the individual meet- 
 ings awake to the problem before them, and the firm con- 
 viction of the man won no less number of supporters than the 
 eloquence of his appeal. The influence of Woolman did not, 
 however, limit itself to the channels of his sermons; in 1754 
 appeared one of his best expressions on the traffic, entitled 
 Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes. Nothing was 
 permitted to stand in the light of his conviction as to the 
 right; he refused to continue his practice of writing wills in 
 all cases where the disposition of slaves was involved. 34 
 
 But it is impossible to give in this limited space an adequate 
 resume of the work of this great spokesman of freedom. A 
 brief representative statement from his works, added to what 
 has already been said, is perhaps the most satisfactory treat- 
 ment that can be given. 
 
 Many slaves on this continent are oppressed, and their cries have 
 reached the ears of the most High. Such are the purity and certainty 
 of His judgments, that He can not be partial in our favor. In infinite 
 love and goodness He hath opened our understandings from one time to 
 another concerning our duty to this people; and it is not a time for 
 delay. Should we now be sensible of what He requires of us, and 
 through respect to the interest of some persons, or through a regard to 
 some friendships which do not stand on an immutable foundation, 
 neglect to do our duty in firmness and constancy, still waiting for some 
 
 ^Friends' Lib., I, 79. 
 30 Woolman's Works, 15. 
 "Turner, Negro in Pa., 67. 
 
 "Woolman's Works, 156-7. 
 **Ibid., 78. 
 "Ibid., 44.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 235 
 
 extraordinary means to bring about their deliverance, it may be by 
 terrible things in righteousness, God may answer us in this matter.* 6 
 
 Man is born to labor, and experience abundantly sheweth that it is 
 for our good; but where the powerful lay the burden on the inferior, 
 without affording a Christian education, and suitable opportunity for 
 improving the mind, and a treatment that we in their case should 
 approve, that themselves may live at ease and fare sumptuously, and 
 lay up riches for their posterity, this seems to contradict the design of 
 Providence and, I doubt not, is sometimes the effect of a perverted mind; 
 for while the life of one is made grievous by the rigor of another, it 
 entails misery to both.* 6 
 
 While speaking of the life and work of the two above men- 
 tioned Quaker reformers, one other person seems to call 
 imperatively for attention. His work was equally wide- 
 spread and the public was kept open to his influence through 
 several of his books and pamphlets published on the subject 
 of slaves and slaveholding. 37 A French Hugenot by birth, 
 Anthony Benezet came early to America, where he was a 
 staunch member of Friends, and in whose society he per- 
 formed a continuous service for the freedom and education of 
 the Negroes, until the time of his death in I784. 38 His 
 immediate connection with the Negro School, established by 
 Friends in i77o 39 will be considered more fully elsewhere. 
 The arguments advanced by him against slavery are based on 
 the grounds of practicality and justice. The system is 
 injurious to the slave and the master, and inconsistent with 
 the ideals of a free community. We, ourselves, must agree 
 with him in his position as set forth in the following selection. 
 
 The bondage we have imposed on the Africans is absolutely repugnant 
 to Justice. It is highly inconsistent with civil policy: First, as it tends 
 to suppress all improvements in arts and sciences, without which it is 
 morally impossible that any nation should be happy or powerful. 
 Secondly, as it may deprave the minds of the free men, steeling their 
 hearts against the laudable feelings of virtue and humanity. And lastly, 
 as it endangers the community by the destructive effects of civil 
 commotions; need I to add to these what every heart, which 
 is not callous to all tender feelings) will readily suggest that it is 
 shocking to humanity, violative of generous sentiment, abhorrent utterly 
 
 "Woolman's Works, 96-7. 
 
 **Ibid., 244. 
 
 J7 Most significant works are given in the bibliography. 
 
 * 8 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 1301784, 128. 
 
 39 Ibid., 6 29 1770, 398. 
 
 Anthony 
 
 Benezet; his 
 
 influence 
 
 through 
 
 books, 
 
 pamphlets, 
 
 etc. 
 
 Extract from 
 Benezet
 
 236 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 George 
 Keith and 
 other 
 
 antagonists 
 of slavery 
 
 from the Christian religion; for as Montesquieu very justly observes, 
 "We must suppose them not to be men, or a suspicion would follow that 
 we ourselves are not Christians." There can not be a more dangerous 
 maxim than that necessity is a plea for injustice. For who shall fix the 
 degree of this necessity? What villian so atrocious who may not urge 
 this excuse; or, as Milton has happily expressed it, "and with necessity, 
 the tyrants plea, excuse his devilish deed"? 40 
 
 Besides the three representatives mentioned, there were a 
 host of others, many of them still earlier but perhaps none 
 who exercised so great an influence. Among those worthy of 
 mention were George Keith, a dissenter among Quakers, but 
 one of the earliest teachers in Philadelphia, and a very ardent 
 antagonist of slavery. Others, whose zeal outran their dis- 
 cretion, such as Ralph Sandiford, Benjamin Lay,* and 
 William Southeby, might be profitably discussed here, but 
 lack of space eliminates their consideration. Still other 
 itinerant ministers, Banks, Pennington, and Chalkley, though 
 not so precipitous in their actions as the three above named, 
 were none the less worthy spokesmen of the cause. 
 
 Study of the 
 meeting 
 records 
 referring to 
 Negro edu- 
 cation 
 
 The meeting 
 organization 
 against 
 slave traffic 
 
 THE CHURCH ORGANIZATION AND THE NEGRO QUESTION 
 
 Under this head it is intended to present, (i) the activity 
 of the society as an organization, and (2) the establishment of 
 Negro education in the various meetings where any record of 
 it remains. In doing so, let the reader keep in mind the 
 principles set forth previously by the three representatives 
 who have been mentioned as leaders in the cause of Negro 
 education and liberation. 
 
 As is quite naturally expected, after this brief introduction 
 to the belief of the Quaker leaders, we find that the society 
 placed itself as a unit opposed to the perpetuation of bondage 
 among the Blacks. Friends were astonished to find, when 
 they arrived, that slavery existed in Penn's colony, and as 
 early as 1688 those settled at Germantown entered a memor- 
 able protest against it. 41 Five years later George Keith, a 
 
 40 Benezet, A Short Account of the People Called Quakers, 81-2. 
 
 *Vaux, Memoirs of Lay and Sandiford. 
 
 41 Pa. Mag. of Hist., XIII, 265; Old Germantown, Lippincott's Mag., 
 Feb., 1884, 118 ff., containing an account of the protest; Phila. Quar- 
 terly Meeting would not take action, it being considered too weighty a 
 question (Min. Phila. Q. Mtg., 441688, 136.)
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 237 
 
 Quaker who a few years later came into disfavor with the 
 society, entered a vigorous denunciation of the practice of 
 holding slaves. 42 The general tenor of these protests is 
 against perpetual bondage, their idea being that since it 
 already existed, there should be a time limit set at the expira- 
 tion of which all those held should become free. 
 
 It would have been possible for individual protests and 
 those of smaller meetings to have gone on indefinitely and 
 still have accomplished but little in the way of influencing 
 others. Similar expressions from a central organization, 
 speaking with some semblance of authority, could have 
 accomplished much more, and did so, though not till some 
 years later. The advices issued by the yearly meeting were 
 usually in the nature of reproof, scarcely or never mandatory. 
 One of the earliest was drawn up at the yearly meeting in 
 1727 and sent to the meetings subject thereto. 
 
 It is the sense of this meeting that the importation of negroes from 
 their native country and relations by Friends, is not a commendable or 
 allowable practice, and is therefore censured by this meeting. 41 
 
 It is difficult to understand how any communication of this 
 nature could have force in a situation that seemed to 
 demand something in the way of command. But when it is 
 recalled with what persistence such advices were given, and 
 again repeated in the appropriate meetings, and that they 
 were received by the monthly and preparative meetings very 
 much as dutiful children would listen to the advice of father 
 or mother, then the influence exerted by them does not seem 
 so strange. 
 
 Moreover, there is ample evidence in the reports of various 
 meetings at all times that the advices of the yearly meeting 
 were being followed with considerable success. Philadelphia 
 reported (1756) that they knew of no Friends who had been 
 concerned in importing Negroes or other slaves. 44 By 1772 
 the yearly meeting reported by way of letter that, due to the 
 discouragement of the practice of slaveholding on the part of 
 Friends in the colonies, it had greatly diminished in some 
 
 Germantown 
 memorial 
 against it 
 
 Yearly 
 Meeting 
 regarding 
 slave trade 
 
 Reports 
 made to 
 yearly 
 
 meeting con- 
 cerning 
 slaves 
 
 Pa. Mag. of Hist., 266, 268. 
 
 ^Christian Doc. Prac. and Discipline, 1727, pub. 1861, 122. 
 
 "Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 4301756, 215.
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Warning of 
 1758 against 
 being con- 
 cerned with 
 slaves 
 
 Freedom 
 had to come 
 before their 
 education 
 
 Local meet- 
 ings per- 
 sistent in 
 their investi- 
 gation of 
 slave condi- 
 tions 
 
 parts, and in others disappeared almost altogether, as was 
 true in the case of Pennsylvania. 45 For the sake of more 
 complete illustration of the type of expression issued, the 
 following is quoted more at length. 
 
 We fervently warn all in profession with us that they be careful to 
 avoid being in any way concerned in reaping the unrighteous profits 
 arising from the iniquitous practice of dealing in Negroes and other 
 slaves; whereby in the original purchase one man selleth another, as he 
 doth the beast that perisheth, without any better pretension to a prop- 
 erty in him than that of superior force; in direct violation of the gospel 
 rule, which teaches all to do as they would be done by and to do good to 
 all; being the reverse of that covetous disposition, which furnishes 
 encouragement to those poor ignorant people to perpetuate their savage 
 wars, in order to supply the demands of this unnatural traffic, whereby 
 great numbers of mankind, free by nature, are subjected to inextricable 
 bondage; and which hath often been observed to fill their possessors 
 with haughtiness, tyranny, luxury, and barbarity, corrupting the minds 
 and debasing the morals of their children, to the unspeakable prejudice 
 of religion and virtue, and the exclusion of that holy spirit of universal 
 love, meekness, and charity, which is the unchangeable nature, and the 
 glory of true Christianity. I758. 46 
 
 The reader will have noticed that the chief emphasis is 
 placed upon the wrongfulness of bartering slaves; this may 
 be explained by saying that that was the first problem they 
 had to face. Not until they were able to secure the Negroes' 
 freedom could an education be of much value to him, for all 
 that he made of his life belonged to his master. But as soon 
 as he became free, there arose other needs, other desires. 
 New prospects opened before him, and there was a possibility 
 that he might accomplish something for himself and his 
 posterity. This was realized by the church organization and 
 it followed the move for freedom by emphatic requests that 
 the meetings take care of the spiritual and intellectual educa- 
 tion of the negroes. The following will illustrate very clearly 
 the insistence with which the local church investigated the 
 activity of its members, and the penalty levied on the dis- 
 obedient one. In 1759, it was reported that .... had 
 purchased several Negroes ; this being a breach of discipline, 
 two members were appointed to speak with him on the sub- 
 ject, according to their custom. The final report on his case 
 
 ^Epistles London Yr. Mtg., 1772, 394. 
 
 ^Christian Doc. Prac. and Discipline, 1758, pub. 1861, 122.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 239 
 
 was made in 1762. They may be praised for longsuffering 
 and condemned for inefficiency. 
 
 . . . . appeared at this meeting and after much weighty advice 
 given him in that affair, it is left for him weightily to consider whether he 
 can not find freedom to bring up such of his negroes as are young in 
 useful learning, endeavoring to instruct them in the principles of Chris- 
 tianity, and at a proper. age, if they desire it, to set them free, and if 
 otherwise, that he can not have the unity of Friends. 47 
 
 Instances similar to this one are almost without number; 
 reference is made to a few of them only. 48 The work of each 
 of the particular meetings is more completely brought out in 
 the following pages. 
 
 Of all meetings in the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, there 
 were none which accomplished more for the education of the 
 Negro than did Philadelphia Monthly. As has already been 
 noted elsewhere in this work, there was quite early a con- 
 siderable interest manifested by the meeting in regard to the 
 question of servitude, and also the masters' care in giving 
 them Christian instruction. 49 There is no record to show 
 that at these early dates there was any permanent school; 
 all care was, without question, left to those who had Negroes 
 in their employ, education being tutorial entirely. The 
 master's care was well guarded by the meeting's committee 
 on Negroes, however, and in this way a central responsible 
 party was provided. In addition, there was also established 
 a meeting which was held once each three months in the 
 interest of Negroes. 80 
 
 In 1 770 there came to the front a definite movement for the 
 establishment of a systematic means of educating Negro 
 children. The proposal for its consideration, made first month, 
 26th, was referred to the meeting in second month for action. 61 
 
 47 Extracts Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 12 6 1762, 107. 
 
 48 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 4 30 1756,215; Concord Mo. Mtg., 6 9 
 1779, 86; Horsham Sch. Com, 8 17 1792; ChesterMo. Mtg., 10 25 
 !779. 3i; UwchlanMo.Mtg.,9 9 1779, 6sf.; Sadsbury, 7 17 1782, 
 
 34- 
 
 49 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 4 30 1756, 215 and i 25 1765, 7. 
 
 M Ibid., 7. 
 
 6l lbid., i 26 1770,371; (Proud in his Ms. History of Philadelphia 
 gives Benezet the whole credit of establishing the Negro school. There 
 were two branches, one for boys and one for girls, taught by different 
 tutors. He says the successful outcome of this school of Benezet's was 
 the incentive which caused the Abolition Society to establish others.) 
 See Proud's Ms. History, p. 64. H. S. P. 
 
 No early 
 
 school 
 
 recorded 
 
 Meetings for 
 Negroes
 
 Committee 
 appointed 
 on Negroes 
 
 Digest of 
 
 committee's 
 
 report 
 
 240 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 On that occasion, there being expressed a definite sentiment 
 in favor of action, a committee was appointed consisting of 
 twenty-two members with permission for any other Friends 
 to attend its deliberations who cared to do so. 52 The date for 
 the committee meeting was set by the monthly meeting. 
 At the subsequent monthly meeting, the committee made its 
 first report, which being acceptable to all was approved, and 
 further steps were taken to secure immediate action. A 
 digest of the report and proposals of the committee is here 
 presented. 53 
 
 1. The instruction of Negro and mulatto children in read- 
 ing, writing, arithmetic, and other useful learning sewing 
 and knitting, according to their capacity, is to be provided. 
 
 2. The instruction is to be under the care of Friends. 
 
 3. The monthly meeting to nominate a committee of 
 Friends, whose duties are: 
 
 a. To employ a suitable master or mistress for not 
 
 more than thirty children at once. 
 
 b. To have the charge of admitting pupils to the 
 
 school. 
 
 c. A subscription of 100 a year for three years to be 
 
 promoted. 
 
 d. To employ another master or mistress if necessary 
 
 and funds adequate. 
 
 e. To visit the school at least once a month, and to 
 
 observe the improvement and conduct of the 
 
 pupils. 
 
 /. Rules to be prepared for teachers and pupils; pro- 
 vision for attendance at religious services at least 
 
 on Sunday. 
 g. The committee to appoint a treasurer from its 
 
 number who is to make payments upon an order 
 
 signed by at least four of them. 
 h. Four members are sufficient number to transact 
 
 business; in difficulties, they are advised to 
 
 consult the monthly meeting. 
 
 M Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 2 23 1770, 376. 
 3301770, 379-
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 241 
 
 i. To keep a record of proceedings, receipts, and 
 expenditures, and make a report to the meeting 
 once a year or more. 
 
 4. The children of free Negroes and mulattoes are to be 
 given preferment. 
 
 5. Tuition to be free of any expense to the parents. 
 
 6. If enrollment of such children is not large enough, the 
 committee may admit others according to their judgment. 
 
 Acting upon the recommendations incorporated in the 
 report, a subscription paper was at once prepared, and the 
 campaign for funds began. 54 A committee of the following 
 named Friends was appointed to assume the direction of the 
 school agreeable to the articles of the report, viz.; Israel 
 Pemberton, Samuel Emlen, James Pemberton, Richard 
 Blackham, John Drinker, Hugh Forbes, and Edward Jones. 56 
 Their term of service was stated as "until a new nomination 
 be made by this meeting" and any vacancy occurring in the 
 meantime was to be filled in the same way. 56 Only three 
 months later (sixth month) the committee of seven reported 
 they had agreed with Moses Patterson as teacher, hired a 
 house, and that a number of children were already admitted 
 for instruction. 87 In first month of the following year the com- 
 mittee requested permission to erect a school for the use of 
 the Blacks, on the same lot occupied by the almshouse. 
 The request was at once granted. 58 
 
 Though it was originally stated that the committee should 
 report once a year to the monthly meeting, there was by no 
 means a full report recorded in the minutes each year. They 
 are adequate enough, however, to furnish some idea of the 
 progress made with the school. 
 
 The details of a few reports will be presented. It appears 
 from the records that the committee's reports were always 
 made the basis of judgment as to whether the meeting would 
 continue the school or abandon it. 59 Fortunately, the reports 
 were usually favorable, excepting in matters of financial 
 consideration; in this respect there was quite often a short- 
 
 Subscrip- 
 tions for 
 school^solic- 
 ited 
 
 Moses 
 Patterson in 
 the Negro 
 school 
 
 Full yearly 
 reports not 
 made 
 
 Reports 
 taken as a 
 measure of 
 the school's 
 success 
 
 "Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 3 30 1770, 379. 
 K Ibid. K Ibid., 1-25-1771, 430. 
 
 "Ibid., 6-29-1770, 398. M Ibid., 1-25-1771, 430. 
 
 "Ibid., 2-28-1777, 438.
 
 242 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Financially 
 the school 
 was no suc- 
 cess 
 
 Payments in 
 
 depreciated 
 
 money 
 
 age. 60 In the report of the first twelve years there is little 
 that deserves repetition. The school continued regularly, 
 according to statements made at intervals, and all things 
 seemed to convince Friends that it was worthy of their sup- 
 port. Let us note the condition of the school at the end of 
 twelve years, 1782. 
 
 For the five years preceding the instruction had been under 
 the care of John Houghton, who, unfortunately, had to retire 
 because of failing health. 61 His place was taken two months 
 later by Anthony Benezet, a teacher of great merit, and one 
 who perhaps had the welfare of the Negro more at heart than 
 any other man in the colony. 62 At his suggestion, the school 
 was removed from the house erected for that purpose and 
 established in his own home. Great tribute was paid to the 
 character of the work done by Houghton, with special refer- 
 ence to his painstaking visiting of families, seeking thus to 
 increase the interest of parents, and ultimately the school 
 attendance. It is stated that during the five years he was 
 employed, two hundred and fifty children and grown persons 
 had entered the school. 63 The chief value derived, according 
 to the committee's view, was the increased appreciation 
 aroused among the Whites for the Blacks. They were forced 
 to realize that the Negro had talents which might be 
 developed as their own, giving him an insight into greater 
 possibilities which were not beyond his reach. 
 
 The report on the financial status was not so hopeful. The 
 fees for the master, for the years 1779, 1780, and 1781 were 
 eighty, ninety, and one hundred pounds respectively; in 
 addition, there was the expense of odd jobs of work, wood for 
 winter use, and also the item of books. 64 To increase 
 the difficulties arising from mere items of expense, there was 
 introduced another factor, the payment to the treasurer of 
 paper money which had greatly depreciated in value since it 
 was subscribed.* The result of the experiment, up to date, 
 financially, was a deficit of 74/7/10. A part of this amount 
 was covered by outstanding subscriptions, a considerable 
 
 60 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg. 5 31 1782, 28; i 25 1793, 184; 3 30 
 1770, 379- 
 
 "Ibid. "Ibid. <*Ibid. "Ibid. 
 
 *Dewey, p. 39.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 243 
 
 number of which could not be collected. 65 The meeting was 
 appealed to, to make up the deficit as usual by subscription. 
 This method, though commonly resorted to, was in most 
 places supplemented by special legacies left to trustees for 
 any purpose the donor might designate. 66 Legacies for 
 schools were particularly urged by the quarterly and yearly 
 meetings. 
 
 In 1784 there seems to have been but one school for the 
 Blacks, the one taught by Benezet. The report stated that 
 there was a decided need for another one in the near future; 
 in 1786 it appears by answers to the queries that the school 
 has been added and that both are supported by the voluntary 
 contributions of Friends. 67 The attendance problem was 
 evidently not yet solved satisfactorily; it would perplex a 
 teacher to-day. About one hundred were under the instruc- 
 tion of Benezet in 1784, but only fifteen to thirty-five gener- 
 ally attended. 68 The progress of this number in reading, 
 writing, and arithmetic was deemed satisfactory, though it was 
 admitted it might be improved with more regular attendance. 
 
 The salary paid Benezet at this time was 100 plus the 20 
 which was allowed as the rent for his dwelling, which he con- 
 tinued to use as a school house. 
 
 From 1786 two schools continued. In 1790 the incumbent 
 of the master's position was Daniel Britt ; the mistress of the 
 other was Sarah Dougherty. The latter served only to sixth 
 month, 1790, at which time she was replaced by Elizabeth 
 Meccum who later became the wife of Daniel Britt. 69 Though 
 there was a very large enrollment at this time, the actual 
 attendance was between eighteen and thirty in each of the 
 schools. 70 The instruction continued as above stated and 
 was recognized on the whole as satisfactory, its only failure 
 being due to irregular attendance, occasioned by illiberal 
 masters, who detained the Negroes in their service. The 
 master's salary for the year, 100, was double that paid to the 
 
 tt Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., 3 30 1770, 379. 
 
 "Ibid., 4 26 1771, 444, and 21 25 1772, 145. 
 
 ^Ibid., 7 28 1786, 271. 
 
 M Ibid., i 30 1784, 128. 
 
 M Ibid., I 25 1793, 184. 
 
 
 
 Legacies 
 and sub- 
 scriptions 
 used f or 
 support 
 
 Irregular 
 attendance 
 
 Salary paid 
 Benezet 
 
 Two Negro 
 schools 
 under Daniel 
 Britt, Sarah 
 Dougherty, 
 and Eliza- 
 beth 
 Meccum
 
 244 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 School 
 receives gift 
 from 
 England 
 
 Regular 
 attendance 
 about eighty 
 
 Elisha 
 
 Pickering, 
 
 master 
 
 mistress. Finances were generally in a bad state, though 
 they had been considerably augmented by a generous gift of 
 175 from England, and a special donation by William 
 Craig. 71 In spite of this, the committee was still indebted to 
 the estate of Anthony Benezet to the extent of about 100.* 
 These difficulties do not seem to have been insuperable, how- 
 ever; the regular annual income (about 1784) was fairly well 
 established, being derived from the rental of property and 
 grounds. 72 
 
 Under the direction of Daniel Britt and his wife the school 
 continued to progress; most gratifying was the increase of 
 the regular attendance to about eighty, which was as large as 
 could be conveniently accommodated in the two schools. 73 
 The services of Britt and his wife ceased in the period from 
 1795 to 1798, the latter having died and the former being aged 
 and infirm. The master's place was taken by Elisha Picker- 
 ing, at a salary now grown to 150 per year. That of the 
 mistress still remained at the mark of former years, 50. 
 The amount of annual rents had increased to 190/9/11 and 
 besides this there was an interest from 146/7 which was a 
 part of the bequest of Anthony Benezet. 74 The annual 
 expenditures were estimated at 230, which considerably 
 exceeded the income. It was customary to require tuition 
 for the children whose masters were "bound by indenture to 
 give them school learning," and from this source was eked out 
 the sum necessary to defray expenses. 75 There is found no 
 statement in the committee's reports to indicate the amount 
 of tuition usually demanded. The following bill may be of 
 interest, however, since it shows various items of expenditures 
 of the school committee.** 
 
 71 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., i 25 1793, 184. 
 
 *For an insight to the real value of the money see note p. 212 of this 
 work; also Dewey, p. 39. 
 n lbid., 2-23,1798, 149. 
 
 **Ms. Minutes of the Committee on Negro Education, I, 19; other 
 expenditures mentioned are for copy books, ciphering books, child's 
 spelling books, lessons for youth, writing paper, red blotting paper, 
 slates, quills, ink, tutors' assistants, Cheap Repository, 4 volumes, and 
 one set Murray's Introduction, I, 138.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 245 
 
 Committee of education, to Othneil Alsop, Dr. 
 
 J 797 9-23- Cash advance to Bustill $ 10.00 
 
 9-30. Paid J. Schaeffer for 4 benches for North Liberties 
 
 School 3.50 
 
 24 printed alphabets .27 
 
 6 spelling books 1.50 
 
 10-2. Paid A. Williams quarter's salary 25.00 
 
 10-28. Advanced Cyrus Bustill 10.00 
 
 1 1-6. Two cords of wood, hauling, etc 12.35 
 
 Total 
 
 32.62 
 
 From available records it is impossible to give more than 
 an elementary knowledge of how the school was run. Nothing 
 is found concerning the inner organization. We can know its 
 purposes, its means at command for attaining them, and 
 approximately the number of children it was able to reach. 
 The length of school term is not quite clear; it seems evident 
 that there were summer and winter sessions, how long we do 
 not know, and that there was scarecely any interruption of 
 their continuity. Occurrences which caused an interruption 
 of the session usually were commented on in the committee's 
 reports. 76 A summary of the report showing the status of the 
 schools in 1800 is given below. 77 At that time they were 
 under the direction of committees of the northern, central, 
 and southern districts. 
 
 1. Benjamin Mears, master at $500 a year; Elizabeth 
 Meccum, mistress at 50 per year. 
 
 2. Schools have been kept open throughout the year 
 1798-99 with the exception of twelve weeks on account of 
 sickness. 
 
 3. The attendance, from seventy to eighty day scholars, 
 winter and autumn. 
 
 4. Some applicants for admission have been refused 
 because of a lack of room; room enough for all in summer. 
 
 5. Finance: 
 
 a. Total bequest of Anthony Benezet, plus that which 
 was owing to him at the time of his death, makes an 
 income of 
 
 Summer and 
 
 winter 
 
 sessions 
 
 Status of 
 Negro 
 schools in 
 1800 
 
 78 Min. Phila. Mo. Mtg., II 28 1800, 300; Ibid., 2 231798, 149.
 
 246 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 b. Annual amount of donations from other 
 
 sources 117/5/11 
 
 Not enough 
 Negroes for 
 a separate 
 school 
 
 Negro 
 education 
 usually 
 delegated to 
 a committee 
 
 Total 220/9/11 
 
 In hands of treasurer 8/12/6 
 
 For two reasons it has been thought advisable to present 
 as fully as possible the situation in regard to the Negro's 
 education in Philadelphia. First, they were present in 
 Philadelphia in so considerable numbers that it necessitated 
 a complete organization on the part of the society if any aid 
 was to be offered; second, the method of dealing with them 
 was closely followed in other localities, in case there were 
 sufficient numbers to warrant it. The activity of other 
 monthly meetings in this question of oversight and education 
 of the Negro will be touched upon briefly. 
 
 As was above suggested, and will be shown more explicitly 
 hereinafter, there were many of the country districts where 
 the Negro problem scarcely existed. 78 In many others 
 the number of the race was so small that a separate school was 
 entirely out of the question; but more was needed than the 
 mere presence of a White school, to make certain that they 
 received even the rudiments of an education. A constant 
 readjustment of the general ideal of attitude toward them 
 was necessary for each individual community. The details 
 of information concerning the work of each meeting was 
 interesting enough, but perhaps it will be more instructive to 
 point out and illustrate the general characteristics which 
 applied to most, or at least a large number of them. 
 
 As a general rule, if Negro inhabitants were numerous, a 
 committee was delegated to the service of their care and 
 education. 79 In some places this was made a standing com- 
 mittee having specified duties; in others, the committees were 
 appointed only to investigate conditions and make a report, 
 so that further action might be taken by the meeting. It 
 may be well to note the type of this service which the commit- 
 
 78 Min. Exeter Mo. Mtg., 7 26 1764, 519. 
 
 79 Min. Uwchlan Mo. Mtg., 9 9 1779, 65; Min. Sadsbury Mo., 
 Mtg., 7 17 1782, 340.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 247 
 
 tees were required to perform. The duties, performed by the 
 two kinds of committees, were but slightly differentiated ; the 
 chief difference lay in the length of the term of service. 
 
 The first task for them was to actually visit the Negro 
 families within the compass of the particular meeting; 80 the 
 second, to determine as exactly as possible the economic status 
 of the home; 81 the third, to ascertain the number of children 
 .capable of receiving schooling; ^fourth, to inform themselves 
 as to the attitude of the parents towards their children's edu- 
 cation; 83 fifth, to deal with members of Friends who possessed 
 slaves or paid servants, endeavoring to point out to them the 
 obligation for their education, and also for their freedom; 84 
 sixth, to inform themselves as to the occupation pursued by the 
 Negroes, if any; 85 and finally, to make a report of conditions, 
 in such shape that it might be transmitted to the quarterly 
 meeting, and outline the plan of procedure, according to the 
 demands of the situation. 88 From such a range of informa- 
 tion, considering the characteristic thoroughness of the 
 people, it must be inferred that they were able to understand 
 the needs, which is always a first requisite for their satisfac- 
 tion. Moreover, the knowledge that the quarterly meetings 
 demanded written statements of what they had done always 
 worked to facilitate prompt action as soon as the situation 
 was defined. Rather late in the century, 1779, the yearly 
 meeting became insistent as to the treatment of those who 
 held slaves, though the punishment for failure to educate 
 them was not so drastic. Extracts sent to the meetings in 
 that year required that all members holding slaves should be 
 disowned. 87 Instances where this punishment was used are 
 not wanting. 88 
 
 The financial burden of Negro education usually fell on the 
 local meeting. Those owning slaves were required to pay for 
 
 80 Min. Uwchlan Mo. Mtg., 9 9 1779, 6sf. 
 n lbid. 
 
 M Min. Deercreek Mo. Mtg., 7 24 1779, 304. 
 ii 23 1776, 274. 
 
 M Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 7 17 1782, 340. 
 M Min. Chester Mo. Mtg., 10 251779, 31. 
 
 "Extracts, Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 12 6 1779, 202 ; (this was a part 
 of the discipline). 
 
 M Ibid., 12 6 1762, 107. 
 
 Seven duties 
 for the com- 
 mittees to 
 perform
 
 248 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Support 
 similar to 
 that of other 
 schools 
 
 Negro "edu- 
 cation at 
 Exeter 
 
 Radnor 
 
 No^early 
 mention of 
 their school- 
 ing at Radnor 
 
 their education, but when they became free, as most of them 
 did by the time of the Revolution, it was impossible for them 
 to pay for themselves. This burden, which the society 
 assumed, was usually met : ( i ) by subscription, 89 (2) by special 
 legacies, and (3) by income from investments in property. 
 In the smaller localities, the first was the predominate means ; 
 in the larger, such as Philadelphia, a larger proportion was 
 derived from the second and third, 90 though the first was 
 common to all. 
 
 The situation at Exeter Monthly Meeting seems to have 
 been well disposed of, if one may judge by the brevity of their 
 annals. Writing, 1764, in answer to an inquiry on the part 
 of Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, to which they belonged, 
 they report: 
 
 But one negro amongst us, who has sufficient food and raiment, but 
 his religious education is still neglected, which is now under notice. 91 
 
 In 1758 they had reported two Negroes only, and with 
 substantially the same comments. 92 The report may either 
 mean they had no problem at the outset, or that they were 
 remarkably successful in their attempt to solve it. 
 
 Radnor Monthly Meeting reported in 1756 that they were 
 clear with respect to buying, importing, disposing of, or 
 holding slaves, 93 and continued substantially the same report 
 until i768. 94 They were all, according to reports, well 
 fed and clothed and many attended meetings, 95 but no state- 
 ment is made at that early date concerning any attempt to 
 educate them. From sundry reports after 1768 it seems 
 necessary to assume that the earlier reports were not entirely 
 accurate in stating that the meeting was "clear" of slaves. 
 Without this assumption, it is difficult to understand the great 
 increase in the cases of discipline for that offense. This 
 increase was doubtless due to a closer scrutiny of the Negro 
 question than had been formerly customary. 
 
 89 Min. Uwchlan Mo. Mtg., 9 9 1779, 6sf. 
 80 Cf. Report on Philadelphia, pp. 68f. 
 91 Min. Exeter Mo. Mtg., 7 26 1764, 519. 
 ^Ibid., 10 26 1758, 301. 
 93 Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., 10 12 1756, 287. 
 
 M Ibid., i ii 1757,300; 4 101759,28; 68 1764,54; 78 
 1766, 139. 
 K Ibid., 781766, 139.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 249 
 
 Beginning with 1768, there were several cases reported of 
 dealing in slaves, either buying, selling, or holding. First, 
 there was "one slave sold," 96 and two years later the records 
 state "none imported but some purchased and some sold 
 since last account." 97 It was further admitted (1770) that 
 "nothing has yet been done by us in visiting those who hold 
 slaves," 98 but a few years later (1776) there is ample evidence 
 cited that they attended to each individual case; there are 
 several instances where expulsion from the society was 
 threatened, 99 and actually carried into execution. 100 In 1778 
 the committee on slaves reported: (i) they had visited all 
 members holding slaves, (2) obtained manumissions from 
 David Harvard for two slaves, (3) Anthony Tunnis also 
 released a slave, and (4) mentioned two other cases for con- 
 sideration (a) that of John Harvard, holding one slave though 
 he admits it to be wrong, and (6) that of Samuel Harvard who 
 refuses to set free a Negro man aged forty, though he con- 
 demns the slaveholding practice. 101 In 1780 the meeting 
 reported none imported, sold, or purchased, and almost none 
 held, 102 and by 1790 even the latter had disappeared. 103 
 
 There was at this time constant oversight of the freed 
 Negroes and some of the children were given the opportunity 
 of schooling without charge to the parents. 104 
 
 Negro slavery flourished early in Bucks County, 105 and 
 still continued to persist until after the abolition in i78o, 106 
 which resulted in a gradual diminution of slavery throughout 
 the state. A little later we shall notice the distribution of 
 slaves as indicated by the registration which was required by 
 the law in 1782. im 
 
 The presence of Negroes in the compass of Middletown is 
 first made known through the record of 1703 which stated 
 
 "Min. Radnor Mo. Mtg., 7 12 1768, 209. 
 
 97 /Wd., 7 10 1770, 286. 
 
 "Ibid. 
 
 "Ibid., 10 8 1776, 102; 8 13 1779, 171; II 12 1779, 179. 
 
 100 Ibid., 12 10 1778, 145. 
 
 I0l lbid., ii 131778, 140. 
 
 lot lbid., 711780, 198. 
 
 isa lbid., 7131790, 7. 
 
 Report of 
 committee 
 on slaves 
 
 Some 
 schooled 
 without 
 charge 
 
 Slavery in 
 
 Bucks 
 
 County 
 
 106 See p. 228ff.; also Davis, Hist. Bucks Co., II, 294. 
 lM Col. Rec. XII, 99. 107 Davis, Hist., II, 297.
 
 250 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Slaves 
 
 mentioned at 
 Middletown 
 1703 
 
 No slaves 
 held; the 
 children 
 schooled 
 
 Buckingham 
 
 Negro to be 
 educated 
 and given 
 religious in- 
 struction 
 
 No evidence 
 of separate 
 Negro school 
 
 that Robert Heaton and Thomas Stackpole were appointed to 
 fence off a portion of the ground to bury Negroes in. 108 The 
 first reference to their liberation (other than by death) is the 
 case of Jeremiah Langhorne, who in 1742 freed all of his 
 Negroes, the entire number being about thirty or forty. 109 
 Just how frequently such liberations occurred and how 
 generally they were participated in by Friends is not accur- 
 ately ascertainable from the records, but by the year 1782 
 just following the stringent abolition act we have the follow- 
 ing report: 
 
 We have none to charge with buying or holding slaves, and care is 
 taken to give the young ones learning and some care has been taken to 
 encourage them in a religious and virtuous life. 110 
 
 In 1783 a similar report issued from the monthly meeting, 
 stating that a noteworthy care was evident among them for 
 the Negroes, both old and young, but that a more consider- 
 able care was necessary to be taken in regard to their edu- 
 cation. 111 
 
 In 1759 Buckingham Meeting appointed John Ely and 
 Isaac Pickering to speak with one of their members who had 
 purchased slaves. 112 This was done because it was a conflict 
 with the discipline. The burden of their advice is that he 
 should bring up the young Negroes in useful learning and 
 Christianity, and later set them free if they desired it. There 
 is nothing further to indicate the nature of the education, and 
 since there is no evidence of a school for them, it was probably 
 in their homes or in connection with the White schools. No 
 other references are found which point to any progress until 
 1778 when the meeting appointed Thomas Watson and Oliver 
 Paxson to advise and assist the free Negroes in their religious 
 duties and also in regard to their school education. 113 This 
 appointment was made in accordance with the more stringent 
 regulations which were given out by the quarterly and yearly 
 meetings in I777. 114 These regulations requested only that 
 
 108 Davis, Hist., II, 295. 
 
 I09 lbid. 
 
 1IO Min. Middletown Mo. Mtg., 8 i 1782, 535. 
 
 "/<*., 871783, 557. 
 
 112 Extracts, Min. Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 12 6 1762, p. 107. 
 
 m lbid., n2 1778, 181. 
 
 114 Min. Bucks Q. Mtg., 828 1777, 29.
 
 Education of Negores and Indians 
 
 251 
 
 committee be appointed to look into the status of the Negroes 
 and seek to better their conditions, but the one next following, 
 1779, required those holding slaves to be disowned. 115 
 
 The records of Bucks Quarterly Meeting are in very sub- 
 stantial agreement with those of the individual meetings, 
 Falls, Wrightstown, Middletown and Buckingham, which 
 constituted it. 116 The question of the rightfulness of buying 
 or owning slaves seems to have come first to a conscious 
 consideration about 1730, when it was debated in the meet- 
 ing. 117 They were unable to come to a decision in the matter 
 and accordingly referred it back to the yearly meeting. 118 
 Though unsuccessful in debating the question satisfactorily, 
 their practical success seems to have been very commendable, 
 for in 1766 there is reported only one Negro purchased lately 
 throughout the quarter. 119 This does not mean that no 
 Negroes were held, for as will be shown later there were many 
 in that region; it does mean, however, that their control of 
 any increase in slaves was very satisfactory to the yearly 
 meeting's demands. By 1772 the record has still been 
 greatly improved, as they report : 
 
 clear of importing or buying negroes as far as appears, but their 
 religious education is not so strictly attended to as the import of the 
 query seems to require. 120 
 
 Though all indications are to the effect that slave purchas- 
 ing was near the minimum, the meetings were clearly not 
 satisfied. Committees were at all times kept by both the 
 quarterly and monthly meetings, 121 to visit with those who 
 held slaves to persuade them to give them their freedom. 
 The committee for this service in the quarterly meeting 
 reported in 1777: 
 
 We of the committee appointed by the quarterly meeting in order to 
 treat with our members who hold their fellowmen in bondage, in connec- 
 tion with the several meetings committees, now report that there has 
 been considerable time spent in laboring with them in order to convince 
 
 115 Min. Buckingham Mo. Mtg., 12 6 1779, 202. 
 "Min. Bucks Q. Mtg., 2 vols., 1684-1804. Newtown First Nat'l 
 Bank. 
 
 ll7 Ibid., 6 27 1730. 
 
 u *Ibid. 
 
 Ibid., 8281766. 
 
 Ibid., 8271772. ^Ibid., 8281777, 29. 
 
 Slave hold- 
 ing debated 
 in meeting 
 
 Report of 
 committee 
 on slaves
 
 252 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Meetings 
 set up for 
 Negroes 
 
 No mention 
 made of 
 separate 
 school 
 
 Social 
 approval 
 given those 
 who freed 
 slaves 
 
 them of the evil of the practice, which labors of love have been by some 
 kindly received, and they have complied so far as to give those they had 
 in bondage their liberty by instruments of writing .... but there 
 are others who still persist in holding them as slaves, notwithstanding 
 the repeated care and labor of Friends extended towards them. 122 
 
 The next report made in the eleventh month of the year is 
 substantially the same, several slaves having been "manu- 
 mitted or set free," and, also, the defiant attitude being still 
 present among some members. 123 The similarity of these 
 reports continues till the very last years of the century, with 
 however a few additions. At some time prior to 1795, not 
 more than three years, there were established meetings for 
 Negroes which were held at stated times, always under the 
 direction of Friends. 124 In 1799 the quarterly meeting was 
 able to report "no slaves among us" and that "some care" is 
 extended to those set free. 125 
 
 Very early, the meetings were urged to give their attention 
 to the religious and school education of the negroes that were 
 in their possession, 186 but a majority of the reports from 
 meetings are to the effect that this did not receive satisfactory 
 attention. 127 No evidence remains in any records to show 
 that there was a separate school ever established for Negroes, 
 and it is quite possible that there never was during the i8th 
 century. The demands transmitted through Bucks Quar- 
 terly were not so strictly enforced in regard to education as 
 in regard to liberation, and it is more than probable that it 
 was in most cases determined by the individual conscience 
 than by the group. In regard to forcing liberation by public 
 opinion, there are many examples where individuals were 
 singled out and threatened with ejection from the society if 
 they refused their slaves freedom, 128 but there are few refer- 
 ences to such action taken for failure to educate them ; there 
 are, however, occasional ones mentioned. Most references to 
 their education were in the nature of advice, which doubtless 
 was followed in many cases, 129 and disregarded in many more. 
 
 m lbid., ii 27 1777, 33. 
 Ibid., 2 28 1799, 289. 
 Ibid. ,2 7 1758. 
 
 122 Min. Bucks Q. Mtg., 828 1777, 29. 
 iu lbid., 8 271795. 
 
 126 Min. Falls Mo. Mtg., 2 2 1757. ,_ , , t ^, 
 
 I21 lbid., 8-7-1771, 86; 8 5 1772, 105; 9 61780, 275; 8 
 1783, 350. 
 
 1M Ibid., 8 i 1781, 301; 3 2 1763; 2 4 1767; 7 2 1769. 
 129 Min Buckingham Mo. Mtg., n 2 1778; 181; 8 1762, 107.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 253 
 
 In spite of the continuous exertions of the Friends' meetings 
 to keep down the number of slaves purchased, and to increase 
 the number of liberations among those already possessed by 
 their members, it appears from an investigation of the matter 
 made by Davis, that almost one-third of the total number of 
 slaves in 1782 (Bucks County) were to be found in the town- 
 ships Falls, Middletown, Lower and Upper Makefield, Bristol 
 and Wrightstown, where the Quakers were most numerous. 130 
 The entire number of slaves registered in 1782 was five 
 hundred and twenty, and this may be regarded as fairly 
 accurate since failure to register them meant the loss of the 
 slave. 131 The number registered in the townships where 
 Baptists and Presbyterians were settled, Warwick, Warring- 
 ton, New Britain, Newtown and Bedminster, was very small, 
 while the German districts registered but thirty-two. 132 
 
 The meetings constituting Western Quarterly Meeting 
 (Chester County), Kennett, London Grove, and New Garden 
 have very meagre references to slaves or slave holding up to 
 about 1770. One of the monthly meetings, London Grove, 
 was not established until I7Q2, 133 and between that date and 
 1800 made no reports of any consequence. 
 
 In 1770 Kennett Meeting's committee performed a general 
 visit to all possessed of slaves and found there was not the 
 desired willingness to manumit them which they had ex- 
 pected. 134 From the report made seven years later, we must 
 judge the situation had not changed very considerably since 
 we find one member signified to them that he did not incline 
 to release his Negroes from bondage, nor did he know that 
 ever he should. 135 
 
 It does not, however, seem that the occasional stubborn 
 brother had a discouraging effect on the rest of the meeting. 
 In 1779 the records stated, 
 
 It is desired that Friends attend to the circumstances and the situation 
 of such negroes as have been set free, that we may fully discharge our 
 duty to them, by endeavoring to instruct them, both for their spiritual 
 and temporal good. . . . 1M 
 
 130 Davis, Hist. Bucks Co., II, 297. 
 
 m lbid., 296. Ibid., 297. 
 
 133 Min. London Mo. Mtg. 1792, I (deposited at L. G. Mtg.). 
 
 1M Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 8 161770 439- 
 
 . t 10161777, 619. 1M Ibid., 1141779, 6 5- 
 
 Registration 
 of 1782 
 showed 
 large pro- 
 portion of 
 slaves in 
 Quaker 
 townships 
 
 Early 
 records of 
 slave holding 
 meagre 
 
 Visit per- 
 formed to 
 all salve 
 holders
 
 254 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 New Garden 
 
 Most 
 Negroes 
 reported 
 able to 
 read and 
 write 
 
 Uwchlan 
 
 A committee of three men was immediately appointed to 
 perform the service. This work with committees continued 
 constantly, with the result that nine years later (1889) the 
 meeting reported "none held as slaves amongst us" and that 
 attention was given to education. 137 The registration of 1780 
 showed only three held as slaves in the whole township. 138 
 
 In New Garden attention was early called to the Negroes, 139 
 and a committee appointed then, reported in 1781 that most 
 of them were living among Friends and were generally well 
 provided for. 140 That committee was released, 141 and a new 
 one reported in 1785 the following state of affairs: 
 
 We have paid some attention to the case of free negroes, and find 
 there are but few amongst us, most of whom we have visited where they 
 reside. . . . They are generally well provided for with the neces- 
 saries of life and some care taken of their religious education, in which 
 we believe there may be an improvement. We also inspected their 
 school education and find most of them can read and some write. 142 
 
 In 1789 one case of holding a slave came before the meeting, 
 but at its direction a writ of manumission was immediately 
 secured for the same. 143 The registration in 1780 for New 
 Garden township returned one slave only, held by a Scotch- 
 man. 144 
 
 Uwchlan Monthly Meeting (Cain Quarterly), as early as 
 1765, received a report from a delegation sent from the quar- 
 terly meeting stating it as their opinion that Friends ought to 
 inspect into the care which Friends who had Negroes, extended 
 toward them with regard to their education. 145 A committee 
 was accordingly appointed by the monthly meeting to serve 
 in that capacity. How considerable was their activity in 
 the interval elapsing between their appointment and their 
 first formal report of conditions which was returned to the 
 meeting in 1779, one cannot judge accurately. We may 
 judge from the report above mentioned that there was no 
 
 1S7 Min. Kennett Mo. Mtg., 8 141788, 887. 
 138 Futhey and Cope, 424. 
 
 139 Min. New Garden Mo. Mtg., 12 5 1778, 419 (committee had 
 been appointed in 1774). 
 140 Ibid., 551781, 1 08. 
 Ul lbid., 9 i 1781, 119. 
 
 Ibid., 861785, 256. Ibid., 951789, 419. 
 
 144 Futhey and Cope, Hist, of Chester Co., 424. 
 148 Min. Uwchlan Mo. Mtg., 3 I 1765, 66.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 255 
 
 Negro school, for that race alone; it was perhaps not de- 
 manded by the numbers who would have been eligible. 146 It 
 appears the committee had visited all (Wilmington excepted) 
 who had been freed, and found all generally in a very satisfac- 
 tory state. Some are reported not able to give their children 
 schooling, and for them aid is solicited; 147 for others advice is 
 requested to guide them in their outward affairs. The direc- 
 tion of the Negroes' education, as nearly as can be made out, 
 was of the most practical nature, laying emphasis on the 
 industrial side, at that time an apprentice type of education. 148 
 The interest in the apprentice did not stop as soon as he was 
 placed, but continued, for it was customary to place him 
 with Friends, if possible, and the member of Friends was 
 responsible to his meeting for the fulfilment of his contract 
 with the apprenticed. The following extract from the Middle- 
 town records will serve to show the general regulation by 
 which the apprenticing was carried on among members of 
 the society. 
 
 . . . and his sonnes giving security to the orphans court, and to 
 pay interest for the money that belongs to the said .... ever 
 since the time it became due, and also the said Thomas do abide at 
 Robert Heaton's house for his table and to be kept to school for a year, 
 or so long as the Meeting may think fit. 149 
 
 Sadsbury, 1782, reported they had visited the free Negroes, 
 who were situated nearly as before. 150 No statement was 
 given of the entire number within this locality, but five were 
 listed as having no trade. 151 It appears, however, in spite of 
 that fact, they were not dependent on the community for 
 support. One woman owned a house and lot, "her own pur- 
 chase" ; a man with family rented a small tenement ; and the 
 other three worked as common laborers. 182 
 
 The Bradford minutes (also of Cain Quarterly) devote 
 almost no space to the status of the Negro in their vicinity. 
 
 No Negro 
 school 
 
 14 Min. Uwchlan Mo. Mtg., 9 9 1779, 6sf. 
 "Vbid. 
 
 . 
 
 149 Min. Middletown Mo. Mtg., i 7 1699, 113. 
 180 Min. Sadsbury Mo. Mtg., 7 17 1782, 340. 
 
 Aid solicited 
 to school 
 poor 
 Negroes 
 
 Sadsbury 
 report on 
 situation 
 of Negroes
 
 256 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Bradford 
 reported few 
 slaves 
 
 Concord 
 Quarterly 
 
 Poor 
 
 Negroes to 
 be put to 
 trades 
 
 Negroes 
 sent to 
 books sent 
 among them 
 
 Concord 
 
 8 children 
 reported of 
 school age 
 but not in 
 school 
 
 Goshen 
 
 This may have been because there were few slaves there. At 
 the registration of slaves, compelled by law in i78o, 153 the 
 townships of East and West Bradford returned none what- 
 ever. 154 
 
 In the discussion of Concord Quarterly there will be 
 material presented from Chester, Concord and Goshen. In 
 1779 Chester Monthly Meeting reported they had made a 
 visit to all freed Negroes, of whom it was said, some were 
 quite poor and unable to school their children. 156 The 
 visiting committee recommended that the poor should be 
 put out to trades and given schooling, and suggested 
 that a subscription should be raised for that purpose. The 
 meeting was heartily in favor of this and at once appointed 
 a committee to look after the subscriptions and their 
 application. 156 Two years later (1781) after a similar 
 visitation by committee, it was reported that they had 
 been advised of their temporal and religious duties, many 
 sent to school and books distributed among them. 15 '' At 
 these dates no special schools for Negroes were mentioned, 
 and the date of their establishment is not found, but in 1785 
 the report of the committee on Negroes, requesting a new 
 subscription for supporting Negro schools, indicated that 
 there were special schools established for them. 158 
 
 The situation at Concord Meeting was very similar to that 
 of Chester, as appears by their report of 1779. Following the 
 customary visitation, it was stated that the visit was satis- 
 factory in many places, but in some families were found small 
 children, eight of whom were of school age, but whose parents 
 were unable to school them. 159 The meeting was asked to 
 give its attention to the matter, but nothing was found in the 
 minutes to indicate what they did further to remedy the 
 matter. 
 
 The Goshen Meeting seems from its answers to the queries 
 in 1756 to be in a very satisfactory state with regard to slave- 
 
 1B3 Co/. Rec., XII, 99; Laws of Pa., Ill, 268-272. 
 
 1B4 Futhey and Cope, 424. 
 
 168 Min. Chester Mo. Mtg., 10 25 1779, 31. 
 
 Ibid., 7301781, 73f. 
 lM Ibid., 9231785, 177- 
 169 Min. Concord Mo. Mtg., 6 9 1779, 86.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 257 
 
 holding, "none having been purchased of late years," though 
 they consider they are not careful enough in educating them 
 in Christian principles. 160 They were, however, careful to 
 deal individually with those few who were engaged in any 
 manner in holding slaves in bondage. 161 In 1758 the record 
 stated : 
 
 Those few negroes amongst us we believe are provided with a suffi- 
 ciency of food and clothing, but doubt some are too careless in affording 
 them religious instruction. 162 
 
 Four years later conditions were somewhat improved, and 
 their report stated: 
 
 No purchase since our last account that we know of. Those amongst 
 us who keep negro slaves, we believe afford them a sufficiency of food 
 and clothing and endeavors are used with some to learn them to read. 163 
 
 If we read a little further the records for the same year, we 
 are informed that some were sent to school, supposedly to a 
 "White school" due to the small number of Negroes among 
 Friends. 164 From the above references, then, taken in con- 
 nection with one of the second month, 1764, we are led to 
 infer that the education of the Negroes under Friends' care was 
 carried on in a school and not in the home, under individual 
 instructors, whoever might be able to do it. The reference 
 of 1764 stated "some are sent to school to learn to read." 166 
 
 Simultaneously with this care in their education, the meet- 
 ing was working on each individual case, among the members, 
 to convince them of the propriety of the manumission prac- 
 tice. In 1776 Randel Mailin manumitted his Negro man 
 Peter Cuff, and produced his record of the same to the meet- 
 ing to have it recorded on their books. 166 The next year 
 (1777) Nathan Hoop manumitted a Negro woman, 18 years 
 old, and her two mulatto boys as soon as they should become 
 21 years of age. 167 The following brief extract is illustrative 
 of the many cases where pressure was brought to bear in a 
 kindly way, to the end that this or that person might set 
 Negroes free. 
 
 Endeavors 
 to teach 
 negroes to 
 read, re- 
 ported 
 
 Negroes 
 sent to 
 school 
 
 Manumis- 
 sion con- 
 tinually 
 urged 
 
 160 Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 10181756. 
 Ibid., 7 181757. 
 
 l(A Ibid., 7 17 1758. lK Ibtd., 210 1764. 
 
 l "Ibid.,2 5 1762. l Ibid., 451776. 
 
 861762. Ibid., 371777-
 
 258 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Discipline 
 of members 
 guilty of 
 slave 
 dealing 
 
 Schooling of 
 Negroes 
 under care 
 
 Low return 
 in Quaker 
 townships 
 in 1780 
 registra- 
 tions 
 
 Abington 
 Quarter 
 
 Horsham 
 Monthly 
 
 Negroes 
 schooled at 
 expense of 
 school com- 
 mittee 
 
 Complaint is brought against Thomas Pennington for buying and 
 selling a negro woman. Joseph Thomas and Randle Mailin are ap- 
 pointed to deal with him as our discipline directs. 168 
 
 In 1778 the Goshen Meeting appointed a committee, 
 Randle Mailin and Caleb Maris, to join with a committee 
 appointed by the Quarterly Meeting (Concord) to advise 
 together concerning the education of the Negroes. 169 This 
 is a very good indication that organized action was taken, 
 educationally, and that it was not left to individual choice. 
 In 1780 the monthly meeting reported to the yearly meeting 
 that its committee (the one formerly appointed) had been 
 "advising Negroes" on their religious education and had their 
 "schooling under care." 170 The registry of slaves in 1780 
 showed thirteen as the full quota for Goshen township. 171 
 As a general rule very few were returned from the Quaker 
 townships while the vast majority came from those of the 
 Welsh (Charlestown, Tredyffrin and East Nantmeal) and 
 the Scotch-Irish (Newtown, Londonderry, Oxford and East 
 Nottingham.) 172 
 
 From the meeting records in the Abington Quarter there 
 will be presented some of the material relating to Horsham, 
 Byberry (not established a monthly meeting till i8io), 173 and 
 Gwynedd, which may be taken as representative of that 
 quarterly meeting. 
 
 Though there is scant evidence in the Horsham Monthly 
 Meeting minutes to indicate what they did in reference to the 
 Negroes' education, we are not left entirely in the dark. The 
 Horsham School Committee, which made a report of its own 
 after 1783, made occasional reference thereto, and it must be 
 understood from these reports that the Negroes were schooled 
 at the expense of the school committee. The only proof of 
 this statement, given in the records, is found in statements like 
 the following: 
 
 168 Min. Goshen Mo. Mtg., 7 10 1778. 
 Ibid., 12 II 1778. 
 Ibid., 8 n 1780. 
 171 Futhey and Cope, 424. 
 
 17Z This statement is based on the results of G. Cope's study of local 
 history. 
 
 173 Bunting, Recs., Mtg. Phila. Yr. Mtg., 24.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 259 
 
 An account of Thomas Hallowell for schooling Griffith Camel's and 
 negro Caesar's children was produced and considered, and the treasurer 
 ordered to pay him grant given. That of Caesar's lies for inspection, 174 
 
 This makes clear that cases of Negro schooling were taken 
 before the same committee as cases of poor Whites and were 
 investigated and disposed of in the same manner. 
 
 Byberry Preparative Meeting makes no reference during 
 the early years to the status of the Negro in its limits. 
 Martindale, in a History of Byberry and Moreland, states that 
 slavery came into Byberry about lyzi, 175 the slaves being 
 employed by the more opulent class to do the roughest work. 
 The inventory of a Friends' property (1727) showed that he 
 possessed "one negro girl, 20, and one negro boy, 3o." m 
 Of their intervening history little is recorded, though the 
 Negroes were set free by many members of Friends, and in 
 1779 the meeting authorized Silas Walmsley and William 
 Walmsley to provide a suitable burying ground for the use of 
 Negroes who had been freed. 1 " What was done for their 
 education is not known. 
 
 It is noticeable that in the earliest answers to the query 
 concerning Negroes (about 1756) the majority of the monthly 
 meetings usually answered in an offhand manner that they 
 were "clear" or there were "none to be charged with that 
 breech," or something to that effect. The writer believes 
 these reports first sent in were perhaps made from only a 
 general knowledge of the situation, and not the result of an 
 exact knowledge of their members' practices. This statement 
 is not capable of an exact proof, but the remarkable similarity 
 in all the meeting records for the first few reports, certainly 
 indicate that such was the case. Quite frequently, yes, in 
 most cases, the " clear" reports are followed after a few months 
 or years by statements that some are imported, a few held 
 as slaves, or one Negro sold and similar reports. This was 
 true in the case of Gwynedd. In 1756 the meeting reported 
 "we have not to charge any," 178 and three months following, 
 
 174 Rec. Horsham School Com., u 15 1793- 
 
 176 Martindale, Hist, of Byberry and Moreland, 49. 
 
 m lbid., 50. (The sources used by Martindale are not found.) 
 
 177 Min. Byberry Prep. Mtg., 9 *5 1 779- 
 
 178 Min. Gwynedd Mo. Mtg., 4251756, 215. 
 
 Byberry 
 
 Slaves in 
 1721 
 
 1727 
 
 Records not 
 always to be 
 relied upon
 
 260 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 "Friends think themselves clear in this respect"; 179 the 
 nature of the wording in the last would imply it was based 
 more on implicit faith than explicit judgment. Eleven years 
 thereafter we have more definite reports, such as : 
 
 . . . . clear of importing negroes; the few possessed by Friends 
 are well used, their slavery excepted, 180 and none bought or sold that we 
 know of; those that have them use them well as to the necessities of 
 life and some are brought to meetings at times. 181 
 
 From that time forward the reports made to the monthly 
 meeting were very definite. In 1775 a report was brought in 
 which purported to cover the entire compass of the meeting. 
 It stated the number held, their status, and what was done 
 for their benefit. It is interesting to note that a few enjoyed 
 some educational opportunities, limited to be sure, the details 
 of which are presented here, as they appeared in the minutes 
 of the meeting. 
 
 We of the committee appointed by the Monthly Meeting to visit such 
 of our members as are possessed of slaves, and detaining them in bond- 
 age, contrary .... visited all such of our members that are 
 under that circumstance as we know of, which are eight in number, who 
 are possessed of sixteen negroes and one mulatto, viz.: ist possesses 
 one negro girl about 17 years of age and appeared in a disposition rather 
 to justify the practice of detaining her in bondage during life than other- 
 wise. 2d, possesses five negroes one of which is a man about 35 years of 
 age, who he said he intended to set free at the next quarter sessions. 
 The other four three boys and a girl, are young, whom he said he 
 intended to set free as they came of age, the boys at 21 and the girl at 18, 
 giving them learning to fit them for business. 3rd, two negroes, a man 
 and a woman, the man about 30 years of age, who was in the possession 
 of a Friend, lately deceased, now in his executors, who said he intended 
 they should soon enjoy their liberty. 4th, possessor of three negroes, 
 one a woman 20 years old, who he said he expected should have her 
 liberty in a short time the other two, a man and a woman about 20 
 years of age, both as we thought, incapable of freedom. 5th, possessor 
 of 2 negroes, a woman about 32 years old, who he said should have her 
 liberty, when she earned him thirty pounds. The girl about ten years 
 old who he said is to be set free by his last will when she arrives at the 
 age of 30 years. 6th. Possessor of two negroes, both women, one about 
 34, the other about 19 years old; the said Friend not in a capacity of 
 giving any account of what might be done for them. 7th. Possessor of 
 
 179 Min. Gwynedd Mo. Mtg., 7 27 1756, 164. 
 1M Ibid., 7 28 1767, 13. 
 lsl !bid., 7261768, 40.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 261 
 
 a mulatto girl about 1 1 years old, bound to him till she is3i, who he said 
 he intended to set at liberty at the age of 21, with endeavors to learn her 
 to read. 8th. Possessor of a negro girl about 17 years old, who her 
 mistress said she intended to do the best she could by. 182 
 
 In 1779 it is reported that the affairs of Negroes are still in 
 the hands of the committee for that purpose, but that not 
 much more has been accomplished than was last reported. 183 
 It would seem though that the committee was decidedly 
 active in dealing with individual cases of discipline both at 
 that time and in the years following. Especially did they 
 urge first the freedom of the slave, and when this was refused, 
 as it occasionally was, they did not hesitate to eject the 
 recalcitrant member. 184 So effective was their service that 
 by 1790 there were none held as slaves by Friends and in 
 regard to their education they reported: "Some care and 
 labor is extended towards the instruction and education of 
 such Negroes as are under Friends' care." 186 
 
 It would be interesting to compare the Friends' own 
 account of their activity with that of an outsider who merely 
 looked on, but the writer has been unable to find any opinion 
 on the subject by any contemporary, either through this 
 investigation or from those made by others. Many, it is 
 true, comment on their social and economic status but little 
 mention is ever made of their education. 186 
 
 The Warrington and Fairfax Quarterly Meeting (Baltimore 
 Yearly Meeting) reported in 1776 that their Negroes were 
 well taken care of, but their education was "much neg- 
 lected." 187 Three years later they reported: 
 
 By the accounts now received it appears that the religious education of 
 such negroes and their children as have been restored to freedom has 
 been attended to and a visit performed to most of them to good satisfac- 
 tion, and there appears to be a hopeful prospect that those who have 
 been under their immediate care will comply with Friends' advice with 
 respect to the school education. Some care has been taken therein. 188 
 
 182 Min. Gwynedd Mo. Mtg., 8271775, 202. 
 183 Ibid., 5251779, 306. 
 lM Ibid., 8261783, 172. 
 1K Ibid., 7 27 1790, 112. 
 
 188 Kaln, P., Travels into North America, I, 390, 394. 
 187 Min. Warrington and Fairfax Q. Mtg., 9-16-1776, n. 
 18 *Ibid 9 20 1779, 73. (Warrington Meeting, in the County of 
 York.) 
 
 Members 
 disciplined 
 for failure 
 to manumit 
 slaves 
 
 Warrington 
 and Fairfax 
 Quarterly 
 
 Some care 
 taken in 
 their 
 education
 
 262 
 
 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Friendly 
 relation of 
 Quakers 
 and Indians 
 
 No rum to 
 any but 
 chieftain by 
 law, 1701 
 
 ATTITUDE TOWARD THE INDIANS 
 
 The uncommon relation existing from the time of the first 
 settlement of Penn's colony throughout the entire colonial 
 history, is well known to every schoolboy; such relations, 
 between any possibly antagonistic groups, have been without 
 parallel in the history of this country. Applegarth, speaking 
 of this happy relationship, states that the results of his study 
 revealed but two instances in which Friends had been 
 massacred by Indians, and these cases were entirely the 
 results of misunderstanding. 189 
 
 It is aside from the point to relate at length the means 
 employed by Penn and the Quakers to cultivate the friendship 
 of these people. Nothing was more forceful than his immed- 
 iate association with, and travels among them, and the 
 messages in which he explained that he and his people were 
 one with them and that they were all the "Friends of Onas." 
 
 Indian affairs were considered in a rational manner and 
 occupied much of the time of the Governor and Council. 
 Instances of a solicitous interest in the Indians* are seen in the 
 laws of 1701, forbidding the sale of rum to any but the chiefs, 
 who should distribute it as they thought best, 190 and a still 
 more restrictive law in 1722, which prohibited the sale of 
 liquor to Indians. Of still more importance was the establish- 
 ment of the principle that an abuse committed by an Indian 
 towards the Whites must be adjusted by the Indian chief, not 
 revenged by the Whites, which was given out in the instruc- 
 tions to colonists; and the converse stated later (1728) by the 
 Governor, that if a White injured an Indian he should make 
 complaint to the Whites, who would then punish the offense 
 under their own laws. 191 
 
 Friends' ministers were also active in the missionary work 
 among the Indians, which was first urged and practiced by 
 
 189 Applegarth, Quakers in Pa., Johns Hopkins Univ. Studies, 
 VIII-IX, 56. 
 
 Col. Rec. II, 16. 
 
 Ibid., Ill, 356. 
 
 *Mention should also be made of the Friendly Ass'nfor Preserving 
 Peace with the Indians. For reference see Vol. 3, Penn's MS., relating to 
 Indian Affairs, pp. 17-18, an address to Governor Dewey, 1757; also 
 p. 89, an address to Proprietaries Thomas Penn and Richard Penn on 
 same subject.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 263 
 
 George Fox. Not only the numerous excursions of Perm, but 
 also those of Thomas Story, Thomas Turner, Chalkley and 
 others, evidence the ready spirit with which the commands of 
 Fox were received. 192 Besides the general missionary work 
 and relief for the Indians, that from time to time is mentioned 
 in the several meetings, there is no evidence that anything 
 considerable towards a school education was attempted till 
 the latter part of the century. In a letter of the yearly 
 meeting in 1796, it is stated that Friends are, 
 
 engaged in an undertaking to furnish them with some of the comforts of 
 civilized life. A fund is raising to supply the expense of instructing them 
 in Agriculture, in mechanic arts, and in some useful branches of 
 learning. 193 
 
 An excellent illustration of this movement towards the 
 education of the Indian, and the naive friendly manner with 
 which they made known their needs is found in the following 
 communications, which are self-explanatory. 
 
 To the children of the friends of Onas, who first settled in Pennsylvania: 
 Brothers, The request of Cornplanter, a chief of the Seneca Nation. 
 
 The Seneca Nation sees that the Great Spirit intends that they shall 
 not continue to live by hunting, and they look around on every side, 
 and inquire who it is that shall teach them what is best for them to do. 
 Your fathers have dealt fairly and honestly with our fathers, and they 
 have charged us to remember it; and we think it right to tell you that 
 we wish our children to be taught the same principles by which your 
 fathers were guided in their councils. 
 
 Brothers, we have too little wisdom among us, we cannot teach our 
 children what we perceive their situation requires them to know, and 
 we therefore ask you to instruct some of them; we wish them to be 
 instructed to read and write, and such other things as you teach your 
 own children; and especially teach them to love peace. 
 
 Brothers, we desire of you to take under your care two Seneca boys, 
 and teach them as your own; and in order that they may be satisfied 
 to remain with you, and be easy in their minds, that you will take with 
 them the son of our interpreter, and teach him according to his desire. 
 
 Brothers, you know it is not in our power to pay you for the education 
 of these three boys; and therefore you must, if you do this thing, look up 
 to God for your reward. 
 
 Brothers, You will consider of this request, and let us know what you 
 determine to do. If your hearts are inclined toward us, and you will 
 
 Work of 
 missionaries 
 
 Specific 
 
 educational 
 
 work 
 
 The Indians 
 request aid 
 
 1M Bowden, II, 70. 
 
 193 London Yr. Mtg. Epistles, 1795, 487.
 
 264 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 His request 
 granted 
 
 Committee 
 appointed by 
 yearly meet- 
 ing in 1795 
 
 Oneidas and 
 Tuscaroras 
 willing to 
 accept 
 assistance 
 
 School 
 established 
 
 afford our nation this great advantage, I will send my son as one of the 
 boys to receive your instruction, at the time which you shall appoint. 194 
 
 Cornplanter his 
 
 Signed 2-10-1791 X 
 
 In presence of Joseph Nichols. mark 
 
 To Cornplanter, The Seneca Chief: 
 
 The written message of Cornplanter, dated at Philadelphia, on the 
 loth of February last, was not received by us until some weeks after. 
 His request that we would take under our care two Seneca boys, one of 
 them his own son, accompanied with the son of Joseph Nicholson, we 
 have considered, and do agree to receive them when they can con- 
 veniently be sent to us; intending they shall be treated with care and 
 kindness and instructed in reading, writing and husbandry as the other 
 children of our Friends are taught; the Governor of Pennsylvania, when 
 informed of this proposal, having expressed his approbation thereof, as 
 did General Knox. 195 
 
 Signed on behalf, and by appointment of a meeting of the representa- 
 tives, of the said people, on the second day of the sixth month, called 
 June, 1791. By several Friends. 
 
 In 1795 a committee was appointed by the Yearly Meeting 
 of Pennsylvania and New Jersey for the promotion and 
 improvement of the Indian natives. 196 Their first act was 
 to attempt to learn the Indian's attitude towards such an 
 activity on the part of Friends. 197 Accordingly a circular 
 letter was sent out to the various neighboring tribes, and also 
 accompanied by a letter from the secretary of state, signifying 
 the government's cooperation and sanction. 198 From the 
 responses it appeared that only the Oneidas and part of the 
 Tuscaroras were willing to accept any assistance, so the fol- 
 lowing summer of 1796, three Friends, approved by the 
 committee, were sent and settled among the Oneidas. In the 
 winter of 1796 they established a school, continued for several 
 years, and taught by an Indian who had been educated in 
 New England. 199 The Indians were found, at first, to be 
 quite averse to any continuous labor, and it was necessary fo 
 the Friends to establish themselves, and to improve a piece 
 of land, in the hope that the Indians would see the results and 
 
 194 Conduct of the Society of Friends towards Indians, 98-99. 
 
 196 Ibid. 
 
 196 A brief account of the Committee's proceedings (pub. in Phila.), 7.
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 
 
 265 
 
 become interested in the process. This seems to have worked 
 quite satisfactorily, for in 1799 they report that the Indians 
 have improved some lands and "sowed them with wheat." 200 
 The various occupations mentioned as being taught the boys 
 were: smith work, tilling soil, sewing, the preparation of 
 lumber in sawmills, and the details included therein. The 
 girls were frequently instructed in spinning, knitting, sewing, 
 school learning, etc. 201 
 
 At this time (1799) the Oneidas became distrustful of the 
 motives of those in charge of the settlement, thinking that 
 such an investment in implements and the permanent 
 nature of the farms laid out, indicated an intention to seek 
 after a time to take their territory from them. The settlers 
 became aware of this feeling and to prove their good faith, 
 decided to leave the settlement with all implements and 
 improvements in sole charge of the natives. The prepara- 
 tions to leave were accomplished in a friendly conference, 
 held in September, I'jgg. 202 The success of this work, for the 
 Oneidas, had been watched by the Seneca tribes, and resulted 
 in an interest in the same thing, culminating in the letters 
 requesting the Friends' assistance, which have already been 
 presented. 203 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 Though slavery had fixed itself, very early, as an institution 
 in Pennsylvania, it was not destined to continue its growth 
 unmolested. Some of the chief factors working against it 
 were: (i) The scruples of Friends, and other sects, (2) the 
 Germans and (3) the opposition of White labor. Restrictive 
 legislation was passed in 1700, 1705 and 1712, placing an ever 
 increasing duty upon those imported. Gradual abolition was 
 provided for by statutes of 1780 and 1788. Socially and 
 economically the condition of the Negro in Pennsylvania was 
 more desirable than in states of her latitude and further 
 south. 
 
 To three Quakers, opposed to Negro slavery, some brief 
 attention is given. Their expressions also indicate a solici- 
 
 Occupations 
 taught 
 
 Indians 
 distrustful 
 
 Slavery in 
 Pennsylvania 
 
 ""Conduct of the Society of Friends towards Indians, 10. 
 
 lol lbid., 8, 9, 10. 
 
 Ibid., 1 1 . 203 See page 263.
 
 266 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Quaker 
 Antagonists 
 of Slavery 
 
 The Quaker 
 organization 
 against 
 slavery 
 
 Schools for 
 Negroes 
 
 In country 
 and small 
 towns 
 
 tous interest in the education of the Indian. Their influence 
 was extended by missionary journeys, speaking in public, and 
 numerous pamphlets published on that subject. This work 
 was by no means limited to the Quakers. Slavery was 
 denounced as impracticable, unjust and inconsistent with the 
 ideals of a free nation. 
 
 (1) Not only individual leaders, but also the organized 
 meetings arrayed themselves to fight against slavery. The 
 first memorial to that effect was on the part of Germantown 
 Meeting in 1688. This was sent to the Quarterly Meeting of 
 Philadelphia, but at that date they took no action in regard 
 to it. In 1727 the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's advisers 
 censured the practice of trading in slaves. A more extensive 
 warning and reproof was administered in 1758. Throughout 
 the early half of the century efforts were made to secure favor 
 for the slaves' freedom ; it was necessary that in some meas- 
 ure that should come first. 
 
 (2) After the active campaign for freedom, the interest in 
 education increased, and, in the last half of the century, 
 there are frequent statements of that nature in records of 
 meetings. Separate schools were established for them where 
 possible. One in Philadelphia was set up by the meeting, 
 though in large measure due to the active personal influence 
 of Benezet, who, after 1782, taught in the school till his 
 death. Moses Patterson was the first teacher; after 1786 
 two schools are always mentioned in reports. In the five 
 years preceding 1782 it is estimated that two hundred and 
 fifty Negroes attended the school. 
 
 Some attention is given to the Negroes and their education, 
 or lack of it, in each of the meetings. The care of this subject 
 in those meetings was in the charge of a committee, the 
 general character of whose duties was indicated on page 2 47. 
 The support of the Negro schools and the education of the 
 poor children was similar to that of other schools. 204 Reports 
 on the progress in freeing, supporting, and educating the 
 Negro, were required by their superior meetings. 
 
 204 No summary is given of conditions in each of the meetings; if 
 desired, see in index, "negro education."
 
 Education of Negroes and Indians 267 
 
 The relations between Friends and Indians were most 
 cordial from the beginning. Though their education was 
 preached early by missionaries and practised in a smaller 
 way, little organized effort was made until 1795. In that Education of 
 year the yearly assembly took the necessary steps to establish 
 schools among neighboring tribes, the first mentioned being 
 for the Oneidas. The desire of the Indian for aid in these 
 matters is indicated by the quoted letter of Cornplanter, the 
 Seneca chief.
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 CONCLUSION 
 
 Society 
 established 
 
 Influence 
 extended by 
 three 
 means 
 
 Fox's aims 
 in education 
 
 Organiza- 
 tion devised 
 by Fox 
 
 Weakness in 
 the organiza- 
 tion 
 
 Leaders who 
 were inter- 
 ested in 
 education 
 
 The society, established by George Fox, near the middle of 
 the seventeenth century, increased rapidly in numbers, due 
 very largely to the efforts of its founder and the services of 
 the men whom he associated with him in his work. This 
 influence was extended by means of (i) journeys made to 
 foreign parts; (2) letters; and (3) preaching out of doors to 
 all who would listen. Fox, from the first, was interested in 
 education, particularly moral and practical, and recommended 
 the establishment of several schools. He was primarily 
 interested in (i) moral training; (2) religious instruction; and 
 (3) in education of a practical sort which would fit every 
 individual to earn a livelihood. These ends which he strove 
 for were likewise accepted as worthy to be achieved, and 
 consciously striven for by the society in its organized meetings. 
 This organization of meetings itself was devised by Fox and 
 regularly constituted in various parts before the time of his 
 death. It consisted of yearly, quarterly, monthly, and 
 particular meetings, whose relations were well defined. The 
 functions of the first were general and directive; those of the 
 last were particular and effective. The chief weakness, 
 already pointed out in previous chapters, was the lack of 
 compulsory power in the yearly meeting. Its recommenda- 
 tions gained results, but might be neglected in communities 
 desiring to do so. 
 
 j'vAn organization, of itself, performs nothing. Its accom- 
 plishments depend on men who have purposes, and the 
 determination and ability to execute them. A considerable 
 number of such men were members of Friends, and expressed 
 themselves definitely on education. Such leaders as Penn, 
 Fothergill, Fox, Banks, Chalkley, Crisp, Crouch, Pastorius, 
 Benezet and others as important, were responsible for its 
 
 (268)
 
 Conclusion 
 
 269 
 
 educational guidance and in the end, accomplishments. 
 From a study of their expressions it appears that the criticisms, 
 concerning the Quakers' antipathy to education, are without 
 foundation, and arose ,for the most part, from their statement 
 that a classical education was not essential for a minister. 
 The life and the education of most of them attest the fact 
 that they sought a higher education for themselves and pro- 
 moted it for others. Not only for their own society, but for 
 the rich and poor of others, were efforts made to establish 
 schools. The education of Indians and Negroes was simi- 
 larly urged both on the part of individuals and the organiza- 
 tion. The tangible results of their efforts in this regard were 
 seen in the various local meetings. 
 
 In the establishment of schools, the direction lay in the 
 hands of the yearly meeting. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's 
 advices on that subject, for the first half century, were very 
 general in nature and seemingly of little import to the various 
 lower meetings. A development is noticed, however, toward 
 a definite plan for schools to be established. The advices of 
 1746 and continuing thereafter, 1750, 1751, 1753, 1755. X 77 8 . 
 and following, are definite in their ideas as to what should be 
 done, and the persistency with which they were urged in the 
 meetings, where all school affairs came to be attended to by 
 committees, seems to have effected tangible results. Com- 
 mittee reports on educational conditions increased greatly in 
 definiteness after 1777, which allows a better estimate to be 
 made of what was done. From such reports it is estimated 
 that by the end of the century there were sixty or seventy 
 schools established "according to direction" given by the 
 yearly meeting. Many others are reported in various meet- 
 ings, which did not measure up in any great degree to the 
 standards set. 
 
 These standards 1 (stated elsewhere in this work) demanded 
 a high moral quality in masters and mistresses, as well as 
 training in the subjects to be taught. From a study of the 
 manuscript records and newspapers it appears that the moral 
 standards, met by Quaker masters, were as high, and, in 
 Philadelphia, perhaps higher than those of the other private 
 
 Quaker 
 antipathy to 
 education 
 appears un- 
 founded 
 
 Education 
 of Negroes 
 and Indians 
 urged and 
 effected 
 
 Schools 
 established 
 
 School 
 affairs in 
 care of com- 
 mittees 
 
 Number of 
 schools in 
 Pennsyl- 
 vania 
 
 The Master 
 
 !The digest of the standards to be attained may be seen on pages I72f.
 
 270 Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania 
 
 Curriculum 
 similar to 
 that in 
 private 
 schools 
 
 No free 
 
 public 
 
 schools 
 
 Number of 
 schools 
 about 1750 
 
 school masters. The cases of open lawlessness are at least 
 more numerous in the latter case. The degree of preparation 
 for teaching ranged from the highest, the best college trained 
 men of the day, to the lowest, those who possessed a most 
 elementary education. 
 
 The opportunities offered for study, both in the lower and 
 in the Classical School, were at all times equal at least to those 
 of the other schools of the day. 
 
 The Quakers established no system of public schools, 
 though they were called such quite frequently. As public 
 school sentiment grew, and the Quaker schools correspondingly 
 declined in many places, they often were taken over as public 
 schools. In that sense they were, truly enough, the founda- 
 tion of public schools. Education was free to the poor; in a 
 few cases the funds might be applied to lower the rates paid 
 by the regular pay scholars, but such were exceptional. 
 
 In 1750 there were about fifty particular meetings in the 
 territory covered by this study; those were under the direc- 
 tion of seventeen monthly meetings. 2 With the exception of 
 nine of them we know from their reports that they had 
 schools then, or established them in the period following 1750, 
 in which the increased activity and interest of the yearly 
 meeting brought the subject more fully to their notice. From 
 the nature of the reports, it is often impossible to determine 
 the date of establishing such a school, and because of the 
 irregularity of reports it is not known how long a school may 
 have been in operation before reported. For these reasons 
 any estimate such as made above is very unsatisfactory. 
 
 It is not to be understood that at the time above mentioned 
 the schools were in all cases "according to the plan" of the 
 yearly meeting. Many reports have been quoted wherein 
 schools were mentioned which did not measure up to the 
 standards. 3 Some lacked buildings, grounds, Friends as mas- 
 ters, masters' accommodations, and so forth. 
 
 Assuming the nine meetings, for which no schools were 
 reported in the minutes, did not have them, there were 
 
 2 Bowden, II, 247 ff. (tables showing the particular monthly, and 
 quarterly meetings, etc.). 
 
 3 See in index: Merion and Valley, for example.
 
 Conclusion 
 
 271 
 
 about forty schools under control of the Quakers, who at that 
 date constituted one-third of the entire population. 4 The 
 population estimated by Oldmixon was about 100,000 in 
 1 741 . 5 Though the colony increased rapidly by immigration, 6 
 the Quaker increase was not proportionate to their numbers 
 stated above. 7 In 1795 it is stated that the Episcopalians 
 and Quakers together constituted but one-third of the whole 
 population, which then numbered about 43 4, 3 7 3. 8 The 
 number of regularly established Quaker schools at that date 
 was between sixty and seventy. 
 
 If in 1741 we estimate the number of school age children of 
 Quaker parentage between six and seven thousand, which is 
 probably a less number than there actually were, it is appar- 
 ent that the schools regularly established were in no way 
 adequate to the school population. The remainder were 
 doubtless cared for in the frequently mentioned mixed 
 schools and neighborhood schools, which are known to have 
 been common. These were sometimes under partial control 
 of the Quaker meetings. What proportion the number of 
 Quaker schools bears to those established by other agencies is 
 not known. No studies made up to the present time have 
 attempted to estimate the number of schools established by 
 all or particular agencies. Any comparison is impossible 
 until such a study is made. 
 
 4 Bowden, II, 157. 
 
 *Ibid., 156; quoted from Oldmixon, I, 304. 
 
 6,200 new settlers came in 1729 (Bowden, II, 156). 
 
 Ubid., 157. 
 
 "Winterbotham, II, 438-439; also, census report, 1790. 
 
 Quaker 
 population 
 one-third 
 of total 
 
 Proportion- 
 ate number 
 of Quakers 
 decreases 
 
 Number of 
 
 regularly 
 
 established 
 
 schools 
 
 inadequate 
 
 for their 
 
 population
 
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 GOUGH, JOHN. History of the Quakers, 4 vols. Dublin, 1789. 
 GREEN, JOHN R. A Short History of the English People. 4 vols. 
 
 New York, 1898. 
 
 GUMMERE, A. M. The Quaker in the Forum. Phila., 1910. 
 HAVERFORD. A History of Haverford College. Phila., 1892. 
 HAZARD, SAMUEL. Annals of Pennsylvania, 1609-1682. Phila., 1850. 
 HEATWOLE, C. J. History of Education in Virginia. New York, 1916. 
 HILDEBURN, CHAS. R. A Century of Printing, The Issues of the Press 
 
 of Pennsylvania, 1685-1784, 2 vols. Phila., 1885. 
 HISTORICAL SKETCHES A Collection of Papers prepared for the His- 
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 HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATIONS OF FRIENDS FOR THE FREE INSTRUCTION 
 
 OF THE ADULT COLORED PERSONS IN PHILADELPHIA. Published by 
 
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 HOLDER, CHAS. F. The Quakers in Great Britain and America. 
 
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 INDIANS Some Account of the Conduct .... of Friends 
 
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 JANNEY, SAMUEL M. The Life of William Penn, with selections from 
 
 his correspondence and autobiography. Phila., 1852. 
 
 History of the Society of Friends from its rise to 1828, 4 vols. 
 
 Phila., 1859-61. 
 
 Life of George Fox. Phila., 1856. 
 JENKINS, HOWARD M. Historical Collections of Gwynedd. Phila., 
 
 1884; Memorial of the City of Philadelphia from its first settlement 
 
 to the year 1895, 2 vols., edited by Young. New York, 1895. 
 JONES, R. M., assisted by ISAAC SHARPLESS, and GUMMERE, A. M. 
 
 Quakers in American Colonies. London, 1911. 
 JORDON, JOHN W. Colonial Families of Philadelphia, 2 vols. New 
 
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 JORDAN, JOHN W. A History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. 
 
 3 vols. New York, 1914.
 
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 KEYSER, NAAMAN H. Old Historic Germantown (an address before 
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 Old Germantown. Germantown, 1907. 
 
 KNIGHT, FRANCIS A. History of Sidcot School. London, 1908. 
 
 LEARNED, MARION D. The Life of Francis Daniel Pastorius. Phila., 
 1908. 
 
 LEVICK, J. J. Early Friends and their Services in America. Phila., 1883. 
 
 MAGiLL, EDWARD H., Educational Institutions in the Society of 
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 MARTINDALE, J. C. A History of the Townships of Byberry and More- 
 land. 'Phila., 1867 
 
 MERION. Bicentennial Anniversary of the Friends Meetinghouse at 
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 MICHENER, EZRA. A Retrospect of Early Quakerism. Phila., 1860. 
 
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 1869. 
 
 MONTGOMERY, M. L. History of Berks County. Phila., 1886. 
 
 MOON, ALPHEUS WILBERFORCE. Early Quaker Education in New 
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 MYERS, ALBERT COOK. Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Penn- 
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 Sally Wister's Journal. Phila., 1902. 
 Hannah Logan's Courtship. Phila., 1904. 
 Quaker Arrivals at Philadelphia. Phila., 1902. 
 
 NODAL, JOHN H. Bibliography ... of Ackworth School. Man- 
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 OBERHOLTZER, ELLIS P. The Literary History of Philadelphia. 
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 PENNYPACKER, HON. S. W. The Settlement of Germantown. Phila., 
 1899. 
 
 PROWELL, GEORGE R. History of York County, Pa., 2 vols. Chicago, 
 1907. 
 
 SEIDENSTICKER, OSWALD. Die erste deutsche Einwanderung in 
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 1797. 
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 285-319- 
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 ABBREVIATIONS 
 
 Am. Wk. Mer. American Weekly Mercury. 
 
 Col. Rec. Colonial Records of Pennsylvania. 
 
 G. S. P. P. Genealogical Society Publications of Pennsylvania. 
 
 H. S. P. Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Min. Mo. Mtg. Minutes of the monthly meeting. 
 
 Min. Prep. Mtg. Minutes of the preparative meeting. 
 
 Pa. Gaz. Pennsylvania Gazette. 
 
 Pa. Get. Soc. Pennsylvania German Society. 
 
 Pa. Mag. of Hist. Pennsylvania Magazine of History. 
 
 P. C. S. M.Penn Charter School Minutes. 
 
 Q. Mtg. Quarterly meeting. 
 
 Yr. Mtg. Yearly meeting. 
 
 Wk. Advt. Weekly Advertiser. 
 
 (283)
 
 INDEX 
 
 Abington, school land, 106; school, 
 
 io6f. 
 
 Ackworth School, 22. 
 Aims of educ., 7ff., 36ff., 161, 268. 
 Apprenticeship educ., recommended, 
 
 9; 85. 86. 159, 206. 
 Attendance, 180, 185; in Negro School, 
 243f- 
 
 Baptists, 5. 
 
 Barclay, on educ., 31. 
 
 Benezet, on educ., 3iff.; employed in 
 
 Phila.. 57-58; 2i6ff.; on keeping 
 
 slaves. 335f. 
 Biddle. 73- 
 
 Birmingham, 131, 134, 163. 
 Blue Hill, 151. 
 Books, distributed, 24; used in schools, 
 
 109, 142, ipaff. 
 Bradford, I23f. ; 134, I36ff. 
 Birstol, school, 88. 
 Buckingham, school, 9sff. 
 Budd, educ. scheme of, 36ff. 
 Buildings and grounds, 6sff.; interior 
 
 df. 6?ff. 
 Byberry, school. 74ff.; report, 76f.; 
 
 schoolmasters at, 224f. 
 
 Chester, i48ff.. 151. 
 
 Chichester, 163. 
 
 Children, apprenticeship of, 159; cared 
 for by meetings, I22f., 141. 
 
 Classic languages, ri, 59, 71; not 
 necessary for ministers, 31, 35. 
 
 Clerkenwell, school at, 22. 
 
 Committees, on schools, functions, 80, 
 168, 141, 143; school corns, ap- 
 pointed, in, 116, 118. 
 
 Concord, i62ff. 
 
 Cox, criticism by, 26ff. 
 
 Crouch, on educ., 34f. 
 
 Curriculum, igoff., 215, 270; Classical 
 School, 196; English School, 197; 
 Negro School, 192; Latin and 
 Greek, 59, 71; letter writing, 191; 
 mathematics, 30, 7 if.; spelling, 
 192; subjects recommended, 29ff. 
 
 Darby, 23f., I54ff. 
 Discipline, 186, 223. 
 
 East Bradford, 131. 
 
 East Cain, i37f. 
 
 Education, before the Quakers, 147; 
 moral, 86; for Negro and Indian, 
 2335., 269; practical, by appren- 
 ticeship, 9, 10; provided in Frame 
 of Government, 42; public, recom- 
 mended, 30; recommended by yr. 
 mtg.. 2off., 109, 123, 174, 
 
 English School, masters of, 222ff. 
 
 Evening Schools, 187. 
 
 Exeter, 7gff. 
 
 Falls. 86ff. 
 
 Fox, sketch of life, 2ff.; conclusions of. 
 4; educ'l creed, 7flf.; recommended 
 schs., 10; educ. of ministers, uf.; 
 mo. mtgs. recommended, 16. 
 
 Free Schools, 1 80. 
 
 Gennantown, 77ff. 
 Girls' School, 70, 213, 217. 
 Goshen, I3oflf. 
 Gwynedd, no, 113. 
 
 Haverford, 162. 
 
 Horsham, Ii4ff. 
 
 Indians, educ. recommended, 8, it, 37, 
 269; friendly relation with, 262; 
 issue of rum to, 262; missionaries 
 among, 263; aid requested by, 263; 
 educ'l. work among, 26sf.; occupa- 
 tions taught, 265. 
 
 Inner light. 2, 4, 7. 13- 
 
 Kennett, I22f.; discontinued. 124; 137. 
 I6of. 
 
 Lampeter, 143. 
 
 Land, for school use, 81, 87ff.. 106. 125. 
 I3if., I48f., 1761. 
 
 Latin School, masters of, 22off. 
 
 Legacies: Carter. 74. 107*-; Wade, 
 Lineham and Richards. 63; Bryner 
 and Baldwin, 90; Marker. 93. 95; 
 Holcomb, 95; Abbitt. Buckman 
 and Twining, 101; Roberts and 
 Walton. 103; Keen and Hosltin*. 
 
 (28 5 )
 
 286 
 
 Index 
 
 148; Taylor and Hall, 149; Turner 
 iSif.; Evans, 152; Meed, 153; 
 Blunston, 154; Lobb, 157; Yar- 
 nall, 165; Barnes, io6.; under 
 care of trustees, 75, iO7f. 
 
 Literature, used in meetings, ippff. 
 
 London, yearly mtg. established, 17; 
 advices on educ., I72f. 
 
 London Grove, 140. 
 
 Maiden Creek, 8of. 
 
 Makefield, 88. 
 
 Meetings, established, isf., 79, 85, 105, 
 
 122, 147. 
 Mennonites, 4f. 
 Merion and Valley, 1 14. 
 Methods, 197, 199. 
 Middletown, 92ff., I49f., 151. 
 Montgomery Township, 112. 
 Monthly meeting, function, 19, 169, 
 
 175. 
 Morristown, in. 
 
 Nantmeal, I39f. 
 
 Negro, educ. recommended, 8, 12, 37, 
 269; manumission, 252, 257, 261; 
 
 educ. of in Phila., 239- 
 
 246; Exeter, 248; Radnor, 248f.; 
 Middletown, 249f . ; Buckingham, 
 25off.; Kennett, 253; New Garden 
 and Uwchlan, 138, 254; Sadsbury 
 and Bradford, 255; Concord and 
 Goshen, 256; Abington and Hor- 
 sham, 258; Bybeny and Gwynedd 
 2S9ff. ; Warrington and Fairfax, 
 
 261; attitude of sects toward , 
 
 23 iff.; meetings for , 239; 
 
 com. on affairs, 24of.; duties 
 
 of com. on , 246-7 ; in Pa. 
 
 228ff. 
 
 Negro School, established, 24if.; sup- 
 port, 64; housed, 70, 71; 2 15, 217 
 status in 1800, 245; support of 
 243f., 247f.; attendance, 243f. 
 teachers in, Patterson, 241 
 Houghton, 242; Benezet, 242 
 Britt, Dougherty, Meccum, 243 
 Pickering, 244; Mears, 245. 
 
 New Garden, I23f., I28ff., 137. 
 
 Organization, of meetings, purpose, IS; 
 explained, 18; with regard to 
 schools, 172-190; weakness of, 
 268. 
 
 Pastorius, 47, S3. 77ff- 
 Pay scholars, 180. 
 
 Penn, on educ., 28ff.; coming to Phila., 
 41. 
 
 Penn Charter School, 45; petition to 
 incorporate, 47ff.; first charter, 
 49ff.; rechartered, 52; self per- 
 petuating corporation of, 53, 106. 
 
 Philadelphia, reports on schs. in, S8ff., 
 7 iff. 
 
 Plymouth, 112. 
 
 Poor, educ. of, 32, 38, S9, 74, 91, liaf., 
 117, 149, 159. 
 
 Preachers, journeys of, sf. 
 
 Preparative meeting, functions, 19. 
 
 Printing, encouraged, 152. 
 
 Quakers, origin of, iff. ; growth of, 6. 
 Quarterly meeting, functions, 19, 168, 
 174- 
 
 Radnor, isSff. 
 
 Rates, 7 iff. 
 
 Reading, 8 if. 
 
 Regulations, adopted for schools, nsf-, 
 
 1251., i82ff. 
 Rewards, 186. 
 Richland, iO2f. 
 Robeson, 8of. 
 
 Sadsbury, 14 iff. 
 
 Salary, 43, 45, 47, S4f-, 62, 2iof., 154; 
 
 compared, 212. 
 School control, 80, 186, 141, 143; corns. 
 
 appointed on, in, 116, 118. 
 Schoolday, length of, i86ff. 
 Schoolhouses, I77ff.; school property, 
 
 urged necessary, I76f. 
 Schoolmistresses, 54, S8ff., 130, 208, 
 
 2I2f. 
 
 Schools, modern tendency, 39; number 
 established estimated, 121, 270. 
 
 School support, 39, 4Sf-, 60-65, 7 iff., 
 89f., 92f., 98f.; I27f., 133, I39ff- 
 I43f., 148, isof., I57f., 160, 164 
 167-172; distribution of funds, 
 108; of Negro School, 64. 
 
 Schwenkfeld, Caspar, 4. 
 
 Schacklewell, school, 10, 22. 
 
 Slavery, beginning of in Pa., 228; 
 opponents of, 233ff. ; classes inter- 
 ested, 230; attitude of Quakers, 
 2365.; laws regarding, 228f.; 
 increase of, 230; condition of 
 slaves, 231; attitude of Fox, 233; 
 Woolman, 234; Benezet, 235f.; 
 Keith, 236. 
 
 Spelling, 192. 
 
 Springfield, 151. 
 
 Student papers, i88f. 
 
 Supervision of schools, 96f., 189.
 
 Index 
 
 287 
 
 Teachers, selection of, 100, no; 
 scarcity, 150; source, aosf., 209; 
 qualifications, 204; tenure, 2oyf., 
 209; duties, 214; rated, 216; no 
 contract for, 210; morality, 225; 
 269. 
 
 Teachers named: Albertson, 113; 
 Ayres, 225; Brockden, 56, 74; 
 Brientnall, 58; Brown, 59, 72, 
 218; Britt, 218; Buichell, 208, 
 214; Binns, 218; Buller, 218; 
 Benezet, 3iff., 57, 58, 2i6ff., 23$f.; 
 Cadwalader, 54, 55, 209, 218; 
 Cathrall, 59, 215; Clarke, 60, 72, 
 219; Carver, 225, 116; Clift, 207, 
 209, 219, 154; Coggins and Cham- 
 berlain, 114; Dickinson, 207, 219; 
 Dougherty, 215; Dull, 114; Every, 
 
 55, 224; Eldridge, 206, Evans, 
 113; Flower, 42f., 45, 59; Fitz- 
 patrick, 225, 116; Foulke, 114; 
 Hartshorne, 60, 74; Harry, 60, 72; 
 Houghton, 57; Josai, 58; Jones, 
 59, 114; Jackson, 220; Johnson, 
 225; Keith, 45, 207, 209, 219, 
 Kirk, 225; King, 207, 220; Lan- 
 caster, 59, 72; Makin, 46, 53, 54, 
 
 56, 57, 207, 209, 219; Marsh, 60, 
 73; McDonnell, 60, 73; Mears, 
 218; Moor, 224; Meccum, 215; 
 Naylor, 55; Pardo, no, 114; 
 Parks, 225; Patterson, 220; Pas- 
 torious, 47, 53, 77ff.; Proud, 59- 
 
 71, i83ff.. 206, 209, 22iff. Picker- 
 ing, 218; Pemberton, 224; Pear- 
 son, 225; Price, 114; Rakestraw, 
 59; Robbins, 56; Richards, 224; 
 Smith, 58, 116, 225; Songhurst, 
 54, 208, 213; Snowden, 223; 
 Sitch, 224; Taylor, 107, 207, 225; 
 Thompson, 58, 22of., 222; Thome, 
 223; Thornton, 209, 213; Todd, 
 
 58, 59, 72, 222; Underwood, 225; 
 Walby, 55; Warden. 56; Weaver. 
 
 59, 72; Willian. 57. 205, 209. 220; 
 Wilson, 220; Waring, 223; War- 
 ren, 206; Yerkes, 58, 223. 
 
 Tuke, on educ., 34f. 
 Uwchlan, I38ff. 
 
 Waltham, school at, 10, 22. 
 
 Warrington, 117. 
 
 Westtown Boarding School, 60, 73. 89. 
 
 145, 151. 
 
 Whitehead, on educ., 34f. 
 Willistown, 132. 
 Women, as teachers, 54, 58f., 130; on 
 
 school com., 118, 140. 
 Woolman, on educ., 33f.; on slave 
 
 holding, 234. 
 Writing school, 195. 
 
 Yearly meeting, recommends educa- 
 tion, 2 off., 109; functions, 18. 
 York, 119. 
 Youths' meetings, xosf-. H7-
 
 VITA 
 
 THOMAS WOODY, born at Thorntown, Indiana, November 
 3, 1891. Elementary education in public school No. 6, Sugar 
 Creek township, and secondary education in the Thorntown 
 High School. Entered Indiana University, 1910; graduated, 
 A.B., 1913. Taught in Warsaw (Indiana) High School, 1913- 
 1915. Entered Columbia University, 1915; graduate scholar 
 and assistant in department of History of Education, 1916- 
 17. Awarded fellowship for further research, 1917-18.
 
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