New-York tribune., 1895-02-10
DECAY1NG COUNTRY SCHOOLS
CHILDREN GROW FEWER ON THE NEW
HAMPSHIRE FARMS.
Ncwfound Lake, y. H., T.

HAMPSHIRE FARMS.
Ncwfound Lake. ~ H.. February l.
To who to make even cursory study
OF the question. who can make an examination
of the statistics well as to observe the actual
facts, the decline OF the district school in New
Hampshire is worth consideration. 1t is the
cpitome OF the decrease in population OF the rural
regions OF New-Hampshire and of the deserted,
ramshackle structures and grass-Srown roads
which meet at every turn. The study OF the
country school in ew-Hampshre could hardly
be made more impartiaily or under better cir
cumstances than in the valleys and quietly
slopng mountains just To the south west and
north of this hillgirt lake. To these villages and
sparsey settled districts there has never been
that great influx OF summer travellers which has
tended in the northern and extreme southern
portions OF the State 10 swerve the conditions of
life from the plain. simple rural life Of forty or
fifty years ago. The farmer in the widest part
OF the White Mountains would be foolish to move
away from the acres and homestead OF his an
cestors because the crops grow less and less profit
able. since he summer boarders compensate him
for all other disappointments, and their money Is
the chief incentive for him and his children 10
remain in the home OF their fathers In the ex-
treme south OF the State, besides the influence OF
the summer visitors on the conditions OF life the
nearness OF large cities and towns like Manchester.
Dover Portsmouth and Nashua make the change
in the country population and schools more arti-
fetal.
Here near the centre OF New Hampshire. how
ever, fewer changes have been wrought in the last
quarter OF century. or even in the last decade.
Newfound Lake marks almost the centre Of the
State 1t is some twenty-five miles to the west OF
its larger and more celebrated rival, Lake Win
nipiseogee. South OF the lake lie quiet farming
villages.
In 1883 the total number OF scholars in the thirty
nine towns OF Grafton County was 7s99: at the end
OF 1893 when the last school report Issued.
752e. The decrease in Merrimack County ior the
same period was about 80 But study OF the
schools all over both counties is hardly relative,
as Grafton includes many towns within the White
Mountains affected by peculiar conditions govern
Ing population there and Merrimack has one city
Concord. near its southern boundary
But In the villages about Newfound Lake the de-
crease is marked. In Hill there were In its schools
in 1ss3 l45 pupils: in 1893 81. In Danbury. IN
lsS3 there were III in 1893, l2s in Brldsewaer in
1885, there were 20: In 1888. IS. In Orange. In 1883.
there were ST. in 1893 IS. In Hebron. in 1856. there
we're 80: in lss3 80 In Groton. In 1889. there were
Il5 in 1893. 9s In Grafton. in 1885, there were 22;
in 1893. Ss In Alexandria. in 1889 there were ls;
1888 169 The total decrease In scholars enrolled
in these eight towns is % per cent in ten years.
and the difference in the average daily attendance
is greater.
None typifes, clearly the course which the
country school in the purely agricultural regions
OF central New-Hampshire has than one
Page Mountain. 1t is on the upper slope o' the
mountain In the western part OF Hill that the
building stands, typical district schoolhouse.
Not even Hawthorne's Ernest under the ceaseless
tutelage OF the Great Stone Face" had more In
spring surroundings. 4 complete semi-circular
panorama OF mountains. lakes and valleys
spreads out before From the Green Mountains
and Cardigan the west the view extends 10
Osslppee Chocurna and the Belknap ranges the
east. Directly north. thirty miles away the
dancing waters Of Newfound Lake, rise up Lafay-
ette and Lincoln. the Haystacks-ike the twin
humps OF camel-Moosianke and the other
peaks OF the Franconia range. TO the northwest
rise Osceola. Tecumseh. Kangawagus and Car
rgan, and just to the right OF the latter sixty
miles away in a straight line. Mount Washington
looms out a clear day. From this mountain
slope where the district school stands. the view
is more quietly beautiful than from any other
vantage point in NewHampshire. And now in
midwinter the thick mantle OF snow doubles the
beauty OF the scene. Surely no child could grow
up under more inspiring natural conditions.
But little by lttle since the war the school has
declined. The farmer across the road with whom
the schoolma usually boards. will tell you how
this farm and that farmhouse In the school
"deestrict' happens TO be as you see II now de-
serted and diIapidated. How jackson lost two
sons In the and died ten years ago OF old age.
leaving the farm valueless property; now
Stevens, after his children-he hdd three-"eht TO
the city became discouraged five years ago and
got out selling the land TO neighbor ana giving
the house over to the sun. rain and winds
When you ask him about the white schoolhouse
across the way. you learn that the scholars have
dwjndled from over forty In 1858 10 seven or eight
at the present day. When he went to school
thirty-fve years ago the spelling ana other
social pleasures centred in the schoolhouse. Ihcy
do not 49,.
When the school visited there were tnree
bows and five girls In regular attendance lhe
teacher would call out first spelling class, or
ssecond geography class." and one small boy or
wooden seats with all the enforced military pre-
csion OF the solitary Austrian Brenadier VINO.
surrendering after holding the tort against W OF
the enemy marched out with military honors The
incentive OF rivalry was absolutely lacking.
In a humdrum voice and a machne-ike way, me
'lesson" OF each was heard asked the
schoolmlstress whether English composition was
there only month She herself had not started
a class. She then asked boy about thirteen years
old whether they had ever studied Engiish COM
Yes" he replied with satisfied air. Teacher
learned us that last year. We graduated from ~
Little by little the school. like many or It's neigh
bors Is declining-eight pupils this year. SIX pos
hence of this district school passing out OF exist,
ence For no families ever settle here, ana
almost all the children. as they grow up, 20 10
the larger towns and cities. The boy clerks ~
perhaps or studies law in "A rough way The odcr
zirl after a term two at lormal schooi, Sc
cures a pace in some town or city school. .ts
the country school in central ew-Hampshire de.
cities increase Ia numbers and excellence