Brown University - Liber Brunensis Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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George C. Mason General Prescott Headquarters in 1777, Newport 2 ; Georg C. Mason Whitehall, the residence of Bishop Berkeley in Middletown 27

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PROVIDENCE GAZETTE, 1762 The population of Rhode Island, according to the first censusin 1708 was 7,181 By 1730 the colony s population had erown to 17,935, The increase of ten thousand odd hardly seems like very much by today's standards. Nevertheless, the difference in numbers meant that a greater division of labor was possible. An organ of com- munication, no matter how crude, was desirable certainly under these circum- stances. The cessation of publication of one newspaper, however, was not quickly followed by the birth of another. The Rhode Islund Gazette had only seven months of life because of lack of support but Newport did not quickly find a substitute. In the early stages of growth, the printer and his press though valuable were not indis- pensable. James Franklin, Jr., carryving on his father's trade, founded the Newport Merc- ury in 1758. This newspaper, enjoyed a better fate than that of its predecessor. In fact, it continued as a weekly for 170 yearsinterrupted only by British occupation of Newport. It may be observed that the initial ventures in newspaper work came from New- port. Glaringly absent from the picture was Providence which did not get its own paper until 1762, In that year William Goddard set up the first printing press in Providence and published the Providence Gazette and Country Journal. He too suffered from lack of support. Goddard left Providence but was requested to return by his readers who desired that he should continue in his work. Goddard, unfortu- nately, was unsatisfied with his second attempt and left the Gazette in the hands of his mother, Mrs. Sarah Goddard who, in Goddard's words, has enjoyed to do all she can for supporting the printing business in Providence. Mrs. Goddard did relatively well, and in 1767 acquired a partner, Mr. John Carter. The Gazette had a long history. William Goddard, m his own efforts, founded the Constitutional Courant of New York, the Pennsylvania Chronicle and Universal Advertiser of Philadelphia, and the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser. The significant internal advancements, as exemplified by newspaper develop- ment, point to the fact that Newport had the jump on Providence. Not for many vears was there to be any real competition between the two. Newport had the wealth and the citizens who were interested in continued improvement. Usually they had the requisite capital to achieve their ends. As early as 1715 the General Assembly recognized the importance of Newport when it appropriated funds to- ward paving the streets. It was the first instance of street paving within the colony. The Redwood Library. Formed in New- port in 1735 and chartered in 1747. 26

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REDWOOD LIBRARY Laswell Early Brick Homestead, 1759 One of the show places of Providence is this old cottage in Roger Williams Park, wherein dwelt Betsey Williams, descend- ant of Rhode Island's founder, and the donor of the park which bears her ances- tor's name, Erected in 1773. Laswell Abraham Redwood contributed 500 pounds towards the purchase of books for a permanent literary society and his fellow-townsmen raised 5,000 pounds for the erection of a building to house the collection. The result was the Redwood Library of Newport which for many years was the colony's center of study for the learned. The society was incorporated in 1747. The original idea for such a society came from Bishop Berkeley who stayed in Newport for three years and stimulated en- thusiasm for literary and intellectual pursuits. Plans for the Doric structure were drawn by Peter Harrison, English architect. During the Revolution much of the collection was destroyed. The library was not truly revitalized again until the nineteenth century when many volumes were added. Back in 1640, Newport had alloted land for support of public school the Rev. Robert Lenthal being called by vote to open it. The next important mention of public education is the opening of a Latin school in Newport by Mr. Galloway in 1711. Once again it was demonstrated that the luxuries of society could only be considered when matters of survival had been conquered. The Redwood Library, the development of public education, and later the establishment of the Providence Library Association in 1754 are all exemplary of the gradual awareness of a Rhode Island culture. At 7 -4 m,l,. b .1 3 mi lji? lfMyIWmm, E iy ., i qJ;lt. o nfh A - v;:! e e e Wi, fwa. rm: - -' - alyl s, :5,2 y,h', amn - s : . lutly? T ,.......1 z il 4. ?g',mlf Wi . u:mi e 2 1 i l Al v w i . raw gt u.. L ng . rn M,-v,fgngM 00 From a drawing by G. D. Laswell 28