forty-three pieces, 20 feet long; but on account of the sickness and other hindrances nothing further was done about it, and the timber was never brought forward. Early in May the schoolkeeping in Bokton' was discontinued, partly on account of the above-mentioned sickness and some other causes, particularly that some inconsiderate persons neglected to keep their children steadily at school, though they were diligently and thoroughly taught, and so things did not proceed as they ought, and the teacher got little for his pains." Swen Colsberg, disheartened, was on the point of abandoning his school, when Joran Anderson removed from his own dwelling and left it to him. "entirely free for a half year to keep school in, and with it a piece of land to plant, and Jasper Walraven, of his goodness to help forward what he saw was for the glory of God, viz, the education of the children, gave also not only a piece of ground for cultivation, but also promised him free board for two months, which he stood to. * * The 10th of June, in the name of the Lord, Swen Colsberg began his schoolkeeping for a half year at the above-named place." This faithful schoolmaster, bell-ringer, and reader died January 22, 1710; "a nosmall loss," writes Biork, "to me and the congregation, on account of his useful work amongst us." The records tell us nothing more about the educational career of this "well-known and proper person;" but the good name he left to posterity is adequate evidence of his good work.

ARVID HERNBOHM.

On the 9th of May, 1716, the Christina congregation decided to invite Arvid Hernbohm, the "quiet and capable" schoolmaster at Wicaco, to take charge of their school, promising him as "honorable and satisfactory support" as was "afforded in the upper congregation." But the invitation was declined because "he had already made a good beginning in instructing certain of the upper congregation's children, so that he could not soon be spared without detriment to them."" Arvid Hernbohm had studied at the gymnasium at Skara, and first went out with Mr. Anders Silvius, chaplain to the embassy with Consul De Beche at Lisbon. He came to this country "at his own prompting, in the year 1713, but provided with good testimonials as to his learning and ability." He was employed as schoolmaster at Wicaco for some years. Then he was invested with license to preach by Bishop Swedberg and acted as lay reader in the church.3

JOHAN GIODING AND HIS SCHOOL.

Failing to secure the services of Arvid Hernbohm, the Christina congregation engaged Johan Gioding, who "had formerly on this side as

1 Bokton was situated across the Brandywine, opposite Christina, and supported the same school (Burr, 58).

Burr, 156, 227, 228.

› Acrelius, 219; Clay, 101; Wickersham, 79.

3064 DEL- -2

well as the other side of the river done the young good service." Johan Gustafsson offered to furnish both house and board for the schoolmaster; and the pastor, Mâns Gustafsson, Gustaf Gustafsson, Johan Stalcop, and Ante Vainan's wife, Margaretta, agreed to pay him as "wages 30 shillings for each child, leaving all the rest of the congregation at liberty to send their children whenever they please and agree on the terms the best they can."

The school was opened in Johan Gustafsson's house June 17, 1717. The pastor was present with as many of the parents as could attend, and "after previously calling upon God with singing and prayer and a godly talk to the children and their parents, examined the children as to their proficiency and then recommended them to Mr. Gioding, the names of which children are here inserted:

1. Gustaf Johan Gustafsson, 9 years old, can read his catechism tolerably well and also answers very well various questions of Christian instruction.

2. Peter Johan Gustafsson, 7 years old, recites the Ten Commandments tolerably well. 3. Mary Geens, 9 years old, can read Swedish and say the Ten Commandments. 4. Gustaf Mâns Gustafsson, 7 years old, can read Swedish tolerably well.

5. Mâns Gustaf's daughter, Annika, 6 years old, can spell Swedish tolerably well. 6. Anders Gustaf's daughter, Catherina, 12 years old, can read in a book, but must begin to learn to spell right.

7. Peter Stalcop Johansson's son, 5 years old, knows the letters.

8. Margaretta, the late Peter Stalcop's daughter, 11 years old, reads Swedish indifferently well, but must learn to spell anew.

9. Thomas Davis, 11 years old, can spell Swedish a little.

10. Annika, Anders Gustaf's daughter, 8 years old, can spell a little. 11. Ante Vainan's son, Lars, 7 years old, knows the letters.

On April 8, 1718, the "pastor met with Mr. Gioding and all the scholars in the house of Johan Stalcop, in presence of most of the parents of the children, to have a formal closing of the past school-keeping, which began June 17, 1717, and had been sometime since ended, that it might be known by a proper examination how much improvement the children had made, and, according to the wish of the parents, dismiss Mr. Gioding from his school work. The pastor opened the exercises with a godly prayer and appropriate remarks, after which Mr. Gioding, in his praiseworthy manner, according to the method of His High Worthiness, Bishop Swedberg, in the beginning of his catechism, asked questions regarding the most important Christian doctrines requiring proof from Holy Scripture, to which questions of Mr. Gioding, to the surprise and gratification of all, they answered promptly and boldly, and so quickly confirmed their answers by a text of Holy Scripture that all the company present could not refrain from glorifying God with tears of joy and gladness for their children's quick memory and attainments and the schoolmaster's diligence and circumspection, who all that, only by conversation and without any book, had impressed upon the memories of the children, and that there had been no fault in teaching them reading the pastor proved by having them read portions of the psalms selected by him, and found to his great satisfaction that they could read Swedish well.

"Of all the children who were enrolled on the 17th of June, 1717, there were none absent except Mary Geens, Thomas Davis, and Anders Gustaf's daughter, Catherina, who had not been so fortunate as the other children, not being able to attend school constantly, though the lastmentioned, Catherina, is very well advanced, considering the little time she was able to be present.

"When all was gone through with the pastor concluded the examination with a children's hymn and a blessing on the children, whereupon all separated toward evening with mutual pleasure and congratulations."1

This naïve description of a Swedish school in Delaware, as interesting as it is valuable, shows both the interest of the Swedes in education and the character of the instruction given.

Johan Gioding's influence was, however, not confined to teaching. He seems to have been a leader among his people; for, when the books arrived from Sweden, he, says Acrelius, "admonished the people not only to gratitude and praise to God, but also that each one should make his church some acknowledgment for each book. He also encouraged his people to contribute peltry, fox skins, raccoon skins, sables, etc., which were sent home, some to Queen Ulrica and some to the Bishop of Skara. Sometimes he discussed their doctrines with the Quakers, and refuted their ideas in regard to dancing," etc.2 Gioding died on the last day of 1719 or the first day of 1720.

HERR NILS FORSBERG AND OTHER SCHOOLMASTERS.

As early as 1722 the burden of supporting separate schools was so keenly felt that some of the Swedes concluded that they "would themselves instruct their children after they had learned to read English." But from that time until the coming of Acrelius, in 1749, it is said, no Swedish schools were kept and the children went to English schoolmasters, who taught them simply to read." Acrelius urged upon his congregation the importance of preserving in its purity the Swedish language, which "had very much fallen out of use," and advised them to employ as schoolmaster Herr Nils Forsberg, a student of the Univer sity of Lund, who had lately arrived from Götheberg and offered his services. "Some of the congregation seemed to be willing, and as ordinary school keeping did not seem practicable on account of the scattered situation of the families about the country, he was received into their houses, taking up his abode first with one and then with another, and thus instructing their children. During the winter he taught in a private house, and in the summer of 1750 near the church. But being unwell throughout the succeeding autumn and winter, and receiving poor support from his school, he gave it up. In 1758 he "began to keep school in Swedish in the house by the church belonging to Mr. Timothy Stedham, but children were few and only from the

1 Burr, 231, 235-238, 245, 246, 261.

2 Acrel 8, 270.

3 Burr, 422. ▲ Ibid., 424.

neighboring house, therefore it seemed in the beginning that this school keeping could not last long." Here endeth the record of Swedish schools at Christina.

The records of the Swedish settlements at Wicaco (near Philadelphia) and Racoon' (now Swedesboro) have not been translated or published and were therefore not accessible to the writer, but there is no doubt that the spirit which called forth schools at Christina also operated at Wicaco and Racoon. A few names of schoolmasters, besides Swedberg, have crept into the records at Christina and the narrative of Acrelius. Brunjan, a relative of Mr. Jonas Aurén, was lay reader and schoolmaster at Racoon about 1796.3 John Club taught the Swedish school at Wicaco in 1708 and was succeeded by Arvid Hernbohm. Gabriel Naesman, pastor at Wicaco from 1743 to 1750, made an agreement in the latter year "with a congregation in New Jersey to preach there every other Sunday, and in the city taught a school in German, French, and Latin." A private record states that when Mr. Peter Kalm, professor of economics in the University of Åbo, came to this country in 1748 for the purpose of "discovering and collecting seeds and plants which might with advantage be transferred to Sweden," he brought with him a young Swede named Reinike, who was to take charge of the Swedish schools in West Jersey. Other Swedish schoolmasters concerning whom we know scarcely more than their names were Hans Stålt, who taught on the Jersey side, Lenmayer, and Olof Malander."

5

THE DECADENCE OF EDUCATION.

The protracted struggle for separate and distinct Swedish schools was abandoned before the Revolution and their subsequent history was merged into that of the Lutheran and Episcopal churches. The reason for this is not far to seek. After the coming of the English in 1682, many of the Swedes began gradually to drop their native speech. Education in the Swedish language declined and it became customary for Swedish children first to learn to read English and then the tongue of their fathers. Acrelius said that all children in his day could read English,write, and cipher. More attention was doubtless given to reading than to writing, particularly in the early period, for many made their mark instead of signing their names to documents. House instruction by the pastor was the last flickering light of education among the Swedes.

CONCLUSION.

Opinions concerning education in the Swedish settlements differ widely. Bancroft, with his usual sincerity, declares-and he is sup

1 Burr, 432. Acrelius, 303.

2 Wicaco is also written Wicacoa; Racoon, Raccoon, or Ratcong.

3 Acrelius, 320.

1 Oldmixon, 153; Wickersham,79.

5 Acrelius, 257.

6 This record is in the possession of Mr. John W. Irwan, of Philadelphia, who furnished the writer with the fact.

7 Acrelius, 352.

Acrelius, 303, 351.