LANCASTER COUNTY. 449 



city of Lancaster, another act was passed by the Legislature 

 on the 1st day of April, A. D. 1822,' entitled *'An act to 

 provide for the education of children at the public expense, 

 within the city and incorporated Boroughs of the County of 

 Lancaster.'' By the provisions of this act, the city and incor- 

 porated boroughs of the county, were erected into a school 

 district, by the name, style and title of the " Second School 

 District of the State of Pennsylvania." Twelve Directors were 

 to be annually appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions of 

 the County — their duties and powers were prescribed — the ad- 

 mission of children regulated — theLancasterian system ordered 

 to be adopted — the expenses provided foi — the duty of the 

 County Commissioners set forth, and the division of the 

 district into sections whenever required — how to be done. — 

 Under this act, the first and only section of the district was com 

 posed of the city of Lancaster. 



The Directors appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions,, 

 proceeded at once, to purchase a lot of ground, erect a large 

 and commodious school house, employ male and female teach- 

 ers, admit scholars, and in pursuance of the law, adopting the 

 Lancasterian system of education, opened their schools with 

 the highest hopes of success. In this they were not disappointed. 

 The plan v/orkedso well, that the city of Lancaster until lately 

 did not become an accepting school district under the provisions 

 of the general school law of June 13, A. D. 1833.f But the 

 expense of erecting a school-house, and of continuing the 

 schools, being borne out of the County treasury, it never 

 ceased, because of its partiality, to be a source of complaint 

 on the part of the inhabitants of the county. Nevertheless, 

 the schools — male and female departments — continued in ope- 

 ration under this special law — with all their objectionable 

 features as pauper schools — until in the month of May, A. D. 

 1838, when, in pursuance of the provisions of certain Resolu- 

 tions, passed by the Legislature on the 14th day of April, A. D. 

 1838,]: the inhabitants, by a popular vote, determmed upon an 

 acceptance of the Common School System, modified and adopt- 

 ed to their circumstances by the Resolutions already referred to. 



*7 Sm. laws, 538. 



fPam. laws 1835-'36, page 525. 



:tPam. laws 1837-8, page 6S6. 



38* 



