s
of Friends in Philadelphia, or with any other body of benevolent
persons who may join in raising money and employing it for the
education and care of such children; my desire being that as
such a school is now set up, it may be forever maintained in this
city."

Just before his death he addressed the following note to the
"overseers of the school for the instruction of the black people."

"My friend, Joseph Clark, having frequently observed to me his
desire, in case of my inability of continuing the care of the
negro school, of succeeding me in that service, notwithstanding
he now has a more advantageous school, by the desire of doing
good to the black people makes him overlook these pecuniary
advantages, I much wish the overseers of the school would take
his desires under their peculiar notice and give him such due
encouragement as may be proper, it being a matter of the greatest
consequence to that school that the master be a person who makes
it a principle to do his duty."

The noble friends were early in the field as the champions of
education for the Negroes. It was Anthony Benezet, who, on the 26th of
January, 1770, secured the appointment of a committee by the monthly
meeting of the Friends, "to consider on the instruction of negro and
mulatto children in reading, writing, and other useful learning
suitable to their capacity and circumstances." On the 30th of May,
1770, a special committee of Friends sought to employ an instructor
"to teach, not more at one time than thirty children, in the first
rudiments of school learning and in sewing and knitting." Moles
Paterson was first employed at a salary of L80 a year, and an
additional sum of L11 for one half of the rent of his dwelling-house.
Instruction was free to the poor; but those who were able to pay were
required to do so "at the rate of 10s. a quarter for those who write,
and 7s. 6d. for others."

In 1784, William Waring was placed in charge of the larger children,
at a salary of L100; and Sarah Dougherty, of the younger children and
girls, in teaching spelling, reading, sewing, etc., at a salary of
L50. In 1787, aid was received from David Barclay, of London, in
behalf of a committee for managing a donation for the relief of
Friends in America; and the sum of L500 was thus obtained, which, with
the fund derived from the estate of Benezet, and L300 from Thomas
Shirley, a Colore