Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-04-21
COMMUNICATED,

COMMUNICATED.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS There can be no subject
that should interest the public at large, more
than that of common education, and as eiti-
Gems, parents, and taxpayers, we should be
deeply interested in this vital question in all its
aspects, civil, social, financial, and otherwise.
|. The system Of coumon education, is prln-
ciple that when properly formed and directed
is most powerful for good, as it is also one of
the great and mighty agencies that is now NOV
ing the world Virtue and intelligence are the
only true basis on which to erect the structure
ofuniversal freedom They are truey called the
Palladium Of Liberty.
The Hon. Robert G. Winthrop in speech
delivered at the dedication OF Winthrop Public
School, Boston, in describing this sentiment
well said
Il need not say that | have felt something
more than common Interest III this scene.
As mere citizeu of Boston. boru upon her soil,
educated in her public schools, aud bound to
her by thousand ties of affection and graft
| tudc which no time can sever; [ should indeed
have found abundant reason for gratih ;atlon,
aud for pride III seeing her engaged IN dedlcat-
| ing 50 spacious and noble an edIhce to the
cause OF popular education. AS an humble but
| sincere FREUD to free government, aud repub-
Ilcan liberty too could not have failed to re-
ioice at beholding another butlreSs added to
the bulwaks which are to save them from
overthrow aud downfall. For, my friends, it
oauuot be too often repeated, trlte and common
place as it may sound, that these free lnstlIu-
| tons of ours can rest securely on 40 other basis
| -, thnt
intelligence and virtue can be disseminated and
iuculcatcd by no other agencies than the school
and church. Our schuul houses and churches,
these are the true towers and bulwarks OF
republic aud the only standing army Of free
dom is that innum berabe host OF children who
are in process Of training in our Sabbath and
week day schools, trained in the fear Of God
and 10 the love of their neighbour; and iG all
the elements of useful knowledge aud sound
learning 1t may be truly subject OF joy then
| to every patriotic heart to see our cities aud
towns yieing with each other, not like those OF
the old world, in the sumptuouSuess Of their
private mansions, or the maguihcence of their
government halls, but in the elegance and com
pletepcss Of their public school houses" lie
farther says:
Other nations may boast Of their magnifi-
cent gems and monster diamonds, but our
Kohinoor is our common school system;
this is our "mouutain Of light pot snatched,
indeed, as prize from barbarous foe, not
destined TO deck royal brow, or to irradiate a
crystal palace, but whose pure and penetrating
ray, illumnes every brow, enlightens every
mind, aud cheers every heart, and every heart
stone 10 the land, and which supplies from Its
head aud iewclcd chaiuS upon the neck Of
every son and daughter of the Commonwealth
1t can be scarcely deemed too much to say
that buildings which are to serve So noble and
| lofty purpose, and that are to be the daily re
sort and home OF our children. and 10 which
their mental and moral faculties are tralurd,
should be designed with careful reference to the
great principles of health aud comfort, so sad.
| " neglected and overlooked in the past, though
of such primary aud vital importance. But even
after we have considered and accomplished
these ends We should DOT stop here under the
! impression that we have met all the require.
ments of the case; there are other essentials be-
side those OF Hygiene that demand our atten-
ton.
The principles of architectural proportion,
harmoay OF parts, and convenience OF arrange.
ment, have claims which we cannot ignore
without grave responsibility. Certainly it would
be we'll to keep this object in view So far as is
CONSTANT with a wise and proper ecoDomy.
| Harmony Of style, and proprlcty and elegance
of composition eau never be without their 10
fuences upon the mind of the pupil, as they so
strongly appeal to that innate principle of the
| intellect, viz: the love and appreciation OF the
| beautiful, Ii. e., symetry)
| Having thus 10 general manner adyerted to
the fundamental principles that should govern
and control us 10 providing for this great want
and requirement Of the community, DOW pro-
pose more specifically to state those clearly es.
sential features aod details, 10 the attendance
to which our labors aud expenditures will Sc
cure aud conserve the great object designed,
but 10 the neglect of which they would be Deu
rraIized and rendered nugatoiy.
lst. Whenever possible the school building
should stand alone, isolated from all others, with
ample room to light, ventilation, and safely
from fire. The lot should afford large facilities
and room for the range and recreation of the
scholars, who, if Of both sexes, should be thor
oughly separated both as regards the class
rooms and the approaches thereto, as we'll also
as 10 the play ground.
End. A wise and proper regard 10 economy
should be always taken in the erection OF pub.
lie buildings especially of this class, as they are
very liable to the mutation and vandalism of
incorigbe boys. By the word economy we do
not mean Dauk utlllty, DOT tnat DoiuoeSs
caused by parsimouy which would render the
building uns1ghy aud ottensIye to the he educated
strictly in accordance with architectural proper
tions 80 as to present neat and symetrcal ap-
pearauce all meretrcious and useless ornamen-
tatioD both external and internal should be dis
peuscd with as useless costly and out of char
acter with the object. They should be erected
also with view to durability, aud Of the avoid
ance, as far as possible Of the necessity and cost
OF repair. /
3rd. No public institutions such as school
houses should he more than TWO stories 10
height. They have been tried 10 o'her cities and
the unanimous verdict is that they are failures
to the exteot they exceed two stories. The rea-
SOD of this is very obvious and need not be dis
cussed here, hence in nearly all new structures
they do not exceed two stories tor school pur-
ID ho nf hl,, hoIyht