Growing Pains: Quaker Benevolence and School Expansion in Philadelphia's Educational Marketplace, 1689–1798

Growing Pains:Quaker Benevolence and School Expansion in Philadelphia's Educational Marketplace, 1689–1798 Grant Scribner (bio) Abstract In 1689, Quaker leaders opened the first Friends school Philadelphia to educate their children an environment aligned with values. The Board of Overseers more schools over course eighteenth century began educating non-Quakers students who could not afford pay for schooling, reflecting both charitable impulses increasing demand education Philadelphia. While administrators teachers made decisions a wider educational market mind, internal debates about Friends' civic moral responsibilities also shaped conceptions education. Though attempted define boundaries between Quakerism encroaching "spirit world," balancing benevolent expansion attempts protect sect's coherence proved challenge. leaders' staffing, student enrollment, objectives schooling illustrate broader changes city's landscape, process reflected deep-seated ambivalence charity religious purity. schools, eighteenth-century education, Overseers, enrollment 1771, Jonathan willis ran out options. After operating his own seven years, he find enough meet expenses. Like many other entrepreneurial during century, Willis taught on pay-as-you-go basis, stringing together extra income odd jobs whenever teaching dwindled. Willis, Quaker, save livelihood by petitioning William Penn Charter School: "Dear I send [this] Beg favour you, let me have some your free scholars; that incomes my [End Page 26] all business can employ myself will rent . had several poor sorts teach till they were 7 years old then taken away sent schools."1 Willis's petition illuminates history two ways. First, characterized overseers' actions purely economic terms, as guided benevolence. As teacher "poorer sorts" paying students, saw direct competition. Second, described influential position within market. overseers took from independent but redistribute revenue moving back well-regarded loose "farming out" system. allows us reconsider context historians' recent explain dynamics colonial education.2 reach patronage widened beyond mid-eighteenth supervised creation administration network Staffing difficulties persistent questions ultimate objectives, however, reveal rough edges shifting 27] Eighteenth-century offers historians unique opportunity explore marketplace. diversity gave consumers choice than any American city period, church venture academies sprang up great numbers.3 Historian Nancy Beadie has argued importance put "competitive pressure" "bringing kinds instruction offered Latin grammar English one place." examines academies' development context, she does effects schools. Sketching response increased competition augments her portrait marketplace America.4 Scholars traditionally approached offshoot various endeavors, viewing enriches story.5 secularization place period tumultuous change Quakers While...