The colored youth of Pennsylvania thereafter had the right to attend the schools provided for white children, and exercised it when persons interested in the blacks directed their attention to the importance of mental improvement.[2] But as neither they nor their defenders were numerous outside of Philadelphia and Columbia, not many pupils of color in other parts of the State attended school during this period.

Whatever special effort was made to arouse them to embrace their opportunities came chiefly from the Quakers.
[Footnote 1: _A.M.E.Church Review_, vol.xv., p.

625.] [Footnote 2: Wickersham, _History of Education in Pa_., p.

253.] Not content with the schools which were already opened to Negroes, the friends of the race continued to agitate and raise funds to extend their philanthropic operations.

With the donation of Anthony Benezet the Quakers were able to enlarge their building and increase the scope of the work.