The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-17
EXPERIMENTATION OF THE SCHOOL ROOM AND
ITS EFFECTS

covered with white linen cloth. In the
center sat a vase of cut flowers, and on the
floor in front was spread rug. The charm
OF the room was irresistible and | went
laway thinking; money is like a fairy's
wand, its magical touch can change novels
to palaces.
"The next school we visit" said my
friend, lis in Sleepy Hollow. The people
there have money, but their ambition has
not been kindled for anything better than
the old, uncomfortable school house." Sure
enough, the room was as rough as a chest
nut burr, both inside and out. The smoked
rafters formed CRATE like ceiling, while
the uneven lap OF the Notwithstanding
made an unattractive wall. No paint, no
pictures, no curtains, no rugs or
flowers were here. / closed the door with
bang, for l was repulsed by the room
and impatient with people who were so
dead asleep as to countenance such a
place. "These people" said Mr. College
graduate, 80 strongly feel .--e useless ne
costly of the little brown jug and the to-
bacco plug, they squander their money in
providing these Injuries and remain in
different to the necessities of the school
room How many, Oh how many Sleepy
Hollow communities III North Carolina
Next we visited the school at Poverty
Crossroads. The building was much like
the one in Sleepy Hollow Inside we
ound the bright face of progressive young
teacher. In tasteful groupings about the
walls were arranged pictures cut from
magazines; calendars were hanging here
and there Bright pictures from scratch
10
card board and thus attractive pictures
were made. There were no curtains but
around each window was turned bam-
boo vine. On the table was bottle hold
ing a boquet of wild flowers. There were
some boxes on shelf containing pretty
ferns and the boys had got from the
woods When he inquired about her deco
ration the teacher said: 81 just thought
to myself; suppose l do have bad walls
and no money, / can and / shall surmount
the difficulty. find that God helps those
who help themselves. 1 am going to use
Perry pictures and have one corner of my
room literary corner decorated with pic
lures of authors, another decorated with
Bible pictures, the third is to be the pa
triot's corner and in the fourth I shall put
pictures of men and things of today" Our
visit was over. l was touched and inspired
Many of the school houses in our Old
North State are situated at Poverty Cross
roads But we shall surel- have better
things if we but desire them with such
force as to crystalize our desires into actual
realizations
Flowers" says Ruskin, seem intended
for the solace OF ordinary humanity.
Children love them" 1t requires no mon
ey to adorn our roms with autumn leaves,
Chinese lilies and hyacinths bloom when
everything else is dead, and can be kept
successfully in any school-room during the
winter months. In the spring when the
whole world is one blooming flower bed,
the teachers who neglects to have flowers
in her room is responsible to God for one
lost opportunity. Money furnishes rooms
with handsome pictures, fine maps, flags, |
rugs, and statuary; but oh how thankful
I am we don't have to. pay God for this
fragrant and beautiful expression of His
love-the flower
A beautifully decorated room warmed by
a noble teachers beautiful character GER
tainly begets love for school, is condu-
Give to more and better labor, and has an
admirable effect on the discipline Apart |
from the cheer and happiness brought on
the wing of beauty. its chiefest value is |
the appeal to the finer nature It's effect |
is to calm men and make them cultured. |
How mysteriously powerful is this thing
called beauty.
Man is but reflection of all that he has
seen and heard Then let us surround him
from his infancy with things lovely that
the reflection too may be beautiful. The
aesthetic is the God-hke side Let us cul- |
tiyate this side. for many there be who
shall enter fields of culture and Christian
ity through the gate called Beautiful.