The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-22

TINS Whole matter, MT only 10 mahc MS
toric record Of what has been done, but
also, If possible, TO forescc the actual results
of the effort.
1t will be remembered that when the first
public meeting was called that an unusually
large number Of our most substantial cid
Gems responded TO that call, and new, and
very deep feeling Of interest was mani
tested.
Among the plans fast proposed as most
likely to meet the real educational wants of
this people and their pecuniary ability, as
We learn upon thorough inquiry, for We
were not in town at the time, was the fol
lowing, viz: To build two large ediices on
opposite sides Of the city, of sufficient size
to accommodate, in the two buildings, all
the children that would he able to attend
school, and that without compelling any 10
so very great distance.
Having large classes web arranged, il was
thought all families, even the remote, might
be accommodated sufficiently well, and thus
the necessity Of having larger number of
buildings be avoided, as also the necessity
of employing large number Of teachers.
1t was thought that by the Introduction OF
system, fewer teachtrs and better would be
able to do the work of instruction in more
thorough manner than it could otherwise be
done.
1t was thought by the advocates Of this
plan TINT two large cdiiicos, about the size
Of the two we now have would, if well ar
RAGGED internally, be amply sufficient to ac-
commodate all the children in this city that
would be sent to free school, for quite a
long time. |, was argued that other cities
had tried this system, and that it had been
satisfactorily shown that two buildings, and
not much larger than the two we now have,
were amply sufficient Tor a population much
larger than our own at present,
In opposition to this view, it was urged
that the geographical position Of our city
was such that two buildings would not well
accommodate the extreme portions, and that
young children could not prudcnNy be sent
so great distance as would then be necessa-
~. i was affirmed that this method had
been tried and abandoned elsewhere. 1t
was said that under such system primary
schools for very young children were ahso-
lutcly required, and in fact sustained at pri-
yatc expense, as it was found impossible to
send tie mall scholars % great 4 distance.
II was declared that il objections Of this
kind aYailcd anywhere, they would certainly
cSi4t here, whore the city was cut up by
canals, rivers, and the rail road.
1t was then suggested lhat in other places,
containing even larger population than
this city, the following plan had worked
wei, viz: TO have one large building, ccutra
to the population, with accommodations sui
Gccnt for all the advanced scholars in III,
whole city. To have in the several ward,
Of the city, if necessary, one or more SINAI
buildings for primary schools There Il,
rudimcnts Of learning could be taught to be
ginucrs The school rooms would be @
easy access for the little ones. They coull
there be advanced sufficiently far in then
younger years to reap the whole benefit 0
advanced classes IN the central school, wnel
they should be sufficiently mature in bod,
and mind to accomplish the distance from
their homes to that school without persona
danger to them or any reasonable solcitud
20 their parents.
Thi, plan, which was new 10 the larg
part of those in the meeting, at once com
mended itself to their good sense as mos
happily adapted to meet the wants Of an,
people, but more especially the wants Of OIL
own. II was hailed with great satisfaction
After full and harmonious discussion it wa
adopted with perhaps not more than on
dissenting voice. The citizens of Ottawi
there assembled, then and there decided tina
that plan pleased them, and that plan they
would adopt. 1t met their wishes in theo
ry, and they dctcrmir ed to carry it out.
We propose in another article to enquire
whether the Board of Education have no
/ departed from that plan, in such way a
to put in peril the best interests Of this city
! as connected with free public schools.