  
Page images
PDF
EPUB
[graphic]

Be it remembered, in honor of the Philadelphian youth, (then chiefly artificers) that in

MDCCXXXI they cheerfully, at the instance of Benjamin Franklin

one of their number, instituted the PHILADELPHIA LIBRARY, which, though small at first, is become highly valuable ar:d extensively useful, and which the walls of this edifice are now destined to contain and preserve, the first stone of whose foundation was here placed the zist of August,

MDCCLXXXIX,

[ocr errors]

Similar in character, and little inferior in extent, to the collection at the Philadelphia Library, is that of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, freely acces. sible to visitors, in the delightsul Hall of the Society, on the Spruce street front of the Pennsylvania Hospital square. This Society was organized in 1824 and incorporated in 1826, and is second to none of our Philadelphia Institutions in its noble objects and patriotic achievements. Besides its library, marvelously rich in priceless gems of olden days' literature in books, pamphlets, and MSS., the whole inside wall is lined with portraits of the great and good who have been eminent in our country's history, from the very first historic days to the present time, and a fireproof cham

ber is full of quaint, curious, precious relics of times பா மம

past. The Hall is open to visitors every week-day, HALL OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA- from 10 o'clock in the morning to 10 o'clock in the From the Grounds of the Pennsylvania Hospital,

evening, except during the summer months, when

the hours will be from 10 o'clock A.M. to 6 P.M. occupied in October of the latter year. The library com- The Apprentices' Library, at the southwest corner of Fisth prises one of the most valuable collections in the country, and Arch streets, was instituted in 1820, " for the use of including hundreds of rare and choice old tomes whose value can. not be computed in dollars and cents, In 1791 the Loganian Library, with its rare and curious books in ancient tongues and its precious classics, was removed to the custody of the Philadelphia Library Company. The Loganian Library takes its name from its collector, James Logan, Penn's famous Secretary, who bequeathed it as a perpetual legacy to the citi. zens of Philadelphia. The combined collections are open to the public from 9 o'clock A.M. to 5 !' M. every week-day, and every facility is afforded to visitors to road and even to copy ad libitum from their invaluable volumes. Turing a period of nearly a hunlocal years, thousands have thus luru benefited, many of whom have never entered the building, but have obtained knowledge from Hely through the medium of Hop, marines, etc. In a mih so the door is a statue of thlm, mund the corner-stone The themes ription :

[graphic]
[ocr errors]
[graphic][ocr errors]

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA-COLLEGIATE AND SCIENTIFIC DEPARTMENT.

apprentices and other young persons, without charge of any | May 26th, 1869, and by his will left a sum estimated at kind for the use of books." It is one of the grandest devel. $1,500,000, to be devoted to the founding and maintenance opments of true benevolence, and the vast benefit to the of a library; this bequest was to go to the care of the Philaentire community resulting directly and indirectly from its delphia Library Company provided they would accept it subcare of the boys and girls of our factories, shops and offices, ject to the restrictions in the will, and carry out the testator's cannot be adequately stated so well as it can be judged by plans, in which case, the new Library was to be known as

The the thoughtful. The building occupied for the past twenty- “ The Ridgway Branch of the Philadelphia Library." five years has itself an interesting history. The non-com- new building, erected under the will, on the square bounded hatant principle of the Friends is well known; during the by Broad (on which the building fronts), Christian, ThirRevolution, some of the younger members of the Society teenth, and Carpenter streets, is nearly completed, and upon actively espoused the patriot cause, and were " read out of meeting.” After the close of the war, these " fighting Quakers," having demanded and been de. nied restoration, formed a Society of their own, and erected this structure for their meeting-house. A tablet on the Arch street front reads:

“By general subscription,

For the Free Quakers;
Erected A, D, 1783,

Of the empire 8."
The Mercantile Library, on Tenth
street north of Chestnut street, will
well repay the visitor for a full inspec-
tion of its well-stocked shelves, ample
reading-rooms, chess-rooms, and com-
plete provision for the thorough sul-
filling of its mission and the comfort
and advantage of its large and steadily
growing membership.

Dr. James Rush, a son of the Revolutionary Dr. Benjamin Rush, died

THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY.

[graphic]
[ocr errors]
[graphic]
[ocr errors]

of 1870 credited Phi-
ladelphia with 3,700
libraries, public and
private, containing
2,985,770 volumes.

Philadelphia early
placed herself in the
very front rank in
the matter of pro-
visions for the edu-
cation of young and
old. Libraries are
important accessories
to the thorough edu-
cation of the people,
as are the almost
innumerable " Insti-

tutes," "Academies," *** Associations," etc.,

devoted to scientific, OLD UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS, ON NINTH STREET.

art, and other spe.

cific departments of its completion the Company must decide whether they will culture. But, besides all these, we have a complete and accept the trust or not. In any event, the library, with its admirable Public School system, numerous institutions of reading-rooms, etc., will be an important addition to the learning maintained by various religious denominations and educational accessories of our city.

other societies, and an immense number of private SemiThen there are the Athenæum Library and Reading naries, Academies, Institutes, and Schools. But our worldRoom, Sixth street south of Walnut, founded in 1813; the Friends' Libraries, 304 Arch street, and on Race street west of Fifteenth--the former originating in 1741, largely augmented in 1794, and now comprising about 7,000 volumes, many very rare, some even “ believed to be the only copies extant,” the latter established in 1834 and embracing about the same number of volumes as the other; the Law Association Library, at Sixth and Walnut streets; the Mechanics' Institute, Fifth street south of Washington avenue; and a large number of

The RingWAY LIBRARY. other Libraries in all sections of the city. The census

renowned and venerable University of Pennsylvania claims
our first notice.

On Fourth street south of Arch street, standing some sixty
feet or more back from the street line, there is a large edifice
occupied by a shoe manufactory; it is approached by a wide
court, and upon a close view we discover that part of the
structure is new and part very old, and we readily trace the
outlines of the building of the “ Academy,” shown in the
annexed engraving. Originally erected for George White.
field, in 1749, it was occupied for some time by the Second
Presbyterian Church, under the pastorate of Gilbert Ten-
nant; but the first interest in the Whitefield Presbyterian
movement having somewhat abated, there was found some
difficulty in obtaining the money to complete the building or to
remove a small debt remaining against it. In 1749-50, Frank-
lin and some others succeeded in organizing an academy,
which in the latter year secured this edifice. This academy
was successful, and in 1755 secured a charter under the title
of “The College, Academy and Charitable School of Phila-

[graphic]
[graphic]

delphia," with authority to confer degrees. During the ReTHE OLD "ACADEMY."

volution some of the Trustees and instructors came under

12)

[ocr errors]

suspicion of Tory proclivities, and the prosperity of

small business here in 1769, became one of the the College was checked; the charter was annulled

most extensive merchants of America and one of by the State Assembly, a new institution chartered,

the wealthiest men of his day. At his death, in under the title of “ The University of Pennsylvania,”

1831, he bequeathed $2,000,000 and “the residue to which were transferred all the franchises of the

of his property, after other legacies and bequests college. After the war, in 1789, the annulling of

had been paid,” for the support and education of the charter of the earlier institution was declared

“poor white male orphans, between the ages of illegal, and it was revived; there were now two rival

six and ten years when admitted to the instituinstitutions, but in 1791 they wisely combined under

tion; giving the preference, first, to those born the sanction of the Legislature. In 1798 the trustees

within the bounds of the [then] city of Philadel. bought a house which had been built by the State of

phia; secondly, to those born in Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania for the use of the President of the

thirdly, to those born in New York; and lastly, United States ; this house stood on Ninth street south

to those born in New Orleans.” The boys must of Market street, with an extensive lot of ground

be bound to the corporation of Philadelphia, and attached. Here the University continued to flourish

are bound out from the College between the ages until, in 1820, the trustees tore down the house and

of fourteen and eighteen years. The College is erected the two buildings shown in our first engrav

admirably located on a large tract of ground of ing on page 458. In 1871-74 the new buildings

forty-one acres, extending from Ridge avenue at in West Philadelphia were erected, the Ninth street

Nineteenth street and Girard avenue to Twentyproperty being bought by the United States Govern

fifth street, and from North College avenue to ment for the purposes of a Post-office and Court

South College avenue; it is well and handsomely rooms, to meet the requirements of our city's largely

laid out, and the buildings are on a grand scale, increased and steadily increasing commerce and

the main building being one of the finest archimanufacturing business. We have not space, nor is

tectural productions in the United States, in the it requisite, to describe the new University Buildings;

richest Corinthian style, un feet in width by 169 visitors can readily inspect them, and satisfy them

in length, and surrounded by a superb range of selves that the University of Pennsylvania is second

fluted columns, supporting a portico with archito none in the country in its accommodations, ap

trave 21 feet wide; these columns are 9 feet 3 pointments, appli.

inches in diameter at the base, 55 feet high, and ances, or in any other

surmounted by richly carved capitals 8 feet 6 particular. It has de

inches high. A sarcophagus in the south vestiserved its wonderful

bule holds the success by faithful

remains of the performance of its

founder,

and great work.

upon it rests his We must not ne

statue by N. Ge. glect to notice that

velot, pronounced by capable critics one of the best pieces of modern sculpture extant, and re. markable for fi. delity to life. Be sides the main building, which is of marble,

there are four THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

marble buildings, plain church at the northwest corner of Third and Arch; two on each side, and numerous other structures. The this they enlarged in 1809, and in 1837 built a far more ele

laying out of the grounds and erection of the buildings cost gant marble church in Seventh street south of Arch, where $1,933,821.78. The Faculty embraces twenty professors and they worshipped until their present beautiful house at Twenty teachers, and there are twelve prefects and governesses. first and Walnut streets was ready for occupancy; this edi

Visitors, clergymen alone being absolutely excluded, are fice was commenced in 1869 and dedicated in October, 1872. admitted every week day, first procuring tickets, free

, at the Among the educational institutions of Philadelphia, per- office of the Girard Trust, the Mayor's Office, or at the office haps the most remarkable is the Girard College. The insti- of the Public Ledger. tution takes its name from its founder, Stephen Girard, a But the pride and glory of Philadelphia is her perfect native of France, who settled in Philadelphia, and, starting a Public School System. To do justice to our Schools, how

[graphic]

the Second Presby-
terian Church, which,
as we have remarked,
occupied the old
Fourth street build-
ing before it became
the Academy, have
been prosperous no
less in their sphere
than the University.
In 1750 they built a
commodious but very

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

a

the

[graphic]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

a measure by the situation of
New York and the superior
energy and shrewdness of her
merchants. Recently, however,
our merchants have given com-
mendable evidence of an awak-
ening, and have shown a de-
gree of enterprise which must,
in time, enhance the commer-
cial importance of the good
old Quaker City, if it does not
actually restore its olden rank.

To-day, Philadelphia has, in
a most flourishing condition,
the only American Line of
Steamers afloat in the Foreign
trade. The ships of this line
are equal in their build, their
capacity, their travelling facili-
ties, their speed, and in every
particular, to their very best
rivals—they have been built by

American mechanics, entirely
THE GIRARD COLLEGE.

of American material, are

manned, we believe, by Ameriever, would require more space than we can devote to it this can seamen, with American officers to command, and the month, and we defer it.

money invested has been contributed by Americans, chiefly Important accessories to the education and culture of the Philadelphia capitalists. Messrs. Peter Wright & Sons, the people after they have passed the regular school period, are Agents of the American Steamship Line, state that the success the Academy of Music and kindred places, the Academy of of the enterprise has far exceeded the most sanguine anticiFine Arts, the Academy of Natural Sciences, etc.

pations of its projectors, and the indications are most flatterThe Academy of Music stands on our noble Broad street, ing for the future. at the corner of Locust, and is one of the finest structures of its kind in the country. Its front on Broad street is 140 feet of the numerous stores and palatial edifices in our city de

Of course, we cannot essay to give illustrations or notices and on Locust street 238 feet. The Byzantine façade is the voted to the multitudinous departments of business. The most noticeable feature of the exterior ; but, entering the visitor cannot pass along any of our central streets without building, the visitor is absolutely astounded to find a rich, being impressed with the fact that the city is fast losing its elegant, superb and luxurious interior, of which the rather old Quaker aspect of row after row of trim and prim stores, plain exterior affords no intimation. Directly south of the looking so much alike that a person newly commencing busiAcademy stands the Horticultural Hall, belonging to the ness in one of them must needs be careful to note his num. oldest Horticultural Society in the United States. On great ber to avoid blundering into a neighbor's or the delay of occasions, when the Academy is not adequate to the demand for space, a temporary passageway or bridge is thrown across, connecting the two edifices.

[merged small][ocr errors]
[graphic]

Of the Academies of Fine Arts and of the Natural Sci. ences we shall not speak in this number.

Philadelphia was at one time the first city in the Union in commerce and mercantile traffic, as well as in manufactures ; in the latter, she still retains the preeminence, but in the former she has been reduced to the second rank, in a measure by lack of enterprise on the part of our merchants, and in

THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

20 1000 DONUDU

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »
https://books.google.am/books?id=NyowpfNftS4C&pg=RA1-PA460&vq=%22us+of+our+joys,+You%27ll+in+your+girls+again+be+courted,+And+I%27ll+go+a+wooing+in+my+boys.+THE%22&dq=editions:NYPL33433000455547&lr=&hl=hy&output=html_text
books.google.am
crawl=CC-MAIN-2022-40
49962
application/http; msgtype=response
sha1:AUR2TH6QRUBNCJVXRC4YDIPZ5WB5TVNO
<urn:uuid:1b7b397a-5601-4a6a-b51c-e2a31892cff0>
2022-09-28T20:19:57Z
172.217.2.110
text/html
sha1:WQNUDLWWLAPGLYLGEREFB3UFRGVEI6JR
<urn:uuid:3e2d50c8-649e-481c-9acb-ee2ebcb19129>
https://books.google.am/books?id=NyowpfNftS4C&pg=RA1-PA460&vq=%22us+of+our+joys,+You%27ll+in+your+girls+again+be+courted,+And+I%27ll+go+a+wooing+in+my+boys.+THE%22&dq=editions:NYPL33433000455547&lr=&hl=hy&output=html_text
response
<urn:uuid:a5506a73-0240-41af-85ca-f520c72ae623>
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2022-40
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for September/October 2022
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-67-67-215
software: Apache Nutch 1.19 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 1.4-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: https://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/