nt of
industry.[64]

In 1794, the Pennsylvania Abolition Society established a school for
children of the people of color, and in 1809 erected a school building
at a cost of four thousand dollars, which they designated as "Clarkson
Hall," in 1815. In 1813, a board of education was organized consisting
of thirteen persons, with a visiting committee of three, whose duty it
was to visit the schools once each week. In 1818, the school board, in
their report, speak very kindly and encouragingly of the Clarkson
Schools, which, they say, "furnish a decided refutation of the charge
that the mental endowments of the descendants of Africa are inferior
to those possessed by their white brethren. We can assert, without
fear of contradiction, that the pupils of this seminary will sustain a
fair comparison with those of any other institution in which the same
elementary branches are taught."

In 1820, an effort was made to have the authorities of the white
schools provide for the education of the Colored children as well as
the whites, because the laws of the State required the education of
all the youth. The comptrollers of the public schools confessed that
the law provided for the education of "poor and indigent children,"
and that it extended to those of persons of color. Accordingly, in
1822, a school for the education of indigent persons of color of both
sexes, was opened in Lombard Street, Philadelphia. In 1841, a primary
school was opened in the same building. In 1833, the "Unclassified
School" in Coates Street, and at frequent intervals after this several
schools of the same grade, were started in West Philadelphia.

In 1837, by the will of Richard Humphreys, who died in 1832, an
"Institute for Colored Youth" was started. The sum of ten thousand
dollars was devised to certain trustees who were to pay it over to
some society that might be disposed to establish a school for the
education of the "descendants of the African race in school learning
in the various branches of the mechanic arts and trade, and in
agriculture." Thirty members of the society of Friends formed
themselves into an association for the purpose of carrying out the
wishes and plans of Mr. Humphreys. In the preamble of the constitution
they adopted, their ideas and plans were thus set forth:

"We believe that the most successful method of elevating the
moral and intellectual character of the descendants of Africa, as
well as of improving th