Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1869-12-31
SCHOOL HOUSES.

Buchanan County has many fine school
buildings, aud the people, no doubt, highly
appreciate their value. Every town, coun-
te or State. is generally esteemed for the
charac er Of its public buildings. This holds
true in sub districts Neat and tidy school
houses are everywhere admitted to be signs
of prosperity. Poverty is banished where
intelligence reigns. Refined people are the
model Of society; neat and tidy school
houses are the fruits of intelligence. Every
dollar properly expended in educational
buildings brings reward. This some may
doubt. But who will doubt that the harvest
is not the farmers reward for preparing the
soil and sowing the seed; who will doubt
that the fsi,htul teacher is not rewarded BY
enjoying the appreciation of heaven and the
gratitude of parents and friends? Who
will for moment doubt that our State 10
not amply rewarded for every child it edu-
Gates? And lastly, who will now doubt that
sub-dstrict is not rewarded by elevating
the social condition of the rising generation.
But let us return 10 our subject. Public
money should be prudently expended in or
der to gain the end for which it was design.
ed. But is this always attained? No. Man
takes: and school officers, however pure
their motive or sincere their desire to be
faithful, are also liable to make errors. A
number Of school-houses bear evidence OF
this they are cold, weak. dull and limited.
The fault is either the officers or it is the
want of necessay means. The sub-director
has the care and repair Of schoul.houses BY
law, and the District Board generally eni-
power him to construct the necessary new
ones. II there are any good buildings con-
structed school buildings should have this
predominant feature they should be strong,
close, airy, tcsty and of extensive size
Strength is essential as childre. are restless
tenants, who are always on the move. An
other no less important feature is warmth;
cold houses Ike weak ones, are i'll adapted
for schoolhouses a cold one is not strong,
MS warmth in houses is the result of strength.
In our schools are found the feeble and
strong, delicate and robust, Young and old.
These all assemble for the double purpose
OF mental and moral instruction, and at the
same time carefully guarding their health.
In the education Of children the protection
of health is an important duty of educators,
and really is of more importance TO the
child than intellectual instruction. The one
is 4. ad without the other. Teachers are ex-
pected to do this whether the sehoo-houses
are suited or not. Our winters are more or
less severe, and il is almost impossible to
heat cold schoul.rooms to such degree that
pupils are comfur able i'll all parts. There
is much difference in the consumption Of
fuel il warm and cold school-hduses. One
is always pleasant while the other is un>
pleasant. Much Of the benefit Of a school
is sometimes lost by these means, and teach
ers are sometimes censured nv parents as
being partial to iavoriie children. Children
when close together are generally disorder
IL aud take many undue advantages, aud
are controlled the hest when sitting alone,
thus being out Of the reach of Temptation.
An airy and extensive schoel-room is no
less desirable than strong and warm one.
Children are very sensitive beiass they sci.
dom receive the credit properly belonging
TO them. When noatness exists il is cher.
ished, and where slovenness exists neafnesa
is wholly discarded, +. II.