an old and partially decayed house, of too narrow dimensions, with very limited facilities for ventilation.

The health of scores and hundreds of children in every part of our State, as well as in the older States generally, is suffering from the same and like causes.

From the preceding exposition we are enabled to understand why the business of Teaching has acquired, and justly too, the reputation of being unhealthy. There is, however, no reason why the health of either Teacher or pupils should sooner fail in a well regulated School, taught in a house properly constructed, and suitably warmed and ventilated, than in almost any other business. Were it not so, an unanswerable argument might be framed against the very existence of Schools; and it might clearly be shown that it is policy, nay, DUTY, to close at once and forever, the four thousand Schoolhouses of Michigan, and the hundred thousand of the nation, and leave the rising generation to perish for lack of knowledge. But our condition in this respect is not hopeless. The evil in question may be effectually remedied by enlarging the house, or, which is easier, cheaper, and more effectual, by frequent and thorough ventilation. It would be well, however, to unite the two methods.

I once visited a School in which the magnitude of the evil under consideration was clearly developed. Five of the citizens of the District attended me in my visit to the School. We arrived at the Schoolhouse about the middle of the afternoon. It was a close, new house, eighteen by twenty-four feet on the ground-two feet less in one of its dimensions than the house concerning which the preceding calculation is made. There were present forty-three scholars, the Teacher, five patrons, and myself, making fifty in all. Immediately after entering the Schoolhouse, one of the District officers remarked to me, "I believe our Schoolhouse is too tight to be healthy." I made no reply,

but secretly resolved that I would sacrifice my comfort for the remainder of the afternoon, and hazard my health, and my life even, to test the accuracy of the opinions I had entertained on this important subject. I marked the uneasiness and dullness of all present, and especially of the patrons, who had been accustomed to breathe a purer at mosphere.

School continued an hour and a half, at the close of which I was invited to make some remarks. I arose to do so, but was unable to proceed till I opened the outer door, and snuffed a few times the purer air without. When I had partially recovered my wonted vigor, I observed with de light the renovating influence of the current of air that en tered the door, mingling with and gradually displacing the fluid poison that filled the room, and was about to do the work of death. It seemed as though I was standing at the mouth of a huge sepulcher, in which the dead were being restored to life. After a short pause, I proceeded with & few remarks, chiefly, however, on the subject of respiration and ventilation. The officers, who had just tested their accuracy and bearing upon their comfort and health, resolved immediately to provide for ventilation in the manner herein recommended.

Before leaving the house on that occasion, I was informed an evening meeting had been attended there the preceding week, which they were obliged to dismiss before the ordinary exercises were concluded, because, as they said, "We all got sick, and the candles went almost out." Little did they realize, probably, that the light of life became just as nearly extinct as did the candles. Had they remained there a little longer, both would have gone out together, and there would have been reacted the memorable tragedy of the Black Hole in Calcutta, into which were thrust a gar rison of one hundred and forty-six persons, one hundred

and twenty-three of whom perished miserably in a few hours, being suffocated by the confined air.*

VENTILATION OF SCHOOLHOUSES.

The preceding disclosure manifests the importance of frequent and thorough ventilation. But the ordinary facilities for ventilating School-rooms, are almost entirely restricted to opening a door, or raising the lower sash of the windows. The prevailing practice with reference to their ventilation, is opening and closing the door, as the scholars enter and pass out of the Schoolhouse, before School, during the recesses, and at noon. Ventilation, as such, I may safely say, has been practiced only to a very limited extent, and in a very imperfect manner. It is true, the door has been occasionally set open a few minutes, and the windows have been raised, but the object has been, either to let the smoke pass out of the room, or to cool it when it has become too warm, NOT TO VENTILATE IT. Ventilation, by opening a door or raising the windows, is imperfect, and frequently injurious. A more effectual and safer method of ventilation, where special arrangements have not been provided for the purpose, is to lower the upper sash of the windows; or, in very cold or stormy weather, to open a ventilator in the ceiling, and allow the vitiated air to escape into the attic. In this case, there should be a free communication between the attic and the outer air, by means of a lattice window, or otherwise.

But any such arrangements for ventilation are at best very ill-adapted to the purpose. The subject will therefore be again referred to in connection with warming; for the two should be considered together, and especially as a Schoolhouse may be best ventilated when best warmed, and best warmed when best ventilated.

*For a more extended discussion of this whole subject, see the Author's work on "The Means and Ends of Universal Education."

SIZE AND CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLHOUSES.

In determining the size of Schoolhouses, due regard should be had to several particulars. There should be a separate entry or lobby for each sex, which should be furnished with a scraper, mat, hooks and shelves--both are needed-sink, basin, and towels. A separate entry thus furnished will prevent much confusion, rudeness, and im propriety, and promote the health, refinement, and orderly habits of the children.

The principal room of the Schoolhouse-and each such room where there are several departments-should be large enough to allow each occupant a suitable quantity of pure air, which should be at least twice the common amount, or not less than one hundred and fifty cubic feet. But a large space for each pupil is less important where thorough provision is made for ventilation. There should also be one or more rooms for recitation, apparatus, library, etc., according to the size of the School and the number of scholars to be accommodated.

Every School room should be so constructed that each scholar may pass to and from his seat without disturbing or in the least incommoding any other one. A house thus arranged will enable the Teacher to pass at all times to any part of the room, and to approach each scholar in his seat whenever it may be desirable to do so for purposes of instruction or otherwise. Such an arrangement is of the utmost importance; and without the fulfillment of this condition, no Teacher can most advantageously superintend the affairs of a whole School, and especially of a large

one.

In determining the details of construction and arrangement for a Schoolhouse, due regard must be had to the varying circumstances of country and city, as well as to the number of scholars that may be expected in attendance, the number of Teachers to be employed, and the dif

ferent grades of Schools that may be established in a community.

COUNTRY SCHOOLHOUSES.

In country Districts, as they have long been situated, and still generally are, aside from separate entries and clothes-rooms for the sexes, there will only be needed one principal School-room, with a smaller room for recitations, apparatus, and other purposes. In arranging and fitting up this room, reference must be had to the requirements of the District; for this one room will be occupied by chil dren of all ages, for summer and winter Schools, and often for the secular, but more especially for the religious meet ings of the neighborhood. But in its construction primary reference should be had to the convenience of the scholars in School; for it will be used by them more, ten to one, than for all other purposes. Every child, then, even the youngest in School, should be furnished with a seat and desk, at which he may sit with ease and comfort. The seats should each be furnished with a back, and their hight should be such as to allow the children to rest their feet comfortably upon the floor. This is as necessary to the health of children as to their comfort.

From considerations heretofore presented, it is believed no one can fail to see the advantages that would result to a densely settled community from a union of two or more Districts for the purpose of maintaining in each a School for the younger children, and of establishing in the central part of the associated District, a School of a higher grade for the older and more advanced children. If four Districts should be united in this way, they might erect a central house, C, for the larger and more advanced scholars, and four smaller ones, P P P P, for the younger children. The central School might be taught by a male teacher, with female assistants, if needed; but the Primary Schools, with this

P

P

C

P

Р