Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-02-25
Teael,ers, QJpln,,,,,.
w. Il. PARAER. Editor.


Mr.. W. II. Kain, County Superin
tendent of York county, Pcnnsvlva-
mia, in Il late number Of the "Pe4n
! Sy50a.ia School Jouruol, eiyes
some good advice to School Direct
ors III respect to building school
houses, which the editor says is as
good for other countries as for York,
We think our readers will agree
with him. lie says:
"The first duty is to select suita-
bic and convenient site. In this
selection directors should be guided
more by good Judgment, than by
the wishes Of some 'influential' per
son or persons Of the district. Some
houses are located on much-trayeled
| roads, where tie schools Il constant
ly annoyed by noise; others find
places IN swamps, where the pupils
are apt to contract lingering and
often fatal diseases. | need not add
words to prove snch to be improper
sites.
"Many school houses are built
with insufficient yards or play
grounds. The State Superintendent
advises that half an acne, at the very
least should be secured to give room
to play grounds, outhouses, &c, for
every school in the country.
After the selection of a proper
site, comes the erection OF build
ING. The law says this shall be suit
able which implies that it shall be Of
sufficient size, well adapted for its
purpose, and substantially construct
ed for the least amount OF money.
Money will be saved and good work
secured by having IN architect draw
the plans and specifications and then
have the contractor fill them to the
letter, A suitable school building
often does not cost us much as an I'M
suitable one, If the building of it is
properly managed. One great diff
Guilty Is that many persons are called
upon to discharge the important
duty of building, who never have
had an opportunity Of learning the
real wants Of a modern school room.
Some rooms are sufficiently large but
are entirely spoiled by an improper
distribution of space. \ room intcn-
dend for fifty pupils, should be from
twenty-slx to thirty feet wide, and
from thlrty-two to thirty-six feet
long. If a clothcs-room is to be in
Guided, it must be several feet longer.
These ante-rooms are very convent
ent if properly constructed.
Mr.. Kahn says: | desire to call
particular attention to the arrange
ment Of the blackboard. There are
not ten schools in the county which
have this Indispensable piece Of fur
nlture at the proper place. Almost
invariably it is placed too high. Its
height from the floor or platform
should, in no ungradel school, ex-
coed thirty inches, and it should not
be less than a yard wide. Directors,
whatever else you may neglect, 10
not neglect to provide a good black
board for every school house.
The ceiling should in all cases be
twelve or fourteen feet from the floor
and should be arched if possible. See
to it that goo8 ventilation is secured.
After the erection Of the house
comes the furniture. This should
command great care, as comfort is
essential to progress in the school
room. ,SchnDi desks Of different
sizes are as necessary as shoes and
hats Of different sizes, to suit the
children of 4 rural school. Expert
cnce assures me that directors can
do no better than Introduce some
make Of the Patent furniture \
number of attempts have been made
to construct homemade furniture an
sWerlng the same ends, but none
have been very successful. The cost
Of 'his furniture is but little more
than the cost Of good homemade,
while it is more duiahle and much
more convenient. Another impor-
tant consideration is that this ant-
pro0e3 furniture occupies less space
than the Old.