Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-02-27
School-Houses for the Country.
prw.n. norrorD, IN the Wis. JoURsAl OF rDuoArro-

HONhOO4-AAOAoGo lnG country
BY w. II. RoLFoRD, WIS. JoURNAL OF EDUCATION.
What should be- tho position of
schoo!-house on plat of ground on
which il stands and what should
be the internal arrangement of the
same?
Long and careful observation has
taught me that it should be az follows:
The position of the school>house upon
the plat of ground upon which IL
stands should be such that the door
or doors may be in the south end or
side of the building; and that the
teacher may stand in the-north end
of the schoolroom, midway from
east 10 west. aud facing the pupils
aud the door or doors. With this
arrangement the gable onds may be
either TO the north and south or to
the east and west.
There are many reasons why pupils
should sit facing the north, among
which are these: ID During school
hours all the light comes from south
of east 10 the forenoon, and froIa
south OF west 10 the afternoon so
that the pupil who sits facing the
north during this time has his eyes
shaded from the direct rays Of light,
while the print before him receives
the direct rays as should be the case.
But this case is reversed and the
direct rays come into his face in the
forenoon, if no sits facing the east
in the afternoon, if he sits facing the
west; but during the entire school
day if he sits facing the south. CD
II the pupil sits facing the north
when he begins the study Of geogra-
ply, bis map is then always square
with the world" and there is no
translation to be made; but such is
not the case if he sits facing any
other point when commencing this
study. (3.) Pupils who have long
sitting4 TO perform feel better, sit
more quietly. and with far less re-
straint, II facing the north than if
facing any other point.
Pupils should face the teacher, and
since they should face the north, the
teachers's placesis in the north end
Of the school-room. But the stove
should be as far from the teacher as
possible, so that he may have Il cool
clear head hence, the stove should
be in the south end of the school,
room and as the stove should be
near the door or between the two
doors, so the door or doors should
be in the south end or side of the
building. And please bear 10 mind
that all ] say at this time, is based
upon the supposition that our mag
mary school house stands in this
position.
Then there should be no window
in the south end al the school room,
nor in the north end of it. The
windows should DO placed in the east
aud west sides, and they may be
grouped together for the triple
purpose of economy in construction,
finer architectural appearance, and
better disposition of light" or sepa-
rate windows such as we moro fire.
quently see, can be used if preferred.
If there is but one entrance for
both sexes, it should be exactly mid
way from the east to tho west size
or ead of the building this, to give
the ideas OF balance and symmetry 4
and if there are two entrances, thoy
should suggest these ideas If there
is but one door leading into the
school-r0om, the stove should stand
directly north OF the door and a.
near il "a may be and not interfere
with the passage; and if there are
two such doors the stove should
stand midway between the two
doors, and at the same distance from
zach wall, as in case Of ono door;
that is, the position OF the stove ia
relation TO the school, should
BIO The Same with ono door in the
building as with two This, that
the cold air entering the door may
come in contact with the stove and |
be warmed betnre il passes to any |
person in tho room. But in no case |
OF q single entrance TO the school |
room, should it be made nearer the |
east aide Of the building than the
west side nor nearer the west side
than the east side, and the stove
placed in the trent corner farthest
from the door !" forsuch construction
does violence TO the ideas of bala nee
and symmetry, and the placing Of
the stove ignores the two principles,
one of physiology" and the other of
philosophy, that cold air should be
warmed before coming ia contact
with persons sitting unprotected,
that cold air not prevented will pass
along the surface upon which it rests
INTO space occupied by heated air
add displace the latter. This caution
Is given that neither pupils nor
teacher may be placed between the
entrance and the stove; for the re-
suit of such mistake is cold feet
or the unfortunate persons who
lappen to be so placed; and this a
oIunder is frequently made.
LIZ the wood house rs not to be
ouilt ia front of the main building,
md attached to it "a a part of it,
he stovespipe should pass to the
forth end OF the school-room, and ,
inter a chimney that should rest I
lpon the walt, but not come down to
he blackboard. In each of the
xtreme northeastern and north
Western upper corners of the room I
hould be small opening, that can /
,e closed or opened at pleasure :