Philadelphia

Theatres and Music.

Philadelphia has well over 200 thea tres and moving picture houses. One of the London Hallams, Lewis, was the founder of the Philadelphia stage, in 1754. The original Chestnut street theatre (1793) was burned. The oldest theatre in the United States, Walnut (capacity 1,512), dates from 1809, and was the scene of the triumphs of Wheatley, Cooke, the Wallacks, Kean, Forrest, the Booths, Clarke, Charlotte Cushman and Rachel. The Arch street theatre (1828) was associated with the Drews and Joseph Jefferson, as well as with W. E. Bur ton and the Davenports. For a generation, the most noted per formers appeared at J. F. Zimmerman's Chestnut street opera house (capacity 1,864), which marked the passing of the old stock company system (1880) and the coming of travelling attractions.

The 17th century German immigrants brought over their music; the Moravians had their organs (called "whistle boxes"). Christ church (Protestant Episcopal), and St. Joseph's (Roman Catholic) helped in the i8th century musical development. The Musical Fund society was organized in 1820; and Musical Fund hall was opened in 1824. All the famous European singers who visited America sang there, and at Concert hall, until the opening of the Academy of Music (capacity, 2,729) in 1857. The Metro politan opera house seats 3,482.

Philadelphia has an active musical life, with over 6o societies— the St. Cecilia, 1824 ; Anacreontic, 1830; Apollo, 1833 ; Maen nerchor, 1835; Cecilian, 1875; Orpheus, 1877; Mendelssohn, 1876; Philadelphia Music Festival association, 1882; Treble Clef and Eurydice, 1886. The Philadelphia orchestra was organized in 1900, the Presser Foundation dates from 1916. The Curtis Institute of Music gives free instruction.

Clubs.—Of the 2,000 clubs in Philadelphia the oldest is the Schuylkill Fishing company of the State in Schuylkill, which was organized in 1732. The University, Art and Engineers' are notable clubs. There are many of the literary, journalistic and Bohemian cast—Poor Richard, Franklin Inn, Sketch, Plastic, and Pen and Pencil. The New Century, Civic Club and Colonial Dames are women's clubs. The Philadelphia (1834) is the most exclusive club ; the Union League (1862), the most famous. Churches, Charities and Hospitals.—Philadelphia has 1,041 churches, of which 108 are Baptist ; 119 (synagogues and congre gations), Hebrew ; 9 I , Lutheran ; 145, Methodist Episcopal ; i2 I , Presbyterian ; 126, Protestant Episcopal ; 146, Roman Catholic; 7 Hicksite Meetings and 5 Orthodox meetings. Society of Friends, Dunkers, Mennonites, Moravians, Schwenkfelders and other sects of Penn's time, still thrive. Philadelphia is the cathedral city of

the arch-diocese of Philadelphia, which has 387 parishes and 1,259 priests of all orders. Five denominations have Divinity schools. There are 2,500 religious and humanitarian societies in Phila delphia. There is a record of the charitable work of secular societies from the year 1749, and of church societies from 1761 to 1928. The Federation of Charities began in June, 1921. The Welfare Federation embraces 112 non-sectarian philanthropic agencies in the city and suburbs—homes and hospitals for chil dren, dispensaries, emergency aids, day nurseries, settlements, sanitariums, shelters, etc. In 1935 the sum of $2,845,478 was subscribed for the Federation. The Jewish Federation raises a similarly large sum. The 27 Catholic charitable institutions are less closely federated.

Philadelphia has been a medical-surgical centre from early days. Its first hospital, the Pennsylvania, which occupies a square in the old city, was chartered on May II, 1751. The first school of anatomy was established in 1762; and the first medical college (see PENNSYLVANIA, UNIVERSITY OF, which now has several affili ated hospitals) in 1765. The first medical society was organ ized in 1768 and the first College of Physicians in 1787. Its Mutter pathological collection is especially notable. Its library contains 174,822 volumes. Other early institutions are Will's Eye hospital (1832) ; Pennsylvania hospital of the Insane (Kirk bride's, 1836) ; Homeopathic Medical college (Hahnemann's, 1848) ; and the Woman's Medical college (1850). Blockley, long in disrepute, has been erased from the map, and a modern City hospital erected in its place, at a cost of $4,000,000. Among the larger hospitals are Lankenau, Methodist Episcopal, Miseri cordia, Jefferson and Presbyterian. There are over I oo hospitals in the city.

Education.—Enoch Flower was the first school-master (1683) in Philadelphia. In 1689, George Keith started the Friends' Public grammar school, called "Friends' Free," being like the English (but unlike the latter-day American) "public school"; it was chartered in 1701, and became the existing William Penn Charter school. Church and community schools followed. Chris topher Dock, who came from Germany in 1714 and who pub lished the first American book on teaching, was the most noted early i8th century teacher. Though the Pennsylvania Constitu tions of 1776 and 1790 declared for "free schools," they were charity (called "Ragged") schools; and not until 1818 did the present public school system emerge.