Early Quaker education in PennsylvaniaWoody, Thomas
History
Early Quaker education in Pennsylvania
Woody, Thomas
Education -- Pennsylvania -- History; Society of Friends -- Education -- History; Thesis (Ph. D.)
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.[681]
[Sidenote: Legacy from Thomas Evans]
The meeting’s schools also received a considerable assistance through a
legacy of £50 left by Thomas Evans for the establishment and support of
a school within the verge of Chester Monthly.[682] 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 enlightenment 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.
[Sidenote: Printing encouraged by the meeting]
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.[683]
[Sidenote: An early attention to education reported by the quarterly
meeting]
We have noticed that there appeared to be very little in the records
of the monthly meeting until about 1770 and that they contained
little of educational interest before that time. The records of the
Quarterly Meeting of Chester (later known as 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
instruction of poor children which would fit them to earn a living. We
may mention the financial assistance promised by Joseph Mead in that year.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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