26     THR WISCON4IN FARMER.



there is really very little interest manifestec
by the people of this country in the city, town,
or neighborhood school.  The cheapest, an4
hence the poorest, teachers are often employ.
ed, conveniences and even comforts are fre-
quentiy neglected, to the great detriment ol
the school thus badly inaugurated, and parents,
the immortal interests of whose children have
been thus stingily provided for, rarely-in
some instance<, never-visit the school-room
to stimulate and encourage teacher and child-
ren. l'ractically, to the citizens of such a
neighborhood. the district school is a sort of
matter of course, and is accordingly let to
take care of itself. The effect of the dlelica-
tion of a new school-house would he to arrest
the attention of those who have never given
their thoughts to the importance of the inter-
ests involved, to quicken those who, though
theoretically the friends of education, have al-
lowed themselves to become neglectful and
practically indifferent; and, finally, to fasten
the conviction upoU the whole community that
even the common school is an iulitution worthy
of the attention and cordial co-operation of
the people, if not, indeed, the most important
of all the noble and beneficent institutions of
this great commonwealth.
  The foregoing remarks were suggested by the
recent dedication of a handsome and commo-
dious school-house in the village of Steughton.
The people of town and country were present
in great numbers, and the exercises-embrac-
ixg, after a proper organization, a dedicatory
prayer, speeches and music-were highly in-
tereating, and will be remembered by the peo-
ple of at least one generation with emotions of
pleasure and pride; while the influence of the
proceedings cannot fail largely to promote the
highest success of the school.
  We would be glad to see the example so
worthily set by the intelligent and enterprising
people of Stoughton, Clinton, and possibly one
or two other localities, universally copied.

  Tax HIlGH OFFncZ oF TEH TEActeaR-There
is no higher office than that of a teacher of
youth: for there is nothing on earth so pre-
eima as the mind, soul, and character of a
child.



I No office should be regarded with greater
  respect. The finest minds in the community
  should be encouraged to assume it. Parents
a should do all but impoverish thumoelves to in-
  duce such to become the guardians of their
  children. They should never have the least
  anxiety to accumulate property for their child-
  ren, provided they can be placed under influ-
  ences which will awaken their faculties, inspire
  them with higher principles, and fit them to
  bear a manly, useful and honorable part in the
  world. No language can explain the folly of
  that economy, which, to leave a fortune to a
  child, starves his intellect and impoverishes
  his heart.-Dr. Channing.


           The Old School-Houue Stove.
   That old stove should bean object of attrac -
 tion and friendship. On it depends, in a meas-
 ure, our advancement and our comfort. With-
 out it, the school-room would be a human barn
 -the abode of desolation and cheerlessness;
 but with it it is a spot linked with human
 hopes, and the most pleasing recollections.
   But the old stove, like many unfortunate
 persons, does not enjoy uninterrupted friend-
 ship and regard, though it warms and soothes
 the just and the unjust, the friend and the
 stranger alike, yet it is an innocent target for
 many an assault of scorn and contempt, for
 many a profane and scurrilous epithet. Im-
 agine the "big boys"' of the neighborhood
 seated around it, as they have been hundreds
 of times. When conversation begins to fail,
 when the war of words begins to subside, for
 want of fresh conversational material,, then
 the old stove is taken up for discussion, its de-
 fects and frailties are vigorously commented
 upon, it is declared to be an intolerable plague,
 a public nuisance, and a universal eye-sore;
 it is jammed, kicked, and spit upon in deris-
 ion, while at the same time the excited speak-
 ers are enjoying its advantages, and are
 attracted to the very spot by the comfort which
 it imparts.
 When the summer months are with us, and
 the burning sun prompts us to take refuge
 from the intensity of his fiery rays, then the
 old school-house stove is regarded as a cum-
 bersome and unsightly appendage; it is con-
 sidered as a heap of rust and old iron that is



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