St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-04-07

SCHOUlS vi lis CLASS. SCliaiiiJ wv '
dren could be graded better, governed
better, instructed better, and hence teach
ers could teach better. Again, we shall
find, by examination, that in our larger
towns and cities. the schools on an aver
ace contain nearer thousand pupils each
than they do two hundred and fifty.
"Schc oil houses are distributed" rs in
Chicago, for instance, from a very Great
increase of population they cannot he
expected to bring together, in one house,
more thousands than We have hundreds
OF children.
As to its virtually depriving children
of their school privileges, is misconceiyed
we think. Let there he a primary school
at Fairbanks village for the little wee
ones; then il the present generation is 50
physically weak as moi to be able to walk
the distances thus required, it gives them
Just the thing needed. One thing not to
he overlooked by this "lhird PLAN" is
this: by raising the building, The two
upper rooms could be 50 constructed, as
TO be thrown together and thus form 4
hall In the building of the house, it
was great oversight i'll not finishing Il
hall in the third story; now the over
sigh; can he rcmedicd; many times each
year do the schools need Il hall for their
public exercises when now we can have
orc 50 easily, shall we be denied il, rs
the schools are denied so many other
things VIII CHI prevent them being first
class schools y.
T.Not-1'hc writer OF the above cn-
tircly fails 10 convince us that the plan
of charging the present Union school
building is either practical or wise. Nor
would we ;raSc the impracticability
wholly upon the theory that the herding
OF 50 many children together is danger
Gus alike to their physical and moral IN
lures bat we would profit by the eXpc-
ricnce Of other places which have tried
both ways We have in mind now an
| instance in another state, noted for the
perfection of lis school system, in which
the plan advocated by onr corresponds
cnt has iiccn tried and abandoned. The
place referred to covers about the same
area rs the village Of 81. .Iohn~bury, but
is more denscly settled. They tried tho
plan of brinoine all the scholars To the
central school house. 1t proved imprac-
ticable and unwi,c, and the district has
within the pas. two years. built tive
more school houses, one each nj near Tho
extremes OF the village These two new
houses are less than Il mile and 4 quarter
apart, with the Central house about mid
way between
The distance that many Of the schol
ars would have to 90 10 Il central Schoo
house in this village, instead Of being Al
advantage, as onr correspondent woul'
have us believe. Is serious obstacle It
his plan. 1t is very well 10 talk thai
children can 20 from a mile to Il mile an,
n half To school rs well rs less distance
but practically it Is far from being tn,
fact. Children who have to 20 one mil,
even, would necessarily carry their din
ncrs and the umdc<irablcnc,s of havins
uity children ut Il school house during tho
noon recess i too apparent to cnlar=c up
on, while large number of children
thus disposed Of would increase this oh
lection in tcn-iold ratio.
We have made little estimate Of til,
distance that certain children in the out
skirt. OF this district will have To travc
il compelled To 90 10 ;hc central hOuS,
to school. Not less than twelve iami.
lies will b. 4 mile and a-hali from tn,
school house, while more than twenty.
five will be at least Il mile from the cen
trail house. That it Is an advantage tC
children, and especially girls, 10 be oJiycc
to 90 that distance in Ill weather t'
school, is proposition which We. think
needs no arguing in a community thai
boasts cf lis school privileges.