Early in life, Mr. Lancaster had become impressed with the advantages of the system of mutual instruction, and resolved to develop his method at the most favorable opportunity. He opened a school in Southwark, in 1789, where he taught almost gratuitously. The success of his labors soon attracted attention to his system, and subscriptions began to pour in upon him to sustain him in his benevolent work, by which he was enabled not only to enlarge his own school, but to travel through the kingdom and introduce it in other cities. Numerous schools were established under his personal supervision. Dr. Bill now appeared as a rival, and claimed to be the originator of the monitorial system, and by his personal and professional influence he commanded so much attention, that Mr. Lancaster, who was a member of the Society of Friends, was overborne in the competition, and compelled to yield to the pressure of his more pretentious and successful rival. He visited the United States and Canada, the Legislature of which province made him an appropriation to assist him in developing the school system; but, not deriving sufficient income from that source to complete his plans, he was again forced to retire from the active pursuit of his scheme, and sought a home in New York, with the expectation of giving some additional evidences of the perfection to which he had brought his system. He had submitted a proposition to the Executive Committee to make an experiment with forty children, and with the aid of ten others as monitors, to teach them in from four to six weeks to read and spell accurately. Mr. Lancaster was reluctant to communicate the details of his plan to the committee, or to permit them to be present at any of his exercises. The committee reported unfavorably upon the application, but recommended that he be allowed the use of a room for the purpose of teaching his classes. The report was accepted, laid on the table, and a resolution adopted declaring it to be inexpedient to grant the application.

Mr. Lancaster shared the fate of most pioneers in literature, science, and reform, for he never amassed any pecuniary rewards from his labors. A few friends had, however, purchased a small annuity for him, and he was devoting his time to general visitation and advisory examinations when his labors were terminated by his death.

The condition of the vagrant and unemployed children of the city was made again the subject of special consideration by the Executive Committee, and referred to a sub-committee to devise plans for correcting the evil. The committee reported a project, of which the leading features were:

1st. To appoint three visitors, who should visit certain sections of the city where such labors were most required, and urge upon children and parents the necessity and duty of improving the privileges offered them.

2d. To procure the passage of a law making it an offence in a minor to be found idle and uninstructed, and subject to commitment if reformation did not take place.

3d. The establishment of a Manual Labor Farm School, to which such children should be sent when arrested under the law. Visits, printed addresses, handbills, and other means of securing the greatest publicity, were also recommended. The report was adopted, and a committee to prepare a memorial to the Corporation of the city submitted a draft of the paper they had prepared, in which similar views and plans were advocated. The memorial was adopted, and ordered to be properly signed, authenticated, and submitted to the Common Council. Nothing, however, resulted, except indirectly, from these efforts, as the plans were never matured, the board having failed to obtain the patronage or the sanction of either the city or the State.

At the meeting of the Executive Committee, November 26, a resolution was adopted appointing a committee, consisting of Joseph B. Collins, Samuel R. Childs, and William L. Stone, to inquire into the expediency of introducing into the schools suitable books setting forth "the principles of the Christian religion, free from all sectarian bias." A report was submitted, and an amendment of the by-laws was proposed, defining the position of the Society; but the agitation of the school question, which was then threatening the public mind, and which followed soon afterward, arrested any further action. The agent was directed to ascertain, by a new census of the schools, what proportion of the pupils attended Sunday schools.

A committee was appointed, in the carly part of the year (1839), to examine and report upon the comparative advantages of the primary schools and primary departments. The first were the schools established in various localities, in order to place