Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-04
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT.
educational Department Sends Out In
terestins Pamphlet.

to the school officials. 1t is entitled,
Improvement of School Buildings and
GROUNDS. But it goes further than
telling how to accomplish this very de-
sirable purpose, for that it is desirable
anyone who attended school in one Of
the old time unattractive, ill ventilated
and poorly heated buildings, the
grounds OF which were anything but
beautiful, knows. The pamphlet tells
what has been done in other states and
gives very valuable suggestions as ia
what ought to be done in Maine II
is freely illustrated with pictures of the
old time school building, such as has
been mentioned; and those of TODAY
wherein there is beauty, both inside
and out of the building. In speaking
of what to do and how to do IT the
pamphlet says:
Much can be done with flowers at
little cost. The neighbors will be glad
to give phloX, iris and many other per-
ennals. For covering an arbor or out
building, nothing is finer than clematis.
with its beautiful clean foliage and its
masses of white flowers Honeysuck-
les will answer the same purpose. If
roses are to be used, the crimson ram
bier will be found satisfactory. Of
hardy bulbs, crocuses, tulips, peonies.
irises are recommended; of ANIMALS
| those should be selected which blossom
| while the school is i'm session, such as
| petunias. peoples. morning glories and
nasturtiums.
| IF the children take charge of this
work, there will result added know
ledge, increased enthusiasm and an
| ever-growing love for the school,"
| As to the value of the work advo-
Gated the pamphlet says:
AS the general style of living i'm
proves, the school must keep pace with
this march or cease to be one of the
lagencies in the worlds progress.
What was good enough for the fathers
is not good enough for the children
The whole style of living has changed.
The log house of the settler and the log
| schoolhouse for his children went ap-
propriately together; but now, with our
homes of comfort and beauty, cores
ponding changes must be made in our
scEo0lroOms. In some cases these i'm
provements have been made and the
schools. with their equipment and sur
roundngs, are in harmony with the
other institutions of the community
In many instances, however, the
schools have not received the attention
they merit and it is evident the time
has come for giving serious attention to
their betterment. No one urges that
we go back to stage coaches. to log
cabins. to old-fashioned plOws, to
home-spun clothing and no one should
be content with former conditions for
our schools. either in their appliances
or methods"
| 1t is urged by the writer of the
pamphlet that the Improvement of the
school grounds will benefit school ath-
| letics in these words:
| The question Of school athletics has
| become an important one and, if our
! boys and young men are to participate
| IN modern school games, there can
| surely be no place where they can do it
| more safely than on the school grounds,
under the oversight of the school auth
critics. While the regular school
| work must never be neglected for
| these. they may be so regulated as to
| strengthen the bond Of attachment for
| the school and to foster a school spirit
that is most desirable This spirit of
| loyalty to the school will find express
sion in a pride in the school grounds
| and in readiness to assist in caring
! for them"
| The abolition of school districts, the
employment of superintendent for city
| schools. the union of two or more
| smaller towns in district for securing
Il trained superintendent, the CONSOLE
| dation of smaller schools and the free
| transportation of their pupils have
done much towards that most to be de-
sired end. the furnishing of equal
school privileges to all children of
| school age in the State
As so many of our schools are in ru-
raj localities it may be thought that
any project for the Improvement of
school buildings and grounds would
meet with little favor and result in
slight benefit; but any one slightly ac-
uuainted with the facts can see at once
| the necessity of such action and realize
it's possibilities for good. The smallest
| as well as the largest school building
in the State ought to be thing of
beauty. There is greater need of a
finely modelled school edifice in ruraf
section than in a city. In the latter
there are so many beautiful homes,
churches and other buildings that ad-
ditional examples are Of less moment.
A similar principle applies to the parks
and public gardens of the city These
can never serve as substitutes for large
open spaces around the school, nor can
they be used as school gardens. but
they may perhaps. make the necessity
for the latter less imperative. In a ru-
raj community where land is less ex-
pensive, where trees. wild flowers,
ferns and shrubs are close at hand
there is no excuse fer leaving the
school lot desolate. The school garden
may be less necessary where every
family has a garden in its own home
grounds but it may be said that
the school garden may. in competent
hands, serve as a model that shall be
of great benefit to the whole neighbor-
hood and so far as the wild flow ers and