are brick, thirteen frame, and one stone. The number of teachers is 382, of whom 55 are males, 327 females, with salaries ranging from three hundred dollars (the lowest for assistants in primaries) to sixteen hundred dollars for principal of grammar school, and twenty-seven hundred dollars for principal of high school; men and women receiving equal salaries for equal work. In 1874 the whole number of pupils admitted was 21,009; the average monthly enrolment, 15,614; the daily, 12,873. Receipts for the year, $704,791.98; expenditures, $601,710.08; leaving a balance on hand of $103,081.90.

The progress in the schools is illustrated by a table, which shows that from June 1, 1856, to the same date in 1874, the number of teachers went from 109 to the 382 above noted; the enrolment of pupils, from 6,724 to 21,009; the average attendance, from 4,354 to 12,783; the amount paid for teaching, from $39,394.75 to $238,375.27. This progress is most marked and decided from the year in which the present energetic superintendent entered on his duties, the enrolment and attendance almost doubling that year, while the expenditure for teaching went up in nearly corresponding ratio; and since that time there has been a steady advance.

Drawing and music are taught in the city schools; the evening mechanical school is said to have proved of great advantage; and the high-school course is both well arranged and well carried out.

From Alleghany, the report shows for 1874 a total enrolment of 11,650, an average monthly enrolment of 8,392, and an average daily attendance of 7,216. The school buildings are large and commodious. The course of study has been revised; so that a more complete grading is the result. The method of instruction in music has also been improved. This branch is taught by the regular teachers, under the supervision of two special music-teachers. In the report of the committee on particular instruction, we find the following: "Drawing is the only special branch not properly provided for; yet, in view of its importance, we would recommend its continuance, and suggest that such measures be introduced as will enable all the pupils who may desire it to make themselves thorough draughtsmen, and to do so without leaving our public schools."

The evening schools were in session sixty-five nights, and since the previous year there was a decided improvement; and such a measure of success attended them as to warrant their continuance. The total enrolment was 1,015; average attendance, 503; cost of maintaining them, $2,657.27.

CHAPTER XXVI.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ETC., AND GOVERNORS OF PENN

SYLVANIA.

Muni

Why so long delayed — Variety of Nations — Mr. Burke's Statementcipalities - Organization of the Society - Original Members - First Officers -Place of Meeting Various Committees - Progress - Library - Bradford's Prayer-Book - Freedom of the Press - Other Societies - United States Hospitals in the City-Union League-Politics of the Commonwealth - Names of Governors of the Province and State of Pennsylvania.

IT

T was not till 1824 that measures were taken to form a historical society of Pennsylvania. This was late, compared with the organization of similar societies in several of her sister States; and it might seem as though this State had but little interest in her own history, especially as she was early settled. There were, however, ample reasons for this apparent delay, a prominent one of which was to be found in the diverse character of her early population. Plymouth in Massachusetts was settled by the Puritans; Boston, by the Pilgrims; and, though these two classes have often been considered one and the same, yet there were many characteristic differences between them: but this is not the place to consider them, as they do not come into a history of this State. Virginia was settled by loyalists; Maryland, by Lord Baltimore and his Catholics. All these were essentially English, and of one religion.

Pennsylvania was settled first by Finns or Swedes. Then came the Hollanders, who conquered the Swedes; then the British fought and conquered the Hollanders; then came William Penn, with his Great Charter and his Quakers. Thus the early settlers of our State being from different nations, as

the Swedes, Hollanders, English, and soon after the ScotchIrish, all had some fighting propensities. Among such hostile emigrants, little time and less unanimity were found for a general or State historical society. Though it may seem strange to many who have always understood that our State was first settled by the Friends, a non-fighting people,- to offer as reasons why a State historical society was not founded early,the fighting propensities and the diverse religious views of the settlers, nevertheless, such are the facts; and a historian is bound to state facts, "though the heavens fall."

There is no doubt but that William Penn and his colony were pacific men. But when it is considered, as just stated, that, in the very first settlements of this State, three different nations were upon our soil, and that soon after the ScotchIrish Presbyterians, and many members of the Church of England, came hither; and, furthermore, taking into the account the state of feeling then existing between Catholics and Protestants; and, further still, the persecutions then existing among the English Church for non-conformity, there seems ample

cause for the neglect of a Pennsylvania historical society.

These views are confirmed by the following statements of Mr. Burke, in his "Account of the European Settlements in America," published as early as 1761. Mr. Wallace says of Mr. Burke, "This variety of nations and religions was the feature which struck him [Burke] most when he described our Province. He [Burke] says, 'Pennsylvania is inhabited by upwards of 250,000 people, half of whom are Germans, Swedes, or Dutch."" Wallace continues, "That same wonderful observer, who notes, that in 1750 there emigrated to our Province 4,317 Germans, while of British and Irish but 1,000 arrived here, and admits that it was a right policy to encourage the importation of foreigners into the colony, yet complains that foreigners were still left foreigners, and were likely to continue so for many generations; for that they had schools taught in their own language, with books and even newspapers so printed. And he inferred that there was no appearance of their blending, and becoming one people, with the subjects of Great Britain.'

1 President Wallace's Address to Historical Society, 1872.

"Nor did our diversities in religion strike him less. Here you see,' he says Quakers, Churchmen, Calvinists, Methodists, Menists, Moravians, Independents, Anabaptists, and Dumplers, a sort of German sect that live in something like a religious society, wear long beards, and a habit resembling that of friars. In short,' he says, 'the diversity of people, religions, nations, and languages here, is prodigious.' To crown the whole, we had a municipal organization alike widespread and disintegrated. From 1701, when Philadelphia was incorporated, we had one city,' its limits small and fixed, around which, till 1854 (when all were consolidated), 'districts,' 'boroughs,' and 'townships,' were growing; twenty-eight municipal corporations, I think, in all; all, in good degree, separated from each other, and all from it,

some near, some

far off, some populous, some occupied still by farms.

6

"Thus it was; and less than mountains interposed' made, so far as consociation for our objects was concerned, enemies of people who had else, perhaps, like kindred drops been mingled into one.'

.

"Indeed, to those of us born here, and familiar with the national, religious, and municipal complexion of Philadelphia, these striatures in our society were quite visible, I think, till within a few years. The large influx of new elements, the consolidation of our various local governments, and the mixture and changes brought about by marriages and new generation, have in this day largely obliterated them, though some of their effects still remain."

Whether these were the true causes, or not, it is a fact that no State historical society was formed till 1824. Doubtless many had thought of some such society; and it is recorded, that, as far back as 1815, the American Philosophical Society appointed a Historical and Literary Committee, in addition to their other work; but not much historical information was derived from it."

Such societies existed and were in operation in New York, Massachusetts, and in several other States, at this time. The second day of December, 1824, at the house of Thomas I. Wharton, a few gentlemen, natives of Pennsylvania, were