Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-05-15
THURSDAY. NAY Is. is7s.
The School House,

The question OF public schools 10 one
in which every citizen should ieel a deep
aud abiding interest. II is common to
Judge OF the character OF a locality by
the attention it gives to the education Of
its children, aud few attractions can be
named that carry such weight as that it
can boast of an efficient system of public
schools. Much is said. by certain class.
against the new tangled notions" of the
present dav aud the "luxuriesn tbs,
have beer introduced in The way of mod
ern school houses and school furniture.
The remark is sometimes heard that
they had as good scholars in the good
Old DAYS, when we had to get OUT lessons
on the straight backed. hard. board
benches. as we have now" 1t is true
that those times did produce some excel
lent scholars. but they became such in
spite of their surroundings sud by their
own efforts. The advantage of modern
improvements and helps 10 learn, is that
they make the school room attractive to
the scholar rather than a place TO be
stunned. The cheerful surroundings be-
get pride in the pupil and desire 10
make himself proficient in the studies be
Is pursuing. A new interest i swak
ened In every scholar, and even the dun
become jealous over their lessons. Nor
is the good effect felt BY the children
alone. Parents are Eore inclined TO
visit the school and, BY their presence.
give encouragement 10 both pupils aud
teacher. Few parents have ever visited
a school in which their children were
present, without feeling amply repaid
for the time spest, by the look of in
creased happiness which those children
wore, and the word Of kindly sympathy
TO the teacher is remembered long after
the visitor has departed. Much might
also be said OF the advantages TO be de-
rived from proper ventilation and the
methods of heating, which are OF vital
importance TO the child and which are
powerful aids in the development Of
both mind and body.
Ii is well known fact that very many
OF these things have come TO be consid
cred the most essential of all public i'm
provements, and have been largely
adopted throughout the State. How is
it ia this city: l. il not about time that
more money be expended in making
more attractive the school accommods-
tions for the little folks? If one can
Judge of the school rooms by the outside
of some of the buildings, even here in
tie center OF the city, they are not likely
to add TO the efficiency OF the teacher,
nor contribute TO the healthy mental or
physical condition of the scholars. Oar
teachers are doubtless doing..all they can
with Me facilities at their command
bat a more vigorous sentiment in favor
of incI easing those facilities seems 20 be
necessary. This sentiment should be-
come so strong as 10 warrant and SUE
ain our municipal authorities in max
ing the appropriations necessary to pro-
duce the comforts and appliances so es-
sentisi to the greatest success obtainaole
in our modern public schools. We gath
er from the report of our State School
Superintendent some figures, showing
the amount of money expended during
the past year, on an average, Tor each
srhoiar i'm several of the towns and
cities in this State. 1t will be seen that
only one city in the list paid so small q
sum. per scholar, for the education of its
children as did our city. While il is not
desirable to see how much money can
be expended for education, i; is desir-
able TO inquire if we are not economic,
ing too rigidly in this direction The
following is the list: