difficulties with Virginia on Cumberland Post-Office purchase of right from railroad companies 395 Revenue bill, Mr. Fillmore's speech on of Philadelphia county from 1836 to 1840, 765 193 Road ib. Revolutionary patriots 76 78 142 Powder mills in Pittsburg described 7 market produce sent by, to N. York, Utica and Schenectady, business of parallel between Great Western, England and Mass. Western, accident on by sinking of the Boston and Maine, opened great chain of Baltimore and Ohio, report accident on the Western Great Western, expeditious work on Baltimore and Ohio, public meeting on their orders * of Georgia Western, trade of in Tennessee Rocky mountains, expedition to 81 25 42 Safety fund of New York condition of 48 St. Louis, tobacco arrives at from Platte country 80 142 144 Salem, Mass. rain at, from 1820 to 1840, Salt water, discovered in Michigan 328 Schools, public of Pennsylvania, J. J. Barclay's ad- 349 52 32 temperature of, from 1807 to 1840, 142 252 Salt spring, a new in New York 227 191 New York 227 309 Saratoga springs, statistics of 77 dress giving a history of 1 number of, in Pittsburg 15 in Mass., profits realized on several, 1837 public of Philadelphia county, cost of from to '40, cost, receipts, length, &c. 361 362 Orange, and performance of a locomotive on 382 222 265 53 309 331 355 293 246 304 314 208 961 great fire in Georgetown silk culture in Gov. Richardson's message 272 301 352 301 Tables showing ratio of votes to population, voters' showing imports into the United States from showing free articles consumed in 1838 showing average cost per pound of certain showing quantity of wines imported in 1840 showing specific duties on wines imported in 60 63 62 66 70 70 71 71 71 boat Erie, dreadful destruction of by fire 136 126 showing receipts and exports of cotton, at Mobile in July and Aug. 1832 to 1841, 74 159 engines of Schuylkill county described frigate Kamschatka, described navigation of Mediterranean ship Clarion uses anthracite coal tug, Leavenworth's 256 ship Caledonia in a gale 262 boat, the first on Long Island sound 335 arrives at Lancaster, Pa. 343 showing the number of matriculates and gra- showing the ceal and iron trade on the canals showing the appropriations and expenditures 79 80 90 102 to 110 of comparative temperature of New York showing quarterly averages of Bank of Eng- showing par value, capital, sales and depre- showing the amount of trade between Great showing comparative view of vessels of dif- showing trade with the interior at New Or- showing the monthly arrivals at New Or- leans from 1836 to 1840, showing arrivals, stocks and exports of cot- of exports of sugar and molasses from New showing quantity of acres and assessed value showing the quantity and value of goods im- Tables, showing summary statement of exports from * U. S. 1840 showing the coastwise coal trade of England found in Iowa 352 256 showing inspections, stocks and markets of 263 showing value of imports, exports and ton- nage, U. S. 1840 264 tucky, 1820 to '40 105 showing the foreign exports to each country, from China to Havre 140 loss of interest, &c. 302 304 312 314 329 Tonnage entered and cleared in each State, 1840 public meeting at, in consequence salt rock in Washington county described, inspections of tobacco 1840 '41 death of Bishop Moore, and New York controversy, Wabash river, native diamonds found in Washburn, James, an American dwarf Washington City 40 years ago, by Mrs. Adams of disrespect to the President 139 352 Wood, bituminous found in Mississippi River 211 Wilmington, N. C. vessels always obtain cargoes at 138 263 Wilson, Captain Henry, pitcher presented by Hu- 320 335 mane Society 191 365 Wine made near Louisville, Ken tucky 377 Winters, remarkably cold, in United States from 1681 to '40 377 140 Wisconsin, lead trade of 156 385 copper at 352 382 burial ground, the Congress, de- General, Greenough's statue of, arrives for General, statue by Greenough vessel vails in Water spout on Lake Erie wheel, a large 158 279 County, Pennsylvania, dysentery pre- COMMERCIAL AND STATISTICAL REGISTER. VOL. V. EDITED BY SAMUEL HAZARD. PHILADELPHIA, WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1841. Public Schools of Pennsylvania. Extract from an Address delivered at the Zane Street Public Past history, present condition, and future prospects of No. 1. sociates, that all the pupils should be taught on the same footing, and that their education should embrace the study of the languages, arts and sciences. Under the judicious management of the overseers the schools became flourishing-legacies were left to enlarge them; all the bequests, with the exception of one, of one hundred pounds, were, I believe, from members of the society of Friends. The benefits of the schools have been enjoyed principally by those who did not belong to the society. The average number of pupils educated on the foundation, has been for se veral years past about one hundred and twenty-five; of which, the children of Friends have formed about a tenth part. These schools continue in a prosperous state and confer great benefits on the community. 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, costs 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 of the 12th month, 1697, '98 to the Governor and Council, "setting forth that it was the desire of many that a school should be set up and upheld in the said town of Philadelphia, 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 fernale, 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 | masters, paid by the public, as may enable them to instruct 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 Pennsylvania. 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.§ From the first establishment of the Academy until 1823, two charity schools, the one for boys, the other for girls, had been kept open by the Trustees. In 1823, the Trustees were enabled to open another school for boys, in consequence of 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 2d 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 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 seminaConstitution of the 22d of February, 1838. 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 ❘ries of learning." The same provisions are contained in the 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 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 |