Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/322

318 became Chief Justice the year following, and his wife was the daughter and sister of Councillors. Francis was Attorney Gen- eral of the Province at the time of the organization, and in 1750 succeeded Allen as Recorder of the City. Masters married in 1754 the daughter of a Councillor. Zachary was the grandson of an early Councillor. Franklin's genius and leadership found no place in the Council, but his influence was greater than any such seat could create, for he was the foremost man in the Province. Of the rest, Inglis, M'Call, Leech, Shippen, Syng, Willing, the two Bonds, Plumsted, Maddox, White, Coleman and Stedman had earned for themselves eminence in the com- munity as merchants or professional men. Such a collocation of men of provincial note and influence was the most remark- able and distinguished ever gathered together in one common work in this Province ; and as such, in force and dignity was perhaps never equalled, certainly never excelled in any of the sister Provinces ; and all this was in the cause of Education, and the men were inspired and united in their work by one who had attained to a. high appreciation of the needs of the Province in this direction, and yet who it may be said was himself with- out early education further than what could be drawn out of the materials he found around him by his own inborn faith and perseverence. The period of Organization of the College and Academy may be said to be completed on the graduation of the first class in 1757. There has been much to study in this formative time, in both men and methods, and its picture has to be drawn with more measured details than may be required in its subsequent periods. From this point on for nearly a score of years we may designate as the ante-Revolutionary period. The Institution felt the influence of party broils and wrangles of the time, as this was unavoidable when the men the most conspicu- ous in its control and management did not avoid provincial politics. We shall find this period to end only in disaster, and we must endeavor to fathom those causes which led to the injustice of 1779, when the fair fabric was laid low which had grown to such vigor by its first commencement. It is difficult