The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-01-23
School House Dedication at Earlvllle.

last, 10Th uit,) on the occasion oil the dedl-
cation of their new public school house
The people of this rising young city have
for the last two years taxed themselves most
literally to provide means for not only erect
ing splendid school house, but also to Sc.
cnre the best lalant in the way of Teachers
We have not been furnished with descrip
ton of the building erected, but the fact
that It is of brick, and cost some five or sil
thousand dollars, shows that it mist be 6
very fine structure, capable of accommodate
ing all the children of the town for some
| time to come. Nothing speaks better fol
the public spirit Of community, than such
lberality in this direction
OF the proceedings on the occasion of the
dedication, which were witnessed by a very
large audience, we insert below, at the re-
quest of the meeting, the programme, with
the address delivered by CHAs Ii. SurPnEN
Esq, the contractor and builder of the
house. The dedication address, toasts, ex
temporary speeches, &C., were all in ths
best spirit, but no copy having been fur
nished US, we are unable to notice them
in detail
DR.. SAML. WILEY was called to the chain
and S. MoSsoN and N. II. SiGNoR appointed
Secretaries.
The following was the programme Of pro,
ceedings:
l. Report and Address by G.. II. Sutphen,
ESQ contractor and builder of the School
House.
3 Music by Mr. Jacob Bhels Choir
8. OBLIGATORY -4ddress by Rev. John U.s.
tick.
l. Toasts responded to by \. j. Grover.
8. Address by S. NJ. Heslet, prin cipal OF
the School.
Mr. Sutphcn spoke as follows:
" hen one has been called upon to perform
public contract, or 10 DO 4 specific trans
action, it is right and proper that they sho'd
give some account OF their stewardship. IL
is well known to the most Of you, that when
the former Board of Directors ofthiS district
was elected, of which had the honor of be-
ing member, that they would purchase a
site for, and mature some plan Tor the build
ing of .Scho0l House. Accordingly, year
ago last June, there was a tax OF three per
cent. on the dollar levied on al the taxable
property of this district, by the Board of
Directors, amounting t. some two thousand
dollars Some time IN the month OF Februa-
nv last, the plan of this building was rnatur-
ed and notices posted up tor the letting of
the work to the lowest responsible bidder.
The bids were opened by the board, and there
appeared TO be three competitors for the
work, nay own name appearing among the
number. | was induced to put in q bid for
the reason that the bids might be considera-
bly, higher thon the actual cost Of the build
ing, or beyord the ability OF the district 10
paw The Board Of Directors would no;
have felt themselves authorized TO let the
work unless the lowest bid should be near the
cash value of the building. Ny bid was five
dollars, the other bids being two
and three thousand dollars above mine, con
sequentiy the building Of the house was
awarded to me. and in this building, Mr..
President, | VIII say that you have more
than the worth of your money. The build
ing is built better than the advertisements
called for it 10 be built The partition walls
are all built Of brick with solid foundation.
1t makes Tie building much more subStan-
tiaI. besiduSit has actulilv cost me two hun
bred and fifty dollars more than il would to
have built them of wood, and the building
- l-4DEt IMAM &c EA4 Apa4d4S bGtAti-
There WAS the same percentage levied this
year FOR a tax that there waS last year. Sup
posing that the increased amount Of the as
,eSss aent this year. three per cent. would
raise three thousand dollars or about enough
to pay for the building. II has been asked
by many. if the brick in the buildin. would
stand. viii answer, that they will stand
Us long rs those late eXhumed from the an
gs.r Of III. hos or those I-anplf forth
from tie smoulderiHg ruins 81 Pompeii.-
VI lille the work Of the building was progress
sing, ! am sorry to say that some evil min
led person has broken piece out Of the
front door sill. II the offender was youth,
treat him kindly and bring him within the
walls Of your school house and learn him
better: but if the offender was a person OF
mature years. he deserves the irowns of the
public for Describing public building. Ii
it wa intended as an insult to ne, thank G0d
that IhaCe Aeart and soul that is dJLe 10
jedr Il.
You now, Mr.. President, have a house of
sufficient capacity to accommodate all the
scholars Of our District, and some hope
rom abroad. Mr. President, you have a
first class 81 hool house, second 10 none in the
county, and trnst that you will have first
.lass school, 4 school of the highest order of
is kind. Ii is high time that the youths of
our county were taught self government.
" neither young lady or gentleman, they
ought TO understand the common law, and
he rights between citizen and citizen. |
will guarantee that there is not one in TWEEN
y in this community that is capable of
drawing le-al contract.
Sir, it has been said by some that the for
ner Board of Directors have done too much.
Sir, am not ashamed nor abashed ut what
have done. If have united your purse
strings and thrust my hand into your peck
It's, have as freely taken from my own, as
he Tax book viii show. | may receive the
,urses Of few, but the rising generation and
children yet unborn, will thank me when
his heart ceases TO beat and | shall be no
more.
Show me that town, city, or hamlet, that
has laid out their money for public schools
" the thousands, and | will show you a
Wealthy and prosperous people. Look at
he good old city of Boston; she has thrown
,ut her money by the millions, for the sup
port of public schools. They are the pride
md boast of the city, and an honor to the
whole nation. Let n foreigner visit the city
If Boston and speak of its wealth and pros
leIity, the citizens with pride will point
lim 10 their public schools, as the cause Of
heir prosperity.
Mr.. President, your house is a credit to
FOUR town, an honor TO the county, and
like honorable to the State. 1t is 4 neu-
liens that will bind the citizens of your town
ogether, and swell the number Of your pop
Ilation. Ii has been query with some
what the old settlers have done in regard to
schools. Sir, came to this country in The
of lS3i nearly -fonr
iad the honor to help build some three log
school houses, and, sir, took as much |
bride in laying up the logs in them as did |
n laying up the brick in this noble struc- !
ure. When we had completed log school |
rouse, we felt as though we had accomplish. |
u much for the GOOD of the cnnnt, L.