[Sidenote: Rules drawn up therefor] 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 England.[286] The project was greatly encouraged by Owen Biddle, who (6th month, 10th, 1790) published a pamphlet of 52 pages in which the plea for such a school was elaborated.[287] A committee was appointed to confer with him, and reported they wished to present their wishes also to the other monthly meetings of the city,[288] and they concurring, to present the wishes of the monthly meetings to the quarterly and so on to the yearly meeting.[289] The report, when presented to the other two monthly meetings, met with favor,[290] and it was accordingly agreed (1792) to bring the matter before the quarterly meeting.[291] The approval of the quarterly and yearly meetings[292] 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, in 1797, was £247/10.[293] The school established at Westtown on the tract of land purchased by the yearly meeting, was opened in 1800,[294] with Richard Hartshorne as the first superintendent.[295] Rules and regulations for its conduct had been drawn up by a committee appointed by the yearly meeting in 1794.[296] OTHER SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA COUNTY [Sidenote: First school probably as early as 1710 or 1711] 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,[297] 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.”[298] [Sidenote: Greater activity near middle of century] This would indicate that the said Richard had been teaching 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 movement, 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.[299] In 1755, it was: