Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-12-20
stair way, find Ourselves in a corridor Of the

lighted by three windows at the west end one
dormer window on the north side and three
dormer windows on the south side. This
room also contains O teachers closet. AZ
the east end, doors open into the retiring
room, eleven by twenty>one feet, and the liz
brary, eleven by fourteen feet three inches.
The ceiling Of the first story is twelve feet
three inches high, Of the second, thirteen feet
three inches, and Of the third, fifteen feet.
The belfry rises from the center Of the vests
bule and is finished in a style to correspond
with the main building. It will contain .
FIVE hundred pound bell.
IN GENERAL.
All tue rooms have blackboards running
entirely around the walls, formed of liquid
slate upon the plastering. Tae first coating
proved of poor quality and had TO be remov-
sl BY scraping. 1t is nov replaced by q
better article. Ventilation is perfectly secu,
red BY a large ventilating shaft situated at
the rear of the building and running up from
the foundation. 1t connects with every
school room. The rooms are all warmed
means offour furnaces n the bas-
Meeting with the rooms y
furnaces rest upon a ceun1
entire wood work Of he !nGA
" grained. The seats are an
the latest patterns, formed Of casth.
with shelf, top of desk and seat D.
stained wood. Each Of the rooms n
FIRST and second floors contain 65 seats AZ
the upper room. l04. making the whole ca
paciiy Of the school honse 364. And right
here we will explain that the original plan
of the Board Of Directors included a prima-
~ school for esch ward. l, was not expect
ed that the new building would accommodate
all the scholars in the district, but that pri>
mary schools would be opened in each ward
as rapidly MS the demand should warrant.
Each room Of the new building is provided
with a clock OF style to correspond with the
other fittings. Interior blinds are fitted to
all the windows. 1t is expected that a Ii
brary and apparatus will be supplied as soon
as practicable. A beginning has already
been made, Rev. w. G. Learned, before his
departure from this city presented the dis
trict two globes, one terrestrial and the other
celestial. Mrs. G. NJ. b. Snow has lately
presented a fine large globe, whose cos, could
not have been less than $50.
The grounds are yet in the rough, but will
be surrounded by a suitable fence next year.
A fine well, just east Of the building, will
supply an abundance of pure water.
The Board, determined that the character
Of the school should correspond with the
building, made diligent search during the
fall for "A first class teacher to take charge
of it, and were eminently successful, having
secured the services of a gentleman whose
education, character and experience Of ff>
teen years in the best schools Of New Eng>
land, eminently qualify him for the difficult
task Of organizing a graded school out Of the
rawest elements and Of rendering it efficient
in all its departments. They we're fortunate
| also in securing the services Of an accom>
plished assistant, who has been known as a
most successful teacher, in this city, during
the past eleven years. We believe all the
teachers employed will prove to be efficient
in their respective departments.
The school has been organized as follows I;
Wilson Palmer, Principal.
!. High School Department. Only a very
few scholars were found competent, upon ex-
animation. to enter this department. Its
organization il merely nominal.
2. Grammar Department. This now mum.
bers over fifty and is at present united with
the High School, occupying the upper room.
under immediate charge of the assistant,
Miss Romans.
3. Second intermediate, Miss f. Butter-
| field teacher.
4. First Intermediate, Miss NJ. z. Tracy
teacher. The Intermediate Departments oc.
cupy the rooms of the second floor, both
fall.
). Second Primary, Mrs. Katie Bowers
ana Miss A. Dickey teachers. This depart>
mentoccupies the two lower rooms, which
are nearly full.
6. First Primary Department. Miss Jane
Baldwin teacher. The First Primary De,
partment will be divided into two schools, to
be held in the old school houses. These
schools form q part Of the organization, as
much as those in the new building, and will
receive the same attenticn from the Princi>
pal. The west side school opened on Mon
day. The cas-, side school probably open
next Monday, teacher not yet positively .e-
cured.
We cannot close this article on our public
schools without calling the attic ntion of the
public particularly to the efficiency Of our
school Board. They have from the very
first manifested sound judgment and an en-
lighlened appreciation of the educational
wants Of onr city. Few people understand
the immense amount Of work to be perform.
ed in completing such a building and estab.
fishing sneh a school system as we now pos
sess. The Board have labored untiringly
and spent q great deal Of time without re-
Enumeration, seemingly actuased BY no other
-, ot:rc x1c, H. s,nnarof.l pvhu,l(tpU IF ouv
schools. They should command the warm
eat thanks and esteem of every friend Of ed.
~ncation in our midst.