The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-01-16
For the Gale, tonian.
Com non Schools. No. III.
SCHOOL HOUSES

OF her system of Common School Instruc-
ton, New England has just reason TO be proud;
but not ofcertain practical workings of that
system, which must be obvious, to the most
casual observer, Her School Houses, with
some honorable exceptions, are, in pCiui
of neatness, taste and adaptation TO the puy"
poses for which they are used, sadly deficient.
With the other public buildings, or even with
the dwellings of the poorer classes other ma
tive population, they stand in painful contrast.
Nor is this for want of correct taste OF of
means, as the character of her architecture in
general, abundantly shows. Some of her
public edifices are really splendidj and her
buildings generally are characterized by an air
of simple elegance and real comfort, that does
her honor Look at her churches She has
within her limits, great number of different
religious bodes-too many, as all the candid
are ready to confess. Her individual socie-
ties, are most of them consequently. weak; but
her houses of worship, with few exceptions,
are built and adorned and fiirnshed,as though
want of funds had never been thought Of
This is as it should be; this is worthy of much
praise. And it is not easy to see how the
same communities, that construct for them
selves, with so much taste and Judgment, such
beautiful churches, to be used but one seventh
of the time, can consent to imprison their
children, from one half TO two thirds of the
time, during the most susceptible portion of
their lives, in such unsghtly, ill-constructed,
inconvenient, comfortless, unhealthy and un-
profitable lighthouses. 'rH Ju
In the construction ofprivate residences, the
objects of primary Importance, are, convent
ence and comfort; ornament and elegance with
out, aud beauty and costliness of furniture
and finish within attended to, according to
the taste and ability of the occupant But in
building school-houses, the great aim seems
to have tbeen, to save expense-econOmy,-
What are the words of wisdom3 "There is
that withholdeth more than is meet, but it
tendeth to poverty" and "There is that ma
keith himself rich, yet hath nothing" And
here, it is believed, is most striking exem-
pliication, of the truth of these proverbs. The
maxims of "Poor Rchard," have probably
done New England much good, for to the
jewellers upon her ironsided hills, economy is
necessary, but it is their influence which leads
her to mistake false economy for time, in
a matter of such vital consequence to her as
the welfare of her schools; it is not too much
to say, they had better never have been writ
ten.
Citizens of Vermont! Is not here a subject
worthy of your capdid attention. The fame
of your magnificent State House is known the
Union over. Itdoes you much honor. You
have done well, but have you done enough?-
Is it not time that your school houses were re-
built and remodelled, in the same beautiful
style, and in the same generous spirit3 Let
us look, for a moment, at the utility ofthings
State Houses, Court Houses, and Jails, are
in the present state of things, essential appen-
dages, of every well regulated community
But are they, or in other words, are human
laws, the best means Of accomplishing the
great end of all benevolence, the improvement
Of the racer That they are one great means,
i is not denied; for in q good degree, they are
reformatory in their action; but after all thy |