Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-02-02

party to the work of his education.
The helps, herein spoken of, will
furnish the soil of such mind with
a fertility that shall terminate seed
thoughts and make them grow to
trees of usefulness, strength and
beauty. However, all these things,
and many others, may be supplied
to the school, and yet, if suitable
building is wanting, success will be
very much hindered We do not
propose, here, to lay down plan
for IA building, but, may throw out
a few general hints and suggestions.
A thing of prime importance is a
suitable location. Let the selection
be made, rather with an eye to con-
spicuity than centrality. Let it be
where the stranger will be sure to
see it, that its name may be heard
abroad. This win attract attention
to the town, and increase its popu-
latiOn, and this will exert reflex
influence upon the school for good.
Let it be where its patrons may of
ten look upon it, and let it be such
a building that they may do so
with pride. There is nothing that
win tend more to excite an interest
on the part of patrons, than to have
the school often agreeably brought
to their notice, especially when it
excites both their pleasure and
pride. The exterior and surround
ings should be rs attractive as pos
sible. The magnificence of the
building and the pleasantness of its
grounds should be very inviting,
and should be as a beacon to all in
need of education. The musical
tones of its splendid bell should be
as the death knell to ignorance and
superstition in the land. It cheer
full peals should be such as to in
spire genius in the youthful mind,
and hope and courage in the mind
of the poor, who otherwise must re-
main in the dark, and pass through
life with all their wonderful capaci-
ties as though they had never ex-
listed. The interior arrangements
should be perfect. 1t should be
well ventilated and well lighted
Especial care should be taken, that
in ventilation, the draught should
not be directly upon pupils and
that it should not be unequal, rem.
dering some uncomfortably cold
and others uncomfortably warm
All that is necessary is to supply
every part of the room with suffi
cheney of fresh air, and to allow the
foul air TO escape. The lights should
be well arranged. No pupil should
be required to sit with more light
in front of him than in the rear
There should be an abundance Of
room. The aisles, especially, should
be large, admitting free passage, Il
and fro, to classes, without impe-
diment. This viii save time, anC
allow the teacher to have much
more uniformity and regularity In
the movement of his classes, which
by the by, is very important par
of the training and dicipline Of the
school. The teachers desks should
be models of neatness and cOnve
nience, and the same may be said
I of those for children. And now lei
me speak in behalf OF the children
for their comfort, and, if I could,
would do it in tones of thunder
that all the land might hear. "Lei
theirseats be comfortable" Parents
can't think of going to church and
sitting one hour on an uncomfor.
table seat; and, yet, they pay very
little regard to those on which theil
children must sit four and five hours
every day. Let us hope that this is
merely owing to the fact, that at
tentiOn has not been called to it.
and that, at no distant day, children
and teachers, but especially children
will have cushioned seats in school