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.)
This report means nothing in terms of accomplishment, but indicates
willingness and an active interest in educational problems. In reading of
their “discouragements” one must keep in mind the standards set by the
yearly meeting, and that their report was their idea of how they measured
up to them.
[Sidenote: Gwynedd]
[Sidenote: Schoolhouse mentioned 1721]
The first mention of any school (or any reference to indicate there
may have been a school in the limits of Gwynedd) is that of 1721, in a
petition for a road, entered by Roland Hughes and Robert Humphrey.[475]
The mention herein made is of a schoolhouse located near the property
of Robert Humphrey and Roland Hughes and not far distant from the road
to Philadelphia. Neither has trace been found of any school actually
established nor of schoolmaster to have charge over it, yet the presence
of a building erected for that purpose lends credence to the view that
there was a school there, though perhaps irregularly conducted. Procedure
in other districts was usually that schools were present before the
schoolhouses were built.[476]
[Sidenote: Marmaduke Pardo teacher]
The first mention of a schoolmaster is relative to Marmaduke Pardo, who
came with the following certificate from Pembrokeshire in Wales.
We whose names are hereunto subscribed, being the curate
and others of the inhabitants of the Parish of St. Davids,
do hereby certify whom it may concern, that the bearer
hereof, Marmaduke Pardo, of the city of St. Davids and
County of Pembroke, has to the utmost of our knowledge and
all appearances lived a very sober and pious life, demeaning
himself according to the strictest rules of his profession,
viz., what we call Quakerism, and that he has for these several
years past took upon himself the keeping of a private school
in this city, in which station he acquitted himself with the
common applause and to the general satisfaction of all of
us who have committed our children to his care and tuition,
etc.[477]
This certificate was signed by Richard Roberts and several others. With
such recommendations, the citizens of Gwynedd were very fortunate if
perchance they did secure him as a master. Other writers have, it seems,
taken for granted that he actually taught in the school, but there is no
exact evidence on the point, only a very great probability.[478]
The following extract indicates there was an established school at
Morristown in 1766.
[Sidenote: School at Morristown Quaker?]
Plymouth overseers acquaint this meeting that Mordecai Moore on
his own and family’s account and several neighboring friends
request the privilege of holding a meeting at the schoolhouse
near his dwelling house in Morristown every first day until the
general spring meeting. The which is granted.[479]
[Sidenote: Committee on schools appointed]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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