The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-04-25
NO Is.
THE SCHOOLS OF TAMA COUN~
TY.
TIE SCHOOL HOUSES.

county, seventy seven school houses OF
which two are brick, one stone, sixty
FIVE frame, and nine log. The latter
are striking symbols Of days anterior :"
saw.mills and railroads and undoubtedly
have outlived their usefulness. am
glad to report, however, that they are
fast disappearing and it is hoped in
year or two more will be remembars1
only as things that were.
1t is gratifying to know that 10
county so recently uninhabited, save ~
its original rroprietors, SO much interest
has been taken in the SUI ject Of popular
education as is shown in the nnmoef
anil character Of the school houses.
Almost every snb district that contains
4 sufficient number of inhabitants, has
either already secured school house
or is now taking The necessary steps 70
secure one. Qaite number OF those
bui.t at the time of the early "seft'e'
mcn,s' though perhaps large enough q
the time, are now fonnd 70 "e ~.
adequate to the present wants, and viii
have % he superseded by larger AMI
more subs, antial buildings; and st'hs
through false economy, there seems
% be disposition in some OF the d's.
trie,s that now contemplate building.
to fall into the same error.
The schoo, houses generally however,
and especially those more recently con-
structed, present fair extcrio1s; and II
they were properly accompanied with
tic essential ont buildings, would be ar
ornament to the county. So Tar, can
speak approvingly Of onr school houses
But there is one feature about them that
is decidedly Objectionable, and this pre-.
walls almost universally throughout tho
county. This is the internal arrange.
me,t. There is hardly school room
in this county tha. is really adapted to
the purposes for which it IS designed.
The internal arrangement Of almost alt
shows that they we're not planned ~
an experienced teacher, or ifthey were
his plans were utterly disreRarded..
One would naturally suppose that dis
comfor. and inconvenience were the
sole study of those who planned and
built them. Il il decidedly = rare
thing to find school room, whose
desks and seats are conveniently ar.
ranged and properly graded to s"it the
comfort Of those who must sit on them
during six long hours each day. Not q
few are constructed according 10 tho
ancient plan with plank which they
call desk joining the wall, on two or
three sides and continuous, backless
bench in front. No wonder that teach.
eis find il 50 difficult TO keep their
pupils still. No wonder 60 many die
eases are tracted in the school room
A large majority even Of those OF re-
cent construction are entirely destitute
Of recitation seat; and i frequently
happens that, il my visits, ! am obliged
to inquire of the teacher before can
tel, who a-c members Of the class re.
citing and who are not. A well arranged
recitation b. inch is of the utmost I'M
portance, ard no school can be systc-
matically and eitec,ually conducted
without it. ss
Within the last two years soma"f the
directors, who were preparing to bnlId.
have complied with the requirements Of
the law in consulting the undersigned
as to the most approved plan &c. IL
every instance have cheettully drafted
plan Of the size suggested by the
party and in accordance with my o"'r
experience and that Of some of the best
teachers in the country, and in every
instance, where ,hey havc finished tho
house, they have either partially or
wholly disrcsasdcd the plan. L my
plan, mads provision for a recitatien'
bench, why, that wss unnecessary, be-
cause tho house in which tAey' VIE
e.1ua,te.s had nonc. IT ! planned to
have the desks So arranged that each :
pupil could leave his seat without iatev-
rup,;nr one or two others. Asey thought
| it better economy to 'nl them 10 the
side ofthc house. II planned : black.
board acrcss the end ofthe room they
Thought an extra window or two there
awoull throw more light on she SUBJ
I;cetn r. L. DOWNS.
L Go. Snp't..