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 consideration.[333] 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.[334] In 1781 the committee reported they had visited the preparative meetings (two of them), and recommended to them the careful consideration of the youths’ education, under good moral tutors.[335] A year later, the committee was released, having, according to reports, accomplished nothing.[336] 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.[337] Despairing of any report, unless of their own making, the monthly meeting appointed a committee of nine men to visit all the preparatives and report what they thought of their schools.[338] They produced the following statement. [Sidenote: Report of the committee] [Sidenote: No school of Exeter Preparative] [Sidenote: A school at Maiden Creek] [Sidenote: School at Reading] [Sidenote: School at Robeson] Most of the committee appointed two months ago to take into consideration 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 Preparative 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 40/ 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 likewise 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 10/ per quarter but is not under the direction of the meeting, nor are there any overseers chosen to superintend 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.