The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-11-25
HOW MY DISTRICT
SCHOOL COULD
BE IMPROVED
Third Prize Winning Essay BY Mae E.
S. Sweat Of East Hardwick In State
Board Of Education Contest


test conducted by the state board q
education
N Our schoolhouse r. situated at Wal
den Four Corners in the town Of Wal
den. Being at the junction Of fo.n
Iroads, one Of which passes within 4
few feet Of the schoolhousc door, A
leaves much to be desired In The line
tof playground for the children.
4 It il swampy locality AMI the
school yard ii muddy most Of the time
II when ii Ii not covered with snow.
i Ii it were not feasible to move the
building would suggest that town Of
ficials fence off and discontinue the
Il littIe-used turn of the road passing di-
lrectly III front Of the schoolhousc door,
and require teams to make sIuare
| corner from the main road to the cross
road leading by the left Of the school
house, also they should purchase haif
Ian acre or more Of an adjacent field.
This and the sehoolyard might be
| graded and seeded down at the end Of
] the spring term of school. BY hsptem-
/ Der the grass would be well rooted and
with proper care we would soon have a
1 farsi schoolyard in good sod. l
1 would also recommend that The yard
| be enclosed with as good feaee as
they have seen fit to place aronrd each
graveyard III town the past yea. At
present our sehoolyard fence consists
of one strand iii barbed wire attached
to few drnnkenJookin posts.
| 4 row Of trees of a variety that will
grow near swampy ground should be
placed along our new fence. would
suggest allowing each child To have his
own tree and help in setting 1t out and
caring for IL; they will be much more
careful that no harm comes To-. the
young tree if there IL sense Of own
ership,
Our new playground might be
equipped with swing. old fashioned
tceter boards, ropes and rings and W.
rious other play apparatus at very lit
tie cost. The older boys could install
many Of these things If VIE hal room
for. them in our schoolyard.
The foundation Of the school build
ing should be replaced, some of the
granite slabs of which ii IL composed
are tipped TO an alarming angls
The schoolhonse ii sadly in need of
a coat Of paint, both inside and ont,
The windows do not contain The AREA
Of glass required for standard school, |
neither are they placed 10 as 10 admit
light only To the left and rear III ihe
pupils. The floor il Of hard wood
boards which were laid before being
properly seasoned, this resulted III vide |
cracks which are yeritable dust catch
ers.
The old, cracked, box stove, which,
scatters ashes from It's various cracks /
and creyices and has a long stove-pipe I
that seems to be trying to decide which
way to fall, should be replaced BY a
furnace This might be easily Installed
as the schoolhouse already has o base
ment The furnace has several advan-
tages over the jacketed stove, it keeps
the floor warm, does away With the
dust and dirt incidental TO bringing
the fuel into the school room, lake. up
no space In tire school room, and the
teacher need not peer this way and
that around a stove and stoye-pipe to
see that the mischievous boy, who al
ways happens to sit behind it, Is at
tending 70 his lessons.
This school also needs sand ta-
Bile, a reading table with chairs, bull
letin board. one large dictionary and
several Of the smaller ones, school
room flag. globe, various text books
and supplementary readers, mirror,
/ pencil sharpener, thermometer. a
new teachers desk and chair, and a
small oil-stove for use with hot lunch
equipment in summer.
The repair Of the foundation, the
trading and seeding of the sshoolyard,
building a sand table, putting up a
bulletin board. and the installation Of
iome apparatus for play might be ac- i
at little or no expense by !
/ neighborhood bee. The painting OF
he building, laying a new hooc, add
ne new windows, Installing a ,fu-nace J
md furnishing of dictionaries and I
looks would require town action. They Z
would cost in the vicinity of $500 i
he furnace were used, and, with the
pproval of the state supervisor. half =
his expense would be met by the I
tate. y
The globe, thermometer, mirror, pen I
il sharpeher, teachers desk and chair, n
chool room flag, and small oil-stove o
nay be provided for from funds earned :
a various ways by the school. They
nay give plays, socials, box slpters,
ommunity sings, sales, and many 9TH
+ methods of earning money will sng-
est themselves TO the wide awake
eacher These little plays and enter
ailments help in various ways, they
rain the children to appear at their
est IN company, this is especially
eeded in isolated rural communities.
evelep initiative, satisfy their dram
tic instincts, give added interest," in
he school, also they help provide
luipment of which the children will
AXE particularly good care because
ley helped TO earn it. In addition TO
I this there is the opportunity Tor
ne teacher and parents TO meet On
'mmon grounds and discuss school
iatters frankly.
We require each child to bring
nall towel from home for his own
Sc. The free sample cakes II soap
mt out by toilet soap manufacturer
II advertising purposes, have provided
) with individual cakes Of sosr The
tire year. Both soap and towG ar
spt in a small box in each faild's
al and NTH tha asxr aaos- .t.sh - II