Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-07-21

Of the arts and sciences Temples dedicated
to the sciences, where the youth of the COM
monwealth go up to offer oblations to the
muses., and slake their thirst at Pyrean springs
should be located in quiet, retired spots The
school-yard ought to be the most inviting place
in the whole district-the house itself model
of architectural beauty and utility everything
around and within it, should be so inviting that
children and parents shall be lured to the place
by its beauty and superior accommodations
Spacious apartments, high walls, neat and con-
venient desks, comfortable seats, good accom-
modations for warming and ventilating each
room-clothes rooms well supplied with con-
veniences for keeping the outer garments of
the scholars in a good condition, should all be
provided for our peoples colleges. Instead of
such buildings, our children are obliged to sit
upon seats without backs, with their lower
limbs dangling, or if they have anything to
support their backs, it is quite commonly the
sharp edge of the plank that is used for the
writing desk. The floor not unfrequently is
so open, that in winter the feet of the teacher
and pupils are exposed to q current of cold air,
while the stove or fire place is far better cal
cuIated to smoke the inmates than to warm
them Those nearest the fire suffer with heat,
while the teacher is endeavoring to raise the
temperature sufficiently to keep those from
freezing who sit the farthest from the fire
Very frequently there is no place for the hats,
bopnets, coats, shawls, cloaks, &c, and all are
thrown together-the one coming to school
first will therefore have his at the bottom of
the pile, no matter how valuable or how much
injury may be done How can children who
attend school learn lessons of order and system
in this arrangement of their wardrobe?
Is it to be wondered at, that young children
who know nothing Of the Importance of an
education, should dislike to GO to school and
be confined in a pleasant day, for six long
hours in such place, and sit on benches that
will cause every bone in the body to ache p
Why, if parents are obliged once week to sit
upon the same benches but one hour, they will
groan and complain of soreness the whole
week, and very often will they make an excuse
for staying from meeting that the seats are so
uncomfortable Still these same parents deem
it little better than robbery, to levy tax to
make the school houses where their young chill
dren are to spend six hours-fve days in the
week, more comfortable. There is not a seat
in the house that the poorest man in the dis
trict would not be ashamed to offer to a visi-
tor. If parents would only spend three hours
one day in each week in the school house with
their children, and be obliged as they are, to
sit on the same awkward, comfort-sacrifcing,
Notwithstanding seats, write upon the same
rough, hagged desks, or rather apologies for
writing desks, suffer with them from cold and
heat, as the mercury alternately rises or falls,
gaze upon the same unsightiy, disfgured, smok
ed, patched up walls-suffer as they do from
the inconvenience Of obtaining water, and from
the want of proper out-houses, play in the same
barren, shadeless, fenceless, muddy, contracted
yard or dusty, noisy, filthy road, breathe with
them the impure air that is constantly inhaled
in crowded rooms, bear as they are obliged to,
the headache and debility caused by breathing
such an atmosphere u say if parents would
do this, instead of seeing school houses situated
in the highways, and built as cheaply as pos
sible, because they are paid for by taxation,
and as uncomfortable as possible, because no.
body but the children and the teachers are to
use them, and with as few conveniences as pos
sible around them, because it is not absolutely
required by law to have them instead Of this,
we should see them located in the most delightful
spot in the district, upon large lots, surrounded
with trees and shrubs, and out-buildings, while
the interior corresponding to the external,
would invite the youth of the district to come
and spend their joyful, happy, youthful days
within their walls, there to learn lessons of Or
der, neatneSS, as well as those of science and
art. Make our school houses as comfortable
and convenient as we do our best dwelling
houses, Il do not say as expensive,) and we
shall not SO frequently be obliged to drive our
young children to school, y.
July 9, 1855.
The TATTLER.-There is no being on the
habtable globe more degraded and more con-
temptible than tatter. Vicious principles,