The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-17
A SCHOOL ROOM ..ILLUMINED."
How One Thoughtful Teacher Beautifed the
Place and Won Prize

To the Editor: Thinking that perhaps
what l have done, in my feeble way, to
improve our school-house might prove
helpful to some other poor teacher who
has wished for a more attractive room
for her children, l will tell the condi-
ton OF ours "before and after"
The size of the room did fairly we'll.
but a good many window panes were
cracked and as many more missing en-
tirely; the hearth was almost gone; the
walls were blank and bare (saVe where
some idle youths had scrawled the names
of some fair n1aids) the heat and glare
from twelve large, curtainless, windows
beat down upon the children's heads; the
stove was rickety and unpolished-and
altogether the room was anything but
inviting
/ had taught several months with the
room in this condition, though / fully
realized that something should be done;
but the task seemed hopeless. After re-
turning from our county institute of 1901
felt that possibly l might be equal to
the occasion.
We had about six dollars (S6.00) which
had been secured to paint the school
house. l asked the committee to allow
me to use this on the interior. I called
to my assistance Though any lady might
have done the work fairly welD my
| brother, a graded school superintendent;
| he knowing my need of sympathy and
| help, freely gave me his labor and to-
gether, during those hot days of August,
We commenced our task.
| We put in all the glass securely and
| cleaned and polished the windows laid
| a new brick hearth; put up curtains OF
dark red percale, inserting fiat sticks in
| top and bottom, thus economizing In
goods. We made a substantial water
shelf; steadied the desks, making new
seats where necessary, and saving down
seats that were too high drove down
nails in the floor to save the little bare
feet Upon the walls we hung four ma
ture studies in oil, that had made some
years ago, and five large passe -partout
Perry Pictures, and we tackled up some
dozen or more small size ones. We cut
out of golden yellow paper four notices,
which we pasted above black boards and
windows. We used a green felt scarf.
| running red ribbon in the ends for the
| table. On the table l placed ink-stand
and n-holder, a pretty pen-wiper,
ruler, roll-bOok and call-bell. Upon the
| mantel l put new globe and a vase.
We tackled up neatly a map of North
| Carolina and a small one OF the United
| States. The bell-cord was a rusty wire
| which was constantly breaking or Slip
| ping off; we put a strong. clean one in
| its stead. We drove nails at convenient
| places for the children's hats and wraps:
made long chalk-holders and sheep-Skin
| erasers for black-b boards. We placed a
/ large wood box near the place and
| one near the stove. We had the weeds
cut down and the yard swept. Everything
| looked really comfortable and almost
| pretty. 1t was a genuine pleasure to see
| how happy the improvement made The
| children, and when / heard the boys and
| girls proudly comparing "sides" of the
school-room l felt amply repaid for my
work
| The Youths Companion, through the
| S. A. L.. awarded our school a prize eor
| Improvement OF the school-room. Our
| work was done in August and seeing in
the spring that prize was to be award
ed. we made application, stating the i'm
provements we had made, and promptly
received a handsome flag of the United
States and two large pictures of patriotic
| leaders.
LopLA MacIvER MUSE.
Cameron, N. 6.