Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-04-22
COMMUNICATED.

COMMUNICATED.
SCHOOL BUILDING \ COMMUNICATION in
yesterday Gazette on the purchase fthc Brad
ley building for the public schools of the city de-
serves passing NOTICE. IF the writer be not
unfrendly to the schools or the Board 1t is diff
cult to conceive why such an article was pub
lished after the conclusion of the purchase,
which if it could have any effect at all would
only tend to render the public dissatisfied with
the schools, as the placing the schools in that
building is now fixed fact The article
probably cminaed from some one whose mind
has been running in groove Of symetry, proper
tons, &C. of school buildings and school rooms
from which all other considerations are insult.
Gent to move it. The subject is introduced by
long extract from speech Of Il. &. Win
throp delivered probably thirty years ago,
Containing set of trusm, on the advantages of
education which have been said a thousand
times before and since and which no one would
| thiuk Of denying, and Is followed up by five
rules of his own about the construction Of school
houses and schoo-rooms, and because the build
ing does not meet all the requirements OF has
rules seems willing TO condewn the purchase,
|
making this purchase The Board We're driven
to the alternative of doing SO, orcoptnuing the
schools in set Of low pitched, iuconveient, i'll
ventilated rooms, scattered through the cty,at a
high rent and also of building shed Schoolhouse
at cost Of $500 for temporary use. These
mean school-roomS. have been the sole cause of
the DoD success Of pubic schools in this city.
| 1t so happens that the building which has been
purchased flu fills all the essential conditions con
taiued in the five rules Of "Nisnola. Being
constructed for furniture factory and ware
house, in addition TO three large stores on the
first floor, it contains three large rooms in the
upper stories, the full front and depth of the
main building The back building on Alfred
street contains eli ht rooms, four being IS by
49, and berg p by %. These last are all
supplied with water and gas aud the rooms III
the front building all with gas. All the rooms
in the house are supplied with fire walls and
iron doors from cellar to attic 50 that any one
compartment might burn through ana leave
the others intact. 1t is also supplied with a
magnificent staircase icet i'll width from the
ground to the ,ith story and Two other stai!cascs
ia the other compartments On Alfred street.
| that any danger to the scholars from fire, un-
less on the supposiliou that the building should
be sci on fire in Ill; directions at the same time.
is a matter OF impossibility. EignoIa seems to
think it Indispensable that the bulldog should
be isolated, with lot attached for a lay
ground that the rooms should hc ~ by 81 and
il feet Ligh no more no less Why So? One
would thi"k they should br adapted II the
uumber ot scholars liza play ground be es-
sentia nearly all the public OF private schools
in large cities would be cnnd2mcd ut one" - the
ground is too valuable 10 b. occupied Tor such :.
purpose. The same may he said about he height
of the building. There i, believe but one school
house in Washington bur that has nor than
two stories and some in New York have school
ROOMS iu the sixth story. | will cunccic that
if with abundant mcanS We We're about con
structng new school building We might Yield
to some of the ideas Of Eignoa about dlmen-
sioDs, &c, but the choice was he old condition
of Thugs, aud Brad!cy'S building; aud conf
dently ask ANY candid man whether there can
be doubt The new building with the Iot
would have cost by estima'e 80 300, 10 which
we may add from general experience several
thousand dollars more for deficiency. J. his was
to be paid Tor in cash aud was douuiy more tnan
their means, anil for which they you'd have
had TO have gone in debt and waited another
wear 70 get into the building. A 1t Is the
Board has purchased beyond all comparison
the finest building in the cry, capable OF sup
pIying all the white children in the public
schools. This ediice, which by estimate oi
comuctcnt builders, c,uid not be put up ior
$50. 900 is in perfect repair without having sell
tied of an inch in any Of its walls i'll twelve
wears or having single crack inaay OF is walls,
has been purchased by the Beard for Sl4,n
part cash and the balance in five years. The
rents saved and arising out OF the property
will pay the balance of purchase money III lve
years or less, and yet Nignoa is not happy be-
cause he cannot have his play ground and his
CLOAK room at an extra cost Of some SO 600.
FINDEX.