Charlevoix county herald., 1916-02-05
Three Bells A
Standard School


On Monday, January 3lst, Eveline
No. 2 received well earned Standard
Plate. A large crowd had gathered for
the occasion and the district mothers
prepared a sumptious dinner at the
school house. We sure got filled up.
The teacher, Mr.. Ernest Peaslee had
arranged splendid and appropriate
program with original music for the
occasion. We always like to hear the
boys and girls, and this time they really
meant what they said. The director,
Mr.. Frank Wangeman, represented his
fellow members of the board in de-
livering short but able address. The
title of Mr.. Peaslee's recitation was
"They said we couldn't but we did" :"
This was especially appropriate be-
cause the Three Bells district has the
smallest valuation of Eveline township
but was determined to have the best
school building. They believe that
where il is for their children it pays to
dig down, and that is what they have
done.
AT the left and north of their school
room they added enough windows to
make solid wall of glass. This brought
the percentage up to 10 per cent of the
floor area and compared to some of our
country school rooms sends a flood of
light over every desk. They did not
remove the windows at the right be-
cause they wished to have the benefit
at times of the southern sunlight to
purify the air in the room. Instead
they placed over them light colored
window shades and keep them drawn
all of the time to prevent cross lights.
These windows can be opened in mild
weather for ventilation purposes.
The school house was already equip
ped with ventilating system, Wa
terbury, which they bought three years
ago during a former contract with Mr..
Peaslee. The evil effects of the old
stove in the middle of the room are too
well known to be mentioned here. 1t
is enough to say that these people
threw away that old iron stove long ago
and joined the fast increasing brigade
of fresh air enthusiasts.
They have a few double seats but
every seat fits the child who has to sit
in it, The seats of one size are in one
row and they are the correct number
of inches apart so that Mary may sit
erect and work at the same time.
Johnny doesn't have to double up like
a ball to write his numbers or stretch
his ankles to make his toes reach the
floor.
Best of all are the extra tonehes
which the school board added, the few
extras which make the school worth
while, the wall was retinted, sanitary
towels furnished, books bought and the
hall way remodeled. You see, most
school houses have wide halls where
the boys can wrestle if they want to
and kick over their dinner pals and
knock down the girls hats. But here
the partitions are moved over so the
entry way is just little wider than the
doorway. There is nothing to do but
to come in and go straight thru to the
school room. This gives more room
ior each cloak room, the girls at one
side and the boys at the other. In
each cloak room is installed a chemical
indoor sanitary toilet of the Kaustine
order These toilets are in use and
working splendidly all thru the south
ern part of the state. The cost is $50
per seat but if the sanitary conditions
and the warmth of the room could pre-
vent one case of sickness, would it not
be paying proposition? If the fact
that both cloak room are under the
direct supervision of the teacher could
prevent your little boy from seeing one
obscene picture or could save your
little girl from hearing one immoral
story, would it be worth one hundred
dollars to you?
This day marked the beginning of a
new era for Eveline No. 2. Under the
guidance of their earnest leader and
teacher, the district board has wisely
spent the money raised for this pur-
pose. Whenever there was any ques-
ton as to the wisdom of any change in
the school room they wrote directly to
the state department. The Lansing
architects and decorators advised them
just what was best in every detail.
They were sure of every step and have
succeeded in their purpose.
AT the close of the program, in be-
half of the state department Co. Com'r
May L. Stewart dedicated the building
to truth and health, and presented TO