LANCASTER COUNTY. 441 



word might not perish for lack of knowledge among the 

 people," they employed a competent teacher, to instruct the 

 youth of both sexes, without any regard whatever to the wealth 

 or standing of the parents in society. Generally each church 

 was supplied with an organ — indeed this instrnment was re- 

 garded as indispensable to the proper worship of the Almighty, 

 and the person employed to perform upon it during divine 

 service, was required to unite with his skill and knowledge as 

 a musician, the profession of a School-teacher. He usually 

 received a stated salary, and was furnished with proper accom- 

 dations for his school, himself and family at the common cost 

 of the congregation. In return for this, and in addition to his 

 duty as an organist — as has been shewn — he was required to 

 teach the children of the congregation upon such terms as the 

 vestry might from time to time determine. The sum thus tixed, 

 was paid to him by the parents of such of the children, as 

 were able to afford it, while the children of those who were 

 in indigent circumstances, were taught the same branches 

 without charge and in consideration of the salary paid by the 

 congregation. This mode of educating their own poor, by a 

 system so simple, was regarded as a religious duty. It was so 

 taught from generation to generation, through successive years ; 

 and when the two churches we have referred to, were founded 

 in Lancaster, the Lutheran A. D. 1734 and the German Re- 

 formed A. D. 1736, it was not forgotten. 



As may well be supposed, the schools thus established were 

 not at first very far advanced, beyond the ability to impart a 

 knowledge of what are now known as the first rudiments of a 

 common education, but in a few years, they attained to some 

 eminence, and from being originally intended only for the 

 benefit of the children of their particular churches, they came 

 to be multiplied and extended, for the benefit of all the inhabi- 

 tants of the Borough and adjacent country. So rapidly indeed 

 had the scholars increased, and with so much success were the 

 schools conducted, under the united efforts and persevering 

 industry of the Pastors of the Lutheran and German Reformed 

 congregations, that from about the year 1745 to 1784, they were 

 almost the only schools of character in the county — except those 

 at Ephrata and Litiz, of which we shall speak hereafter. During 

 the earlier part of this time, great interest was taken in the es- 



