Endowment 



ELIAS BOUDINOT AND STEPHEN GIRAED 307 



years, inclusive, educates them uuder excellent masteis, 

 trains tbeni for nieclianical, agricultural or commercial 

 pursuits, and at the end of eight years gives them a fur- 

 ther start in life by finding them suitable positions in 

 their chosen trades. Thus thousands of poor boys have 

 been cared for and reared into useful, upright men ; and 

 many generations of well-trained and worthy citizens 

 have reason to rise up and call Stephen Girard blessed. 

 The college hiis had a remarkable success. Financially ^^^^^, 

 the estate increased in value until it is estimated at 

 thirty-eight millions and the annual expenditures of the 

 college are over half a million, as against forty-seven 

 thousand dollars at the beginning. Fifteen millions have 

 been spent upon the maintenance and enlargement of the 

 institution, which has an enrollment of 1,550. A prefer- 

 ence is given to orphan boys from Philadelphia, secondly, 

 to those born elsewhere in Pennsylvania, thirdly, to those 

 born in New York city, and lastly, to those born in New 

 Orleans — these last two being the first cities he visited 

 after reaching America. 



The will i)rovided strictly that no sectarian teaching Non- 

 should ever be allowed in the college, but said: "My IrovYsUin 

 desire is that all instructors and teachers in the college 

 shall take pains to instill into the minds of the scholars the 

 purest principles of morality, so that, on their entrance 

 into active life, they may, from inclination and habit, 

 evince benevolence towards their fellow creatures, and a 

 love of truth, sobriety and industry, adopting at the same 

 time such religious tenets as their matured reason may Pure Morality 

 enable them to prefer." 



This French- American, who wished to spare other boys 

 the sorrows of his own early life, not only has the credit 

 of founding a distinctive institution of noble aim, but of 

 being a pioneer in great gifts by rich men for educational a Nobie 

 and philanthropic purposes. His was the first large an°d"ETampie 

 benefaction of its kind in the country ; and in Girard 

 College he reared both a monument and an example. 



