home. This is considered a very great convenience, and a matter of the highest importance.

The preceding transverse-section will show the peculiar arrangement of the Privies to the different stories, and the manner in which all unpleasant consequences or inconveniences are, it is believed, effectually guarded against.

By the Plans of the different Stories, it will be seen, that the Privies are in a Projection on the western end of the building, the wall of which is separated from that of the main building, by the space i i, this space being four inches between the walls, and extending from the floor of the First Story to the Attic. The doors leading from the entries are kept closed, by strong springs; and at B, in the southern wall, is a Blind, through which the air constantly passes into this space, and up to the Attic, whence it is conveyed in a tight box to the Ventilator on the Roof. Except in very cold or stormy weather, the window in the northern side is kept open, (the outer blinds being closed,) and thus the whole of the Projection is cut off from the main building by external air. The space between the Projection and the main building is not, however, so great as it would have been made, had there been more room.

It will be seen, that there is a distinct Well to each Privy, separated from the others by a brick wall ending below the surface of the water in the sesspool. Of course, the only odor that can possibly come into either of the apartments, must come from the well of that apartment, there being no communication with any other, except through the water. And as every time it rains, or water is thrown in from the sinks, the water in the sesspool will be changed, and washed into the common sewer, it would seem that no danger of unpleasant odor need be feared. When the City water is carried to every floor of the building, the conveniences for frequently washing out the sesspool will be greatly increased.

There are two apartments on each floor; one for the girls, at f, and another for the boys, at g. In the latter, is a trough, (h,) with a sesspool, and pipe leading into the well, under the seat. There is no window in the boys' apartment, but merely the blind, B, which extends from the floor to the ceiling. The girls' apartment, being in the front part of the Projection, is provided with a window similar to the others, and outside blinds.

The covers

Each apartment is fitted with pine risers, seats, and covers. are hung with stout duck or India-rubber cloth, instead of metal hinges, which would be liable to corrode, and are so arranged that they will fall of themselves, when left. The edges of the cloth are covered with narrow slats. There is a box for paper in each apartment. The whole finish is equal to that of any other part of the building.

The interior plastering of all the walls of the building is hard-finished, suitably for being painted.

All the Rooms, Entries, Stairways, and Privies, are skirted up as high as the window-stools, with narrow matched beaded lining, gauged to a width not exceeding seven inches, and set perpendicularly.

The interior wood-work of the lower Schoolroom, as well as the interior of all the Closets and Cabinets, is painted white. The skirting of the Secona Story is of maple, unpainted, but varnished. All the rest of the inside wood-work is painted and grained in imitation of maple, and varnished. The outside doors are painted bronze. The blinds are painted with four coats of Paris green, and varnished.

In some other schoolrooms in the City, the interior wood-work,-even of common white pine,-has been left unpainted, but varnished, with a very good effect; and it is contemplated to have some of the new Schoolhouses soon to be erected, finished in the same way. White pine, stained with asphaltum, and varnished, presents a beautiful finish, and is cheaper than painting or graining. In the angles formed by the meeting of the walls with the ceiling of each room, and entirely around the room, are placed rods, fitted with moveable rings, for convenience in suspending maps, charts, and pictures, and to avoid the necessity of driving nails into the walls.

It has been stated, above, that the space between the Privies and the main building, in the Sheafe street Schoolhouse, is not so great as is desirable, nor

Avenue.

as it would have been, had there been more room. In the Schoolhouse in Tremont street, erected at the same time with that in Sheafe street, there being sufficient room for the purpose, the Projection containing the Privies is nine and a half by twelve feet, and the wells of the Privies are seven feet from the wall of the main building.

The following Plans were prepared for a new arrangement of the Sheafe street Schoolhouse, when it was contemplated to occupy a space eighty feet in depth, extending from Sheafe street to the Avenue in the rear. In these Plans, the Projection for the Privies is about ten by sixteen feet; and the entrance to each of the Privies is six feet from the wall of the main building, and separated from it by three doors. This gives them as much space, and separates them as much from the main building, as is needed.

It will be seen, from this Plan, that the building was to have an end fronting on Sheafe street, (from which it was to be set back nineteen feet,) and a side looking into two of the Playgrounds, each of which was to be twentyseven by thirty feet. The nineteen feet between the building and the street. and on a line with the building, the whole extent of the fifty-three feet on Sheafe street, was to form a third Playground.

It has already been mentioned, that the ground at the rear of the building, on the Avenue, is eight feet lower than at the front, on Sheafe street; and the scholars of the lower room were to enter, as they do now, from the Avenue, by a door under the window A, and pass to their schoolroom up the stairs A, through the door k. Their Playground was to have been at the front end, on Sheafe street, to which they were to pass through the Recitation-room R, and out by the door 1. The space between the Privies and the main building, which is a three-feet passage, is shown at i, as in the former Plans, pp. 177, 179, 180.

The Entrance-doors for the second and third stories are shown at 2, 3.

Plan of Second Story.

Sheafe Street.

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Plan of Third Story.

In other respects, these Plans present some improvement over that of the present building in Sheafe street, which is only forty-four feet in length, while that proposed in these Plans is fifty feet. This, of course, allows more space for the stairways, Recitation-rooms, &c.

These three Plans will be easily understood, by comparing them with those on pp. 177, 179, 180, 181, which are there fully explained.

6

Some persons, perhaps, may think that ornaments and decorations, such as have been here described, are not necessary in a Schoolhouse; though none, we presume, will think them out of place. Why should not the places, where both Teachers and children spend so large a portion of their time, be made as pleasant and attractive as possible? The Schoolroom is the Teacher's parlor and drawing-room; and should always, not only be neat and tidy, but exhibit evidences of good taste and useful ornament. Why should blank and naked walls, presenting a cold and cheerless aspect, unrelieved by a single pleasant spot or speck of verdure, be the only or principal objects to meet the eyes of the young inmates of these establishments, who are here to receive those first impressions, which, as they are the most lasting, and indeed almost indelible, should always be useful, and promotive of some useful purpose? Everything which will give to young persons "a perception of the Beautiful," is of great value; and everything that can be done to render the interior of our schoolrooms pleasant and attractive, is of importance. "Why," says Mrs. Sigourney, in a valuable Essay On the Perception of the Beautiful," why should not the interior of our schoolhouses aim at somewhat of the taste and elegance of a parlor? Might not the vase of flowers enrich the mantelpiece, and the walls display, not only well-executed maps, but historical engravings or pictures? and the bookshelves be crowned with the bust of Moralist or Sage, Orator or Father of his Country? Is it alleged that the expense, thus incurred, would be thrown away, the beautiful objects defaced, and the fair scenery desecrated? This is not a necessary result. I have been informed, by Teachers who had made the greatest advances towards the appropriate and elegant accommodation of their pupils, that it was not so. They have said it was easier to enforce habits of neatness and order among objects whose taste and value made them worthy of care, than amid that parsimony of apparatus, whose pitiful meanness operates as a temptation to waste and destroy." And it will always also be found that those schools where the most attention has been paid to making the rooms pleasant and attractive to the children, will be the most orderly, and well disciplined, while in those held in ordinary rooms, where no attention seems to be given to refinement in appearances, the pupils are also proportionably unrefined and undisciplined.

"Let the communities," continues Mrs. Sigourney, in the Essay just quoted, "let the communities, now so anxious to raise the standard of education, venture the experiment of a more liberal adornment of the dwellings devoted to it. Let them put more faith in that respect for the beautiful, which really exists in the young heart, and requires only to be called forth and nurtured, to become an ally of virtue and a handmaid to religion. Knowledge has a more imposing effect on the young mind, when it stands, like the Apostle with the gifts of healing, at the beautiful gate of the Temple.' Memory looks back to it, more joyously, from the distant or desolated tracks of life, for the bright scenery of its early path." "But when the young children of this Republic are transferred from the nursery to those buildings, whose structure, imperfect ventilation, and contracted limits, furnish too strong an idea of a prison, the little spirits, which are in love with freedom and the fair face of Nature, learn to connect the rudiments of knowledge with keen associations of task-work, discomfort, and thraldom." 'I hope the time is coming, when every isolated village schoolhouse shall be as an Attic temple, on whose exterior the occupant may study the principles of symmetry and of grace. Why need the structures, where the young are initiated into those virtues which make life beautiful, be divorced from taste, or devoid of comfort?"

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"Do any reply, that the perception of the Beautiful' is but a luxurious sensation, and may be dispensed with in those systems of education which this age of utility establishes? But is not its culture the more demanded, to throw a healthful leaven into the mass of society, and to serve as some counterpoise for that love of accumulation, which pervades every rank, intrudes into every recess, and spreads even in consecrated places the 'tables of the money-changers, and the seats of such as sell doves?'

"In ancient times, the appreciation of whatever was beautiful in the frame of Nature, was accounted salutary, by philosophers and sages. Galen says, 'He who has two cakes of bread, let him sell one, and buy some flowers; for bread is food for the body, but flowers are food for the soul.""

"If the perception of the Beautiful may be made conducive to present improvement, and to future happiness; if it have a tendency to refine and sublimate the character; ought it not to receive culture throughout the whole process of education? It takes root, most naturally and deeply, in the simple and loving heart; and is, therefore, peculiarly fitted to the early years of life, when, to borrow the language of a German writer, 'every sweet sound takes a sweet odor by the hand, and walks in through the open door of the child's heart.'"

We insert Mr. Ingraham's communication, unabridged, although it was drawn up by him as the material out of which we should prepare a description. We have also preserved his system of punctuation and capitalizing, though it differs from that followed in other parts of this work.

We think very highly of the plan of the Sheafe street School-house. Any objections we might entertain to some of the details, could be easily obviated in places where land is not so expensive as in Boston. We prefer, however, to see the Primary School-house with but one story, and in no case with more than two stories. In cities, the basement, under the school room, should always be paved, and fitted up for a covered play-ground, as is the case in Mr. Ingraham's plans.

Mr. Ingraham, in his letter, acknowledges his obligations to Mr. F. Emerson, and Dr. Henry G. Clark, for valuable aid in arranging his system of ventilation, and also to Mr. Joseph E. Billings, the Architect, for aid in the architectural arrangements, and for the manner in which the working plans were drawn.