PLAN OF SCHOOL-HOUSE AT WASHINGTON VILLAGE IN COVENTRY, R. L

The following cut presents the ground plan of the new school-house in the village of Washington, in the town of Coventry, R. I. The location is on the high ground in the rear of the village, and commands an extensive prospect in every direction. The site and yard, occupying one acre, was given to the district by Governor Whipple. The whole structure, without and within, is an ornament to the village, and ranks among the best school-houses in Rhode Island.

C-Primary school-room.

F-Desks for two, with iron end-piece.
G-Chairs supported on iron pedestal.
H-Register for hot air.

D-Secondary, or Grammar Depart- R-Flue for ventilation, within which

ment.

E-Teacher's platform.

is carried up the smoke-pipe.

The two school-rooms can be thrown into one, for any general exercise of the two schools, by sliding doors.

The two rooms are uniformly heated by a furnace in the basement.

There is a well, sink, basin, mats, scrapers, bell, and all the necessary fixtures

and appendages of a school-house of the first class.

The cost of the building and furuiture was $2,300.

The district possesses a library of upwards of four hundred volumes, the cost of which was raised by subscription in the District.

ALBANY NORMAL SCHOOL CHAIR AND DESE

THE above cut exhibits a front view of the Public School-house erected in the village of Warren, at the expense of the town, in 1847-48, after drawings made by Mr. Teft, of Providence, under the directions of a committee of the town, who consulted with the Commissioner of Public Schools, and visited Providence, Boston, Salem, Newburyport and other places, in order to ascertain the latest improvements in school architecture, before deciding on the details of the plan. To this committee, and particularly to two of its members, Mr. E. W. Burr and Mr. G. S. Gardiner, is the town largely indebted for the time and personal supervision which they devoted to this public improvement, from its first inception to its completion, without any other reward than the realization of their wish to secure for their town the best school-house, for the amount of money expended, in the State. The Commissioner of Public Schools remarked, in his address at the dedication of the house, in September, 1848, " that, for location, style, construction, means of warming, ventilation, and cleanliness, and for the beauty and convenience of the seats and desks, he had not seen a public school-house superior to this in New England. It is a monument at once of the liberality of the town, and of a wise economy on the part of the committee." The town appropriated $10,000, and the committee expended $8,594.

The opening of the Public School in this edifice was followed by a large increase of attendance from the children of the town.

The lot is 225 deep and 100 feet wide for a depth of 125 feet, and 161 feet wide for the remaining 64 feet. It is divided into three yards, as exhibited in the ground plan, (Fig. 2,) each substantially inclosed, and planted with trees and shrubbery.

The dimensions of the building are 62 feet by 44 on the ground. It is built of brick in the most workmanlike manner.

Most of the details of construction, and of the arrangement in the interior, are similar to those described on page 214.

Each room is ventilated by openings controlled by registers, both at the floor and the ceiling, into four flues carried up in the wall, and by a large flue constructed of thoroughly seasoned boards, smooth on the inside, in the partition wall, (Fig. 3, x.)

The whole building is uniformly warmed by two of Culver's furnaces placed in the cellar.

Every means of cleanliness are provided, such as scrapers, mats, sink with pump, wash basin, towels, hooks for outer garments, umbrella stands, &c.

The tops of the desks are covered with cloth, and the aisles are to be cheaply carpeted, so as to diminish, if not entirely prevent, the noise which the moving of slates and books, and the passing to and fro, occasion in a school-room.

UNION SCHOOL-HOUSE, AT WOONSOCKET AND CHEPACHET, R. I.

By the school law of Rhode Island, two or more adjoining school districts in the same, or adjoining towns, may, by concurrent vote, agree to unite for the purpose of maintaining a secondary or grammar school, for the older and more advanced pupils of such associating districts. Under this provision the four school districts in the town of Cumberland, which comprise the village of Woonsocket, voted to unite and provide a school-house for the more advanced pupils, leaving the younger to be accommodated in their respective districts. The Union school-house is located on a beautiful site, the donation of Edward Harris, Esq., and is built substantially after the plan of the Warren Public school-house, already described, at a cost of $7,000. The following are the front and side elevations, as originally drawn by Mr. Teft, but not adopted by the committee.

SIDE ELEVATION.

FRONT ELEVATION.

Under the provision above cited, the three districts into which the village of Chepachet, in the town of Glocester, is divided, voted to establish a Union School, and to provide a suitable house for the same. The building is 50 feet by 34, with two stories, and stands in the centre of a large lot, a little removed from the main street, and is the ornament and pride of the village. The lower floor is divided into two apartments; one for the Primary, and the other for an Intermediate School, for the younger pupils of the village, while the Union or Secondary School occupies the whole of the second floor."