Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-10-01
OUR SCHOOL HOUSES.

To the Editor Of the Free prcss 4:

| To the Editor OF the Free Press
| Aside from our houses, no structures
are more important than school build
| ings. If these were always perfectly de
/ signed there would be a great difference
in the health, morals, and artistic tastes
of our youth. While this Is true, it is
also truth that no class of buildings
come further short of perfection. There
is no reason why this should remain the
case. Hundreds of men in our country
| have spent days and months in the study
of school house requirements and designs
! They have gathered the experience of
educators, they have seen the faults and
merits of a large number of school build
| ings. Why, then, when new school
house is to be built are not architects
more often employed
But dropping this phase of the question,
let us consider some of the most impor-
tant features of school houses.
1t is of the utmost Importance that
every one should have an abundant sup
ply of fresh air None stand in greater
need of it than the children and youth
who attend our schools; few have the
need so poorly provided for. The impur-
ity of the air we breathe is measured by
the Carbonic acid which it contains In
pure air there are but 4 parts of this gas
in 10000 In some school rooms the pro
portion has been found to be IS times as
great.
To the impure air breathed at school
may be laid much of the weakness and
Ill health OF our boys and girls. The boys
suffer badly enough, and show too plain
ly the effects of this evil, but they are more
IN the open air, and so can withstand such
odds better than girls. Give pupils of
both sexes pure air while at school, and
see if they are not more robust.
The matter of air and light for the
school room we'll UiScnSSp6 late
writer on the subject. In practice, he
lrst settles the floor dimensions of a room
by the number OF pupils it is to accom-
nodate giving lat least twenty square
leet OF moor space per pupll-neNer less
Always AVA as muGh more as you can get.
termined by the number OF cubic feet of
ar gwen TO each pupil. lie says" ~ have
LOT my own use established a MINIMUM
OF %'o cublc. ieet OF AR per pupil" WITH
these data. gwen the number of pupils,
we can easily ascertain the proper dimen-
| SioiiS lof Ihe room
men the sue OF the room Is calculated
IN the ABOVE way, the req ul5lte amount OF
| llght Is also settled by the number of
pupils. me writer quoted gives from 400
10 11U teet OF glass To each occupant of
| the room lighted, and likes to give even
more 1t Is very generally agreed that
llgnt should DE introduced from the LETT
ana north.
VI tne many methods OF heating, one
should be chosen which vii not Introduce
the ar very not ana dry 1t Is JudlclOus
to bring in the heat near doors and win
doWS. IL thls Is done, cold AIR Will not
rush from these apeltures across the
room, thus causing unpleasant and dan
Serous dfaughts.
A brick flue, of size sufficient to carry
away all the foul AR as often as it needs
TO he removed, Is the lrst essential Of ven
I 1 rnF n # rgh
perature that the air within is less dense
than the foul air OF the room the most
efficient ventilation Will be secured.
1t is of the greatest importance that
water closets be provided within the
building. 1T Is utterly wrong, producing
both moral and physical injury, to
place them outside, who has not seen
children skulklng along under the school
mousse WINDOWS to reach an outer privy, as
though doing something of which they
were ashamed? This feeling, together
with stormy and cold weather, keeps
many pupil away from the outdoor
prlNy Aside from fastening wrong ideas,
1t cannot but have an III effect upon the
heaith Oh School chlluren
men sewer connections can be made,
the question OF water closets is easy OF
SQlutloh; otherwise, Where water can be
ODtalntu, the eAcreta should be conveyed
| TO ugnt cess pool as Tar as possible from
the building rms should be cleaned out
qulte often. IL thtre are objections to this
plan, or water Is lacking, some form of
earth closet can he used. 1t Is well
10 make the HoorS ana walls, at least
70 lhe heIEhl OF SIX feet, OF tiles. If
thlS can not he afforded, the floor can
be OF cement; and the walls of common
pTlck, lhe latter Kept well painted.
Urlnals should be OF glazed earthenWare
Whilea steady stream, or shower of water
should pour INTO them during school