Evening star., 1932-12-11
VIRGINIA'S HISTORIC FIRST FREE SCHOOL

children Of his friends for whose education
he paid himself. Others were some of the
poor children Of Alexandria who up to 1785
bad no opportunity to obtain schooling BY
financial arrangements which he made with
the Alexandria Academy 1t became possible for
them to receive an elementary education, in
Guiding arithmetic, reading and writing as well
as other primary studies.
Being an ardent member of the Board Of
Trustees of Alexandria Academy. George
Washington was enthusiastic with his work,
and his constant efforts in behalf of the edu-
eating of the poor had far-reaching effects and
incidentally it anticipated free public school
system.
Washington's interest in education, probably
because Of the fact that he had but little formal
schooling himself, is evident In all his philan-
thropical contributions to the welfare Of edu-
cation. OF his many contributions, there Is
perhaps none other more conspicuous than
his endowment to the Alexandria Academy. a
private pay school. There was no public free
school in Virginia, although free schools were
not unknown.
Greatly inspired by the outcome of the ca
reers of the many orphan children whose ia
theirs had been killed in the war of the Revolu-
ton, Washington knew that many of these
youngsters were deserving of the education
they could not procure. He Immediately ncti-
fed the trustees of the academy that he de-
sired and was willing to invest 1000 pounds
with them, 'the interest of which was to be
applied for the purpose of educating
orphan children who have no other resource
or the children of such INDECENT persons as are
unable to give it. ."
This desire was left in the form of q beouest
which Washington confirmed in his will giving
block of his stock in the Bank of Alexandria
TO the academy, as may be read with great
interest in the following paragraph in an
authentic extract from that document.
q To
soeyer other name they may be designated) of
the academy in the town of Alexandria, give
and bequeath, in trust, $4,000 or in other
words 20 of the shares which I hold in
the Bank of Alexandria towards the support of
free school, established at and annexed to
the said academy for the purpose of educating
such orphan children, or the children of such
other poor and INDECENT persons as are unable
to accomplish it with their own means, and
who, IN the judgment of the trustees of the
SAID seminary, are best entitled to the benefit
of this donation-the aforesaid 20 shares I give
and bequeath in perpetuity-the dividends only
OF which are to be drawn fer and applied by
the SAID trustees for the time being for the uses
above mentioned, the stock to remain entire
ana untouched unless indications of a failure
OF the Said bank should be so apparent or dis
contlnuance thereof should render O removal of
TINS Iuno necessary, in either of these cases
the amount OF the stock here devised is to be
vested In some other bank or public institution
whereby the interest may with regularity and
certainty be drawn and applied as above. And
to prevent misconception, my meaning is and is
hereby declared to be that these 20 shares are
In Lieu OF and not in addition to LOCO pounds
given by missive letter some years ago in
consequence whereof an annuity of SO pounds
has since been paid toward the support of this
institution. ." Last viii and testament
dated July Q, 1890.
,,Iofio
original 20 shares OF stock given to the bank
Continued on Ninth Page