intend their preparation for the reception of pupils. The committee reported, on the 1st of May, that the arrangements had been made; and SHEPHERD JOHNSON, who had been trained in Free School No. 1, was appointed teacher, at a salary of five hundred dollars per annum. The school was opened on the 25th of the same month, with 51 pupils, the number of which was increased to 196 before the 5th of June.

The school increased in numbers with such rapidity, that, at the meeting of the board held on the 23d of the same month, the committee reported that 216 scholars had been admitted, with a regular attendance of over 200. The room, however, not being large enough to accommodate more than 164 scholars, a recommendation was submitted that application be made to the Corporation for the use of another apartment in the same building. This application was made and promptly granted.

At the meeting held on the 1st of May, the committee for the purchase of lots in the eastern part of the city reported that they had contracted with John R. Livingston for the purchase of three lots of ground in Rivington street, between Ridge and Pitt streets, for seven hundred dollars each. The action of the committee was approved by the board, and they were authorized to make the purchase. The treasurer was directed to sell sufficient stock held by the Society to meet the warrant of the committee of purchase. The report of plans and estimates for the building was submitted in September, and the sum of $10,724.36 was named as the cost of the erection of the new house, which became known as No. 4. The contract, however, -was made for $9,000.

At the close of the year, a committee on the "state of the New York Free School" reported several measures of improvement, among which was the establishment of school libraries. The resolution of the committee called for the expenditure of fifty dollars for books for a library for each school, the use to be limited to the best scholars, who should form a "class of merit."

The same committee recommended that young men wishing to qualify themselves for the profession of teaching on the system of Joseph Lancaster, should be allowed to visit the schools and assist the teacher in the discharge of his duties, and, after a period of six weeks spent in acquiring a knowledge of the sys

tem, they should be furnished with a certificate to that effect, signed by the president and secretary.

The committee appointed to correspond with the secretary of the British and Foreign School Society, with reference to the selection of an experienced Lancasterian teacher, reported, early in June, that they had received a letter from that gentleman, communicating the fact that they had made choice of Mr. CHARLES PICTON, who was approved by the Society, and had been engaged on the terms offered by the committee, and that he would sail for New York in June. A resolution of thanks to the secretary was adopted, and the committee directed to receive Mr. Picton on his arrival.

At the meeting held on September 4, the chairman laid before the board a letter from the British and Foreign School Society, introducing Mr. Picton, the teacher, who had arrived, and awaited the action of the board. Mr. Picton was present and introduced to the trustees, and cordially welcomed to his new field of labor.

During the year 1810, an arrangement had been made between a committee of the Free-School Society and a committee acting on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons, for the education of fifty children of members of that Society, on the annual payment of three hundred dollars. The arrangement was approved by the board on the 4th of June, 1810, and was continued until the close of 1817, when the treasurer was notified that the Grand Lodge desired to terminate the agreement.

In January, 1818, a committee was appointed by the board to report upon the communication from the Grand Lodge; and in June the committee reported in favor of terminating the arrangement, and at the same time recommended that the children presented for admission by the Masons should enjoy all the advantages of the Free-School Society, without any discrimination. The report was unanimously adopted.

The committee on the classification and education of monitors, besides other recommendations, in October submitted a report, in which it was advised that monitors should be indentured as apprentices to the Society, to learn the art of teaching by a regular form, as in other pursuits. The matter was discussed at several meetings, and finally recommitted, as the power of the board to hold apprentices was doubtful. The committee was

enlarged, and authorized to prepare a memorial to the Legislature, asking for the proper legal assistance in perfecting the measure, if deemed advisable.

The report on the general interests of the institution, which was presented by the committee in November, contained several propositions, which were adopted by the board. Among these were the following: Morning schools to be held from 6 to 8 o'clock, for the "apprentices," or monitors, and the more meritorious of the pupils in the higher classes; the ordering of an annual invoice of the quantity of supplies required in each of the schools for the year; a provision of $50 for a library for the several schools; and the permission to young men to practice teaching in the schools, and receive credentials accordingly.

A petition for the establishment of a school in the northeastern section of the city was received, and referred to a committee, consisting of James Palmer, Henry Eckford, Whitehead Hicks, John Withington, and Benjamin Marshall, who were directed to report on all questions relative to the enterprise.

A manual of the system of instruction adopted in the schools being deemed desirable, the preparation of the work was entrusted to Jeremiah Thompson, Rensselaer Havens, and Samuel Wood.

A resolution was adopted, on the 4th of December, in relation to the teacher of No. 3, as follows:

Resolved, That, on account of the increased size of SHEPHERD JOHNSON'S school, and the satisfactory discharge of duty on his part, his salary be increased to eight hundred dollars, to date from the 1st of November last.

JOSEPH LANCASTER, the founder of the system of instruction known by his name, was at this time in the city of New York, on a visit in behalf of popular education. To afford him the opportunity of making his system known, as well as to receive the benefits of his suggestions and long experience, the board adopted a resolution, offered by the president, DE WITT CLINTON, permitting him to use the school-rooms of the Society at such hours as were not devoted to instruction, for the purpose of delivering lectures on the monitorial system.

The commencement of the year 1819 found the Society in a condition of active usefulness, but with insufficient means. The demands made upon its resources in order to keep the schools in

operation, and to supply the books and other apparatus of instruction, were so considerable as to make an effort at retrenchment necessary, and almost imperative. The committee to whom the question of the financial condition of the Society had been referred, reported in January, and submitted the following facts:

The payments of the last quarter, exclusive of those on account of fitting up premises for No. 3, and building No. 4, amounted to $2,035.78, or $680 per month.

The expenses of the year, as estimated by the committee, amounted to $14,300; to provide for which there was a balance in the treasury of $2,235; probable collections in the Seventh Ward, $500; rents, &c., $100; total, $2,235; leaving a deficiency of $11,465.

The committee recommended that an application be made to the Legislature for pecuniary aid, and that temporary loans be secured until permanent relief should be afforded from other sources. The salaries of the teachers of Nos. 1 and 2 were also reduced to $800 per annum; and it was also recommended that the regulations allowing board and clothing to the monitors general should be abolished, and an annual salary of $100 be allowed them. It was estimated that these retrenchments would save the Society about $1,000 yearly.

The committee also suggested that a statement of the financial condition of the Society should be made to the Female Association which had the charge of the schools for girls, and that they be informed that a payment of $500 a year as rental would be received in aid of the Society, but that the said communication should not be construed as a demand.

The report of the committee was adopted, and the several measures recommended were referred to appropriate special committees for their action.

On the 19th of January, the board held a meeting to consider the report of the committee to prepare a memorial to the Legislature, which was adopted, as follows:

To the Representatives of the People of the State of New York in Senate and Assembly convened:

The Memorial of the Free-School Society of New York,

RESPECTFULLY SHEWETH,

That, in the year 1805, your memorialists, under a deep conviction

that early and wholesome principles of education were of the first importance to the security, prosperity, and happiness of every community, united their exertions to establish the Free-School Society of New York.

Feeling the insufficiency of their efforts, unless sustained by public munificence, they have applied to the Legislature of the State at various times for aid and assistance, and met with an encouragement characteristic of the Representatives of an enlightened people.

Fostered by legislative bounty and private liberality, they have been enabled to persevere in the prosecution of their object, and to crown their original design with great success.

From the establishment of the Free-School Society to the present time, 7,541 children have been taught in the schools under its superintendence; and there are now in the schools 1,169 children who are daily instructed in the various branches of elementary education, so far as is requisite for the transaction of business in the ordinary concerns of life.

In extending these blessings, your memorialists have adopted the Lancasterian plan of instruction, which was introduced into the United States by them, and has been found preferable to all others. The experience of Europe, wherein its principles have been extensively adopted, sanctions its superior excellence; and in our own country, so far as it has been practised, it has received the most unqualified approbation. Its preference has been found in the saving of expense, when compared with the ordinary methods of school instruction, and in the ease and expedition with which children can be taught the requisite lessons. The expense of each pupil has been found to be less than four dollars annually, including teachers' salaries, stationery, and all other incidental charges; whereas, according to the former method, the annual expense was not less than sixteen dollars, in this city, for each scholar-a test that palpably evinces the superiority of the present mode of instruction.

The general influence of our schools has not been confined to the city of New York. In order to promote a more extended knowledge of the system, and the establishment of similar schools, they have been and are open, free of expense, to the inspection and attendance of persons from different parts of this and other States, a sufficient time to enable them to acquire the means and capacity of imparting instruction to others, on the Lancasterian plan, with ease and dispatch.

By direction of the trustees, Lancasterian lessons have been printed for the use of the Junior classes in country schools; and they are now engaged in preparing a manual of the system for the assistance of teachers in organizing and conducting their schools on the plan pursued in this city.

Public conviction bears a testimony that, your memorialists believe, has no exception to the happy results which have already been realized from these schools. Their salutary influence is everywhere acknowledged, and the condition of the poor finds a melioration that not only imparts present comfort and relief, but which will be felt by future generations.

Notwithstanding the liberality of former Legislatures, and the fruitful source of support which your memorialists have found in the contributions