"INSTITUTE FOR COLORED YOUTH." Philadelphia is known for her facilities for education. Few American cities are better equipped with schools, public and private--free schools and those in which tuition fees are demanded--schools devoted to languages, schools devoted to art. In short, everything that one might desire as a means for obtaining an education in any known branch is provided for the student, and the road to knowledge is made about as easy as it can possibly be made. But of all the schools provided for the instruction of children, youths and adults, none is of greater importance, perhaps, than that known as the "_Institute for Colored Youth_." Strange to say, it had its origin in the kindly forethought of one who had once been a slave-holder. In the year 1832 Richard Humphreys, a native of the West Indies, but at that time a citizen of Philadelphia, died, leaving $10,000 to found an institution, "having," as he worded it, "for its object the benevolent design of instructing the descendants of the African race in school-learning, in the various branches of the mechanic arts and trades, and in agriculture, in order to prepare, fit and qualify them to act as teachers." This sum was left with the Society of Friends (of which sect he was a member), with the provision that this society should have the care of the institution. In accordance with this bequest and stipulation, in 1837 the "Institute" was founded, the sum of money left for the purpose amounting at this time, through careful investment, to about $13,300. The charter was not obtained from the State of Pennsylvania until 1842. Shortly after this the sum of $18,000 was left by another Friend for educational purposes, which was given to further the interests of the Institute. From time to time, different sums were bequeathed and bestowed for this enterprise by philanthropic people until, in 1851, buildings were erected on Lombard street for the permanent establishment of this institution of learning, in which location it remained until 1866. At that time it had become clearly evident that the enterprise had reached such proportions that more ample and convenient accommodations were urgently required. A movement, therefore, was set on foot to accomplish the work, if possible, and a sufficient number of interested friends were found to erect the large and commodious building now situated on Bainbridge street, above Ninth, at a cost of $40,000, including the ground.