succession of youth in useful and liberal knowledge, to qualify them for filling the places of their elders and predecessors, who, in the usual course of nature, must gradually be called from the active duties of this life," but also, by the consideration, that "under the care and good management of the trustees, the institution was rapidly growing, and promised to be of great advantage, by largely diffusing the liberal arts."

departments into consideration, has been considerable, by a "sense of the high importance of training up a at all times. The Grammar School formerly contained between one and two hundred, but is now reduced to 50 or 60. The Medical College has varied from 300 to 500; the number is greater at the present time than it has been for some years past. The department of Arts appears to have received less of public encouragement than any other branch of the institution. It is supposed that the "average" number of students in this department, until within a few years, has been between 30 and 40, and the number of graduates between 10 and 12. It is highly gratifying to learn, however, that a favourable change has recently taken place in the prospects of this department. The cloud that hung over it is rapidly passing away, and it now promises to answer all the objects of its creation, and to fulfil the expectations of the friends of science and literature. The number of graduates last year, was 35. The whole number of students, now, in the several college classes, is about 75; and a considerable accession is expected.

By this act the sum of £500 and 10,000 acres of land, were granted to the trustees of the college. It is plain, from an examination of the act, that this grant was not commensurate with the wishes of the Legislature. "That economy which it was then so necessary to preserve in the application of the public property," is assigned, in the preamble to the act, as the reason for making so "moderate a donation." In 1791, the sum of £1500 was granted for its immediate relief;" and the preamble to the act, making this grant, bears testimony to the fact, that the institution "had been emiThe merits and extensive utility of the Medical de-nently useful in that diffusion of knowledge, which the partment, are so well known, that it would be super- constitution of this commonwealth, and the general influous for the committee to offer any remarks thereon.terest of the citizens, require the Legislature to proIt has long been the pride of our state and country. It has flourished without a rival. The committee cannot doubt, but that the kindred institutions, which are rising in other states, so far from depressing, will have a tendency to confirm and establish, on a sure basis, the reputation of the Medical School in the University of Pennsylvania, by calling into active and vigorous operation, that generous and liberal emulation, which is both the parent and nurse of genuine science.

mote."

In 1795, a further grant of $5000 was made, under a stipulation that there should be admitted into the college, any number of students, not exceeding ten, who may be offered, in order to be taught reading, writing, and arithmetic gratis; no one of them to continue longer than two years. The building erected for the accommodation of the students, having been destroyed by fire, and "the funds of the commonwealth not justifying an abso lute grant of money,” in 1803 an act was passed, authorising the treasurer of Cumberland county, to pay to the trustees of the college, $6000 in advance, out of the arrearages of state taxes, due from that county; the loan not to bear interest for two years after the passage of the act, and to be secured by mortgage, payable in seven years, on the 10,000 acres of land, granted to the col

It has been already remarked, there is no other seminary of learning, of the same grade, in actual operation, in the state. In the year 1819, the legislature passed an act, which had for its object the establishment of an University, near the town of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny, to be called the "Western University of Pennsylvania." By the third section of the act, "forty acres of the vacant lands belonging to the common-lege till 1786. By an act passed in 1806, this loan was wealth, bounded by or adjoining the out-lots of the town of Allegheny, were granted to the trustees of the contemplated institution. But it appears, that there was, at the time of the grant, a pre-existing claim, (under an act of the General Assembly, passed in 1787,) on the part of the owners of lots in the town of Allegheny, to a right of common in the land thus granted to the trus-trustees, under these two last mentioned acts, was only tees, in consequence of which, they have not been able to avail themselves of the grant, and the object, contemplated by the act, to wit, the establishment of an University, has not been carried into effect.

2. COLLEGES.

Dickinson College, (so called "in memory of the great and important services rendered to his country, by John Dickinson, then President of the Supreme Executive Council, and in commemoration of his very liberal donation to the institution,") is located at the borough of Carlisle, in the county of Cumberland. It was established and incorporated, by the Legislature, in the year 1783. No grant was made to the institution by the incorporating act; but from the preamble thereto, it appears "that a large sum of money, sufficient to begin and carry on the design for some considerable time, had already been subscribed by the generous liberality of divers persons, who were desirous to promote so useful an institution; and no doubt" was entertained by the legislature, "but that further donations would be voluntarily made, so as to carry it into perfect execution.”

increased, out of the same fund, to $10,000, and the prior mortgage directed to be cancelled, on the trustees executing a new one upon half the above mentioned lands, to secure the re-payment of the whole sum lent, free of interest, five years after the passage of this last recited act. The amount, however, received by the

$8,400 instead of $10,000, in consequence of a deficiency in the fund from which the money was to be drawn.

By an act, passed in the year 1819, the governor was authorised to cancel the mortgage given to secure the above loan; and the trustees of the college were forever discharged from the payment of any debt due from the corporation to the commonwealth.

By an act, passed during the last session of the legislature, the governor was required to draw his warrant on the state treasurer, in favour of the trustees of this institution, for the sum of $6000 so soon as the trustees should, by deed, duly executed and recorded, convey to the commonwealth, all the lands theretofore granted, by the state, to the college, which they had not previously transferred; and also, assign te the commonwealth all securities for the purchase mo ney of such of the said lands as they had theretofore sold.

By the second section of the act, the trustees were authorised to draw the further sum of $2000 annnally, for five years. With the terms of commutation offered by this act, the trustees have complied, and received the $6000.

The early efforts of the friends of this institution, The above, the committee believe to be a correct which like the University of Pennsylvania, is the off-statement, of "the amount of the appropriations made spring of private liberality, appear to have been crowned by the Commonwealth, to Dickinson College. The with success. In 1786, an act was passed, "for its pre- committee cannot withhold the remark, that though sent relief and future endowment," to which the legisla- they may appear in the aggregate, to be considerable, ture of that day appear to have been moved, not only yet they were not of such a nature, nor made in such a way, as to be productive of substantial benefit or per manent relief to the institution. The lands were never

* See Register, vol. II. p. 112.

deem it unnecessary here to enumerate, as it has already been done in speaking of the department of Arts in the University of Pennsylvania.

In the recent expose of the trustees, "all the necessary expenditures of a young man for one year" at this seminary, with the exception of his books, candles and clothing," are estimated at $176 50 cts.

The college edifice, which is of stone, and pleasantly situated, has cost $20,000. The library, consisting of about 2,400 volumes, and the philosophical apparatus, are estimated at 8,000. There are two other libraries, belonging to literary societies, appended to the institution, which consist of upwards of 2000 volumes, well selected.

a source of revenue; but on the contrary, absorbed annually, a considerable sum in the payment of taxes. The money donations were trifling in amount; and were not expected, by the several legislatures that made them, to do more than afford temporary relief, to the embarrassed concerns of an institution, which having been erected and cherished by the enlightened views and munificent spirit of the friends of science and literature, promised to be of great advantage by largely diffusing the liberal arts," and was therefore deemed too valuable to the commonwealth, to be suffered to sink under the pressure of burthens, too heavy to be removed by the enfeebled hands of founders and patrons. Exhibiting, as it it did, in its infancy, the bright prospect of future extensive usefulness, and promising, from The committee indulge the hope, that this ancient seits central situation, to become a school, in which the minary, established for noble and wise purposes, by the rising generation, might with peculiar convenience, ac- legislature of 1783, nourished by its successors with care quire those virtuous principles and that liberal know- and affection, proportioned not to their wishes, but to ledge which are the only solid basis of free government, the slender means of the commonwealth, and now warmthe Legislatures of 1786, 1791, and 1795, (days of trialed into life by the act of the last legislature, is destined, and difficulty) granted a present help, in the hope, shortly, to acquire a rank and character, which will doubtless, that when imperious circumstances no longer render it an ornament and an honor to the state: and, in required the most rigid economy in the disbursement of the language of the law, from which it derives its existthe public money, their successors would liberally and ence, will become conspicuously useful in "instilling inpermanently endow a seminary which had been thus to the minds of the rising generation, the virtuous princarefully handed down to them. ciples and liberal knowledge by which the most exalted nations acquired their pre-eminence."

FRANKLIN COLLEGE, so called “from a profound res

general, but more especially to this country, of Benjamin Franklin, then president of the Supreme Executive Council,' was, by an act of the general assembly, passed in the year 1787, "erected and established in the borough of Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster, for the instruction of youth in the German, English, Latin, Greek and other learned languages, in theology, and in the useful arts, sciences and literature."

In the apprehension of the committee, there are many considerations, that point out this institution, as one, which, in accordance with the injunction of our consti-pect for the talents, virtues and services to mankind in tution, it would have been a wise policy in the state, to have taken under its immediate patronage, and to have placed upon such a foundation, as would have insured the existence of "one seminary of learning," in the centre of the commonwealth, "in which the arts and sciences might have been promoted." It is matter both of surprise and regret, therefore, that when the finances of the commonwealth no longer forbade this course, the legislature should still have persisted in the system of temporary relief, and finally should have permitted Dickinson College to sink beneath the weight of accumulated embarrassments.

After struggling for years with difficulties, the result of deficiency in the active funds of the institution, the trustees were compelled to suspend its operations in the year 1816. In this prostrate condition, it continued until very recently. The act of the last session of the legislature, however, has enabled the trustees to revive its operations, under auspices that give it a high claim to the confidence of the public and the protection of the state.

The committee might perhaps, be charged with stepping out of the defined sphere of their duties, were they to speak of the scientific and literary attainments of the gentlemen composing the faculty to whose charge the trustees have committed the immediate superintendance of the institution. It would, at any rate, be a work of supererogation. Suffice it to say, that "a Faculty consisting of a Principal and three Professors has been organized, who associate with high literary qualifications,valuable facilities for instruction. The Rev. J.M. Mason, D. D. is the Principal:† Henry Vethake, Esq. Professor of Mathematics and Experimental Philosophy; the Rev. J. Burns, professor of the learned languages; and the Rev. Alexander M'Clelland, professor of Belles Lettres and of the philosophy of the human mind."

The college was opened, and these gentlemen entered upon the duties of their several stations, in January last. The present number of students is 28. The number, it is understood, would have been much larger, but for an idea which had gone abroad, that the institution would not be ready for the reception of students this winter. There is every reason to expect a large accession in the spring.

"The branches of learning taught," are those which are usual in a collegiate course, and which the committee

* See Register, vol. 1, p. 293.

† Now the Rev. Dr. Wm. Neill.
Now the Rev. Joseph H. Spencer.

From the title and preamble to the incorporating act, it would seem, that this institution, was designed, particularly, for the improvement of our German population. In the title, it is called "the German College and Charity School, in the borough and county of Lancaster."

By the incorporating act, 10,000 acres of land, lying within the boundaries of what are now the counties of Lycoming, Tioga, Bradford and Venango, were granted to the trustees of the college. By an act, passed in 1788, "the public store house and two lots of ground in the borough of Lancaster," were vested in the trustees, and these appear to be the only "appropriations made by the commonwealth" to the institution. The lands have not, as yet, been productive of any revenue to the college; on the contrary, they have been a source of expense.

Soon after the passage of the act, incorporating the institution, a sum of money was raised for its use, by private subscription. This was applied toward its immediate organization. It remained in operation about two years, when the trustees found themselves unable to proceed. Since that time, occasionally a Greek and Latin, and sometimes only an English grammar school, has been kept in the buildings belonging to the board of trustees. From the information before the committee, it does not appear probable, that the institution will be revived, and placed upon the footing contemplated by the act creating it. Indeed there are inherent defects in the charter, which must ever present serious obstacles to any efforts that may be made for the accomplishment of that object.

JEEFERSON COLLEGE, "located" at Canonsburg, in the county of Washington, was incorporated and established, by an act of the legislature, passed in the year 1802. An academy had existed in the place for a number of years, and upon the foundation, which had thus been created, the college was established.

In the year 1806, the legislature granted $3,000 to the institution, providing at the same time, that there should be admitted into the college, any number of poor chil

3. ACADEMIES.

The following statement exhibits "A list of the Academies incorporated within the state, with the dates of their institution" or incorporation, "the amount of appropriations made by the commonwealth to each, and the towns, and counties in which they are located."

Academies in the state of Date of the Insti- Amount of appropriations by the com-
Pennsylvania.

8. Public school of the Feb. 19, 1790. The incorporating act is entitled, "An act county of Huntingdon.

for founding and endowing," and the second

section speaks of lands therein granted; but Huntingdon Huntingd'n

no grant whatever is made, either in the print-
ed statute or in the original act in the office of
the secretary of the commonwealth.

$2,000, April 5, 1799.

12. Meadville Academy.* 1802, 1807, 1808, $1000 in 1811, vide also pam. laws of 1805-6, vol. 8, page 440, and also Bioren's edition 61.

vide pam. laws of Vide pam. laws of 1807-8, page 179.- Northum❜land Northum❜land 1804, vol. 6, p. March 28, 1808, two thousand dollars,

demy,