Free School Society, and became a member of the "section" of trustees having charge of No. 2, in 1826, and continued to serve in that capacity until 1853, a period of twenty-seven years, and was chosen as one of the trustees under the act of union with the Board of Education, making his whole term of service until his death a period of twenty-nine years.

At the meeting of the Board of Trustees, held on March 6, 1818, information was communicated that a room in a stationhouse, owned by the Corporation, at the corner of Hudson and Christopher streets, in what was then known as the village of Greenwhich, could probably be obtained for school purposes, and Thomas C. Taylor, Najah Taylor, and John R. Murray were appointed to make the inquiry. The committee reported, in April, that they had made an application for the room, which had been granted for two years. The same committee was authorized to fit up the premises and propose a teacher. At the meeting in May, a school was directed to be opened at the earliest period possible, and Samuel Boyd, Najah Taylor, and Thomas C. Taylor were appointed a committee of No. 3 to organize and superintend the school. The school was opened on the 25th of May, with 51 children, the number being increased to 196 on the 1st of June. On the 12th of June, the school was so overcrowded with pupils, that a special committee, consisting of William Torrey, Lyman Spalding, and Benjamin Marshall, was appointed to report on the best measures to be adopted. The committee recommended an application to the Corporation for the upper floor of the building, which was obtained and fitted up, and 87 new scholars admitted up to the 7th of August. The large number of pupils made it necessary to relieve the school, and it was proposed to send such of them as resided below Spring street to No. 1; but the parents objected so strongly, that it was deemed advisable to obtain separate accommodations for the girls' school. In 1819, "The Eagle Factory" was proposed for a temporary purpose, and William Torrey, Isaac Collins, Ezra Weeks, Leonard Bleecker, and Oliver

H. Hicks were appointed to report in general on the subject. The report recommended the erection of a building on the lots owned by the Society, deeded by Trinity Church, April, 11, 1815, which report was adopted by the board, but reconsidered at the next meeting, and a cominittee appointed to confer with the vestry of Trinity Church relative to the property, certain conditions of the transfer being an impediment to the plans of the Society. In 1820, the conference resulted in the sale of the property to the Society unconditionally for $1,250.

In April, a committee was appointed to obtain estimates, which were deemed too high, and, at the following meeting of the board, Stephen P. Britton, Whitehead Hicks, and William T. Slocum were appointed for a similar purpose, under instructions. The committee reported a plan, which was adopted, for a house 45 by 80 feet, the whole expense, including fences, &c., not to exceed $6,500. The report was adopted, and William Torrey, Najah Taylor, and Samuel Boyd were named as the Building Committee.

The building was erected, and opened for boys on the 15th of October. The pupils assembled in the old rooms at 9 o'clock, 369 being present, were transferred to the new house, and were all engaged at their usual exercises at 10 o'clock.

On the following Monday, the 22d of the month, the girls, under Sarah Field, the teacher selected for the purpose, were transferred to their apartments in the building. On the 2d of November, 279 female pupils were on the register.

The work having been completed within the estimates, and only $217.50 of extra work, the excess over the appropriation amounted to only $109.94.

In September, 1821, a committee, consisting of William Torrey, William T. Slocum, and Edward Kirby, was appointed to have the basement fitted up for school purposes.

On the 10th of September, 1824, General La Fayette visited No. 3, and witnessed the exercises in both departments. The Mayor, some of the Aldermen, and many visitors were present. General La Fayette witnessed a review of all the pupils of the public schools in the Park on the afternoon of the same day. He was unanimously elected a member of the Society at a meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Shepherd Johnston had the charge of the school until March

22, 1825, when he left it, to take the principalship of the junior department of the "New York High School," in Crosby street, between Grand and Broome.

Benjamin F. Hart succeeded Mr. Johnston, and continued in the position until October 18, 1835, when he resigned. Dr. David Patterson assumed the charge of the school, and remained on duty through the whole period of its control by the Society, and passed under the supervision of the new school officers at the time of its transfer to the Board of Education.

Miss Sarah Field, in the girls' school, became Mrs. Bowron, in May, 1821, and resigned on the 15th, giving way to her sister, Maria Field, who had charge until 1825, when Miss Catharine R. Dean succeeded. In 1827, the school was placed under the care of Miss Frances M. Hart, till 1831, when Miss J. F. McCormick followed, and was succeeded, in 1832, by Isabella, McCormick, who remained until transferred under the new system.

In November, 1832, Floyd Smith and others applied for permission to use No. 3 for an evening school, to be taught gratuitously, for the benefit of apprentices and others.

Joseph Lancaster visited the school on the 17th of September, 1838, and left the following minute on the visitors' book of the boys' school:

Ninth month, 17.-Joseph Lancaster. Much pleased with the order, obedience, attention, and mental interest displayed in this school. He can only record his general satisfaction, being too much exhausted to enter now into particulars; but he truly rejoices in the prosperity which he has seen, and hopes it will go on and increase. It is by the perfection and example of such schools as this that he hopes knowledge and civilization will extend over the world,

Far as the ocean waters roll,
Wide as the heavens are spread.

The entry in the record of the female school is as follows:

Ninth month, 17.-Joseph Lancaster. Highly delighted with the behavior of the excellent pupils in this school. The children and youth in the New York schools may be called the children of attention. Their ears and their hearts seem generally, if not universally, open to instruction, and they eminently distinguish themselves as good listeners. The pupils in this school are so in a most remarkable degree. I find so much to congratulate the public and the friends of these schools respecting their condition, that

I am cautious of repeating the same expressions relative to "the soul's calm sunshine," and the heartfelt joy which I have experienced in every school that I have been in; yet, on expressing my feelings here, and my satisfaction in other schools, I can truly say, the current of hopes and the brightness of blessings in prospective from the schools, for the people of another day, have flowed on, as the poet expresses himself, repecting other and higher themes, “One tide of glory, one unclouded blaze." I leave my best wishes and cheering approbation for the children, youth, monitors, and teachers of this school, and if I could leave as many blessings as good wishes, they would be abundant indeed.

Mr. Johnston, the original teacher of this school, after an absence of a quarter of a century, returned to visit the scene of his early labors, and left the following minute:

June 12th, 1851.-With feelings of pleasure I enter this room in which I have spent so many delightful days. Things, however, I found much changed; the whole appearance of the room was altered for the better, and, by the liberality of the present board, the worthy head of this department enjoys advantages which I never had reason to suppose would be extended to the public schools. However, with all of these advantages, I still remain strongly attached to our old system.

S. JOHNSTON.

PUBLIC SCHOOL NO. 4.

In the early part of 1817, Adam Brown, Noah Brown, and Peter Ogilvie addressed a petition to the Society, and a committee was appointed to report the measures necessary to secure the erection of a new school-house in the neighborhood of what was then called "Manhattan Island," Corlear's Hook. Thomas Eddy, James Palmer, Henry Eckford, Noah Brown, and Whitehead Hicks were named for the purpose. They reported that Adam Brown, Noah Brown, Peter Ogilvie, and Henry Eckford would give two lots, and that another could be purchased for about $400. Lots in Columbia street were selected, but afterward rejected, and the committee discharged. In March, 1818,. John Murray, Thomas Taylor, Samuel Wood, Whitehead Hicks, and Leonard Bleecker were appointed to select lots in the northeastern part of the city. On the 1st of May, the committee reported the purchase of three lots on the south side of Rivington street, between Pitt and Ridge streets, for $700 each. The report was approved, and the committee directed to close the purchase.

John Murray, Jr., John R. Murray, and Thomas C. Taylor were named as the Building Committee, to report plans and estimates. The report not being satisfactory, John Pintard was added. In September, the report of the committee was submitted and adopted, and the same gentlemen were continued for the superintendence of the new building. An additional committee was subsequently appointed to solicit contributions toward the building, from the residents in the eastern part of the city. The upper room was finished for occupancy, and opened on the 1st of May, 1819, with 133 scholars, under the care of Charles Picton, from England-a gentleman sent by request of the Society, as one specially qualified to illustrate the Lancasterian system as there perfected. Dr. Lyman Spalding, James Palmer, and George T. Trimble composed the School Committee. On the 1st of June, 200 boys and 156 girls had entered the school. On Monday, August 30th, 1819, the girls' school was opened with 182 pupils, under the care of Mrs. Picton.

In 1820, the basement was finished and furnished for school purposes, and occupied by the lower classes of the boys' school, in November. A bell was put up in 1821.

Charles Picton resigned, in 1824, to return to England, being succeeded by E. Wheaton, who remained only until the following year, when he accepted an appointment in the Mechanics' School. In July, he resigned, to be followed by Henry A. Cooper.

On the 31st of October, 1828, Mr. Cooper terminated his services in No. 4, and Mr. S. Hammond took the charge, which he continued until 1834, when Seneca Durand became principal, but he was transferred to another school, and was succeeded by John Patterson, who resigned on the 5th of May, 1852, when Charles W. Feeks succeeded, and remained on duty until after the transfer of the schools to the Board of Education.

In 1820, Mrs. Picton resigned her charge, and Eunice Dean was appointed to the vacancy, which she continued to fill until 1823, when Caroline B. Knapp succeeded, and continued to discharge her duties until 1836, when Mary Doane took charge, and filled the position until 1850. Catharine White succeeded her, under whose care the school passed to the Board of Education.