The Goodhue volunteer., 1864-07-27
School III Houses in Goodhce County.

There are a few good school houses in
our County. OF them intend to write
hereafter, for the credit Of those districts IN
which they are situated.
But the great majority Of our Commo,
schools, are sadly in want Of proper
buildings. Such state Of things is to a
certain extent, to be expected in every new
country. When the immigrant arrives at
the spot selected for his future home, he
does not proceed to buili fine dwelling at
once. lie obeys tho preccpt, "prepare thy
work without, and make it fit for thyself in
The field, and afterwards build thine house,
Necessaries should be preferred to conven
iorces. Better be content with shantv, or
tent, than to run largely into debt, or suffer
for the want OF food So let the mind of
the child be furnished with the Knowledge
it Graves, though tn: school room be only
the shade Of a tree, or some Temporary
IS tructure. Rnt even this is not furnished
IN some localities. lat, " visited district
where no school Of any kind had yet been
established, and found boys ten or twelve
years old who cou'd rot rad {: word Of En-
glish. The log hat or board shan'y. has
been exchanged in most instances, for the
comm0dious and taste'u: dwelling. Rut the
neat and convenient school house Is yet
lacking. In many p; ces whcrc schools n:e
now k:pt, we can fully understand what IS
meant by "the pursuit Of knowledge under
difticulties," and dangers too. Without
naming particular places will give few
descriptions.
Here is school Of % scholars of various
ages, from FIVE to sixteen years; the teacher
is energetic and industrious. The room
where she presides is far away from any
road. 1t is log shaniy built by ore = the
first settlers OF the c. unity, and is evidently
rotting down. The roo. is bent and ra, kcd
and looks as If it would soon fa: in. The
house has been unoccupied for some years
the glass window has been taken ou, md
carried off; the opening is there, which,
with another large one, in the centre of the
roof furnishes light for the scholars. The
whole furniture consists Of single low
self fastened against the walls on three
sides of the room for seats and little table
about two feet square, There are no wri.
i.g desks There is no black board and no
chair for the teacher. This " osc ola large
class, some Of which are lit,le better fur
nished, Is they may have some glass in the
window, Z stove, and The doc. rurg with
hinges, some have slop"s aAeN or two
fastened to TIE wal! or convenience in writ
ing Some schools are kept in room OF
"a private dwelling. Isre is one Of this
class. In the attic story Of log CABIN, the
pipe OF the cooking stove passing up into
the school room. Tho seats Or, simple
benches arranged 50 as to coar the heads Of
the pupils from the ra',ers. No ki. d OF
support for the back. Imagine how com
Portable this place is, while the dinncr ie
cooking below, AMI the summer
down upon the roof al
a very indus'. ,c
wc-' "'''
-.''ous and hopeful teacher a
-.< with Seventeen scholars.
Take specimen Of ano, her class. Thi
!, ls board shanty. Around it on the prairi
you Zee quito = number OF comfortable farm
houses. n-atly painted. Tho room is prob
ably l6 feet square; and 'hsre arc over q
scholars. seated on a shelf, so high that th
!, 'Sounses, are obliged to give spring in or
der to to get on. Here they stand dovn
and sit up.
Il o"e de'ec; in nearly all our .choc, hous
o. "' they are ali too small another is, the,
a'e not properly ventilated. Even tb,
snas''es are better than some which har.
oeen built for per'ranence, becsu bette,
VENT A;d. shall have other schou, ,.om.
to de>crib: in my next. r.s
! J. ". HANCOCK. -,
County Superintendent Of Schools.