The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-10-05
Creighton's

buildings, more specially their interi-
ors, for it is the interior surround
ings that affect our children.
This week came my first oppOrtuni
ty to visit one of the Whitworth base
ment rooms. My son is in this room.
The hallway is dark, and the air was
filled with an odor of something that
may have been used to counterfeit an
other odor from the toilet rooms.
There are furnace, toilet and two
school rooms on this basement floor.
1 went into the room, and I will ad-
nit 1 was Mortified, and as a past
teacher and mother, was insulted by
what reached my eyes and nostrils
upon entering. Here was all ambt-
tious young woman, working with
room full Of seven-year-Old children,
in air that was impure, and never
can be- otherwise in this room be-
cause of window arrangements and
other conditions. The flies were so
thick l had to constantly brush them
away. Three windows afford all the
light that comes to this room; they
are high up in the wall, so that If
opened at the bottom draft is sure
to strike the heads of the children,
and on cloudy days the lights have to
be turned on, and thus the eyes OF
the child are damaged at the very be-
ginning of a school career. The walls
were once white, but are now smoky
and dirty. I don't know when the
walls have ever had even a coat OF
whitewash, and I doubt if the seats
ever received coat of varnish. But
with all this handicap, the young
women teacher, and our Moscow chill
dren are expected to do creditable
work 1t can't be done, amid such
surroundings.
Think of a teacher coming from
a normal school as perfectly equipped
as our Washington and Idaho insti-
buttons are, to the attractive city OF
Moscow, with an ambitious years
work planned, and finding herself as
signed to this room, finds herself
dropped into a dungeon. I know how
her heart must have sank, and also
the spirits of these poor helpless chill
dren. 1t will be some time before
can remove from my mind, this first
Of the room where seven
year-old Moscow children are doing
their school work.
Think first of all, of letting school
room go a season without coat of
on the walls, and varn1sh
On the seats, and then think of this
not being done in years. What pride
ian either pupil or teacher have In
such a room? We know our school
money is sadly lacking and the things I
We wish for cannot be had. We all
Know the need of modern school
for Moscow, but this we can
lot have, and must make the best
Use of what we possess. Now let us
ally to the cause.
Let us do this much-We can begin
With the basement rooms by tintfng
he walls light cream, instead OF
he present dirty white" Paint the
woodwork and varnish the seats, also
10 over the blackboards and many
Their items, and If every other room
n whitworth is at least Frightened
% with fresh kalsomine and paint, It
will bring fresh hope to some dis
outraged children, to say nothing Of
dding Joy to the teachers hearts.
ret us see that the room where our
hildren are spending their time,
vhile separated from Mother and
lone" fs at least sanitary and clean.
Why do we bring nurses to MOS
ow to talk health, while we deliber-
te1y send strong, healthy clean chill
rem to a dirty basement where all :
ne rules of health and sanitation are
,nored? Shame on such system,