Lyceum Phoenix of Friends School - Phoenix Echo Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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A4134-IQS, for the first year, which sum we think sufficient to attempt opening the schoolpwithf'-XII.for Szj Rec., Vol. f, jf. 190. The committee, and indeed the meeting, were in great doubt and perplexity about the location of the School, and about the teacher. The real solid man was not yet visible to the eyes of Friends, and, like Diogenes, they were searching for him. They at last concluded, after much examination of places and persons, to begin at the Portsmouth Friend's meeting-house, tradition says in the north-east chamber of it, with Isaac Lawton, preacher and poet, as teacher. Eleventh Mo., Sth, 1 784.-flf.f01' Szgjf. Ref., Vol. f, jf. 217, 218. ,1 ilM l llllllllllllllilllllMilQlllmllwlIIWWQQIQlwwlmllwllllllllwlHilllllillllliIlIllHllllilllllllllllllllllllllmllllllliilllllllllll l'l' W .',f f-f1:..?2i'5'EZ'f:3E'? 15 21422 r r 4- - X I- -:il -M J. Le: Ll: if aL.fqa,:::+f1 - n f l l .. lulunlllululluuullllllllmxullullllllllulullluulmulllluilllumIulluulumumlmllulmllunlulumuullluulwmuuluunuxuuullluvlununmeammnmnlnmlllulluxulllulmluuuululawlululululllllllullinmlt 1 1 Here, on this spot, o11 this day, the career of Friends School began, an event Which can never cease to interest the children of Alma Mater, now scattered world-wide over sea and land. Neither are we a great part of the human i11terest which will centre here. Generations upon generations yet unborn will arise with grateful hearts to commemorate this natal hour and these hallowed associa- tions. The School which then became an established fact in history, had arisen amidst difliculties of the most distressing nature. The Yearly Meeting of 1779, in which the cause began to shape itself, sat at Smithfield because the British army was in possession of Newport, and had been since 1776 during three years, terminating with Tenth Mo., 25th, 1779, the date of evacuation of the English from Newport. This date was about the middle, of the revolutionary War, as peace was secured by the treaty of Ninth Mo., gd, 1783. Friends - 3

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Jersey, in their last epistle, respecting the education of our youth in schools, under the care of solid Friends. They then recommend that an interest in the subject be created throughout New Eng- land, in all of their subordinate meetings, including the smallest of them.-C Y. Ill. Rec., Vol. f, p. 3365. They request reports and re- turns from the meetings within their jurisdiction next year, in or- der to ripen the subject for further advice and assistance in this in- teresting matter. The Yearly Meeting in 1780 receives satisfactory information from the Committee that during the previous year the subject had met the solid attention of the Quarterly Meetings everywhere. The meeting was profoundly moved by the report, and appointed a special Committee, of which Moses Brown and William Rotch of Nantucket were members, to take the matter into solid considera- tion, and report during the session. This Committee proposed a plan of subscription, throughout the membership of the Yearly Meeting, to create a permanent endow- ment to be held in trust perpetually by a Committee of the Yearly Meeting. They say, And in order to the speedy establishment of this necessary Institution, we recommend a subscription, in free- dom, to be promoted in all the meetings. Finally, to secure con- stant attention and progress, the matter 'is referred to the Meeting for Sufferings, a sort of Board of Directors, to manage the cause and collect money during the subsequent year.- Y. Ill. Rec., Vol. f, 17. 248. 8 The Meeting for Sufferings struggled with the difficulties of the situation at its meetings, Seventh Mo., 12th, 1780, Ninth Mo., 11th, 178og Sixth Mo., 6th, 17813 and Seventh Mo., 12th, 1782. The meeting at this last date issued a very important appeal to all the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings, giving the history of the cause in other meetings, and setting forth earnestly the measureless im- portance and necessity of the School or schools for the children of Friends. This document of nineteen pages was signed by Moses Brown, as clerk, and published in excellent form.-III. for Szj Rec., Vol. f, p. 177. A committee reported as follows :- We the Committee ap- pointed to consider of opening the Yearly Meeting's School, report that we have attended to the subject, and there appears the Sum of A107-gs, subscribed for the present year, which together with the interest of the money, subscribed for the fund, will amount tO

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were between the fires of two persecutors-the British and Ameri- cans-because they were non-combatants, and their property a prey to both. The following brief record will assist us to realize their experi- ences: The amount of Friends suffering within Rhode Island government o11 account of our religious testimony against war and fighting, brought up since our last Yearly Meeting, is 53,456- and upwardsfl This was f17,28o, which was large for one year, in those times of poverty. It is a memorable fact that Friends School is coeval with, in- deed, antedates the government of our country. The legislature of Virginia took the first step which finally led to the formation of the Constitution of the United States on 2ISt of First Mo., 1786, two years after our Alma Mater began her benelicent mission. The government was 11ot, however, in force until Fourth Mo., 6th, 1739. S ' The School originated at the same time with the government, and has had a purifying and ennobling influence in its ever-extend- ing territory and population, with its lessons of self-government constantly imparted. One purpose, that is revealed everywhere in the accounts of the early organization of the School, is the elevation of the poor and helpless children. If these people could be awakened by the power of religion and of education, it would be at once the most beautiful achievement of our Christian democracy. Society is mobile like the drops of the ocean, and, as ceaseless agitation may raise the waters from the lowest depths to sparkle on the crest of the loftiest wave, so education may elevate the poor child to the highest service of his race. It is a significant circumstance that Moses Brown placed his own son Obadiah in the same school with poor children from remote and rural regions of New England, and with the rich from the abodes of luxury. This son was the donor of jgIO0,000 to the School in 1822. We have preserved with miser care his Latin grammar, which he began to study at the School on the Third day of the Fourth Mo., 1787. The thirst for learning was not great among the people. Those persons who need it and religion most are often the last to realize the situation or to appreciate their opportunities. No doubt the expenses of travel were great. A worthless paper currency and