Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/236

232

Two names now first appear on the roll of tutors, those of Hugh Williamson and James Latta, who were both members of the first graduating class, both becoming eminent in their callings, the former in particular, attaining celebrity in Mathematics and Medicine and also as a Politician, and becoming one of the Faculty as Professor of Mathematics when he was twenty-six years of age. At the meeting of 9 December, 1755, Franklin in the chair the first recorded since that of 1 1 July, it was ordered that Hugh Williamson and James Latta, who have alternately supplied the Place of one Usher in the Latin School from the 1 3th of June until the ist of November, be paid after the rate of sixty pounds per annum for their Attendance during the above Term, and that their future Salaries be ascertained at the next meeting of the Trustees. Action on this was not reached until 10 February following, when the following Minute appears: Hugh Williamson the present Writing Master and James Latta Tutor in the Latin School are ordered each the sum of Fifty Pounds as their stated annual Salaries. We shall desire to know somewhat more both of Williamson and Latta in the course of our narrative. The Provost attends the meeting of Trustees on 13 April, 1756, there being a goodly number present, namely, Mess. Allen, Peters, Turner, Cadwalader, Shippen, Mifflin, Strettell, Masters, Maddox, Coleman, Stedman, Leech, and Inglis, Franklin being then absent on Post Office duty in Virginia; and he sketched out to them a more equitable division of the faculty work which was assented to. The minute tells its own story: Mr. Smith represented to the Trustees, that the number of Classes which study Philosophy being now increased to three and likely always to continue at that Number, it would be no longer possible for him with what Assistance Mr. Grew can spare from his present Business to carry on the proposed Scheme of liberal Education, unless some further Assistance was granted. It was therefore agreed that in the present Situation of the Funds