The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-06-09
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
HEY PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN
A TOWNS PROGRESS.

IA
Superintendent Brooks of Philadel-
phia ON the Value of Good schools.
Comfort and Health of Pupils Are
+. of Vital Importance.
A town or village may have good
streets, good water and a good record
for health, but II it lacks good schools
the defect is one to tell against its
prosperity. People may be incon-
venienced for lack of churches, but it
is demanded on behalf of their chill
dren that they be provided with facili-
ties for securing an education, and this
demand is becoming more positive all
the time. AS a matter Of fact, good
schools alone have pulled many town
up and given 1t a reputation, while, on
the contrary, the lack Of them has kept
many town, enterpri4ng in other di-
rections, from being heard of outside
Its own county. In discussing this
matter recently DIR. Edward Brooks,
superintendent of schools of Philadel-
phia, said:
''The crowning feature Of modern
civilization is the public school. The
church, the state and the library have
existed for ages. The public school is
the product of the nineteenth century
For the education of the people the
state provides not only for the instruc-
ton, but a suitable place for such in
struction, by erecting the buildings in
which the schools are gathered.
"a century ago a public school was
a curiosity; today they dot the rural
Landscape and adorn the streets of our
cities. Fifty years ago 1t was the
courthouse and the church that attract
ed the attention of the visitor to q
strange city; today the public high
school building vies with the church
and courthouse in the city's architec
tural attractions.
"The most of our children are edu
Gated in the elementary schools, and
these buildings, therefore, should be
especially adapted to their purpose
They should be well lighted, heated
and ventilated and equipped with the
most modern improvements in stee
ceilings, hardwood floors, wide corri
doris, inclosed tower fire escapes OF
brick and slate and every facility fol
assuring the safety, health and com
fort of scholars and teachers.
"The school building is the home OF
the pupils for five or six hours of thu
day. TO many children in towns ant
cities it is the only place that may real
ly be called home, and it is recog
nized that this school home should bt
bright, cheerful, healthful, safe Rnd il
every way adapted to that purpose.
"In Belgium the location, construc
tion, drainage, closets, etc, of school
houses must be examined and ap
proved by the bureau Of hygiene be
fore they can be occupied for schoo
purposes. In Vienna and some of tn
other towns and cities Of Europe {
physicians certificate is necessary II
determining the location of a schoo
building. Experts say that the class
room should afford about 200 cubi
feet Of air space to each pupil, and thi
is what the board of education endeav
ors to attain in our modern schoo
buildings as well as to assure by prop
er ventilation constant flow Of pur
air.
"a sunny, cheerful schoolroom al
fects the spirits of the pupils an
tends to promote cheerfulness of fee
ing, attention to studies and amenabi
ity to discipline, and the reverse, whic
can be found in so many Of our oil
school buildings, violates nearly ever
Jaw of hygiene.
1.-THE schoolroom should be mad
beautiful as well as healthful. Th
furniture should be neat, the walls 0
q color agreeable to the eye and all tn
surroundings in accordance with tn
demands of the time 1t should be
place Of taste and beauty and thus el
ercise refining influence upon its pr
pills. A taste for beauty and love @
the right should go hand in hand, for
Is the mission Of the beautiful TO aid /
cultlvating a love of right conduc
There is thus a strong pedagogical rei
son for beautifying our schools an
keeping them so, which some peopl
unfortunately regard as merely one
the fads of the times. Let the chill
drink In, day by day, the beauty whie
surrounds him In the schoolroom an
he will instlnctively turn from thf
which is ugly, coarse and unrefne'
Learning to love the beautiful
school, he will carry this taste into b
home and endeavor to surround hin
self there with the same condition
} that he has found in school"