The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-09-19
ElktOn Public School HOuse.-Tbe recen

ElktOn Public School HOuse.-The recent
rain storm flooded the Elk.on Public School
House, making it more resemble stable
where some lazy, shiftless farmers pen their
cows and pigs, than school room where
children are sent to study. We wonder if
the present ruling generation of this town
are not afraid the children will pronounce
curse upon their parents, who pen them
in such mad hovel, while they at home
sit in comfort in carpeted parlers, and
calmly contemplate the shower that is pat
tering down on the floor of the school
room, wetting the feet and clothing of the
little sufferers; or on the Sabbath when
they open no less than four magnificent
churches, oarpeted, painted, carved and
gilded, and adorned with all the luxury of
taste that art can command, which have
been closed for six days, entirely useless
while the little innocents were tenants of a
stable, sitting in the rain, trying to study
modern civilization and Christianity as
taught by Elkton society. We don't pro-
pose to open the churches which are use
less for almost the entire six days while the
children are sitting in their leaky stable;
tlat would be sacrilege for which we
would as richly deserve stoning as Stephen;
but the point we make is this:-tho 1900
people who can afford, or rather do afford,
four magnificent churches in which one
eighth of them, according to Rev. Mr..
SINNERS estimate, air their fine clothes in
once a week, should provide a school house
affording as much comfort (if some of the
display of rich glass and sacred notices
had to be dispensed with) to their children,
who are daily tenants of the rotten rooted,
battered sly, situated on the weediest pre-
cinct of Back street, the fit companion of
it's neighboring novels.
Those churches cost $40, 600 to $50, 900,
which are used by their congregations
about five hours each week, the parents of
the little sufferers whom they doom to sit
in howell in the rain thirty hours each
week when $1,000 would probably be suf-
cent to furnish commodious building
with comfortable appointments to accom-
vicinity. We insist on drawing this con-
trast sharp and clear, between the house
where the Christian man and woman go to
pray, or profess to do so, and the house into
which they send their children to learn to
pray, and what to pray for, in order that
they may be persuaded to ask themselves,
what manner of Christianity is this which
we have been pursuing that produces such
sibly engaged in the same work, and the
buildings they occupy should approximate
each other in taste and comfort; but we
would not suggest that the churches be
neglected and allowed to become the coun-
ter part of the school house, with rotted
roofs and broken floors, which allow the
pelting storm to pour down on the heads of
the congregation, but rather bring the
school house up to the standard Of the
churches.
The School Commissioners are looked to
to furnish house, but they have not the
means to do SO at present, and may not
have for years. Besides a Public School
building in the town would be piece of
property that would be used almost exclu-
sively by the town children. Not twenty
pupils would come from the country. But
we have not room to further shame this
people at present, and will hav to postpone
further modification to them for the future.
Can ever another community be found pre-
senting such contrast of gliding temples
consecrated to the worship of Jehovah;
gilded saloons dedicated to Bacchus; and a
rotten howell hid away in dirty street and
squallid quarter, appropriated to the chill
dren Of these people!