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

For the Bradford Reporter.l

For the Bradford Reporter
Inan article published some four weeks since,
| spoke of the Importance OF selecting pleas
ant locality fer our school houses and also of
having the grounds around them decorated
with ornamental shade trees and in short,
every thing about them as pleasant and invi-
ting as any private dwelling house in the dis
trict
will pursue this subject, by calling atten-
ton to the structure of the houses themselves.
do not propose to enter into detail upon this
subject, or to say how the benches, desks &c
should be made There are several books and
pamphlets upon the subject of school architec-
tare in which these matters are treated at
length-s0me of which should be consulted by
any aud every person who is to construct an
edlfce for the accommodation of the youth of
the commonwealth There has also been com
mittee appointed by the proper authorities to
make full report upon this subject this re-
port will soon be spread before the public. So
it would be ont of place for me to enter into
minute detail, even if were disposed to do so.
| shall content myself, therefore, with sub
mittng few general remarks To convince
any one that our school-hOuses are miserably
constructed, having no regard to the comfort
or health, or physical well-being of those who
are to spend their time within them, needs no
argument Children are at school just at the
precise time when they need the most watch
full care to be exercised over their health, when
bad habits, as regards the laws of health, will
produce the most disastrous results. A child
at this age may, and no doubt many do, con-
tract habits, or plant in the system the seeds
Of disease that will torment them as long as
they live and bring them to premature grave,
lnst because parents think that it is of but lit
tie or no consequence what kind of seats their
Young children occupy while confined in the
NhOolroom, or what kind of desks they have
70 write upon, or what means they have of
warming and yentlating the house, provided
always their own houses are furnished with
most approved patterns of stoves and ventila-
ting apparatus
1t is the duty of the citizens of everydistrict
"Pr0vde good comfortable school-hOuse for
Tue accommodation of their children. Not a
smoky, dingy building, located at the corner
'nefe three or four roads cross, upon a spot so
hat M
aud 50 contracted that four-ifths of the house
III the highway, and SO bleak that even the
A.!Act Of animals warns them to shun the
P".s' Not house with slab seats, with legs
long that three-fourths of the pupils are un
'''s 70 rest their feet upon the floor while sit
: upon them, and rough planks for desks, so
s'''Su and arranged that part of the scholars
\ -I' St so bent over when writing that they
Il - =. !" uanger of producing curvature of the
n fIV' While the other part, if they write upon
''% panks, will elevate one shoulder while
V'lef Is correspondingly depressed thus
.,'NuVlhg, as in the other case, distortion of
sPIaal column, Not house so open and
DiuCn exposed to the winds that the furred
-"laIS Oh the frozen zone would suffer with
~ ~ az one time, or in one part of the room,
r.,', 'IOSe oi the fiery regions of the South,
Fl ~ 'U suaer as much with extreme heat at
u, W. umes and in other localities. Not
u ,,.l [ l0f WlnnoWing grain, or curing meat, or
II aug out the of the scholars. No, not