The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-16
The FUTURE SCHOOL HOUSE
School Superintendent R. 4. Preston De.
SCribeS a ylCiOD.
The ATTRACTIONS OF HIS IDEAL
The Dignlned Members OF the Conference
Were Kept in Roar 81 Laughter
Great Expectations Cor the
Twentieth Century.

The last topic which came up Tor dis
cussion during the recent conference OF
The superin,endcnts OF public schools in
this city. was Improvement OF School
houses and Grounds" The subject came
up on Thursday afternoon. when the at
tendance had somewhat dwindlcd down.
Superintendent II. NJ. Clarkson. OF Prince
william county, read the principal paper
on the subject When ne had ended the
time had sufficiently advanced 20 make
those present look towards the last re-
cess.
President Massey. however. was deter
mined 10 have the official programme
carried out and 50 he called on Supcrin-
tendents James T. Clements. Of Alexan-
dria county. and r. a. Preston, OF Wash
ington county. When tho latter's turn
came. those who knew him well. looked
up TO him i'm a manner as 81 they expected
10 hear something rich. Their oXpecta-
lions was realized, and for the next ten
or fifteen minutes everybody present was
kept in a roar Of laughter, nOtwthstand-
ing the dignihod manner in which Mr..
Preston disposed OF his subject.
When he had ended President Massey
paid him a high compliment in saying
discussion OF the subject. because he did
not want 10 mar the good impression
created by Mr. Preston's address.
MR.. PREsTON's ADDRESS.
The following Is Mr. Prestons address
in full:
Mr.. Chairman: In addressing myself to
the discussion OF this important topic
Improvement OF School-houses' and
Grounds" j feel somewhat hampered by
the fact that much that / may say, will
necessarily pertain 10 the ideal rather
than the real. because in these times OF
general depression in all matters OF inn
provement and OrnamentatiOn that which
is external must be made secondary sub
ordinated financially 10 the internal-in-
variably. In every case-(perhaps I am
speaking too fast) IN every case except
that OF the dude. be he county school,!
superintendent high school professor. or
what not
Mr. Chairman, as a premise | viii state
that the county superintendent q schools
I'm his rounds OF visitation 20 MS schools
has much time for contemplation. parti-
cularly i'm our section of the country IN
the grand old county OF Washington, with
It's varied and picturesque scenery, It's
alternating mountains and valleys hills
and dales forests and fields. rushing tor
rents and placid mill-pOnds. has he many
OPPORTUNITIES TOT comparing dhti'A Justly
the physical and material i'm nature with
the Intellectual or spiritual and under
such circumstances and engaged IN sucn
work my mind invariably runs in dnalo-
gous grooves. When ! approach the
grounds of our rural schOol-hOuses ard
look into the eyes Of the pupils $50 feel
inClv alluded TO in another connection by
Supt Pulliam OF Manchester. and see
in the depths Of those eyes, perhaps of
one of our little mountain maidens the
beams and glows cleaning forth expan-
sively year by year. / may say I'm diverg-
ing RAYS Of intellectually. my mind al
once pictures beautiful entrances ana
arched gateways TO the grounds, with
craVelled walks converging TO the portals
OF the shrine at which she is beginning to
worship.
TO BE rINED WITH FLOWER BEDS.
And when / 20 into the school-room.
and meet there the young lady teacher
who has left her home Of culture and
refinement perhaps under stress of most
serious circumstances. and has been
placed in charge Of a whole carload OF
refractory. undiscplined. taify-smeared
little kids. half of whom have been sent
from home 10 be gotten rid OF Tor tho
time being and find that In an incredibly
short space of time she has actually
transformed them into a tolerably-quiet.
fairly-cloan. moderately-resp spectacle lot OF
Young American citizens. / feel that the
gravel walks should be lined with Hover
beds. not only for botanical instruction.
but i'm order that a sweet bouquet of fresh
flowers may every morning be placed up
on the desk Of this one whom ! consider
the vc~y highest exponent OF self-denying
devotion and concentration TO the Home
Missionary work.
And when ] see the clustering, bully
ing bravado Of the uncouth mountain boy
changed by the same gentle Influences
into a modest gamcness' my mind rises
above the building and I think OF 1t as
with glisteuing towers and pinnacies
adorned from which 20 float the flag of
our country, but 1 confess that lately
have not taken 10 the iiag-foating bust
ness very much because / have been
afraid that II might be too suggestive TO
the youth Of our country Of the very
modest gamencss' that we as people,
or a government have shown IN a matter
in which a little neighbOr OF ours rs much
concerned-our neighbor by contiguity-
yea more. our little sister. bound TO ms
by the strongest humanitarian ties-Nea
more OF the same body, separated only
by one large warm, pulsing. lte-gNing
artery-the Gulf Stream You know 10
what refer. the gem Of the Antilles, the
sea-girt isle of Cuba
And again. when I have seen the mus
cular ruddy boy climbing the hill to the
snow putting and blowing like a railroad
engine at a water tank. and swinging aloft
his tin dinner bucket. emblazoned with
the strar re device. Excelsior -(mdnu-
featured by the Excelsior tn-works Of
Canton ohio. / think az once of graded
slopes and casy-winding ways. but my
mind also rcvcrts 10 other things. ana /
think OF Governors David Campbell. John
r. Floyd. Wyndham Robertson, Gen.
Joseph r. Johnston. Senator John W.
Johnston. the siNcr-iongued VIM. &.
Preston and Judge John A. Buchauan Of
by nativity or adoption sons of old Wash
ington county. Va: and the picture comes
before me OF how they have climbed Ike
hills 10 the proud eminences upon which
they now stand pCdestaled forever.
HIS OWN ASPIRATIONS
And here this analogue closes and slows
itself placidly away In the cerebral cham
hers OF neutrality-suspicious. 20 add one
more name. that OF a youth as yet TO for
tune and 10 fame unknown-tO the grand
galaxy in the Washington county con-
stellatiOn of the resplendent armament ~
the Old Dominion.
And again. when I have gone into the
family and have seen the patriarchal head
thereof reading TO me items Of current
event from "A paper palpably upside down
Items that could only have been impart-
ed 10 him by his sprightly children. menu
hcrs OF our public schools ] have thought
that We should have IN connection with
our school rooms a clustered nook scpa-
rated by a door. as We separate from our
parlors a conservatory for flowers. and