Eighth Annual Report of the Controllers of the Public Schools of the First School District of the State of Pennsylvania: with their Accounts. Philadelphia: Printed by Order of the Board of Control, William Fry, Printer, 1826.

 

The number of students in the district are 3,507:

 

Kensington: Boys 176, Girls 171, Total 347

 

Southwark, 607, Northern Liberties, 597 were the only districts outside the city with more students. The city districts had 491 and 582.

 

Besides alphabet and spelling departments, and writers on slates, there are among these children 1728 in the reading, 899 in the paper writing,  and 1474 in the arithmetic classes, in the later branch, some have advanced to vulgar fractions, and in several schools grammar and geography have been successfully taught. Knitting and other useful needle-work forms part of the instruction of the girls, and at one of the schools the plaiting of straw has recently been beneficially introduced.

 

Reports “of those children who have entered the schools, many have been withdrawn by their parents, owing to the inducement of wages, which vary from fifty to one hundred and twenty-five cents per week, according to the demand for labour by the manufacturers.

 

“Some remedy should likewise be provided to rid our streets and wharves, and the immediate vicinity of the town, of the small children, who either as beggars or petty depredators, wander about to seek a pittance for the support of their indolent and worthless parents; these vicious youth, learning and teaching others the way toruin, should be arrested in their career of iniquity, and placed where they may be employed and  receive some useful school learning.” – Robert Vaux, president.

 

Charges:

 

Second Section, comprehending part of Northern Liberties.

 

Teachers’ salaries, wood, stationary, and rent of Adelphi School  - $2899.80

Real Estate                                                                                       - $4385.65

School Furniture                                                                               - $ 333.55

 

Total                                                                                                - $7619.00

 

Directors of the Second Section for that part of the Northern Liberties and Kensington not comprised in the Lancasterian system, the controllers drew orders on the Treasurer of the County, for the education of children with the above limits, for $655.49

 

 

 

Directors of Public Schools

Controllers

 

William W. Fisher, Daniel B. Smith, Benjamin W. Richards, John C. Browne, Jacob Justice, George M’Leod, Gurney Smith, Joseph B. Norbury, Thomas McKean Pettit, Sec.

 

Second Section:

 

John C. Browne, Michael Day, Adam Richards, Rev. George Boyd, Benjamin Naglee, Jacob Justice, George Wilson, Hugh Roberts, Charles Norris, John Child, John C. Da Costa, Joseph Warner.