July 6, 1788

"The visitors and governors of St. John's College in the state of Maryland, at a meeting on the 29th of May last, resolved, that the unfinished house on the four acres of ground, within the city of Annapolis, lately granted to them for the use of the college be repaired and completed; that it constitute the main building of the college; that wings be added thereunto, and that the whole be constructed as nearly as may be agreebly to a plan laid before them by Mr. Joseph Clark; that Mr. Thomas Stone, Mr. Nicholas Carroll , Mr Alexander Contee Hanson, Mr. James BRice, and Mr. Charles Walleace or any three or more of them be fully authorized to amke any contract or contracts relative to the said work for the purpose of carrying it on, to draw on the treasurer for any money which he hath or may have in his hands, except only the sum of 300 Pounds, out of the second year's public dontation.

The committee, thus appointed and authorized, think proper to give notice thaty they have engaged Mr. Joseph Clark for a moderate monthly allowance to s purchase materials, to employ workmen, to supervise firection and control, upon the most reasonable terms and with all dispatch.

The funds for enabling them to discharge their very important trust are considered ample and sufficient. THey consist the first two years public donation of the sum 1750 pounds annually and the sums voluntarily subscribed by private persons. Only one year's public donation has been received and 300L aggreeably to the direction of teh legislature to be reserved out of the second eyar donation, the gross amount of the sums subscribed is abour 10,000L but although a considerable time has passed since trhe subscribers were called upon by the treasurer to pay one third part of their subscriptionswhich was payable on the first of June 1786, not more than 200L has been paid into the treasury.

As the community is deeply interested in procuring a more general diffusion of science, as the want of a liberal instruction of youth during the late war hsa rendered it immediately neccesary to institute proper seminaries for the rising generation, the committee conjure the subscribers by ecery consideration which can affect good citizens to perform their engagement without further delay.

Should this reasonable and jsut requisition be complied with the commitee entertain the most sanguine expectations that in less thatn twelve months the subscribers will have the satisfaction of beholding a grammer school fkourish within those walls, which lately were mouldering into ruin, and that in little more tahn another year would be completed such an institutiona as from its numerous advantages cannot fail to rival thee most celebrated seminaries of the United States.

A prospect like this must be pleasing to every honest and enlightened mind. If it be not granted, the committee will be owing soley to the reminenses of those who freekly and voluntarily entered into the engagements which are now called upon to perform. The visitors and governors have indeed a powr of enforcing a performance but ebery mode of coercion would be mortifying to them disgraceful to subscribres, productive of delays, detrimental to the cause of humanity and learning.

By order

E Parisay secretary