Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-15

scnOOlS are conducted In two buildings
the Washington and Webster schools.
Thirteen teachers are employed in
the former and four in the latter build.
ing. The Washington building has
fourteen school rooms, library, recita-
ton room, office, and an audience room
capable of seating seven hundred and
fifty persons. 1t is heated and venti-
lated by two Smead heaters, patterns of
1874; one Smead sheet steel tlue heater
pattern of 1887; one Smead long. low
furnace, pattern of 1895; three Smead
long, low furnaces, pattern of 1893; two
school-room heaters; three stack heat.
ers and two vault heaters. The capac-
lty for heating and vehtilating is SO
great that the entire body of air in the
rooms may be changed every fifteen
minutes. The doors of all school
rooms are left open and the entire
building heated. All school rooms and
corridors are matted, thus reducing the
noise TO the minimum.
The building is also supplied with a
laboratory which is reasonably well
fitted up, and all chemistry and phys
ical studies are pursued by the labora-
tory method.
The library consists of about 5000
volumes, which are at all times accessl-
bic to the pupils and the public. 1t is
very rich In material for nature study
and the proper correlation of other
studies. 1t Is much used and has be
come Indispensable The present eni-
cheney of the schools could rot be
maintained without it.
Part of the building was erected in
1874. 1t was enlarged In 1893. TIE
old part as we'll as the new is well pre-
served, and has few of the traditional
marks of long used school. The fur
niture is as clean and fresh as when
first used.
The Webster school building has six
school rooms and an audience room
which Will seat 400 persons. 1t is
heated and ventilated by two Smead
underfeed furnaces for burning slack
coal, Cne hard coal furnace, TWO stack
heaters and two vault heaters. 1t was
erected in 1897, and is of the most i'm
proved architecture.
Architecturally considered, it is the
most beautiful building in the county
Both buildings are lighted in every
room by electric lights, and there are
eleven drinking hydrants in the corri-
dors, where as good water may be had
as is found in Indiana.
1t is as necessary to learn to be clean
as it is to learn arithmetic, and the boy
who fOrgets to wash his face is invited
to use some of this pure water with
some soap and towel
The course of study provides for
twelve grades, the upper three consti-
tuting the High school. Promotions
may be made at any time. Whenever
the work Of grade is done the pupil
is passed to the next grade. 1t is the
great mistake of many schools, as of
many other institutions, to make an
admirable plan and then desert it. 1t
is very easy matter TO be side-tracked.
1t is the strength of the Plymouth
schools that they stick to the text
The schools of plymouth have been
under the control of Superintendent r.
A. Chase since 1870. When he as
sumed charge he had four teachers and
less than 100 pupils. The private schools
outnumbered him. Today he has sew
enteen teachers and more than $50 pu-
pills. No system of education was pos
sible then: the best prevails now. 1t is
, a monument to the wisdom and judg
ment of the citizens of Plymouth that
they have made it possible for the edu-
catlonal interests of the young to be
kept from frequent change. Fixed
policy makes the foundation for fixed
character. No town has been better
served by school officers, superintendent
or teachers.
Our school has left its impress on the
town. 1t makes no effort for show.
SOlidity and effectiveness are the watch
words. These are also the marked
characteristics of the town.
A pardonable pride in our schools is
felt by teachers, pupils and citizens.
Our pupils, by long experience, have
become attached to the school and show
great pride In maintaining its good
name. Their ambition is to make it
first. AS an example of their pride in
its record we mention the fact that one
teacher in an experience of nine years