that Mr Dove makes a Practice of leaving his School at Eleven o'clock in the morning, and at four in the afternoon; and such frequent absences of the Master being thought a Disadvantage to the School, Mr Franklin and Mr Peters are desired to speak to him about it, and request his Attendance during the School Hours." At the following meeting these gentlemen reported that "Mr Dove acknowledged what had been reported of him concerning his leaving the School, and that he seemed desirous of being indulged in that practice, but the Trustees considered it as of bad example and too great a Neglect of the children under his care, and desired him to be informed they would expect he will attend the School at the appointed Hours." Mr Dove, anxious to maintain his school, made a proposition for other hours, but finally on 13 February 1753 the Trustees having fully considered this Request and the ill Consequence such an indulgence would be attended with, adhered to their former opinion; * * * and as he had said, in Case his present Request was not granted he would continue to take care of the School for a Quarter, or till they could provide another Master, so they, on their Part, would give him a Quarter's notice when they had provided.
On 10 July following Mr Kinnersley was provided for the English school, and Mr Dove was relieved. The detail of this transaction illustrates the care and watchfulness of the Trustees over the labors of their Teachers and Ushers. And it is also in some measure a testimony to Mr. Dove's merits and abilities as a teacher that they dealt so patiently with him, not wishing to lose his services on any peremptory notice. Franklin's sentiments regarding him were testified to in his letter of 24 December, 1751, to Dr. Johnson, where he says,
The English master is Mr Dove, a gentleman about your age, who formerly taught grammar sixteen years at Chichester in England. He is an excellent master, and his scholars have made a surprising progress.[1]
In later years, upon the discontinuance of the Videll's Alley School, he opened a private academy in Germantown in the house yet standing immediately west of the Germantown Academy, wherein however he was not very successful. He had taken
- ↑ Beardsley, p. 166.
