St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-01-11
AT THE WILLIE.
Our New schOOIhouse.


1t is expected that next week, if all goes
well, our graded school will reopen in the
new building, and this will be an event
of considerable local importance, as OF all
the nice buildings in town, the school.
house surpasses them all. A recent visit
finds it is so near completion that it can
readily be described. The building itself
is of solid brick, two stories in height,
with very plain exterior, the roof slop-
ing up from all four sides to small plat.
form on top. 1t is nearly square in shape,
the dimensions being 72xS0 feet, the
whole resting upon a massive granite
foundation, the trimmings being also OF
granite. The main entrance is beneath
large granite arch, with the words,
"Lyndonville Graded School," overhead.
Two heavy outward swinging doors
give access to vestibule, and two more
doors admit to the main corridor, which
runs straight through the building, hav-
ing broad and easy stairs at each end,
leading to both basement and upper
story. Let US visit the basement first.
Here we find on the west two large and
light recreation rooms for boys and girls,
for use in stormy weather. The floors
are of cement, the walls white, and the
ground slopes to the west so much as to
give room Tor large windows and door
opening out Here too are the heaters,
four large hot air and one Quincy Steam
boiler. The heating and ventilatipg is OF
the very latest and most approved meth
cd, and so arranged that it is possible to
have warm, pure air admitted to all the
rooms constantly, while at the same time
the foul air is being drawn out and taken
out of doors. The basement also con-
tains jantor's room, coal bins, and two
large toilet rooms, fitted with perfect
sanitary arrangements On the two main
floors of the building are the wide corri-
DORIS 20x72 feet, and four large school
4 rooms on each floor, 2Sx32 feet. The
n plan is simple but very effective. There
Il are also toilet and cloak rooms for the
II teachers, and a room on each floor for
d the principal. AS the schoolrooms are
all alike description of one will answer
for all. The wood finish throughout is of
North Carolina hard pine, except the
floors and stairs, which are fine quality
of red birch. Steel ceilings are used en-.
tirely, there being several different de-
signs and colors. Each room contains
bookcase, small coat closet. and lava
tory. There are fine slate blsckboards
extending all around the room, and an
abundance of windows, all double. The
rooms are also lighted by four three
lighted electroliers, the corridors also.
In each schoolroom the desks are so
arranged as to bring the light from the
back and over the left shoulder, the ideal
way but not always accomplished. A
large electric gong on the front OF the
building will summon the scholars to
study and we hope will prevent the boys
from climbing up in the attic and turning
over the bell so it would not ring, as they
used to do in the good old days. A glance
over this elegant new modern building
with every device for comfort and health
that can be thought of, brings to mind
the old "deestric schoolhouse" where
many of us went, with the old stove red
hot in the middle of the room, and the
wind blowing through the cracks of the
windows, the unhygienic water pail and
tin dpper, the melodorous outhouses, the
rough board floors with wide cracks
through which occasional "varmints"
came crawling in, the broken old black
boards, and the rough seats and desks, all
cut and marred with beloved jackknives.
We hope the children of Lyndonville will
appreciate the difference, and that they
will grow up and be as much of an I'M
provement over their fathers, as the new
building is better than the old. But will
they? The cost of this new building is a
little over 100000, a sum which will
cost several years OF economy to pay, but
it is the best investment we could make.
If we can keep our schools in every way
up to the standard set by their environ
meut great many of our civic problems
will be solved. We have good reason to
pride ourselves on this beautiful building,
and we hope our children can be taught
to do so also, and take the care of it
which it deserves. The builder was J. H.
Smith of Lancaster, the architect was
William Butterfeld Of Manchester, N. H.
and the local building committee, 0. G
Chase, DR.. ]. W. Copeland, and F. w
Silsby. All have reason to be congrat
ulated on having carried this difficult
undertaking to a successful termination.
Generous Gift.
Since the vote of the town to purchase
the Sanborn house for public library
h"holnS, several HeW ueNei' Pnoh'S ia w
appeared, and check for $4,000, giver
by Eber Cobleigh, of this town, for the
purpose of erecting new public library
building in Lyndonville. The only con
ditions attached to the gift are that thu
building shall bear the name "Cobleigt
Public Library" and shall be built il
1905 or 1906. This truly muni6cien
gift is delightful surprise to most of tn
towns people and will be received will
the most heartfelt thanks. Mr.. Cobleigh
who is an old gentleman, has frequently
EXPIRE ssed desire to make the town SOM
gift which shall 6ttingly commemorate