Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-05-22
bonediction from Rev. Gamble, tho exam
ination exercises were concluded ut about
4;30 y. m.

bcnediction from Rev. Gamble, tho exam
ination exercises were concluded at about
4;30 y. m.
rnE sCHUuL AND irs MASAGEmENr.
itS GOOD v, ork and some OF Its deficiencies
This school, which is ono Of the largest
and is regarded as ono Of tho best OF its
kind in the state, and with which others
arc expected to DO consolidated, ~ the
number of pupils and schools is gradually
reduced, was formerly under tho proprie-
torship of Jesse Kennedy, and since 1t has
passed into the management Of OK Senator
Geo. X, Wright, Of Mercer--who has also
the schools at Mercer and McCallistcrville,
Juuiata county-has had as principals NJ,
j. Brecht, now county superintendent
j. b. llipplc, now of tho Examiner, and,
for fow weeks past, Mr.. Harvey Houck,
an experienced teacher Of Lebanon aud son
Of Deputy state Superintendent Houck.
There are Mt present IN tho school about
2ij pupils, though tho number has NJ
times run up to 500 with the Same ao-
commOdations rs ut present. They range
from 3 to 10 years DID, and are admitted
uudor the enlarged provisions of the law,
| by which thu children of those who die
| from injuries received in the war, even at
| this late day, or OF tnOso who were injured
therein and are unable TO support their
| families arc entitled to the benefits OF
| these schools. by the provisions Of the
act of June 2S, 1883, the timO for closing
| tho admissions to these schools was eN-
tended to Juno |, 1887 aud all children arc
to be discharged on June /, 1890 and the
schools closed then.
There is no doubt that many unworthy
people have taken advantage of the liber
ality of this law and that children are got
into these schools whose parents are able
to support thom and others whose fathers
have not died of wounds or disease con
traotCd in the army. But they fortify their
cases with the petitions, atidavits and
testimony Of easily disposed physicians ana
ueighbOrs, and the department cannot well
deny them. Hence the cause for frequent
public wonder that there should bo so
many" soldiers orphans nearly twenty
years after the war and the discharge OF
the soldiers.
An Original Error.
One Of the greatest mistakes in the
original plan Of these sChools-duc In
part, no doubt, TO the fact that they were
not expected to endure 50 loug--was IN
the failure to require special buildings for
e their accommodation. The uncertain
tenure Of the system has led 70 the tOcra
tiOn OF quarters for the schools Tar toe
limited Tor their proper accommodation
and yC. it has seemed unfair to contractor:
and probably dangerous to tho state &
require new or enlarged buildings, while
, it was uncertain il the schools would con
tiuuc longer in operation than 1885, auC
}, now when 1t is certain that they Will cIos'
10 1890.
This difficulty accounts for one Of tn,
i. r ,.n,,,, hN
1 Joy school. The old academy building
which it occupies is utterly inadequate t,
, the accommodation of the present numbe
, of students, aud If, as related, there have
been 1T times fifty more there, and may bt
, | agau-wC trust mott is impossible 10
S the ordinary mathematician 10 calculate
wherc they could be slowed away. Th'
!. school room is crowded, the dinin.
!, room is crowded, there is an ab
d sence OF anything like reading
/, room, q lack Of sufficient parIOr, reception
10 and play rO)ms-especlllly tho latter. oI
/. the second and third floors every inch o
II available space is crowded with beds
q. mono OF it is taken up with any othe
y. furniture. Proprietor Wright says hi
Of orders are that in no case shall more thai
70 two children occupy one bed /; but
10 seems impossible 10 Accommodate all th
rs pupils at that rate inspection has dis
closed more than this many, and from on
10 to five beds in q room The iiporS Oi III
y. rooms are sCrupulUusly clean, aud 30 al
d tho beds and the bedding the line
Il being changed every week and the stra
10 of the mattresses frequently changed.
In does seem that little further decSratiO
10 than paint and whitewash rather daubil
le applied would not hurt tho rooms au
4 we doubt if even an extreme advocate {
-. F-.t,4 ~. al
i children being given rooms TO thomselvc
instead of being indiscrimnateiy scAttere
among the whites in the dOrmit)rles.
IS The Grounds
IL The grounds in front OF the buildin
10 are shaded and grassy, and whero tho 30
u, is worn off, il is being renewed but SON
IL Of tho children complain that they are &c
s. rig!dly excluded from these ground
Z There is nice garden, the cultivation
10 which is good for the children. \ III
10 young orchard, which should bo for a pla
lo ground, is ploughed up. The boys dir
DO and playground In the Immediate rear
IS, the ground is, parhaps, third OF an ac
&c in extent, utterly bare, save ono batteTt
70 tree, aud has gutter or two IN 1t th
rs mars its appearance. IL Is fair dr.
u ground, but utterly inadequate for pli
rs ground for l7j boys, being of no great
= | extent tlan u lalr aIlDWAuCc lOE u COuuLI
O. public school yard. Tho girls pli
ground is worse 1t ID shabby in Il
highest degree. 1t lacks shade, CONVEX
no euoe and comfort and has dirty pig pc
NJ opening on it. The boys winter pli
" room, in the basement of the buildin
up is not what it should be /; and Il
ed girls play room, sort Of an anne
Id TO the laundry aud used, too, for cloth
90 drying room, is no better. IL is true tn
IT, tho surrounding country is very beautif
II and attractive, and when the bo
ie can range over the fields and by tho ere,
III and its bathing pools, they ueed no mo
no ground annexed to the school but
m most crying cant Of The institution and II
as aohich IS most easily and chedply met is {
n larged play grounds. There is a fine lot
O. tie rear Of The property and a cheerful 6a
rs ball ground, whIeh Mr.. Wright should pn
ui chase or rent for his boys and gtrIs '0HhC
deLay.
US The Accommodations.
~ Necessarily in an institution Of Il
ho kind, with the allowance made for ga
,o pupil, aud the military drill that ia
W quired and salutary for them, they cam
~ have the convenienoes afforded in ordina
10 boarding schools, and hence their cloth
are kept in one department, numbere'
and there are common wash and ba
W | rooms To the inadeuuacy of these latt