Famous Givers and Their GiftsBolton, Sarah Knowles
History
Famous Givers and Their Gifts
Bolton, Sarah Knowles
Philanthropists
It remains to be seen to what use the two cities will put their gifts.
Perhaps they will provide work for the unemployed in making good roads
or in some other useful labor, or instead of loaning money to mechanics,
as Franklin intended, perhaps they will erect tenement houses for
mechanics or other working people, as is done by some cities in England
and Scotland, following the example so nobly set by George Peabody, when
he gave his $3,000,000, which has now doubled, to build houses for the
London poor. He said, "If judiciously managed for two hundred years, its
accumulation will amount to a sum sufficient to buy the city of London."
If Stephen Girard's $300,000 to the State of Pennsylvania had been given
for the making of good roads, thousands of the unemployed might have
been provided with labor, tens of thousands of poor horses saved from
useless over-work in hauling loads over muddy roads where the wheels
sink to the hubs, and the farmers saved thousands of dollars in carrying
their produce to cities.
Stephen Girard had a larger gift in mind than those to his adopted city
and State. He said in his will, "I have been for a long time impressed
with the importance of educating the poor, and of placing them, by the
early cultivation of their minds, and the development of their moral
principles, above the many temptations to which, through poverty and
ignorance, they are exposed; and I am particularly desirous to provide
for such a number of poor male white orphan children, as can be trained
in one institution, a better education, as well as a more comfortable
maintenance, than they usually receive from the application of the
public funds."
With this object in view, a college for orphan boys, Mr. Girard gave to
"the Mayor, Aldermen, and citizens of Philadelphia, all the residue and
remainder of my real and personal estate" in trust; first, to erect and
maintain a college for poor white male orphans; second, to establish "a
competent police;" and third, "to improve the general appearance of the
city itself, and, in effect, to diminish the burden of taxation, now
most oppressive, especially on those who are the least able to bear it,"
"after providing for the college as my primary object."
He left $2,000,000, allowing "as much of that sum as may be necessary in
erecting the college," which was "to be constructed with the most
durable materials, and in the most permanent manner, avoiding needless
ornament." He gave the most minute directions in his will for its size,
material, "marble or granite," and the training and education of the
inmates.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account