were authorized to raise $5,000 by lottery "for the purpose of erecting an academy and church, or either of those buildings, in said town." In 1825 the academy was empowered to raise $10,000 by lottery. Chartered in 1799: Fayetteville Seminary, Cumberland County. Peasley Academy, "at or near the dwelling of Rev. William Peasley," Moore County. The Williamsboro Franklin Library Society, Granville County. Its object was "the improvement of useful knowledge," and seems to have included a school as well as the work of a library proper. Chartered in 1800: Sneedsboro Academy, Sneedsboro, Anson County. Edenton Academy, Edenton, Chowan County. This academy was empowered to raise $3,000 by lottery. Samuel Johnston was the president of its board of trustees, and the academy had a long and honorable history. Among its teachers who acquired wide celebrity in the State was the Rev. Jonathan Otis Freeman. By chapter 63, laws of 1807, the commissioners of the town were instructed to convey to the academy 6 acres of town property. The first act which seems to have had in mind the instruction in regard to public schools in the constitution of 1776 was that for "a public school in the county of New Hanover." This act, pașsed in 1800, provided for trustees and their government, as the other charters had done, and empowered them to hold property received by gift, grant, subscription, or otherwise." Beyond this and the fact that it is called a "public school" there is no hint that it was to have public support. 64 Chartered in 1801: Union Meeting House Academy, Duplin County. Clio Montana Seminary, in Rockingham County. This seminary had been in operation prior to the time of its charter. In 1801 the trustees of the Newbern Academy, which had been in existence years before this time, were empowered to raise $3,000 by lottery "for the purpose of building an academy on the schoolhouse lots in the town of Newbern." In 1812 the power of cooptation was taken from the trustees and placed in the town. All freemen who were possessed of a freehold or were masters of families had the right to vote, and, further, this privilege was conferred on all “who within one year immediately preceding the said election shall have made a donation to the said academy of the value of $5, or within four years immediately preceding of $20.” Raleigh Academy, Wake County. The legislature granted to this academy the public square in the town, known as "Burk square," for the site of a building. They received in the charter no public aid beyond this. Amendments in 1809 gave the trustees power to increase their number and a grant of certain quarries for five years, inasmuch as "the quarries of rock in the public land adjacent to the city of Raleigh, though of no benefit to the State, might yield a small emolument to the trustees of the academy." Chartered in 1802: Franklin Academy, in Franklin County. Wadesboro Academy, in Anson County. Caswell Academy, in Yanceyville, Caswell County. Spring Hill Seminary, in Lenoir County. The property of this seminary was exempted from taxation for ninety-nine years. Chartered in 1804: Cedar Grove Academy, Richmond County. Wilmington Academy, New Hanover County. Nixonton Academy, Nixonton, Pasquotank County. Chartered in 1805: Philomathia Academy, Wilkes County. Hico Academy, in the lower part of Caswell County. Solemn Grove Academy, near Mount Helicon, in Moore County. Greene Academy, in Greene County. The name was changed to Hookerton Academy in 1817, and the trustees were to be elected by vote. All persons who had given as much as $5 had the right of suffrage, and could cast five votes if they had given $25. Any white man who had given $5 was eligible as a trustee. In 1819 it was allowed to raise $2,000 by lottery. "And the trustees of the said academy shall be jointly and severally liable in their proper person to fortunate adventurers in any lottery authorized by this act for the amount drawn to their respective numbers in an action on the case brought to recover the same." Union Hill Academy, Buncombe County. This school was founded on a gift of 8 acres of land in Buncombe County, given by William Forster, jr., "for the purpose of a place of residence for a preacher of the gospel and teacher of an English and Latin school," or either, as the majority of trustees should deem most advisable. In 1809 the trustees were allowed to raise $5,000 by a lottery "for the purpose of completing the necessary buildings" and also "for establishing a female academy in the town of Asheville," under direction of the same board of trustees. Chartered in 1806: Oxford Academy, Rowan County. Windsor Academy, in Bertie County. Mount Clio Academy, in Robeson County. Rutherford Academy, in Rutherford County. Union Hall School, "near the Old Nicks" (Old Neck), in Perquimans County. This academy was already in existence. Chartered in 1807: Trenton Academy, in Jones County. Portsmouth Academy, Carteret County. Indian Woods Academy, in Bertie County. Elizabeth City Academy, Pasquotank County. Chartered in 1808: Washington Academy, Beaufort County. Zion Parnassus Academy, on Richlands Swamp, Robeson County. Newland Academy, in the upper part of Pasquotank County. Vine Hill Academy, Halifax County. In 1810 it was allowed to raise $500 by lottery. This school is still in existence. Germantown Academy, in Stokes County. Authorized to raise £500 "for the purpose of purchasing a lot or piece of land and books for use of the said academy." Chartered in 1810: Waynesboro Academy. Carteret Academy, Carteret County. Jonesboro Academy, Camden County. 1 Laws of 1809, ch. 81. This act is entitled "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to establish a seminary of learning in the town of Fayetteville,' "' etc. Wilkesboro Academy, Wilkes County. Springfield Academy, Halifax County. Plymouth Academy, Washington County. Montpelier Academy, on the lands of William M. Sneed, in Granville County. Nutbush Mineral Springs Academy, on the lands of John Simms, in Warren County. Chartered in 1811: Euphronean Academy, Moore County. Oxford Academy, on the lands of Thomas B. Littlejohn, adjoining the courthouse, now Oxford, Granville County. New Providence Academy, Mecklenburg County. This was the academy of the Rev. James Wallis (1762–1819), and he is the first trustee named. He had established Providence Academy, about 12 miles from Charlotte, in 1792. He belonged to that small coterie of Presbyterian ministers who have done so much for intellectual North Carolina. Chartered in 1812: Snow Hill Academy, Greene County. Philadelphus Academy, Robeson County. Newbern Female Charitable Seminary, Newbern, Craven County. Its object was "for the relief of the poor and the education of poor female children." This seems to have been the first society incorporated for the purpose of female education in the history of the State.1 Chartered in 1813: North Carolina Bible Society. Greene Academy, Greene County. Goshen Academy, Duplin County. Tarboro Academy, Edgecombe County. Williamsboro Academy, Granville County. Pleasant Retreat Academy, Lincoln County. Military [and Literary] Society of the County of Lenoir. Free School in Wayne County (evidently using the word "free" in the sense of liberal). Female Orphan Asylum Society, Fayetteville. "It is the wish and intention of the said society to seek out as objects of their charity children who are destitute of both parents and who would become chargeable to the county in which they reside, which said children they (the said society) intend to board, clothe, and educate." Chartered in 1814: Union Academy, Halifax County. Greenville Academy, Pitt County. Hillsboro Academy, Orange County. Rush Academy, on Mattamuskeet, Hyde County. This academy had a prior existence, and was known as Strayhon's School House. Louisburg Female Academy, Franklin County. The commissioners of the town were authorized to deed a site to the academy out of the town lands. It was not the first institution organized for that purpose. The Moravian school at Salem, known as the Salem Female Academy, was organized in 1804, and has been in continuous operation since that date, but did not receive a charter from the State until 1866. One of the Moravian teachers who attained reputation as a scholar, especially through his knowledge of Hebrew, was John Jacob Fries. He came to North Carolina from Denmark in 1754 and taught from time to time until his death in 1793. Free School, in Duplin County. The idea of a charity school for the poor is present in this act, but beyond this it does not differ from similar acts of incorporation. Clio Academy, Iredell County. This academy had been in existence for many years. Its founder and organizer was Rev. James Hall. In 1815 the name was changed to Statesville Academy. At this time the educational movement took a new turn in the incorporation of “Thalean associations,” “for the purpose of aiding an institution of learning, and the general promotion of literature." With such objects, an association by this name was organized in Fayetteville in 1814 and another in Wilmington. Chartered in 1815: A change becomes manifest about 1815, when the terms of incorporation begin to vary from the set phrase which had come down from the Revolution. In 1815 the Fayetteville School Association Company was chartered, with $10,000 capital. Commissioners were appointed to open books for subscriptions for shares at $25 each. As soon as $1,000 had been subscribed, the school was to be put into operation. The trustees were to be elected by the stockholders, stock was to be transferable, and the association was allowed to hold property up to $20,000. Library societies were another phase of educational activity which began about this time. "The Person Library Company" was chartered in 1815; was empowered to organize a library and hold $2,000 in property. The Raleigh Library Company was chartered in 1816, and was allowed to hold property up to £2,000. Center Library Society, of Iredell County, was chartered in 1817. The Buffalo Library Society, of Iredell, and the Fayetteville Library Company, of Fayetteville, were both chartered in 1818. Chartered in 1816: Williamson Academy, Martin County. Pleasant Grove Academy, Perquimans County. Greensboro Academy, Guilford County. In 1820 the Female Academy in Greensboro, which had been under an independent management, was united with the Greensboro Academy. Chartered in 1817: Fairfield School, on Loosing Swamp, in Lenoir County. New Prospect Academy, near Oak Grove, on Little River, in Perquimans County. Blakely Academy, Pittsboro, Chatham County. This academy was named in honor of Capt. Johnston Blakely, U. S. N., who went down with his ship, the Wasp, in 1814. Female Benevolent Society, of Wilmington. Its object was "to secure to poor children and destitute orphans a moral and religious as well as common education, and also to adopt, support, and provide with situations that are useful and not unfavorable to virtue." Chartered in 1818: Milton Female Academy. Wayne Academy, Wayne County. Jonesville Academy, Surry County. Asheville Academy, Buncombe County. Lawrenceville Academy, Montgomery County. Hilliardston Academy, on lands of James Hilliard, in Nash County. Forest Hill Academy, on the lands of John Martin, in Wake County. Trenton Academy, Jones County. This school was given a town lot of 2 acres for a site. Female Academy, Orange County. This organization was known as the Prospect Company. Chartered in 1819: Lawrenceville Academy. Camden County Bible Society. Pike Academy, in Little Alligator, Tyrrell County. In this case a school already established was made the basis of the larger organization. . New Salem Library Society, Randolph County. Its object was "for the purpose of promoting religion, and aiding the progress of learning science." Leaksville Female Academy. The trustees were authorized to raise $6,000 by lottery "to purchase a library and necessary apparatus, and for completing the Female Academy in said town." Bingham Academy, then in Orange County, and under the direction of the Rev. William Bingham, was incorporated in 1819, and declared to be "a public seminary of learning." This school had been organized as early as 1793 and has been in almost constant operation since that time. Chartered in 1820: Spring Hill Academy, Gates County. Concord Academy, Perquimans County. Elizabeth City Academy, Pasquotank County. Carraway Library Society, Randolph County, "for the purpose of promoting and aiding the progress of learning and science." The Western College, of North Carolina, to be located "somewhere to the southwest of the Yadkin River," was incorporated for the reason that "the more western counties in this State are distant from Chapel Hill, which renders it inconvenient for their youth to prosecute their education there.' It was provided with an excellent board of trustees, was given the power to confer degrees, and was exempted from taxation-and there it stopped. But from this germ came a little later Davidson College. Chartered in 1821: Lincolnton Female Academy. Sardis Academy, Johnston County. Spring Grove Academy, Anson County. 66 to promote the Liberty Male Academy and Charlotte Female Academy, both in Charlotte. Raleigh Female Benevolent Society; some of its objects were education of poor children, and cause them to be instructed in some of the useful domestic employments." Chartered in 1822: Ebenezer Academy, Iredell County. Culpepper Academy, Anson County. Franklin Library Society, Hillsboro. Durham's Creek Academy, Beaufort County. |