Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-03-23
IRASBURGH, VERMONT, FRIDAY. MARCH % 1860.

high character and name, distinguished
among all nations of the world. But it
ought to be the shame of New England,
and especially of Orleans county in the
State Of Vermont, that, while recognising
these institutions of such fundamental i'm
portance,and freely conceding to them the
moulding influence of our character, we
give them no form or comeliness, or COM
fort commensurate with their importance.
1t ought to be felt as a burning shame
that, with few rare exceptions, our school
houses are so destitute of comeliness and
comfort that respectable swine would al
most scorn to inhabit item, that enterpri-
sing farmers would refuse to stable their
cattle in them, and that the loathsome
dwellings of the poorest paupers are pal
aces compared with these, facetiously
called knowledge Boxes Of New Eng
land"
Our school houses should be models of
architecture rather than nude carrica-
tures; they should be models of elegance,
taste and comfort, and be thoroughly fur
nished with everything needful to pro-
mote the object of their construction.
Instead of rude benches, which seem to
invite the yankee propensity to hack and
whttle, they should be neat, elegant, and
polished, sending forth their quiet but
earnest appeal "spoil not my pretty face
with that knife; hack not my counten-
ance out of shape and beauty" Instead
of hard, narrow, board seats, which ex-
ultingly excaim Z" defy you to be quiet
upon me; | dare you to do it, at the risk
of being blistered with boils, your bones
racked with pain, your nerves untwisting
and your whole body and soul afflicted
with pain compared with which the trials
of Job are hardly worth mentioning; >
instead of this, there should be the most
, comfortable seats which cordially invite
quiet, and promise, instead of visiting
with bodily and soul torments, to bestow
. bodily and soul comforts upon all who
accept of their invitation. Instead o.
knotty, worn out floors, with cracks ar
! inch or so wide, through which come tht
chilling winds, sending often consumption
and death to the immured inmates, hoor
which cannot seem natural, unless GOV
cred with dirt and which, whenever they
are swept, seem to ache for their native
filth, there should be smooth, well paint
,r ed or carpeted floors, protected from th,
! cold air beneath, and which will frowI
= with Indignation upon those who woulc
besmear them with unseemly spittle o
the filth of the street. Instead of hal
plaStered walls, besmeared with dirt, an
" hanging SO loosely that you are in con
, slant terror lest they fall, and each
ie wry faces and knitted brows, the wall
er should be smooth and neat, either POI
Sc ished with hard finish or covered wit
rs paper hangings of the most approve
70 pattern. Instead of windows with broke
's- lights, so loosely fitted as 10 rattle incet
III sanity; chimneys SO rudely constructe
VI as to be constantly tumbling down; dool
III with broken panels; stoves with cracke
SC sides, broken doors and rusty smokin
y pipes, standing on three legs and bolste
ed up with bricks or stones,-instead
90 these demoralising subjects, window
no should be whole and we'll fitted chin
." neys built with some regard to streng
{" and architectural beauty; doors wi
- whole panels; stoves with whole side
'nn whole doors, bright and well match,
Y pipes, and standing on four legs Of equ
la' honor. Instead of school rooms with
lu- blackboards, no globes, no maps, no di
er- tionaries, no apparatus for illustrating d
'Se truths Of science, they should be abunar
INT ly furnished with all these things. /
em stead of back-houses put in front or
i'm. full view of the street, and no terrific
in furnished for play yard, all The ST
en- roundings should be arranged in go
TO taste and in accordance with the dicta
ted of common deceney and common sen
dis In short, instead of pig-styish, gloon
pie prison houses for our youth, our sch
In houses should be neat and attract
nee homes for the teacher and scholars.
'or- IL is in vain TO say, that our youth
en- so barbarous that they would soon
VII troy all beauty to such homes, and 4
ood our present school houses are q
oi enough for them 10 hack and whittle
." pieces. | repel the charge with
'Vo- scholars Indignation. 1t is your bar
orb rous school houses that have made
lsed barbarous and uncivilized. 1t is y,
Ieei' gloomy prison houses, within whose VI
nate you have immured Us six hours Of
y Of day, that have made Us bate the conf
ment and vent our spleen 10 hacking