Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1838-09-27
e.. "a Gonnecsicus Common School Jos.nal.

ae In this state may De conSloeraoly hnPHOsSu
ir;thout much expense, and indeed with none
AT all. There are two reasons WY mahz
- 81: are not made which would
nrdve both cheap and important: The flrst
1;ttle care has been taken to point out their
Ssfacts 70 those who would have been likely
~ roroove them: and the second is, that pad
Soh;tS are ami to blind the eyes, so that we
ove+iook evils to which we are accustomed.
nesks and benches should be 80 formed, as
m make the children who use them as COM
fortable as possible. By saving OIL few
legs, till the children can sit and place their
feet on the floor, and lay their arms ON the
desks while writing, without raising their ell
bows. much comfort and good writing may |
be secured.
The teacher should never forget, that he
himself requires such arrangements as these
for his own comfort, and would think It IL
hardship if denied them for u single day
He should remember also, that he never sits |
upright an hour or two, without wishing TO
lean his back against something. Yet ne Is
far more able to sit without leaning, than
children are. The muscles which hoid their
bodies erect, are much weaker, and sooner
wearied.
He probably has back to his seat, and
often uses it let him make similar provl-
sion for his pupils. He will find them much
more studious, and more easily governed, by
every such attention to their natural weak
ness and wants. Some benches may be
moved to the back of desk, and those who
sit on it, permitted to lean. When that can
not be done, the children may be made to
change their places for time, during recita-
ton, for instance.
though some may suppose it does. The
whole trunk, head and arms must still be held
in an upright position by the power OF the
muscles below the short ribs. Observe
child who needs rest for those muscles while
standing, and nature will declare it. He
throws the weight Of his frame on one foot;
that affords relief to the muscles in their turn.
He needs temporary resting place for his
back; and even a few minutes will common
ly suffice.
sometimes sit as long without leaning, as his
children do, and lean only while they lean.
Many teachers have not thought particularly
on this subject, and therefore give it SO little
attention.
One improvement which most school hous-
es require, is such change in the window
casing. that the upper sashes, Tor at least some
on both sides of the room,) may be Lowered
at pleasure. In many instances this may
be provided for with great facility. It is,
however, not sufficient without daily atten-
school houses bear witness. Some OF the
best school rooms in Boston, (and in other
places too,) are rarely well ventilated, al
though the windows are fitted for il, because
the lowering of the upper sashes is neglected.
Windows should be so made and used, on
more accounts than one. When the lower
sash is raised, the wind blows in horizontally
upon the papers, and often gives the children
colds. But the most important advantage
afforded by lowering the upper sashes, is
this: that It lets out the impure air, while it
lets in the pure. Many persons do not clear
Nv understand how this change is effected !:
even some who have heard it explained do
not appear fully to apprehend it. Let MS say
what has often been said before on this point,
with the hope that teachers and school visit
ers will pay strict attention to the ventilation
of our school rooms hereafter.
Warm air rises. Breathing mir warns il,
and SO does the heat from our bodies. The air
around us, therefore, and still more that COM
ing out from our lungs. is continually rising.
When we are in tight room. 1t rises to the
ceiling, and there remains, at least until it
becomes cool, and warmer air goes up to take
its place.
LET it be borne in mind here, that air once
breathed is not well fitted to be breathed
again, and never will be, until it has got
among the leaves Of living plants, and re-
manned there some time. This is owing to
certain changes which we have not now time
enough to explain, but which the science of
chemistry makes known in most interesting
manner. % Na at
4 Now the air which comes from the lungs
of school ful of children, rises to the ceiling,
and in short time large quantity of warm,
breathed air will be collected in the upper
part of the room, while that in the lower part
may be pure. But in an hour or two, or halt
an hour, according to the size OF the room
and number of scholars, the impure air will
fill the whole room, and the children must
begin to breathe it over again. Even if the
lower sashes of the window are kept open,
the evil 10 only partly. remedied. 1t is inn
possible to change all the air by that means
for that which is above the level of the OPEN
ings is left without any means Of escape. or
can be driven out only very gradually, by
slow intermixture with the fresh air, which
produces some commotion by its entrance.
The air in the upper part of a room will
not come down and 60 out of the window as
soon as it is opened, though some teachers, as
well as other people. seem to think so. But
make an opening any where in the upper
part Of the room, and the upper air will pass
out as soon as the air from without can enter
tosupply its place. a8 Ga%
Any person who may wish to understand
these operations, may try experiments when
the room has been filed with dust or smoke.
Let him try one day to get rid of the annoy
ance by opening the windows only from be-
low, and the next day by lowering the upper
sashes on both sides ofthe room, or the upper
on one side, and the lower on the other. He
will then be able to perceive the advantage
Of the practice here recommended in daily
ventilation. Mt !,
NoTIoNs OF CErER P. When see per-
son wait upon strangers into church, with
rose in his mouth, and his eyes sail over the
lot" I've notion that he was taken from the
A. B. c. school enc quarter before his edu-