Post-Office purchase of right from railroad companies 395 Revenue bill, Mr. Fillmore's speech on 65 of Philadelphia county from 1836 to 1840, 193 277 Rhode Island, vessels arrived and cleared at Provi- Powder mills in Pittsburg described 156 Silk culture in South Carolina, convention in Massachusetts 382 Silver ore produced in North Carolina, 222 Sinking fund of Indiana, 265 Skeleton, large, exhumed from a mound in Ohio 53 Slave, fugitive, demand of Governor of New York 309 population, comparative views of 331 fugitives, controversy on 355 Smoking prohibited by Legislature of Tennessee 293 246 Snows, Societies, secret, Pres. Tyler's proclamation against South Carolina, decision respecting banks great fire in Georgetown 301 314 208 96 272 301 Tables showing ratio of votes to population, volers showing imports into the United States from showing free articles consumed in 1838 1840, free of duty and what would be the showing average cost per pound of certain articles and specific duty ad valorem of 20 showing quantity of wines imported in 1840 navigation of Mediterranean 221 of trade between New Orleans and Cuba in ship Clarion uses anthracite coal 253 tug, Leavenworth's 256 80 showing the ceal and iron trade on the canals 90 Strong, Josiah dies 366 186 190 350 to 333 344 loss of interest, &c. 302 304 312 314 329 Tonnage entered and cleared in each State, 1840 showing No., tonnage, crews, and countries 282 American and British cleared from United States, 1824 and '39 291 condensed view of each district 378 346 Treasury notes, monthly return 16 92 156 219 292 366 149 tary of the 187 263 316 183 352 large, in North Carolina, 416 362 Troops, number and force of, in service, 385 328 346 265 showing comparative increase of population 367 Tyler, President, proclamation against secret societies, 208 7 on showing comparative increase in the Nor- showing a condensed view of the tonnage of veto on Fiscal Bank bill, 378 showing date of closing the Erie canal 1825 public meeting at Washington, on 139 public meeting at, in consequence quick passages arrived and cleared in United States, 1840, number, tonnage, crews &c., national character of Veto of President Tyler, on Fiscal Bank bill, chronological account of Presidential, 1792 to Vineyards, near Louisville Virginia, value of Lands in salt rock in Washington county described, death of Bishop Moore, and New York controversy, 320 335 Winters, remarkably cold, in United States from of Chicago 246 California, introduced 171 346 111 comparison between land and water carriage 176 190 269 169 Wheel, water, a large 144 steering, a new 186 211 Wilmington, N. C. vessels always obtain cargoes at 138 mane Society 191 377 of disrespect to the President 139 352 Wood, bituminous found in Mississippi River COMMERCIAL AND STATISTICAL REGISTER. VOL. V. EDITED BY SAMUEL HAZARD. PHILADELPHIA, WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1841. Public Schools of Pennsylvania. No. 1. The sociates, that all the pupils should be taught on the same The next Public School was founded in 1753, under the title of the "Academy and Charitable School in the province of Pennsylvania." In 1755, the charter was extended and the title changed to “the Trustees of the College Academy and Charitable School of the City of Philadelphia in the province of Pennsylvania ;" and in 1789, this institution became permanently united with the University of Pennsyl vania. The illustrious founder of Pennsylvania, deeply solicitous to advance the happiness of his race, exerted himself at an early period of his government to provide for the instruction of the young. Scarcely had the infant colony begun to exist when a public school was commenced, and a few years after chartered by Lieutenant Governor Markham and the Council; and on the five and twentieth day of the eighth month, Anno Domini 1701,* a new act of incorporation was granted to it by William Penn, under the title of "The Overscers of the Public School founded in Philadelphia at the request, costa and charges of the people of God, called Quakers." This Charter recites that a petition had been presented by Samuel Carpenter and others, on the 10th day From the first establishment of the Academy until 1823, of the 12th month, 1697, '98 to the Governor and Council, two charity schools, the one for boys, the other for girls, had "setting forth that it was the desire of many that a school been kept open by the Trustees. In 1823, the Trustees were should be set up and upheld in the said town of Philadel-enabled to open another school for boys, in consequence of phia, where poor children might be freely maintained, taught and educated in good literature until they should be fit to be put apprentices, or capable to he masters or ushers in the said schools;" and requesting the Governor and Council, to ordain, "that at the said town of Philadelphia, a public school might be founded, where all children and servants, male and female, whose parents, guardians or masters might be willing to subject them to the rules and orders of the School, should from time to time, with the approbation of the overseers thereof, for the time being, be received or admitted, taught and instructed; the rich at reasonable rates, and the poor to be maintained and schooled for nothing.”. On the 20th of July, 1708,† additional powers were granted; and on the 29th of November, 1711, the charter was again modified and the title changed to that of "the Overseers of the Public Schools founded by charter in the town and county of Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania.§ The Preamble declares that "the prosperity and welfare of any people, depend, in a great measure, upon the good education of youth and their early instruction in the principles of true religion and virtue, and in qualifying them to serve their country and themselves by breeding them in reading, writing, learning of languages, and useful arts and sciences suitable to their age, sex and degree; which cannot be effected in any manner so well as by erecting public schools for the purposes aforesaid." It thus appears that it was the design of the wise and virtuous Penn, and his as • Inrolled in the Rolls' office, in Patent book A, volume 2d, page 202, &c. Inrolled in the Rolls' office, in Patent book A, volume 4th, page 185, &c. + Inrolled in the Rolls' office, in Patent book A, volume 4th, page 280, &c. The motto, which was chosen by Penn, is "Good Instruction is better than Riches." VOL. V.-1 an appropriation made by the executors of Mr. John Keble, of a portion of his estate for that purpose. On the first of the present year, these three schools contained above one hundred and fifty scholars. With the exception of the schools above mentioned, little was done until the period of the revolution. During that memorable struggle, when the people were contending for their very existence, this cause, so dear to them, was not forgotten. The patriots and sages of 1776, who framed our first Constitution, provided by the 4th section of the 20 chapter of that instrument, that "a school or schools shall be established in each county, by the Legislature, for the convenient instruction of youth, with such salaries to the masters, paid by the public, as may enable them to instruct youth at low prices; and all useful learning shall be duly encouraged and promoted in one or more Universities." The Constitution of the 2d of September, 1790, declares, (Article 7, Section 1st,) that "the Legislature shall as soon as conveniently may be, provide by law for the establishment of schools throughout the State, in such manner that the poor may be taught gratis ;" and, (Section 2d,) that "the arts and sciences shall be promoted in one or more semina. ries of learning." The same provisions are contained in the Constitution of the 22d of February, 1838. Between 1784 and the present time, the Legislature has endowed many seminaries of learning; but they are, with perhaps one or two exceptions, connected with some religiious denomination; or payment is required for the tuition of the pupils. In 1786, the Legislature set apart sixty thousand acres of land, for the sole purpose of endowing public schools in the different counties of the State. In 1796, an association of Ladies of the society of Friends was formed for the purpose of educating girls without charge. It owed its origin chiefly to the exertions of Miss Ann Parrish and Miss Catharine W. Morris. The pupils were at first instructed by the members of the association: subsequently regular teachers were employed, and a neat two |