Page:The History of the University of Pennsylvania, Wood.djvu/28

22 had long been engaged in the business of instruction, and was among the first who established regular schools in the province. That he must have acquired considerable eminence as a teacher, is evinced by the fact, that at a time when honorary degrees were in much higher esteem than at present, that of Doctor of Divinity was spontaneously conferred upon him by the University of GlascowGlasgow [sic]. Before his election to the vice-provostship, be had for several years been attached to the academy as rector, and master of the Latin school. As in the case of Dr. Smith, his election was unanimous; and the names of both these gentlemen, with their respective titles, were, by direction of the trustees, inserted in the charter of the college. Their duties, as professors, were to preside over the philosophical studies of the different classes, and Dr. Allison assisted also in teaching the languages. For more than twenty years they were the main supports of the institution, with which they remained connected up to the period of that change in its affairs which was brought about during the troubles of the revolution.

Of the other; members of the faculty, the Rev. Ebenezer Kinnersley, professor of English and oratory, was perhaps the most conspicuous. Having been associated with Franklin in the prosecution of his investigations into the subject of electricity, he acquired a taste for that science, which induced him to procure a set of apparatus, calculated to exhibit an exemplification of its newly discovered principles, by varied and pleasing experiments. Thus provided, and at the time engaged in no other employment, he was prevailed on by Franklin to exhibit these experiments publicly, and to accompany them with explanatory lectures; the first, probably,