John Cadwalader
Thomas Makin
George Keith; dissatisfaction with him
John Cadwalader came to Philadelphia in 1699[1056] and the year following was recommended by Griffith Owen as a man “fit for an assistant in the school.”[1057] He was accordingly employed, it being decided that he and Thomas Makin, who had entered the school as usher to Keith, should compete with each other to show the best results. From the records one cannot determine just when he left the school, though he stated, in 1702,[1058] that he intended to do so. It seems likely, from a minute of 1703, that he must have taught longer than he intended when making the above statements.[1059] Thomas Makin, with whom he was associated, was employed at various times until his death in 1733.[1060] He is credited with being “a good Latinist,”[1061] and was the author of a Latin poem in which he celebrated Pennsylvania. George Keith, Scotchman, kindly recommended him for the mastership in 1691, when he (Keith) decided to leave.[1062] Keith had come to the school as first master when the school was set up in 1689. He is stated, by writers of history, to have been of disputatious disposition, and this probably accounted for the dissatisfaction which arose in the school. Soon after leaving the school he published in connection with Talbot a critical article, “Means of Quaker Stability,”[1063] in which is evident the rancor toward the society, which he had previously concealed.
Clift Clarke
Dickinson
Concerning Benjamin Clift, schoolmaster at Darby, no additional information has been found, beyond that given in the minutes of the monthly meeting. Joseph Clarke was a teacher of a girls’ school in 1784,[1064] which was attended by about thirty girls. William Dickinson was first employed (1764) to take the place of Moses Patterson,[1065] as usher to John Todd in the Latin School.[1066] The Board seems to have taken exception to him, though nothing has been intimated elsewhere as to his character, for they reserved the right to discharge him on three months’ notice, if they desired. Such reservations were not general.
Patterson
Moses Patterson, had begun his teaching career in 1760 when he undertook to teach a school at Fairhill Meeting.[1067] He then was made usher to Alexander Seaton in which position he remained till 1764.[1068] He desired then to quit as usher, and apparently did; he is next heard of in 1765 as teacher of “poor children.”[1069]