The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-14
ILUInIIHHTCattH ]
fEile CITY ScllGOI.EEDuSe9.

The interest attached to the railroad war
in III" legislature has so much absorbed
the public attention that the public, we
fear, have overlooked matters Of great ill.,
porrance to our community.
We would ut present call attention to
an advertisement in the Dispatch, over the
name OF the chairman of the Building Com
miltcr, inviting proposals tor plans and Spc-
cilcatlonS and estimates for the conStruc-
ton Oi three brick SchoOl-houSes, to accom-
mediate not less than six hundred children
each, for the public schools Of this city, to
be received ut the office of the Board Of
Education UP to II NJ. Thursday, 10th Of
March, next. This advertisement first ap-
peared on Saturday. the 18th instant, and,
excepting Sunday, four days are allowed to
hand in these plans, specifications, DC.
The City Council have already made, VIC
believe, large appropriation for this pur-
pose, and requested the city engineer to fur
nlsh plans, dc. In consequence OF some great
discrepancy between his estimates and
those Of the various builders of the city
one-fourth at least, we believe, it appears
that his plans were virtually rejected.
Why so short al time as four days has been
allowed to furnish other plans, &C., we eau
not understand. To build three brick
schOOl-houses to accommodate not less than
Fix hundred children each is Il work that
requires great consideration and study. In
other cities few subjects have received
more. Where so many children will be
consregutcd, OF every class and condition of
ijfc, and with such varying constitutions
and temperaments, the construction OF the
building requires Il very careful study.
These three brick buildings will cost not
less than 100000; and before any plan is
adopted the fullest specifications and estl-
mates should be given. These school,
houses should not only be firmly built and
attractive III appearance, but sui more
should they be commoGlous, Well-lightcd,
wcll-venlilated, convenient IN passing from
one room to another, and easy OF exit IN
case Of Iirc. The utmost attention should
le paid toaccous,ics, SO as not to strain too
much the voice ofeithcr teacher or scholar in
speaking; and great care should be paid to
the partition walls, that the sound from the
one room may not be communicated to an
other. Allof these require great attention,
and no plan should be received where the
utmost provision is not made for them.
The very seats for the children should be
fully described, not only for comfort but
also so as 10 prevent STOPPING and any de-
iOrnity. Care should also be paid to the
light On the desks Of the children, so that
II mag not fall too directly in their eyes,
&c, &c.
ltls impossible for us to enumerate in mn
article everything that should be particu-.
lady stated. We only ask the Building
Committee to require this particularly
and completeness in the plan adopted.
III Is not, however, possible to do this in
tour days. The building of large school.
houses Is an entirely new subject here, and
requires reading and reflection. 1t would
be much better to give the architect fort
nigat longer to prepare his plan than to cor
rect 1t after it has been carried out in the
building. II the Building Committee really
mcan Cnly tour days. 1t would appear as
though they challenged the competitors to
work miracles, and, indeed, had already de-
cided on the plan which they intended to
adopt. We can, however, hardly believe
they intend really thus to Insult the public.