Although it appears that the education of the youth has been too much neglected, we believe there is an increasing care that Friends may be more careful in that weighty concern.[391]
And in 1780:
We believe a good degree of care is taken by some in regard to the education of those under their care, and that an increase in that is necessary.[392]
All details under the care of a committee on schools
All questions in regard to schools or educational affairs whatsoever were dismissed summarily, and given to the charge of the committee on schools.[393] A committee reported in 1782 that nothing had been done more than to visit the school they already had.[394] The failure to bring forth results may have been with the committee; at any rate the meeting decided to try a new one.
New committee appointed
This meeting taking into consideration the several matters recommended in the extracts ... respecting the education of the youth and their school tuition, are of the opinion that a reappointment on those important subjects is necessary; wherefore, Woolston J. Paxson, W. Blakeley, J. Watson and R. Hartshorne are appointed as committee to those services, and they are desired to closely attend thereto in order that the present and former advices may be carried as fully into execution as possible.[395]
Activities of the committee not effective
In 1785 this committee reported that visits had been made to families in the interests of education but that little was effected.[396] The committee was released and the consideration of education left to the next meeting,[397] at which a new committee of three was appointed. This one, so far as their record goes, was neither more active nor more successful than the others. In 1788 they report “nothing much has been done in respect to schools since last year,” which report was sent to the yearly meeting.[398] The record is not complete to the end of the century, but for the period considered does not offer any evidence of more than passing educational interest and activity. Nothing unusual is to be noted in the finance and support of the school at Middletown. Mention was made of Harker’s will, which, it seems, was the first legacy left to its benefit.[399]
Care of poor orphan; apprenticing