Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-09
The Country SchOOl-hOuse.


The Country SchOOl-hOuse.
The country school-house is not a thing
of beauty. 1t is often wretchedly located.
meanly built. badly abused, forbidding
place in which to confine children six
hours of every day that the school term
continues. There has been much improve
ment in these respects in recent years, but
there is yet necessity for improvement
in the same direction. The country
school house may not be elegant and cost
ly, but reason and common sense demand
that it should be decent in its appearance
and surroundings, clearly, healthy and
comfortable in all that pertains to it, The
health of our children is of as much con-
sequence as their moral and intellectual
education, and with this the location and
construction of the school-house in which
they are taught has very much to do.
But though the country school house
has It's serious defects it stands next to
the church the most important factor in
American civilization. the greatest instru-
mentality in fitting our people for the
duties of life and citizenship in govern
ment in which the people are the rulers
and sovereigns. 1t is the peoples col
lege. In it the great bulk of the chill
dren of the country obtain all the ed
ucation which they have. How effici-
ent this may be is demonstrated by
the success of the multitude of graduates
from II who are found in every station in
life, even in those which it was formerly
considered that only literally educated
men were competent to fill. The most OF
our legislators have to thank the country
school for their education. The graduates
are the selectmen and assessors of towns,
the mayor and aldermen OF cities,
members of the national and State legis-
lature, Governors of States, Presidents OF
the United States, members of the
Cabinet. editors. lawyers, merchants,
farmers and mechanics, the great BODY
polite of this the best and most posperous
government on the face of the globe.
The country school.house, with what.
ever deformities and short comings It may
have, is an institution as enduring as the
republic, more permanent than the grand
est structures of granite. marble or iron.
1t is the bulwark of freedom, the citadel
which will resist successfully all attempts
to destroy the liberty of the people
Strangers coming amongst us may see
nothing in these humble edifices worthy
of notice. but the wisest men of our
nation see in them the hope of our gov.
ernment. the terror OF tyrants the world
over. They have a Gcd-given mission to
fulfill. They are a sign and promise as
benignant and certain as the bow in the
clouds.
Now that the season for instruction
in the country school houses is at hand,
1t is to be hoped that these nurseries
of our future men and women will &C.
complish as far as they can the object tor
which they were erected. Teachers and
parents have great responsibility in re-
gard to the instruction of the children. If
they feel it as they should the effect will
be seen in the prosperity of the schools,
which will blossom as the rose. What IL
the school-h house is old and ugly in APP
pearance, make the best of it until bet
ter quarters can be provided. We have
seen very plain school-honses glow with a
brightness of heart and intellect that rem
dered them more pleasant than others fit
ted up with elegance and occupied by
pupils and teachers uninterested in the
work before them.
Blessings on our county school-houses
and the scholars beneath their roofs.
They afford golden opportunity which
should be improved to the utmost by the
children.