116 The Transformation of the Rural School 



" The prevailing rural schoolhouse is a building in 

 which pupils sit to study books. It ought to be a 

 room in which pupils do personal work with both 

 hands and mind. The essential feature of this new 

 schoolhouse, therefore, is a workroom. This room 

 occupies one-third of the floor space. Perhaps it 

 would be better if it occupied two-thirds of the floor 

 space. If the building is large enough, however, the 

 two kinds of work could change places in this school- 

 house. 



"The building is designed for twenty-five pupils 

 in the main room. The folding doors and windows 

 in the partition enable one teacher to manage both 

 rooms. 



" It has been the purpose to make the main part 

 of the building about the size of the average rural 

 schoolhouse, and then to add the workroom as a 

 wing or projection. Such a room could be added to 

 existing school buildings ; or, in districts in which 

 the building is now too large, one part of the room 

 could be partitioned off as a workroom. 



"It is the purpose, also, to make this building 

 artistic, attractive, and homelike to children, sani- 

 tary, comfortable, and durable. The cement-plaster 

 exterior is handsomer and warmer than wood, and 

 on expanded metal lath it is durable. The interior 

 of this building is very attractive. Nearly any rural 

 schoolhouse can secure a water-supply and instal 

 toilets as part of the school building. 



