James Logan.[843]
Two extremes in discipline
We have not much information from which to judge the discipline of the school. From the rules already considered one would expect that strict discipline was observed, but of the master’s methods of enforcing it we know but little. There were doubtless two extremes. On the one hand, we might take Anthony Benezet as the very personification of mildness, and who ruled by love.[844] On the other hand, there was John Todd who would thrash a boy very severely, and who took great delight in getting his victim to admit the pain that he knew he felt.[845]
Premium given to most satisfactory pupils
To secure better discipline, attendance, and also to induce striving for scholarship, it was customary to give rewards. We noted in the items sent in to the overseers in masters’ reports that certain amounts were for “premiums.”[846] This policy of rewards was early agreed upon by the overseers who sought in various ways to establish little funds for that purpose. In 1755 it was proposed that each one pay two shillings for missing a board meeting and one shilling for being late; the accruing amount to be paid out in premiums to encourage industry among the boys.[847] The fines were collected and then turned over to the masters who applied them as they saw fit.[848] The extent of the practice of giving rewards is not exactly known, but it seems to have been general throughout all the schools of the Board in Philadelphia, if we may judge from the regularity with which the bills for “premiums” were presented. It was also true that the school committees in other monthly meetings arranged to give rewards on visiting day to the scholars having the best records.[849]
Length of school day
Evening schools customary
The early school days seem to have been long and tedious. Attention has already been called to the letter of Pastorius’ children to their grandfather, in which they complained of the long eight hour school day.[850] The school continued, according to their account, six days in the week excepting Saturday afternoon.[851] Besides this it was customary in all places to attend meeting on fifth day (Thursday),[852] save in places where it may have been too far distant, an exception was made possible.[853] Evening schools were quite common, as has been stated before in the case of Germantown,[854] and increased in number toward the latter part of the century. In 1750 John Wilson, usher to Robert Willian, expressed his intention of opening an evening school which appears to have been acceptable to the Board.[855] The prevalence of the evening school among people not Friends is at once apparent when one glances at the advertisements in the colonial newspapers. A few of those private evening schools were: one kept by William Dawson and John Gladson, teaching writing, arithmetic, and navigation;[856] others by John Shuppy,[857] Mr. Lyonet,[858] and Messrs. Barthelemy and Besayde.[859]
Length of school day in 1795: seven hours