Benjamin Franklin in 1749 published a pamphlet entitled Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania, which led to the establishment of "the Publick Academy in the City of Philadelphia," with a board of twenty-four trustees and with Franklin as president of the board. In 1750 there was con veyed to the trustees the "New Building," erected in 1740 for a meeting house and charity school ; the original trustees (includ ing Franklin) of the "New Building" date from 1740, which is therefore regarded by the university as the date of its founda tion. The academy was opened in January 1751, the city having voted £200 for the completion of the building. On September 16, 1751 a charitable school "for the instruction of poor Chil dren gratis in Reading, Writing and Arithmetick" was opened in the "New Building." The proprietaries, Thomas and Richard Penn, incorporated "The Trustees of the Academy and Charitable School in the Province of Pennsylvania" in 1753 ; and in 1755 issued a charter, changing the name to "The Trustees of the College, Academy and Charitable School," etc., whereupon William Smith (1727-1803) of the university of Aberdeen, who had become rector of the academy in 1752 and had taken orders in the Church of England in 1753, became provost of the college. In 1756 Dr.
Smith established a complete curriculum. In 1757 the first college class was graduated.
In 1779, after fears had been repeatedly expressed that Smith planned to make the institution sectarian, the State legislature confiscated the rights and property of the college and chartered a new corporation, "The Trustees of the University of the State of Pennsylvania"; in 1789 the college was restored to its rights and property and Smith again became its provost; in 1791 the college and the university of the State of Pennsylvania were united under the title, "The University of Pennsylvania." In the year 1802 the university purchased new grounds and buildings on 9th Street, between Market and Chestnut Streets, which it con tinued to occupy until the time when it moved to its present site in the year 1872.
See T. H. Montgomery, A History of the University of Pennsylvania from its Foundation to A.D. 177o (Iwo) ; G. B. Wood, Early History of the University of Pennsylvania (1896) ; J. B. McMaster, The Uni versity of Pennsylvania (1897) ; G. E. Nitzsche, Official Guide to the University of Pennsylvania (1906) ; and E. P. Cheyney, "University of Pennsylvania," in vol. i. of Universities and Their Sons (1900.