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Of Sally's school days little information has been obtained, but from what can be learned she was sent to the school for girls kept by the eminent Quaker philanthropist, Anthony Benezet. This institution, which was established in 1755, is said to have had a high moral and literary tone and was patronized by the best classes of citizens.[6] Here doubtless Sally was taught not only the elementary branches but received some instruction in the higher classic and literary studies; at least the Journal would indicate that she had some knowledge of Latin and French. The style of the Journal and the allusions in it likewise show that very early she had formed habits of reading, and was familiar with the literature of the time. She was fond of verse, and Pope, if we may judge by her frequent use of quotations from his writings, was her favorite poet. She also was familiar with at least some of the fiction of the age, and expresses her delight on receiving a "charming collection" of books, which included The Lady's Magazine, the famous but rather racy novel, Fielding's "Joseph Andrews," and Brooke's "Juliet Grenville."
Probably, too, it was at school, as was the custom of the time, that she learned the "needle wisdom" and the sampler stitching upon which the gallant Captain Dandridge compliments her.
To the Benezet School also Deborah Norris was sent [7] and it was here that the friendship of the two girls began.[8] A bunch of school-girls' letters addressed to Sally give us interesting glimpses of the life of the girls of that day and shows that she had a number of warm friends. Among the most intimate of these were Deborah Norris, Polly Fishbourne, Sally Jones, Anna Rawle, Peggy Rawle, and Sally Burge, who represented some of the best Quaker families of the city, and who in later years were notable figures in Philadelphia society. These young girls, then from fourteen to sixteen years of age, formed a little "Social circle," which was very exclusive. To this select society some of their boy friends were admitted for a time; but in 1776, apparently, the boys had fallen from grace. At least that is the natural inference drawn from a letter of one of Sally's correspondents, written in September of this year, while the "merry companions" were separated and still living in their summer homes.
"I shall be glad," writes the young girl, "when we get together again, us Girls, I mean, for as to the boys I fancy we must Give them up. Willingly, I shall; nor have I the most distant desire of being with them again. I think we Pass our time more agreeably without than with them."
This fall from favor, however, if such it were, was only temporary, for after the departure of the British and the return of the exiled families we find the young men restored to their former standing, and the young ladies not averse to receiving other "agreeable members" to their circle. One of Sally's friends writes: "But the Doctor, the gay, the alert Doctor, what a pity he does not try to get admitted into the Social circle. He would be an agreeable member, I think."
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