Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/205

Rh his accustomed energy and vivacity lost no time in consummating his plans. Three days after his arrival, a Meeting of the Trustees was summoned, and there attended, as the roll in order recites, Messrs. Franklin, Shippen, Leech, Peters, Taylor, Inglis, Cadwalader, Plumsted, Tho: Bond, Francis, Allen, M'Call, Masters, Phin. Bond, White, Willing, Syng, and Coleman, when the Question being put, Whether it be necessary at this Time to provide a Person in the Academy to teach Logick, Rhetorick, Ethicks and Natural Philosophy? it was carried in the affirmative by a great majority. It being proposed that Mr. William Smith, a Gentleman lately arrived from London should be entertain' d for sometime upon Trial, to teach the above mentioned Branches of Learning, in Case he will undertake it; the same was agreed to, and Mr. Franklin and Mr. Peters are desired to speak with him about it. [No terms were then set for his remuneration; and it was not until the meeting of n July, 1755, that this was defined:] the Question being put, whether the Salary of the Provost shall be Two Hundred Pounds per annum carried in the affirmative by a great Majority, and resolved that it shall commence from the Time of his first being employed in the Academy. This was the amount of Mr. Alison's salary from the outset, as it had been that of Mr. Martin, the first Rector. To this, however, was added an annuity to Mr. Smith of,50 per annum from Thos. Penn, in compliance with a request made him in 1754 " when the state of the Academy made it necessary to open schools in the higher branches of Learning, begging his assistance to enable them to employ a fit Person to instruct the Youth in the Arts and Sciences." The addition to the Provost's salary from this generous source continued until 1761, when Mr. Penn's gift of his one-fourth part of Perkasie Manor was accepted with the understanding that this sum was now to be assumed by the Trustees. ^ The Treasurer's account confirms the entry in Mr. Smith's Diary, " 25 May, 1754 commenced teaching in the philosophy class, also ethics and rhetoric to the advanced pupils. I have two classes, a senior and a junior one." It was at the meeting previous to the action had relating to the salary, namely 30 June 1755 that it was " Proposed, That the Trustees 30 Minutes 10 February, 1761.