ous weighty obligations assumed and regularly discharged by the University, this corporation should be regarded as in strict sense a State institution and should be entitled to corresponding treatment by successive legislatures.

The relations of the University to the City of Philadelphia are peculiarly interesting, owing to the arrangement effected in 1882, by which in return for a tract of ground of but little value to the city, but absolutely essential to the future development of the University, 50 prize scholarships were established in perpetuity to be awarded to students of the public schools of Philadelphia. This arrangement is working most happily. The award is made on the reasonably fair basis of the graduation averages of students from the Central High School and the Central Manual Training School, so that these valuable prizes actually serve as powerful stimuli to the entire body of scholars in all grades of the public schools of the city. Important obligations to the city as well as to the State have also been assumed at various times by the University Hospital. The University has covenanted to maintain a free library of reference open to the public. By far the larger portion of the 42 acres owned by the University is held under conditions which forbid its mortgage or sale. The new Department of Hygiene will be the natural center of all work connected with the sanitary interests of the city.

It is true that in accordance with legislative enactments the educational buildings of the University, and such of its grounds as are actually used for educational purposes, are exempt from taxatiou. It is probable, however, that in the future the value of the public services rendered by the University, and the heavy charges imposed by them upon funds which are wholly devoted to maintaining a high standard of education for the benefit of the community, will lead an appreciative city and State to make annual appropriations to the University as an equivalent. It is also not impossible that with the growth of the University property and population in West Philadelphia there will be elected to the city councils and the State legislature direct representatives of this important constituency.

The future greatness of the University of Pennsylvania was determined when the additional extensive tracts of ground were secured in 1872 for the hospital, and in 1882, 1888, and 1889 for the general purposes of the institution. The one barrier to its complete development was then removed. Let no university seated in a large city imagine it can succeed supremely without ample space. The acquisition of this territory has enabled us to develop such departments as the library, the museums, the School of Veterinary Medicine, the School of Biology, the Laboratory of Hygiene, the Wistar Institute of Anatomy, and to reserve ground for others whose development is now only a question of time. It will enable us to accept, and our ability to accept will often determine the direction of such gifts, important trusts which involve the erection of separate buildings, so that the foundation shall be largely

an independent one, bearing the memorial name designated by the donors. It will enable us to provide dormitory buildings which will secure absolutely good sanitary conditions and the proper amount of supervision for students in residence.

It has permitted the erection of a great central station to provide all the university buildings with heat and electric lighting and forced ventilation and to serve at the same time as a model school of mechanical and electrical engineering.

It has permitted us to place at the disposal of the athletic association the use of a fine large field, and to assign a good site for a complete gymnasium.

Finally, it affords the opportunity for the alumni to construct on the grounds of the University a splendid memorial hall where in all future time the ceremonial functions of the University may occur, and where the swelling ranks of the alumni will muster year after year to attest their loving devotion to alma mater whose grand growth in power and prosperity and influence so largely depends upon their loyal support.

CHAPTER IV.

A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE UNIVERSITY.'

1740-1881.

By the middle of the eighteenth century the Province of Pennsylvania had reached a point in its development where it was necessary to consider what was to be done to secure a pervading and sustained intellectual activity within its borders. The men of that day and age had the practical conviction that progress does not consist in material prosperity but in spiritual advancement. Education had not been overlooked in the policy of Penn. In his Frame of Government we read:

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The governor and provincial council shall erect and order all public -schools, and encourage and reward the authors of useful sciences and laudable inventions in the said province. And a committee of manners, education and arts, that all wicked and scandalous living may be prevented, and that youth may be successively trained up in virtue and useful knowledge and arts. The first movement to establish an educational institution of a high grade was in the action of the Executive Council which proposed, November 17, 1683, "That Care be Taken about the Learning and Instruction of Youth, to wit: A Scool of Arts and Sciences." It was not until 1689, however, that the "public Grammar School" was set up in Philadelphia. This institution, founded upon the English idea of a "free school," was formally chartered in 1697 as the "William Penu Charter School." It was intended as the head of a system of schools for all, rather than a single school for a select few, an idea which the founders of the Charitable School, fifty years later, had also in mind— an idea which was never carried out in the history of either institution. The failure of Penn's scheme of government, and the turmoil during the early part of the eighteenth century arising from the conflicts between different political parties, for a time influenced very decidedly educational zeal in the province. The government, which at the outset had taken such high ground on the subject, ceased to exert itself in behalf of education, and the several religious denominations and the people themselves in neighborhood organizations took up the burden and planted schools as best they could throughout the growing colony. As a result of this movement we find that in Philadelphia, in 1740, a charity school was established by a number of public-spirited citizens for the instruction of poor children gratis in useful literature

For history of 1881-1892 see pp. 195–203.

and the Christian religion. This may be said to be the beginning of the University of Pennsylvania; nine years later this foundation was used for the organization of the Academy. But so far no institution existed in the province for the promotion of higher education. Feeling the importance for some provision to supplement the education then given in the established schools, Benjamin Franklin as early as 1743 drew up a proposal for establishing an academy and endeavored to secure the assistance of the Rev. Richard Peters and other prominent citizens for that purpose. But Mr. Peters was not then in a position to give the necessary coöperation, and, owing to the disturbed condition of affairs in the province and colonies generally, the matter was left in abeyance. In 1749, at the conclusion of peace, Franklin again turned his thoughts to the affair. He secured the assistance of a number of friends,' many of them members of the famous Junto, and then published his pamphlet entitled "Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsyl vania.” The pamphlet aroused considerable interest, and the plan as outlined commended itself to a large number of practical men from the fact that Franklin subordinated classical to English studies. He thought "the time spent in that study (Latin and Greek) might be much better employed in the education for such a country as ours." The opinion of most of the original trustees.

On all sides the paper met with great favor and generous support. The result was the organization of a board of trustees, consisting of 24 of those who had subscribed to the scheme of the Academy, with Franklin as president. This body immediately set about to realize the object of the pamphlet, and nourished by subscriptions, lotteries, and gifts the Academy was placed in a flourishing condition. The members of the board raised among themselves £2,000, and this sum was afterwards considerably increased by other similar subscriptions. Applica tion was made to the Common Council of the city of Philadelphia for aid, and the following, from a paper drawn up and presented to this body by Franklin, 1749, sets forth the broad and generous objects had in view, and the benefits expected from the institution:

1. That the youth of Pennsylvania may have an opportunity of receiving a good education at home, and be under no necessity of going abroad for it, whereby not only considerable expense may be saved to the country, but a stricter eye may be had over their morals by their friends and relations.

2. That a number of our natives will hereby be qualified to bear magistracies, and execute other public offices of trust, with reputation to themselves and country, there being at present a great want of persons so qualified in the several counties of this province; and this is the more necessary now to be provided for by the English here, as vast numbers of foreigners are yearly imported among us, totally ignorant of our laws, customs, and language.

3. That a number of the poorer sort will hereby be qualified to act as schoolmasters in the country, to teach children reading, writing, arithmetic, and the grammar of their mother tongue, and being of good morals and known character, may be rec

Especially Tench Francis, Thomas Hopkinson, and Mr. Peters.

ommended from the Academy to country schools for that purpose-the country suffering very much at present for want of good schoolmasters, and obliged frequently to employ in their schools vicious imported servants or concealed Papists, who by their bad examples and instructions often deprave the morals or corrupt the principles of the children under their care.

4. It is thought that a good Academy erected here in Philadelphia, a healthy place, where provisions are plenty, situated in the center of the colonies, may draw numbers of students from the neighboring provinces, who must spend considerable sums among us yearly in payment for their lodging, diet, apparel, etc., which will be an advantage to our traders, artisans, and owners of houses and lands.

In answer to this petition the Common Council agreed to give £200 in cash, and £50 per annum for five years, and £50 additional for the right of sending one scholar each year from the Charity School to the Academy. The Charity School occupied the old building which stands in from Fourth street near Arch, known in those days as the New Building. This building had been erected as a place of worship for the celebrated Whitefield, who had been excluded from the churches of Philadelphia, and for the use of other ministers similarly excluded. Almost every religious denomination had been concerned in its erection, and Franklin and Whitefield were among its trustees, who were selected from different sects. When the enthusiasm for Whitefield subsided the trustees found themselves heavily in debt. The lot had been purchased on ground-rent and money had been borrowed to finish the building. The trustees of the newly established Academy made overtures to the trustees of the new building, and mainly through the efforts of Franklin, who was a member of both boards, they were able to make arrangements for a conditional transfer. The negotiations closed with the conveyance of the building to the Academy authorities in December, 1749, on condition that the debt, amounting to nearly £800, should be paid, a charity school maintained, and a large hall for occasional preachers, to be kept open, forever, according to the original intention. These conditions have been complied with; and until 1877 a charity school was maintained and a room kept in the old Academy building for the convenience of itinerant preachers and new congregations. Owing to alterations which had to be made the building was not ready for occupancy immediately, and it was not until January 7, 1751, that the Academy was formally opened in its new quarters by a sermon preached by the Rev. Richard Peters. The Academy comprised three schools, the Latin, the English, and the mathematical, over each of which was placed a master, one of whom was the rector of the institution. The first rector was David Martin, who died very shortly after his appointment. He was succeeded by Dr. Francis Allison as master of the Latin School and rector, a position which he held for nearly a quarter of a century. The English School was neglected. The other schools were favored, especially the Latin School. In the eyes of Franklin and many of the supporters of the Academy, the English School was the one of chief import