The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-01-15
ROCKVILLE, Ind, Jan. IA. 20.

elcd,' for the statement that Rock
Vile is the pleasantest place on the
Il. & G. Road, not excepting Evans
Vile" said he. 1t is worth while for
more of our people to come up hither,
than are accustomed to do so. and test
the truth of the assertion. [ am glad
that the necessity for little recrea-
ton has brought me up to the other
end of the line " for few days and,
while | will not draw any invidious
comparisons between the modest Cap
ital of Parke and the ambitious com
mercial emporium of Indiana, [ will
give few jottings from this place,
to our people who have never yet WIS.,
tied the norther terminus of our rail
road. and with the hope that they may
make Us better acquainted with each
other.
Rockville cannot be called we'll
built town. If the National Bank
building is excepted, there is no
house OF stately or peculiarly attract
i've architectural proportions. And
yet there is an air of neatness, ele-
ganee and substantial comfort about
the private residences which i'm
presses me with the soeiality and
intelligence of its citizens. There
are few costly houses, and very little
attempt at aristOcratic display; but
the dwellings. are generally situated
in large lots, or broad acres, and
surrounded by plentiful supply OF
shrubbery and shade trees - all OF
which is In refreshing contrast to the
pinched premises and contracted lots
and naked walls of too many of our
Evansville residences. True, our city
numbers its population. by tens OF
thousands and Rockville by little
moro than hundreds. and there IS
wide margin between the value OF real
estate; and yet 1t would have been
far better TOR health and attractive
ness and a nobler evidence Of liber-
ality of life if we had more of the
roominess of Rockville houses.
The business of the town gives evil
dence Of wealthy and fourishing
community around it.
The National Bank finds its capi-
tai of $3.50, 900 too contra cted for the
wants of even the agricultural GUS
toners alone. Mr.. Magill, the effi-
cient and gentlemanly cashier, in
forms me that it depends to limited
extent only, on the town for its dis
counts and deposits; that the farmers
and produce and stock dealers of the
surrounding country, are its lest and
largest patrons. How many of the
farmers of Vanderburgh deposit
largely and use the capital of the
Banks of Evansville? 1t shows how
distinctly the business Of the one
community is agricultural and the
| other commercial. The stores of
| Rockville, also, bear evidence to the
thrift and extent Of the farming inter
ests. The trade of the place is all OF
a retail character, and yet there are
stocks of goods which, in variety and
amount, will compare favorably with
| the best of our retail houses OF EV-
ansville, excepting the fine and more
| fashionable fabrics and notions.
The social element and educational
! advantages of the town are quite
good. An intelligent friend Of mine,
who has been eOnversant with the
society of Indiana towns and cities
for the past thirty years, says he
knows Of no town of less than four
| thousand inhabitants in the State,
excepting the seats of three or four of
the leading colleges, where there are
so many educated and intelligent men
and women, and better literary and
social tone than among the fifteen
hundred Inhabitants Of Rockville.
A hasty look into the schools Of the
town impressed me very faVorably
with their efficiency. and the cheerful
and intelligent appearance OF the
pupils. [ should judge that Mr..
Dyke, the Principal, a graduate of
Beloit, and his corps of assistants,
were doing their work well.
With the good impressions L had
formed of the intelligence of the
leading and influential citizens and
the people generally, Of the sprightli
ness of the children and the efficiency
of the teachers, it is q matter OF
amazement to me that the corporate
and school authorities will tolerate
such an ancient, dilapidated, shack
ling, barn like public school house as
that which dishonors the cause OF
Education and disfgures the town.
1t looks as if it were not less than
thirty or forty years old, one OF the
: frelics of the old seminary school law
buildings, which in all other progress
sive towns of the State have given
place to the modern, attractive, com
Portable and healthful editices, the
, pride of the people, and the best
monuments of their liberality and IN
telligence. In this matter the citizens
aud authorities of Rockville can learn
an Important lesson from business en-
r crossed Evansville, and the sooner
} they learn it the better for their repu-
' tatiop, the health of their children
and the improvement of their schools
The Legislature has given ample
o authority by which the officials can
4 provide the funds needed to build
e school houses, and If the matter is
. long neglected, strangers will set i
s down as an evidence of the inefh
cheney of the authorities or the illib
r erality and old fogyism of the people
5 The $175,0 900 which Evansville has
:. put in her elegant school houses il
n the best investment of capita
n She has ever made. and Rockvill,
r. will find that $4,000 or $4,000
). expended in the same way will pay ;
n large interest on the outlay. | vii
s modestly suggest to Brother Keeney
of the Republican,, that 1t IS a goot
topic for Some pointed editorials.
; am pleased to be assured that tn
people of Rockville are, in this re
> gard, far behind the country schoo
districts of Parke County. The coun
It try school houses near the town
a which I have seen, are very neat ant
) attractive buildings, a credit to tn
d community, and / am told these ar
d hardly fair sample of those OF tn
10 county.