It was not Until April 4, 1809 when
the state of Pennsylvania enacted
a law to deal with the education of the poor. By this act, the county
commissioners were to annually direct their assessors to every township,
ward and district. Here the assessors would gather the names of the
children, between the ages of 5 to 12 years, from parents who could not
afford to pay for education. After providing the list of names to the
commissioners and after the commissioners decided on additions and
alterations, the assessors would inform the parents to send the children
"to the most convenient school, free of expense." The assessors then sent
the lists of names to the teachers of the schools within their area
"whose duty it shall be to teach all
such children as may come to their
schools, in the same manner as other
children are taught..."
According to the 1809 state law, the teachers were to record in a book the
attendance of the children and the amount of stationary used.
From the attendance books the teachers were to calculate, based on the
rates of tuition in the said school, the amount to be paid from the county
treasury, subject to the approval of the trustees of the school or
"three reputable subscribers" and the county commissioners.
On March 31, 1812, the state General Assembly passed a law dealing with the
free education of the poor in Philadelphia. This law was in response to
special circumstances which prevented poor children from
receiving a "free and impartial education." The 1812 law (as the 1809
law) reiterated the duty of the county
commissioners to select teachers, to
fumish stationary and school books,
and a new step, to "establish public
schools" with approved regulations.
While the Lower Merion
Academy was open to Township in
habitants, it was not known to be
designated a "public school" in 1813.
Therefore the mechanism existed
within the state to accommodate the
education of the poor, but it is as
sumed the actual implementation
was, at best, left to pockets of enlightened county commissioners. Jones'
"...without any Expense or Charge
whatsoever unto said Children their
Parents, Friends, Guardians or others."
It is not known, at this time,
if any county funds supported education of the poor in the Township
before Jones' will. One would believe
no funds were used because of the enactment of his will by 1812 and the
sustained success of the Lower Merion
Merion Academy into the 20th century.