[Illustration: FIELD-SPORTS OF THE SOUTH—FOX-HUNTING]
EDUCATION.
1 The Eastern Colonies—Next to their religion, the Puritans prized education. When Boston was but six years old, $2,000 were appropriated to the seminary at Cambridge, now known as Harvard University. Some years after, each family gave a peck of corn or a shilling in cash for its support. Common schools had already been provided, and in 1647 every town was ordered to have a free school, and, if it contained over one hundred families, a grammar school. In Connecticut, any town that did not keep a school for three months in the year was liable to a fine. In 1700, ten ministers, having previously so agreed, brought together a number of books, each saying as he laid down his gift, "I give these books for founding a college in Connecticut." This was the beginning of Yale College. It was first established at Saybrook, but in 1716 was removed to New Haven. It was named from Governor Yale, who befriended it most generously.
[Illustration: A WEDDING JOURNEY.]
The "town meetings," as they were styled, were of inestimable value in cultivating democratic ideas. The young and old, rich and poor, here met on a perfect equality for the discussion of all local questions. In Hartford, every freeman who neglected to attend the town meeting was fined sixpence, unless he had a good excuse.
2. The Middle Colonies already had many schools scattered through the towns. In New York, during the Dutch period, it was customary for the schoolmaster, in order to increase his earnings, to ring the church-bell, dig graves, and act as chorister and town clerk. In the English period, some of the schools were kept by Dutch masters, who taught English as an accomplishment. As early as 1702, an act was passed for the "Encouragement of a Grammar Free School in the City of New York." In 1795, George Clinton laid the foundation of the common-school system of the State, and within three years nearly 60,000 children were receiving instruction. At Lewiston, Del, is said to have been established the first girls' school in the colonies. The first school in Pennsylvania was started about 1683, where "reading, writing, and casting accounts" were taught, for eight English shillings per annum. The Orrery invented by Dr. Rittenhouse, in 1768, is still preserved in Princeton College. No European institution had its equal.
Churches were established by the various denominations. The Swedes had a meeting house erected even before the landing of Penn. Ministers' salaries were met in different ways. In New York the Dutch dominie was paid sometimes in wampum. The dominie of Albany on one occasion received one hundred and fifty beaver skins.
3. The Southern Colonies met with great difficulties in their efforts to establish schools. Though Virginia boasts of the second oldest college, yet her English governors bitterly opposed the progress of education. Governor Berkeley, of whose haughty spirit we have already heard, said, "I thank God there are no free schools nor printing-presses here, and I hope we shall not have them these hundred years." The restrictions upon the press were so great that no newspaper was published in Virginia until 1736, and that was controlled by the government. Free schools were established in Maryland in 1696, and a free school in Charleston, S. C., in 1712. Private schools were early established by the colonists in every neighborhood.
A farm of one hundred acres was set apart by law for each clergyman, and also a portion of the "best and first gathered corn" and tobacco. Absence from church was fined. In Georgia, masters were compelled to send their slaves to church, under a penalty of 5 pounds.
Summary of the History of the Second Epoch, arranged in
Chronological Order.