Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-11-19
WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 10, 1902.
sUPT. FINk's Pamphlet.

superintendent INK has issued b
containing information re-
garding the proper way of building,
heating and veutilating schoolhouses.
The pamphlet will be sent to teachers
and members of school board through
out the county, and we bespeak for it
the earnest attention and study of all
who receive it. We spend annually
large sums for the education of our
youth, but the money is not always
80 spent as to get the most value for
it. If the sums annually spent by the
boards in purchasing useless supplies,
practically forced upon them by per-
sistsnt and INSCRIPTIONS agents, were
spent in improvements on the school
houses most of the districts would
soon have better Accommodations for
the pupils. The fault probably lies
more with the teachers than with the
boards. A great many inexperienced
teachers think if they can only get
apparatus, such as charts of every
conceivable kind, globes, counting
frames, costly maps, etc., they can
teach successfully. The older teachers
will know that the main requisites are
a schoolhouse large enough to &C.
comodate the pupils without crowd
ing, good ventilation so that the
pupils do not suffer from lack Of fresh
air, good light so that they can study
without straining their eyes, good
seats-single seats preferred, and
plenty of blackboard surface. Given
these teacher fired by determine
ton to do good work will need no
other apparatus than a dictionary, q
fair set of maps and small globe
that can be purchased for dollar or
two, and in an emergency an ordinary
ball can take the place of the latter.
Most of our schoolhouses are built
with the idea that all that is necessary
is to exclude the cold air and let in
light some way. They are heated
with box-stove that scorches the un.
fortunates who sit near it while those
in the other end of the room are frecz-
ing. Under such circumstances it is
impossible for any pupil to use his
brains properly. Most of the old
schoolhouses are too small. They
were built at time when there were
only few families in the district, and
are often required to hold in some
way twice as many pupils as they
we're originally designed for. The
writer has seen over fifty children
crowded into school room that did
not have decent room for more than
twenty. The school was we'll equipped
with all kinds of apparatus, more than
there was room to use, but only those
who have tried it can appreciate the
difficulty of doing good work under
such circumstances. There was abso-
lutely no room for the class reciting
except by sending those in the front
rows back into the places of those re-
citing thus disturbing the whole
school at the beginning and end of
every recitation. This is not a solitary
instance. There is hardly teacher
with few years of experience but has
run up against similar conditions.
We would therefore suggest that
every recipient of one of these pamph-
let's read it carefully and then see how
the schoolhouse in the district meas.
ures up with the ideal schoolhouse
When you have found what is lacking
set about to remedy it in the best way
possible. Don't spend money for ap-
paratus until you have schoolhouse
fit to put it into. It is like buying
jewelry when you have no decent
clothes to put on. If the schoolhouse
Is too small get it enlarged Or get a
new one. If it is large enough see to
heating, lighting and ventilation.
The subject is of vital Importance to
the children and deserves the careful
and conscientious attention of every
Citizen