1782] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 69 



to this General Assembly, " Tliat the said school hath of late increased 

 greatly by an accession of students and scholars, from various parts of 

 the Eastern Shore of this State, and the neighbouring Delaware State; 

 there being now about one hundred and forty students and scholars in 

 the said school, and the number expected soon to increase to at least two 

 hundred, — and that the Latin and Greek languages, English, French, 

 Writing, merchants' accounts, and the different branches of Mathema- 

 tics are taught in the same, under a sufficient number of able and 

 approved Masters; that sundry of tlie students are preparing, and 

 desirous, to enter upon a course of philosophy, and must repair to some 

 other State, at a very grievous and inconvenient expence, to finish their 

 education, unless they, the said Visitors, are enabled to enlarge the plan 

 of the said school, by engrafting thereon, a system of liberal education 

 in the arts and sciences, and providing necessary books and apparatus, 

 with an additional number of Masters and Professors." And the said 

 Visitors have further expressed their assurance, that if they were made 

 capable in law of erecting the said school into a College or general 

 seminary of learning, for the Eastern Shore or Peninsula between the 

 bays of Chesapeake and Delaware, (maintaining the original design of 

 the said school, as a foundation not to be violated) very considerable 

 sums could be raised in a few years within the said Peninsula, by free 

 and voluntary contributions, for the establishment and support of such 

 seminary. And have accordingly prayed, that a law may be passed to 

 enable them, the said Visitors, to enlarge and improve the said school 

 into a College, or place of universal learning, with the usual privileges. 



Now this General Assembly taking the said petition into their serious 

 consideration, and being desirous to encourage and promote knowledge 

 within this State, have agreed to enact, and be it enacted by the 

 General Assembly of Maryland, That the said Joseph Nicholson, James 

 Anderson, John Scott, William Bordley, Peregrine Lethbury, William 

 Smith, and Benjamin Chambers, the present Visitors of Kent county 

 school, and their successors, shall have full power and authority to erect 

 the said school into a College or Seminary of universal learning, and to 

 increase the number of Visitors and Governors thereof to twenty-four, 

 in manner following ; that is to say. 



First. The said Visitors of Kent county school, and their suc- 

 cessors, for and during the term of five 3-ears next after the passing 

 of this act, are hereby empowered and niade capable to receive con- 

 tributions and subscriptions for the said intended College or Seminary 

 of universal learning, of any person or persons v/ho may be willing to 

 promote so good a design ; and in case any number or denomination 

 of contributors in any county of the Eastern Shore of this State, or of 

 the Peninsula aforesaid, in the neighbouring States, shall subscribe and 

 engage to pay towards the founding and supporting the said intended 



