Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/761

 MODEL DESIGNS FOR COUNTRY SCHOOLS. 7^7 1549. Alphabet Board. This board is from twenty to thirty feet long, and two feet broad. The letters of the alphabet, both large and sniall, are painted on it, in the writing character. The large letters should be written in one line, on tlie upper part of the board, and the small ones immediately under tliem. The board is painted white, and the letters black. The board should be fixed against the wall of the room, behind the master's platform, and at such an elevation as to be conveniently seen by all the children in the school. 1550. Lesson Boards, §-c. All the lessons used in the school are printed on sheets of paper, in a large type, and pasted on each side of boards half an inch in thickness. The boards for the smaller dictating lessons have handles by which they may be held, and which preserve them from being torn or soiled. When these boards are not in use, they are suspended in regular order, according to their numbers, from screws, which are fixed in a rail, attached to the walls of the schoolroom, at the height of six feet from the floor. This rail should be six inches wide, and one inch thick. A second rail is fixed against the wall, parallel to the above, of the same dimensions, and at the height of four feet from the floor : on this rail the lessons are to be suspended when the children are reading : a pointer, and a badge for the first boy, are also hung on this rail, at each semicircle or reading station. 1551. Badges and Class Alarks. Each class is furnished with a set of these marks : they are small labels, which describe the oflfences common in all schools, as " Talking Mark," " Idle Mark," " Dirty Mark," &c. There are also badges of approbation, as " Good Mark," " First ]Mark," &c. These marks and badges are pasted on boards, and suspended from the standard at the head of each class. By the help of these marks, the monitors are enabled to report to the master the good or bad conduct of the children under their care, without leaving their places, or neglecting their classes. 1 552. Class Lists. These lists are used to mark the attendance of the children at school, and show to what class they belong : they are fixed on boards in such a manner as to be easily removed without defacing them, in order that they may be preserved when filled up : they are suspended in a convenient place in the schoolroom. 1553. Pointers are small sticks used by the reading monitors, to direct the attention of the children while reading ; they are about two feet in length, and their termination should be round, in order that the children may not hurt themselves. One of these pointers is suspended on the lower rail, against the school waU, at every reading station. 1 554. The Bell. A small hand bell is used to direct the movements of the children, in order as much as possible to avoid verbal commands : it should be placed on the master's desk. It is also desirable that a large beU should be fixed on the outside of the building, to assemble the children at the appointed hours. 1555. The JF/iistle. The master makes use of a whistle to enjoin silence. Tliis should be placed on the master's desk. 1556. The Clock. A clock should be fixed to the wall behind the master's desk. 1557. Registers and Report Books. These are four in number : 1st, Register of can- didates for admission ; 2d, Alphabetical or school register ; 3d, Report of daily attend- ance ; 4th, Report of attendance on religious worship on Sundays : besides which, sundry small books are kept in the master's desk, as reward books, a book to receive the names of visiters, the inspector's report book, &c. 1558. The Library. The school should have a collection of entertaining and instruc- tive books, chosen by the committee, which may be lent to the best pupils in the school, as a reward for their good conduct. The library is placed upon the platform behind the master's desk. 1 559. General Rules for fitting up Schoolrooms. 1. The space or passage between a form and the desk is one foot. 2. The horizontal space between a desk and its form is three inches. 3. The breadth of a desk is nine inches ; the breadth of a form six inches. 4. The height of a desk is twenty-eight inches; the height of a form is sixteen inches. 5. Every child, being seated upon his form, is allowed a space of eighteen inches in length of the desk. 6. The passage between the walls and the ends of the forms and desks, is from five to six feet. 1560. Dimensions of a Schsolroom for 500 Children, the same Ride to be followed foi a larger Number. Length, eighty feet and a half ; breadth forty-two feet. Viz., length of platform, six feet ; passages, twelve feet ; twenty-five desks, two feet and a half each, sixty-two feet and a half ; total length, eighty feet and a half. Breadth of passages on both sides, twelve feet ; length of desks, thirty feet : total breadth forty-two feet. Allow- ing eighteen inches to each child, one desk wiU hold twenty: 20 by 25 equal to 500. 1561. Dimensions of a Schoolroom for 400 Children. Length, seventy-five feet and a half; breadth, tliirty-sevcn feet and a half. Viz., length of platform, six feet; passages, 4 p