benefit of the poorer classes of the inhabitants of the city.
On the publication in the year 1834, of the Constitutional Charter, some English Protestants who considered it an opportune moment, to initiate a Protestant free school, backed up by abundant resources, strove by unworthy means to draw to it the children of the poorer classes, on the sole condition that they should conform to the practice of the Protestant religion.
Many of the poor were induced by the advantages offered to frequent this school. The grave danger to which they were exposed of losing their faith, aroused the zeal of many, and the President of the College earnestly impressed upon Father Ilsley the urgent necessity of counteracting these efforts. He accordingly vigorously set to work, opened a free school and in a short time saw his efforts crowned with such success, that almost all the Catholic children were withdrawn from the Protestant school. Nor was this all, for the school thus established rapidly acquired such a reputation for excellence of teaching and careful attention to the morality of the pupils, that many of the well-to-do Portuguese began to seek admission for their children. Such an impetus was thus given to it, that its founder resolved to separate the poor from the better-to-do children and for the accommodation of these, he hired another house, procured masters from England, and thus from the profit accruing from the higher class institution, was enabled to support the poor school.
From this period for some years, little worthy of note happened, and the College pursued the even tenor of its way, fulfilling peacefully and harmoniously the great object of its foundation, but the increasing infirmities of the President which threatened to incapacitate him for his professorial duties, rendered it necessary to strengthen the staff of Superiors, and in 1840, the Rev. Laurence Richmond on the conclusion of his Course was appointed as Assistant Classical Master. At this time, too, it was decided to alter the rule which required the Master
