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.[723] They also, at that date, report themselves free of holding slaves;[724] likewise in 1759, in regard to both.[725] In 1768, in regard to a case of apprenticing children, this minute is recorded by the meeting: [Sidenote: Children apprenticed] The meeting taking the request to reimburse them the expense accruing 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....[726] [Sidenote: Making wills recommended] 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.[727] 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, educational. The suggestion of leaving bequests for public purposes, 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 Philadelphia was received concerning the question of schools.[728] [Sidenote: Report of quarterly meeting] 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.[729] 1. We believe it a subject of much importance. 2. Corruptions have been introduced by mingling in outside schools. 3. It is necessary to have schools under masters and mistresses who take care of religious education. 4. We believe it our duty to spread the work through the yearly meeting. [Sidenote: Committee appointed on education]