Year: 1869




Girard College in Philadelphia is an institu-
ton of some national interest; and it is no
unwelcome sign that its affairs are creating an
attention far outside Of its local sphere. Never
was grander structure devoted to the homespun
utility Of lodging and clothing poor orphan
boys, giving them education, and putting them
out to trades. The general problem presented
10 those who have ever studied its manage
ment, is to reconcile the advantages of an ex-
cellent education and some disadvantages of
school life of eight or ten years within walls,
with the destiny of hard work to which the
graduate-apprentic is committed after leaving
them. -Four or five years back, the Drec-
tors Of the College, thinking that a
great deal Of study, less play, and
no work, might make the future apprentices
still no better than poor boys, caught vaguely
at the idea of turning their school i'll part into
n workshop. The experiment of the workshop,
begun wholesale, was both overdone and under
done, and never led to very direct or remarkable
results, so far as we are aware. The Girard
boys were schooled every day to the full extent
of the long hours then, if not still, prescribed
for the schools of Quakcrdom. Hence, the
labor principle must have worked unsatis-
factorily for scholars, though it must have
been excellent for graduates or untcachable
pupils waiting to get places. Some of them
set type some hoed out garden weeds, some
raked hay, or planted vegetables others
could make shoes or soap. Time was when
the Girard boys in expectation of apprentice
ship, took very generally, and even with liking,
to agriculture, such as is afforded
within the forty acres which belong to the
College bounds. A more general teaching of
technology and the use of machines had been


introduced TO an appreciable extent Professor
Stephens, noteworthy for what good he has in
former days essayed to do the institution, was


in the habit of taking his pupils into all the
Schuylkil factories, and often taught them
botany on the way to an iron-foundery. The
practical system was encouraged and stimulated
by President Allen, well-llnown and able
educator, quite in identity with any success the
College has achieved rs at least n well-OrdeTed
institution, and it is possible that he still gives
it al earnest and intelligent countenance. We
have no notion that the wOrll-a-day plan can
be readily divided up with schooling. 1t is
best that what may be called the labor culture
should be applied only to the advanced and
somewhat developed pupils who have a par
ticular interest in understanding little of the
worlds workshop before they go to bear a
hand in it. A Girard boy enters the world at
from fourteen to sixteen or seyenteen and
hence whatever work is taught his young arms
had better come toward the end of his cOllegi.
ate term.


We have at hand an echo of the complaint
made by few Of the Philadelphia journals
that the College has been lylmismanaged of
late. OF this we are far from being so sure as
we are that the present head of the institution
enjoys the wide respect and esteem of its
graduates and friends. The College has had
two parties of foes. First, were the sO-caled
natural heirs Of Stephen Girard, dangerous
crew in all probability, who cared little for
the shrewd, kind old mOney-maker when he
was poor, and who were handsomely cut off
by him with $4,000 apiece Second, were Gil
rards other bad heirs, n class of politicians
into whose hands public bequests are apt to
fall in the accidents of politics. and who
are supposed to be pilfering the estate of the
Colleges founder. Tho institution, as is pretty
well known, is controlled by tho city govern