Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-24

The total expenditures on account OF the
schools amounted to $1,370, 457, of which
$3.50, ISL was for salaries to teachers. The
night schools, a very popular feature, have
been placed in the manufacturing districts
of the city, where they are especially need
ed and are accomplishing great good. The
board favor the compulsory education DIVA
grant children. They say in their report:
"There is no subject which appeals more
urgently to the board than that of the va
grant children who infest our streets. In
number over 10000, and yearly increasing,
they threaten to disturb the peace and Sc
curity Of society, and are at all times a
prolific source of decentralization. What is
to be done with them? Whatever may be
said against compulsory education, hOweV-
er much it may be thought to initiate
against the genius of our institution, there
can be no doubt that the community has
some power to deal with this giant aud
growing evil. The law is assuredly compe-
tent to abate and manifest nuisance. Va
grants, whether children or adults, can
certainly be subjected to restraints that
shall remove them from the streets, and to
some extent control and regulate their &C.
tons, and it is but a short and easy step
from this to some provision for their intel
lectual and moral education. Wretched as
is the condition of these friendless outcasts,
there is certainly enough of promise in
them to encourage the hope that, from be-
ing active sources of evil, they may be
transformed into positive sources of good"
GIRARD COLLEGE.
Philadelphia has many institutions de-
voted to the instruction of youth, and some
of them are remarkably handsome build
ings, as that for the University of Pennsyl-
vania, which is receiving s'the finishing
touches" but to Girard College must be
conceded the palm Of being the ornament
of the city. 1t is properly esteemed the
grandest monument of benevolence in this
country; certainly no more imposing mem
orial could be erected TO the memory of the
man to whom it owes its existence. Stephen
Girard, who had resided in Philadelphia
for more than half century, and had made
his collosal fortune ESTIMATED at So, 000,-
0O0) in this city, bequeated by his will Che
died Dec. 26, 1891 $4,000, 900, beside the
residue of a certain portion of his estate
out of which some legacies amounting to
$4,000 were to. be paid, together with
plot of ground in Philadelphia, for the
erection and support of a college for
orphans. In the body of bis will
he directed that this college should be
erected on the square between Market and
Chestnut and Eleventh and Twelfth streets,
bat by codicil of June 20, 1881, he sub
stitued for this square an estate of forty
FIVE acres of land, described in his will as
"Peel Hall, on the Ridge Road, in Penn
township" The land was then consid-
cradle distance in the country; If is now in
the city. The most minute directions were
given in the viii for the construction, size
and materials of the building, the corner
stone of which was laid on the 4th of July,
1888, and the main edifice and out-build-
ings were completed on the 18th of Novem-
Der, 184I, fourteen years and six months
being occupied in the execution of the
work. 1t is surrounded by wall ten feet
high, enclosing the land donated by Mr..
Girard, which is laid cut in play grounds,
grass plots, gardens, etc. The main build
ing is the finest specimen of Grecian ar
chitecture in America, and is even said to be
the finest of modern times. The outer walls,
stair cases, floors, and roof ara of white
marble; the inner walls of brick. The on t.
side walls and the interior vestibule walls
are fourteen feet in thickness, and the
other interior walls three feet. 1t is in the
form of q Corinthian Temple, surrounded
by portico of thirty. four marble columns,
each tfty-fve feet high and six feet in di.
ameter, each weighs one hundred and three
tons and cost $12,944. The building is one
hundred and sixty-nine feet long, one hun
bred and eleven feet wide, and is three
stories high, the first and second stories be-
ing twenty i've feet from floor to floor, and
the third thirty feet in the clear to the eve
of the dome, the entire height of the build
ing being ninety -seven feet. The struc-
ture rests on basement Of eleven steps
extending around the entire building. The
marble used in its construction was pro-
cured in Montgomery and Chester coun-
ties, Pennsylvania. In accordance with
Mr.. Girard's will, -four out buildings separated
from each other, have been erected for the
residence Of the scholars and the accom-
mediation of the teachers. The cost of the
five editices was something over 81, 9OO, 900.
The college occupies a commanding DO
sitioD, overlooking the city; and may be
seen for many miles distant in almost auy
direction. A marble statue in the lower
vestibule covers the remains of Mr.. Girard.
The college building was formally trans
ferred to the directors on the 18th of No
yember, 1S47; on the 10 of December fol-
lowing, the necessary officers and agents
were elected, and on the 1st of January,
184S, the institution was opened with fit
ting ceremonies, with class of enc hundred
orphans, who had been previously ad.
mitted. Mr.. Girard directed in his will,
that the benefits of the institution should
be for "poor white orphan" children, and
in the absence of more specific meaning,
toe first board of trustees decided
that the term ''orphan" should be
defined ga fatherless child.n
The number of pupils is limited to $50, the