Schools

(a) Elementary schools recommended

1658, 1663. It is proposed by the Court vnto the seurall Townshipes of this Jurisdiction as a thinge they ought to take into theire serious consideration That some course may be taken that in euery Towne there may be a schoolmaster sett vp to traine vp children to reading and writing (p. 142).

(b) Aid asked for Harvard College

1672. Wee being Informed that it is vpon the harts of our Naighbours of the Massachusetts Collonie to support and Incurrage that Nursary of Learning att harveard Colledge in Cambridge in New England from whence haue through the blessing of God Issued many worthy and vseful persons for Publique seruice in Church and Commonwealth; being alsoe Informed that diuers Godly and well affected in England are redy to Assist therein by way of contributing considerable sumes prouided the Countrey heer are forward to promote the same; and that the seuerall Townes in the Massachusetts haue bine very free in theire offerings thervnto; wee alsoe being by letters from them Invited and Insighted to Joyne with them in soe good a worke; and that wee may haue an Interest with others In the blessing that the Lord may please fron thence to convey vnto the Countrey; this Court doth therefore earnestly comend it to the Minnesters and Elders in each Towne, that they takeing such with them as they shall thinks meet; would particularly and earnestly moue and stirr vp all such in theire seuerall townes as are able to contribute vnto this worthy worke be it in mony or other good pay; and that they make a returne of what they shall effect heerin vnto the Court that shall sit in october next whoe will then appoint meet psons to receiue the contributions and faithfully to dispose of the same for the ends proposed (pp. 232, 233).

(c) Income from Fishing for Schools

1673. It is ordered by the Court that the charge of the free Scoole, which is three and thirty pounds a yeare shalbe defrayed by the Treasurer out of the proffitts ariseing by the ffishing att the Cape vntil such Time as that the minds of the ffreemen be knowne conserning it which wilbe returned to the next Court of election (p. 233).

1674. This Court haueing receiued by the deputies of the seueral! townes the signification of the minds of the Major pte of the freemen of this Collonie that all the proffits of the ffishing att Cape Code graunted by the Court for the erecting and Maintaining of a Scoole be still continewed for that end if a competent Number of Scollars shall appeer to be devoated thervnto, which this Court Judges not to be lesse thea eight or ten Doe therfore heerby confeirme the Graunt of the aforsaid

proffitts of the ffishing att the Cape to the Maintainance of the Scoole; and that there be noe further demaunds, besides the said proffitts of the Cape demaunded of the Country for the Maintainance of the said Scoole (p. 237).

(d) Grammar schools to be maintained

1677. fforasmuch as the Maintainance of good litterature doth much tend to the advancement of the weale and flourishing estate of societies and Republiques.

This Court doth therfore order; That in whatsoeuer Townshipp in this Gourment consisting of fifty familier or vpwards; any meet man shalbe obtained to teach a Gramer scoole such townshipp shall allow att least twelue pounds in currant marchantable pay to be raised by rat on all the Inhabitants of such Towne and those that haue the more emediate benifitt therof by theire childrens going to scoole with what others may voulentarily giue to promote soe good a work and generall good, shall make vp the resedue Nessesarie to maintaine the same and that the proffitts ariseing of the Cape ffishing; heertofore ordered to maintaine a Gramer scoole in this Collonie, be distributed to such Townes as haue such Gramer scholes for the maintainance therof; not exceeding fiue pounds p annum to any such Towne vnlesse the Court Treasurer or other appointed to manage that affaire see good cause to adde thervnto to any respectiue Towne not exceeding fiue pounds more p annum; and further this Court orders that euery such Towne as consists of seauenty families or vpwards and hath not a Gramer scoole therin shall allow and pay vnto the next Towne which hath such Gramer scoole kept vp amongst them, the sume of fiue pounds p annum in currant Marchantable pay, to be leuied on the Inhabitants of such defectiue Townes by rate and gathered and deliuered by the Constables of such Townes as by warrant from any Majestrate of this Jurisdiction зhalbe required (pp. 246, 247).

195. Contract with a Dutch Schoolmaster, Flatbush, New York (Trans. by Platt, D. J., Annals of Public Education in the State of New York, 1626 1746, pp. 65-67. Albany, 1872)

Specific and very particular agreements were made by the Dutch with their early schoolmasters, as the following document. of 1682 shows. It also reveals the multiple nature of the schoolmaster's duties, - teacher, chorister, janitor, and sexton, and is of importance as showing the elementary schoolmaster in the process of evolution out of the church sexton.

SCHOOL SERVICE. I. The School shall begin at eight o'clock, and go out at eleven; and in the afternoon shall begin at one o'clock and end t four. The bell shall be rung when the school commences.

II. When the school begins, one of the children shall read the morning prayer, as it stands in the catechism, and close with the prayer before dinner; in the afternoon it shall begin with the prayer after dinner, and end with the evening prayer. The evening school shall begin with the Lord's prayer, and close by singing a psalm.

III. He shall instruct the children on every Wednesday and Saturday, in the common prayers, and the questions and answers in the catechism, to enable them to repeat them the better on Sunday before the afternoon service, or on Monday, when they shall be catechised before the congregation. Upon all such occasions, the schoolmaster shall be present, and shall require the children to be friendly in their appearance and encourage them to answer freely and distinctly.

IV. He shall be required to keep his school nine months in succession, from September to June, in each year, in case it should be concluded upon to retain his services for a year or more, or without limitation; and he shall then be required to be regulated by these articles, and to perform the same duties which his predecessor, Jan Thibaud, above named, was required to perform. In every particular therefore, he shall be required to keep school, according to this seven months agreement, and shall always be present himself.

CHURCH SERVICE. I. He shall keep the church clean, and ring the bell three times before the people assemble to attend the preaching and catechism. Also before the sermon is commenced, he shall read a chapter out of the Holy Scriptures, and that, between the second and third ringing of the bell. After the third ringing he shall read the ten commandments, and the twelve articles of our faith, and then take the lead in singing. In the afternoon after the third ringing of the bell, he shall read a short chapter, or one of the Psalms of David, as the congregation are assembling; and before divine service commences, shall introduce it, by the singing of a Psalm or Hymn.

II. When the minister shall preach at Brooklyn, or New-Utrecht, he shall be required to read twice before the congregation, from the book commonly used for that purpose. In the afternoon he shall also read a sermon on the explanation of the catechism, according to the usage and practice approved of by the minister. The children as usual, shall recite their questions and answers out of the catechism, on Sunday, and he shall instruct them therein. He, as chorister, shall not be required to perform these duties, whenever divine service shall be performed in Flatlands, as it would be unsuitable, and prevent many from attending there.

III. For the administration of Holy Baptism, he shall provide a basin with water, for which he shall be entitled to receive from the par ents, or witnesses, twelve styvers. He shall, at the expense of the church, provide bread and wine, for the celebration of the Holy Supper;

1 A styver was equal to about two cents.

He shall be in duty bound promptly to furnish the minister with the name of the child to be baptized, and with the names of the parents and witnesses. And he shall also serve as messenger for the consistory.

IV. He shall give the funeral invitations, dig the grave, and toll the bell, for which service he shall receive for a person of fifteen years and upwards, twelve guilders, and for one under that age, eight guilders. If he should be required to give invitations beyond the limits of the town, he shall be entitled to three additional guilders, for the invitation of every other town, and if he should be required to cross the river, and go to New York, he shall receive four guilders.

SCHOOL MONEY. He shall receive from those who attend the day school, for a speller or reader, three guilders a quarter, and for a writer four guilders. From those who attend evening school, for a speller or reader, four guilders, and for a writer, six guilders shall be given.

SALARY. In addition to the above, his salary shall consist of four hundred guilders, in grain, valued in Seewant, to be delivered at Brooklyn Ferry, and for his services from October to May, as above stated, a sum of two hundred and thirty-four guilders, in the same kind, with the dwelling-house, barn, pasture lot and meadows, to the school appertaining. The same to take effect from the first day of October, in

stant.

Done and agreed upon in Consistory, under the inspection of the Honorable Constable and Overseers, the 8th, of October, 1682.

Constable and Overseers

CORNELIUS BARRIAN,

RYNIER AERTSEN,

JAN REMSEN,

The Consistory

CASPARUS VAN ZUREN, Minister,

ADRIAEN REYERSE,

CORNELIS BARENT VANDWYCK.

I agree to the above articles, and promise to perform them according to the best of my ability.

JOHANNES VAN ECKKELEN.

196. Rules regulating a Schoolmaster in New Amsterdam (Minutes of the Orphan Masters of New Amsterdam, vol. II, p. 115; trans. by B. Fernow. New York, 1907)

The following instructions given Evert Pietersen, a schoolmaster employed in New Amsterdam in 1661, by the public authorities, are probably typical of those given other schoolmasters. They are reproduced as showing the nature and the fee basis of the Dutch elementary schools.

Instructions and Rules for Schoolmaster Evert Pietersen, drawn up by the Burgomasters of this city with advice of the Director General and Council.

1. He shall take good care, that the children, coming to his school, do so at the usual hour, namely at eight in the morning and one in the afternoon.

2. He must keep good discipline among his pupils.

3. He shall teach the children and pupils the Christian Prayers, commandments, baptism, Lord's supper, and the questions with answers of the catechism, which are taught here every Sunday afternoon in the church.

4. Before school closes he shall let the pupils sing some verses and a psalm.

5. Besides his yearly salary he shall be allowed to demand and receive from every pupil quarterly as follows: For each child, whom he teaches the a b c, spelling and reading, 30 st.; for teaching to read and write, 50 st.; for teaching to read, write, and cipher, 60 st.; from those who come in the evening and between times pro rata a fair sum. poor and needy, who ask to be taught for God's sake he shall teach for nothing.

The

6. He shall be allowed to demand and receive from everybody, who makes arrangements to come to his school and comes before the first half of the quarter preceding the first of December next, the school dues for the quarter, but nothing from those, who come after the first half of the quarter.

7. He shall not take from anybody, more than is herein stated. Thus done and decided by the Burgomasters of the City of Amsterdam in N.N., November 4, 1661.

197. The Pennsylvania Law of 1683

(Laws of the 2d General Assembly of Pennsylvania Colony, chap. cxII. From Wickersham, J. P., History of Education in Pennsylvania, p. 39. Lancaster, 1886)

William Penn received his charter from the King, in 1681, and arrived in 1682. The first Colonial Assembly met that year, and the second a year later. This second Assembly enacted a law which for the time marked a very progressive attitude for this colony. It was enforced here and there, as the court records show, but was later vetoed by William and Mary as being opposed to English traditions and practices. It was reenacted in 1693, but soon became a dead letter, and Pennsylvania's opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Massachusetts was lost. The law reads:

And to the end that poor as well as rich may be instructed in good and commendable learning, which is to be preferred before wealth, Be it enacted, etc., That all persons in this Province and Territories thereof, having children, and all guardians and trustees of orphans,