Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-05-31
PICKED UP BY THE WAY.
THINGS SEEN AND HEARD IN THE
TOWN AND VICINITY.

..Tribune" by the saunterer-something
Here May Interest You,
The rough and ungainly ap-
pearancc of many of the build
ings in town is a topic that is
very often commented upon by
strangers who visit Freeland
for the first time, and indeed,
many of them are not slow in
expressing disappointment at
some of the shabby sights that
meet their gaze. | met a gen
tleman of this kind on Thurs
day and he was very emphatic
in speaking of the citizens
who failed to beautify their
residences out and about the
building as well as on the in
side. He said his business
compelled him, during his brief
stay here, to enter nearly all
the dwellings in the town and
he was surprised to find every
thing inside neatly furnished
and decorated in good taste,
while the weather boards on
the outside of the buildings, in
many instances, were as black
as night for the want of
small quantity of paint.
The gentleman was not much
mistaken in sizing up the
town, for there are many
houses that if they would re
ceive an application of the
painters brush it would give
them an entire new lease of
usefulness, and there are more
that could be greatly improved,
both in appearance and value,
by being repainted. However,
many people are well satisfied
that they own a house without
being painted, and many a
hard day they worked to get
the means to build it, still that
is no reason why they should
leave the building unfinished,
because no residence is com
pleted until it is painted. 1t
would surprise most people to
see the change that $50 invest
ed in paint would make in the
appearance and value of their
homes, but as some have no
inclination in that direction,
strangers may come and go
and comment as they please.
The application for a charter
for the Mining and Mechanical
Institute of town is an indica-
tion that the institution has
come to stay. The number of
young men who now attend
the school and use the reading
room and library is increasing,
but not so rapidly as it should.
The boys of Freeland and
vicinity who do not attend are
missing an opportunity to ac-
quire an education in mining
and mechanical work, and
many of them may yet have
cause to regret in neglecting
to avail themselves of this
chance. The rates of tuition
are certainly very low, and
even though the majority of
our young men may think their
lives will be spent in some
other business, they should re-
member that what they learn
there will never be a burden to
them but will assist them in
any undertaking they may fol
low for q living.
While | know but very little
about the financial accounts of
the institute, it is evident that
up to the present time the
school has not been self-sup-
porting. Fitted up as it is,
and occupying excellent quar-
ters in a central location, the
expense must be quite heavy,
and it is not likely that the
money contributed by the pu-
pills has been sufficient to de-
fray the cost of maintaining it |
and keeping it up to its present |
high standard. The financial |
part, however, is but a second
airy consideration in the eyes |
of the gentleman who founded |
the institute, and if its advan-
tageS are appreciated as fully |
as they should be | have no
doubt but that it will receive
all the encouragement that it,
may require. The young men
of town should do their duty
to themselves and the school,
and in time Freeland will be
recognized as the seat of an
institution that will be bene-
fit to the town in every respect.
'lhp Ran11 ao,,o =, Al = -