bear with honor to themselves & with prosperity to the State which without such an Education is hardly feasably But without detaining your Excellency with a long detail of particulars, it is with pleasure we observe the extensive care your Excellency discovers for the welfare of the people under your Govermnt by pointing out many different things as the proper objects of their attention of the house, all which they will consider as other necessary affairs will permit and do what they shall after deliberate consultation."

Against this background, the constitutional convention began its work drafting the State Constitution in 1791. The contention that, despite the extensive history of public education in this State, the framers and general populace did not understand the language contained in part II, article 83 to impose a duty on the State to support the public schools and ensure an educated citizenry is unconvincing. Indeed, in 1795 Governor Gilman addressed the Senate and House of Representatives, stating:

"The encouragement of Literature being considered by the Constitution as one of the important Duties of Legislators and Magistrates, and as essential to the preservation of a free Government, will always require the care and attention of the Legislature,"

"The encouragement of Literature is a sacred and incumbent Duty upon the Legislature. Possessing a Constitution of Government which is founded upon the broad basis of the natural rights of mankind, we feel on our part, the strongest obligation to revere, to cherish, and to support it. Without a competent share of information diffused generally through the community, the natural as well as the acquired rights, and the duties to which the social compact necessarily subjects us, must be imperfectly understood, and consequently will be liable to be perverted and neglected. We shall therefore most cordially embrace all proper measures to diffuse Knowledge