Such aid as this doubtless hastened the coming of the first school which was reported by the committee in 1786.[749] SUMMARY [Sidenote: The meetings] The establishment of schools in Chester, Radnor, Darby and Concord meetings is discussed in this chapter. [Sidenote: Chester] [Sidenote: Land devised for schools] [Sidenote: Three schools] 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 subscription plans formulated. At the end of the century three schools were reported under Friends’ care. [Sidenote: Darby] [Sidenote: Committees coöperate] [Sidenote: Two schools] The first school at Darby was taught by Benjamin Clift in 1692, 1693 and 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 between 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. [Sidenote: Radnor] [Sidenote: Two schools under charge of meeting] Smith says that as early as 1788 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_. [Sidenote: Concord] [Sidenote: Two schools 1779] 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 preparative meeting, Concord, Chichester, and Birmingham. CHAPTER IX SCHOOL SUPPORT, ORGANIZATION, AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT [Sidenote: Problem of support]