soon found too small, and we were looking out for a piece of ground, properly situated, with intention to build, when Providence threw into our way[1] a large house ready built, which with a few alterations might well serve our purpose. This was the building before mentioned, erected by the hearers of Mr. Whitefield.
It has been affirmed there were at the time of this purchase some Charity School with its few scholars accommodated in this building, which led to Franklin in those later years relating without due exactness that his Academy had at once on its inception in 1749 begun with teachers and scholars, and hence the necessity of a larger building. But neither do the minutes nor the Treasurer's accounts confirm this, and indeed Franklin's letter to Mr. Eliot, of February, 1750, before quoted, leaves no room for any support of this statement
At this meeting of 29 March, it was also Ordered that Messrs. Benjamin Franklin, William Allen, William Coleman, Richard Peters, Thomas Hopkinson and Tench Francis be a Committee to consider and report whether it be most convenient for the Pupils to pay a Gross Sum for being instructed in all the branches of Learning to be taught in the Academy or distinct sums for each.
The results of their deliberations on this point were adopted at their meeting of 10 November following, when it was "Ordered, That the sum of twenty shillings quarterly, and twenty shillings entrance money, with a rateable share of the Expense of firing in the Winter Season, be paid by each Pupil, for which they may be instructed in any Branches of Learning to be taught at the Academy." Ere they were prepared to receive any Scholars or offer them any good tuition, many inquiries must have reached them early as to their procedure upon different details of their promising establishment; for besides the above consideration of fees, they had made a minute at the previous meeting, 6 February, 1750.
The Trustees being informed that an Objection is made to that Article of the Constitution which relates to the Admission of Scholars, Declare that the said Article is not intended for any other purpose than to accommodate the Number of Scholars to the number of Masters, and the cir-
- ↑ Mr. Sparks renders this, "when accident threw into our way, etc.," i. 159.
