CHAPTER XIX.

SCHOOLS FOR COLORED CHILDREN.

The Manumission Society Organized-Objects and Measures-School for Colored Children Proposed-Committee Appointed-Report-Funds-Teachers EmployedSchool Organized-Purchase of a School Site-Grant of Land from Frederick Jay -Legacy from Estate of John Murray-Evening School-The Lancasterian System Adopted-Manumission Society Incorporated-Change of Location of the School-Grant of Land in William Street by the Corporation-Building Erected -School in Mulberry Street-General La Fayette-C. C. Andrews-School No. 3 -School No. 4-School No. 5-School No. 6-Transfer to the Public School Society Proposed-Proceedings of the Societies-Committees Appointed-Authority to Transfer Granted by the Legislature-Transfer Completed--The Schools Reorganized-New School-House in Laurens Street-School for Colored Monitors -Decline of Schools and the Causes-Name Changed-Dissolution of the Manumission Society.

On the 25th of January, 1785, a number of gentlemen of the city of New York, who had witnessed the sufferings of the colored population, and the frequent injustice done to free persons of color, organized "A Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves, and Protecting such of them as have been or may be Liberated." The meeting was held at the dwelling-house of

John Simmons, innkeeper.

The gentlemen present on that occasion were Robert Bowne, Samuel Franklin, John Murray, Sr., Robert Troup, Lawrence Embree, Melanchthon Smith, William Goforth, Willet Seaman, Elijah Cock, Joseph Lawrence, William Keese, John Murray, Jr., Effingham Embree, Thomas Bowne, Edward Lawrence, James Cogswell, William Shotwell, Ezekiel Robins, and John Keese.

The meeting was called to order by Mr. Troup, who stated the object of the conference, and Melanchthon Smith was chosen. chairman. A committee, consisting of Samuel Franklin, Lawrence Embree, Robert Troup, Melanchthon Smith, and John Murray, Sr., was appointed to report a draft of by-laws and

regulations for the government of the Society. The meeting then adjourned to the 4th of February.

At the meeting held by adjournment, a number of other gentlemen were present, among whom appear the names of John Jay and Alexander Hamilton, Hon. John Jay being elected chairman.

The Committee on "Rules" submitted their report, which was discussed, amended, and adopted as a constitution of the Society. The preamble is as follows:

The benevolent Creator and Father of men having given to them all an equal right to life, liberty, and property, no sovereign power on earth can justly deprive them of either, but in conformity to impartial government and laws to which they have expressly or tacitly consented.

It is our duty, therefore, both as free citizens and Christians, not only to regard with compassion the injustice done to those among us who are held as slaves, but to endeavor, by lawful ways and means, to enable them to share equally with us in that civil and religious liberty with which an indul gent Providence has blessed these States; and to which these our brethren are, by nature, as much entitled as ourselves.

The violent attempts lately made to seize and export for sale several free negroes who were peaceably following their respective occupations in this city, must excite the indignation of every friend to humanity, and ought to receive exemplary punishment.

The hope of impunity is, too often, an invincible temptation to transgression; and as the helpless condition of the persons alluded to doubtless exposed them to the outrages they experienced, so it is probable that the like circumstances may again expose them, and others, to similar violences. Destitute of friends and of knowledge, struggling with poverty, and accustomed to submission, they are under great disadvantages in asserting their rights.

These considerations induce us to form ourselves into a society, to be styled "A Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves, and Protecting such of them as have been or may be Liberated."

After the adoption of the constitution, Alexander Hamilton, Robert Troup, and White Matlack were appointed a committee to recommend a course of proceedings to be pursued in the case of persons to be aided by the Society. The meeting then adjourned to the 10th of the same month, for the purpose of effecting a permanent organization under the rules. Accordingly, on that day, the members met, and having balloted for officers, Hon. John Jay was elected president, Samnel Franklin, vicepresident, John Murray, Jr., treasurer, and John Keese, secre

tary. The Standing Committee was composed of six members, as follows: Melanchthon Smith, Lawrence Embree, Dr. James Cogswell, Ezekiel Robins, William Goforth, and Elijah Cock.

The objects of the Society were pursued with great diligence, and it became evident to the friends of the colored race that, in addition to other means of advancing their interests and elevating them in their social and moral condition, a school for the education of children was essential. The Standing Committee, composed at that time (May 11th, 1786) of Jacob Seaman, Lawrence Embree, White Matlack, and Leonard M. Cutting, made a report, in which they recommended the appointment of a committee to report a plan for establishing a free school for negro children. John Murray, Jr., James Cogswell, and John Keese, were appointed as the committee.

At the following meeting, held August 10th, the committee reported their plan, which provided for the raising of money by subscription or donation, the appointment of a teacher at a seasonable time, and the selection and appointment of trustees by the Society. The report was laid on the table until the next meeting, held on November 9th, when the report was amended and adopted, and Melanchthon Smith, John Murray, Jr., Matthew Clarkson, William Goforth, Lawrence Embree, William Backhouse, and Dr. Cogswell were appointed a committee to make collections for the purpose. On the 17th of May, 1787, the fund subscribed amounted to about $5,000, and the committee asked that they be discharged, and that a new committee be appointed. The request was granted, and the new committee consisted of John Murray, Jr., William Backhouse, Abijah Hammond, John Lawrence, White Matlack, Richard Platt, and Ezekiel Robins.

At the meeting held on August 16th, the committee reported that £801 128. had been subscribed, and urged the adoption of immediate measures for the organization of a school. The report was adopted, and Rev. John Rodgers, D.D., John Murray, Jr., White Matlack, Lawrence Embree, William Backhouse, Dr. James Cogswell, and Ebenezer Harwood, were appointed. The committee reported at the next quarterly meeting, held on November 15th, stating that they had prepared an application to Trinity Church for a donation of a piece of ground for the purpose of a school for colored children, and that they had engaged

a schoolmaster to take charge of the school. This gentleman, the committee stated, had dismissed a school of white children in order to take charge of the proposed school, and under such terms as convinced the committee that "gain was not his object," for he would furnish a school-room and fuel, and teach the children for six months, "for sixty pounds." The teacher, Cornelius Davis, having been thus obtained, the next step was to adopt rules for the admission and government of scholars; and, on the 1st of November, a school was opened, which numbered twelve pupils at the time of the report. On the recommendation of the committee, twelve trustees were appointed to have the supervision of the school until the next annual election. The Board of Trustees, at this first organization, consisted of Melanchthon Smith, Lawrence Embree, John Lawrence, Matthew Clarkson, John Bleecker, Thomas Burling, Jacob Seaman, White Matlack, James Cogswell, Willett Seaman, Nathaniel Lawrence, and John Murray, Jr. In February, 1788, the trustees reported 29 pupils in attendance. In November, there were 56 on register.

In May, 1791, a committee of four members-Messrs. James Cogswell, Samuel Franklin, John Lawrence, and Moses Rogerswas appointed to raise funds for the building of a school-house. At the following meeting in November, the President of the Society, Matthew Clarkson, Dr. Cogswell, and William W. Woolsey, were named as a committee to procure a lot from the corporation of Trinity Church. The application was replied to negatively, and the only lot of ground which would answer the wishes of the Society, in the rear of the chapel in Beekman street, was fixed at so high a price, and on such terms, that the Society could not comply with them. The committee was accordingly continued; the Committee on Subscriptions was discharged, and, in February, 1793, a new committee appointed.

In August, 1792, a school for colored girls, taught by Mrs. Davis, was taken under the control of the Society.

The difficulty of procuring a suitable piece of ground presented an obstacle to the operations of the school, and, at the close of 1794 (November 18), a committee of three was appointed to take steps to obtain an act of incorporation for the African Free School, and to apply to the Regents of the University to have the institution recognized by that body. Noah Webster, Jr., Robert Bowne, and William Johnson were named for that

duty. The committee reported at the following meeting, and were discharged. At the annual meeting in February, 1795, it was resolved to apply to the Legislature for aid, and a committee of five was appointed to prepare and present a petition, making the wants of the school known to that body. The effort was successful, an appropriation was made, and the committee was discharged, on the reading of their report, in May, 1796.

In May, 1794, Frederick Jay, Esq., had presented the Society a lot of land on Great George street, 25 by 100 feet, for a school-house, and, if deemed not desirable for that purpose, the Society were authorized to sell it, and use the proceeds in the purchase of another site. The committee appointed in November of the same year for the purpose of selecting a location, were continued until February, 1796, when they reported that, in consequence of the high prices at which property was held, they could not make a desirable selection, and they were discharged.

In November, 1795, John Murray, Jr., the treasurer, reported that he had received a legacy of £200 from his father's estate, for the use of the African Free School, the interest on that amount to be a perpetual annuity for the benefit of the school.

In April, 1796, a special meeting of the Society was held, on the call of the trustees of the school, to hear a report on its condition and necessities. The report was discussed, and laid on the table until the regular meeting in May. The trustees reported that they had selected a piece of property in Cliff street, and had taken steps to secure its purchase. The report was accepted and approved, and the trustees directed to proceed with their plans. They were authorized to sell the lot donated by Mr. Jay, and appropriate the proceeds toward the purchase of the property. A large committee was appointed to obtain contributions, viz.: Thomas Eddy, Alexander Hamilton, Matthew Clarkson, Peter Jay Munro, Gabriel Furman, John Campbell, Samuel Boyd, Streatfield Clarkson, Noah Webster, William Johnson, Moses Rogers, Samuel Bowne, Thomas Franklin, William Dunlap, George M. Woolsey, George Gosman, Jacob Mott, John Murray, Jr., and Andrew Cock. The trustees were also directed to employ teachers, whose aggregate salaries should not exceed $700. The treasurer was directed to pay to the trustees £200 on the purchase-money, and £100 for repairs to the premises.