Though very few references are made throughout the early period of the schools, it is quite certain from the nature of these reports on education of the poor that the schools were continued regularly. When the yearly meeting began to demand reports on the condition of the schools, there was no stir about the matter whatever, the first report being that those who have our school under care “report that it is in good order.”[304] The requests coming into the preparative meeting for information on schools, were referred to the standing school committee.[305]
Case of schools under standing committee
The standing committee performed all duties in connection with the school, with the exception of certain cases of difficulty, where it was necessary to call on the meeting for assistance, at which time that body coöperated with them through specially appointed committees.[306] The Byberry Preparative Meeting was, of course, not independent in this matter of school organization; their place was very much in accord with that suggested by a committee report to the various preparative meetings in 1790:
General plan for encouragement of better schools
We of the committee appointed to attend the preparative meetings with the extracts in order to spread the concern of our last yearly meeting, have attended to the appointment and taken into due consideration that part of them relating to schools, and being desirous to adopt it in so far as our present circumstances will admit, and in order to encourage any charitably disposed persons who may incline in their last will and testament or otherwise to give or bequeath something towards so laudable a purpose as to raise a certain fixed union for the support of schools, it is our desire that it may be safely counted to the care of the preparative meetings, he or she appointing, if they see fit, their own trustees and that Friends earnestly endeavor to provide for the schoolmasters a house lot, ground, etc., either purchasing or renting, whenever it may be necessary, and that our minds being deeply impressed with a sense that a guarded religious education of the rising youth is a matter of great importance it is our sense of judgment that Friends within the compass of this meeting should be pressingly urged to consider the necessity of employing conscientious and pious persons as schoolmasters, being members of a religious society and that the preparative meeting continue to appoint committees from time to time as occasion may require to have the care and oversight of such schools and that they visit the respective schools at least once in six weeks to see that good order be observed, and for the encouragement of the children in their learning, and render an account thereof to the preparative meeting once in six months. Signed the 28th of the 4th month, 1790.
By Samuel Gummere, Silas Walmsley, Thos. Walmsley,
John Townsend and Naylor Webster.[307]
In the month following the reception of these suggestions from the monthly meeting’s committee, the Byberry school trustees made the following report on the conditions of the schools, and the nature of their own activities.
Byberry report on schools
We, the trustees appointed by the meeting to have the care of the schools under the direction of the meeting, do inform, agreeable to our trust, we have several times met within the year past at the school in order to encourage the children in their learning, also to see that good order be kept by the master and children and we believe this a good measure complied with, and we further inform, that we have endeavored to comply with the intentions of the donor, by distributing the donations of William Carter, by schooling such children as we apprehended proper objects and have engaged as many as to take most of the money now in hand. (Clerk asked to give the committee a copy of the monthly meetings extracts that they comply with the regulations concerning schools.)[308]
Summary of a later report