School Rules

Charter, laws, & regulations for the College, Academy, and Charitable School of Philadelphia, 1771-1789
from the William Smith papers, 1755-1803, Ms. Coll. 599, Box 2, Folder 55

William Smith (1727-1803) served as the University of Pennsylvania’s first provost from 1755 to 1803. Following Smith’s 1753 essay “A General Idea of the College of Mirania,” he was appointed to teach natural philosophy and logic at the Academy of Philadelphia. After visiting the school in June 1753, Smith wrote “A Poem on Visiting the Academy of Philadelphia.” Smith’s credentials were made even stronger when he was ordained as a Church of England clergyman immediately before his 1754 election as a professor at the Academy. In 1755, the Academy was chartered as the College of Philadelphia and Smith was appointed Provost, which position he held until 1779 when the College became the University of the State of Pennsylvania. He resumed his position in 1789, when the College was restored, until 1791 when it was merged with the University of the State of Pennsylvania and a new charter issued in the name of the University of Pennsylvania. During Smith’s first few years on the job, Benjamin Franklin supported Smith’s reorganization of the school to include not only the Academy, but also the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania).

A Sermon upon Duelling: delivered to the senior class on the Sunday before their commencement, July 21st, 1822, 1822
from the Beasley family papers, 1802-1929 (bulk: 1822-1899), Ms. Coll. 1217, box 1, folder 3

Frederick Beasley (1777-1845) accepted the position of Provost and Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania in 1813. He received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Penn and Columbia University in 1815 and continued to serve as Provost until his resignation in 1828. While at Penn, he preached A Sermon upon Duelling: delivered to the senior class on the Sunday before their commencement, July 21st, 1822.  Beasley prepares his students for the future, stating “There are numberless insults and injuries, it is said, which a man may receive, that inflict upon him the deepest and most smarting wounds, for which he can obtain, either no redress, or very inadequate redress by an appeal to the laws of his country.” Beasley, suggests, however, that holding grudges is not really the way of the civilized men (as Penn students surely were in 1822) and they should “let this horrid pleasure be left to barbarous and savage tribes.”

Discipline without Brutality. Adyār : League of Parents and Teachers, 1920.
LB 3025 D56 1920

This booklet was issued by the League of Parents and Teachers, whose object was to bring about the abolition of corporal punishment both in homes and schools, and introduces new methods of discipline practiced in schools. According to the booklet, “it is no doubt hard for grown-up people to give up their old habits of thought and action–especially if they have no idealistic tendencies in them; but equally hard is it for them to appreciate the value and importance of a life of self-control, patience, discretion and love unless they definitely resolve to dispense with, not only the old brutality of the cane, but all forms of coercion.  All idea of punishment must be dropped before the mind can fasten itself on the ideal of service and self-sacrifice and before it can be realized that the ‘true teacher exists to serve.'”

Telegram from Dean Harold Pender to John W. Mauchly about Mauchly’s failure to turn in grades, 1942
from the John W. Mauchly papers, 1908-1980, Ms. Coll. 925, box 7, folder 29

John W. Mauchly (1907-1980) was a physicist and a co-inventor of the ENIAC, arguably the first electronic computer. From 1941 to 1946, Mauchly worked at the University of Pennsylvania Moore School and taught members of the military. Based upon the records contained within Series II, it appear that Mauchly may have been thinking more about his computer than about getting his grades in on time. Dean Pender, however, appears to have been very much concerned with grades being submitted on time. So much so, that in this telegram scolding Mauchly for his “failure to turn in grades,” he has also copied Mauchly’s mother!

Report card for Forrest Deaner, 1944
from the Florence Davis papers, 1935-1946, Ms. Coll. 887, box 1, folder 16

Forrest Deaner (1928-2001) went to Girard College, a Philadelphia boarding school for poor, orphaned or fatherless white boys. The collection includes a series of his report cards detailing both his academic achievements and his conduct within the residences during his time there. In general, his grades and scores for conduct were fairly varied. However, in this case, his conduct was rated as both U (unsatisfactory) and V.O. (very objectionable). Unfortunately, the teacher did not follow the report card’s instructions and provide information about this bad behavior. No doubt, Florence Davis, Forrest’s mama, would have liked to know the details too! Now it is simply left to our imagination!