THE "NEW" SCHOOL BUILDING IN HOMER

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, December 15, 1893.

THE NEW SCHOOL BUILDING IN HOMER.

   With the opening of school after the holiday recess the students of Homer academy will begin their duties for 1894 in the magnificent new building erected in place of the one burned January 17, 1893. Passersby the new school building have been overheard to pass different opinions regarding the exterior appearance of the old in comparison with the new. About the interior arrangement few were acquainted and those who ordinarily might hasten to enlighten the masses apparently have been derelict in duty. Consequently, as in the past, it becomes the pleasant duty of the DEMOCRAT to give the people of Cortland county a pen picture of the interior.

   The ground plan of the new building is 76 feet front by 180 feet deep. The frontage is some 20 feet less than was that of the former building, all taken off from the north side, greatly increasing the light in the rooms opening toward the Episcopal church.

   In the basement are located the furnaces of the Smead heating system. On either side of the spacious hall are commodious gymnasiums or play rooms for the younger pupils. In the extreme rear are [bathroom] closets constructed upon the most approved sanitary principle. Throughout the basement is a solid cement floor.

   The first floor of the school has three outside entrances, the front being designed for the teachers and guests, while at the north and south sides means of ingress and egress are provided for the students. A wide hall extends from the front two-thirds the length of the building. At the south are the laboratory and a study room. In rear of the side entrance are two more study rooms. Each study room is exceedingly well lighted, supplied with abundant blackboard facilities and thorough ventilation.

   The location of the rooms on second floor are a duplicate of those on the first, with two exceptions: directly over the front entrance is the principal's office, to the south his clothes room, to the north the room of the assistance principal; at the rear is the audience room with seating capacity for some 300 or more people. At the north end of the room is the rostrum, certainly a convenient place for lectures and the like.

   Throughout the building is wainscoted and ceiled [sic] with southern pine finished in natural wood, the intervening wall being done in a harmonizing shade of drab [sic.] Especially striking is the glazed- Kentucky floor and side walls of the front entrance Electric gongs and speaking tubes communicate from the office to each department.

   The building committee consisted of Dr. Amory W. Hobart, chairman; Porter C. Kingsbury and Lyman H. Hebbard. Every detail gives evidence that these gentlemen were forehanded and gave much study to the work entrusted in their care. In fact, it is commonly said that Dr. Hobart practically resided at the building during the period of construction with the gratifying result that the present Homer academy is a fitting monument to the old Cortland academy chartered in 1819, replaced by the Homer academy and Union school in 1873.

   The present board of education is: A. W. Hobart, president; Eliot L. Stone, clerk; P. C. Kingsbury, L. H. Hebbard, Byron Maxson,  L. W. Potter, Geo. Daniels, W. J. Smith and F. E. Williams.

   The faculty at present consists of L. H. Tuthill, A. M. principal; Miss Mabel P. Brown, A. B., preceptress; Miss Julia A. Tifft, A. B., assistant preceptress and Prof. E. Day Clark, preparatory academic department. Miss Nina Coon, Miss Kittie Cobb and Miss Fannie E. Thompson have charge of the seventh, six and fifth grades of the intermediate department, respectively.

   The remaining four grades of the primary department are carefully looked after by Miss Cora A. Carpenter, Miss Mary A. Flagg, Miss Josephine Barker, while the first grade is so large that Miss Cecilia Barker and Mrs. F. H. Alvord are kept busy in maintaining discipline. Mrs. Sarah Devoe has sole charge of the vocal culture.

   While the students will hail with joy the entrance to the new building, the teachers are thankful that the extra tension upon physical as well as mental power is nearing an end. Scattered as has been the different departments during the past year great credit is given the corps of instructors for the excellent work accomplished.

Benton B. Jones, editor of the Cortland Democrat.

The Editor Has The Grip.

   The grip seems to have made its appearance in Cortland with a vengeance, and wherever it lays hold of a victim the result is noticeable. It does not seem to have any choice as to one's age or standing in society. Merchants, manufacturers, lawyers, ministers and even editors are stricken with it, and they all have to take their quinine, etc., in [ailopathy] doses. About ten days ago the editor of the DEMOCRAT was stricken with this complaint, and he has been very busy attending to the duties connected therewith ever since. In fact he is still confined to the house and liable to be for some time to come. To make it more interesting at the editor's home, his family all came down with the grip, and now each one is trying to see how much they can bear of each other’s burdens.

   If you live among Romans you must do as Romans do, and if it is fashionable to have the grip, why of course the editor and his family must be in the swim. In order to give every attention to an attack of this kind, one must give up their dally avocation, go home to the bosom of his family, and fight it out if it takes till spring.

   The editor has not been doing skirmish duty in this line, but he has been in the front rank where the smoke is the thickest. We, who are left in the office to get out the paper, have noticed a falling off in cash receipts for subscriptions and job work, and hardly know what to make of it, but after holding a meeting of the "crew in charge,'' we decided that it was on account of the absence of the editor.

   Patrons of a newspaper like to do business with the editor. Just now the editor has other business to attend to. His coal bin is nearly empty, groceries are low, the pork barrel must be replenished, and the doctor's bill must be paid. If any patron of the DEMOCRAT is holding back cash that would be handed in if the editor was at his post, the "crew in charge" desire to announce, that it has been thoroughly trained in the financial part of the establishment, and every one from the "devil" up to the oldest compositor, can receive money, make change, have a receipt made out and guarantee satisfaction in every instance. We make this statement unbeknown to the editor, knowing however that he will fully acquiesce in the sentiment expressed, and any cash deposits for subscriptions, job work or advertising that may be made at the office, will be thankfully received and immediately applied to the needs of the editor and his grip-stricken home.

   The DEMOCRAT must be issued every week in the year. The editor may be sick, hard times may come and go, subscribers and business may drop off, but the DEMOCRAT must be issued every week just the same.

A Grip-Crazed Suicide.

   ROCHESTER, N. Y., December 12.—Alfred Bruman. receiving teller of the Rochester Savings bank, shot himself, dying instantly this morning. Grip had made him temporarily insane.

HAWAII IN A FERMENT.

Will Resist the Overthrow of the Government.

SECRETARY GRESHAM CONDEMNED.

Determined to Resist Any Attacks Upon the Government—A Mass Meeting.

   HONOLULU, Dec. 4.—At the unanimous and urgent demand of the American citizens, the provisional government has decided to resist to the utmost extremity any attempt to overthrow them by the United States force without authority from Congress.

   Leading citizens will generally be foremost in the defense.

   It is said that H. M. S. Champion's red coats are to land and protect the Queen if the United States forces have seated her on the throne, and that a joint protectorate has been planned like that in Samoa.

   Minister Willis is pledged to the government to take no action before the return of the steamer Alameda December 21. His instructions are still concealed.

   VANCOUVER, B. C., Dec. 11.—The Canadian-Australian steamship Arawa arrived from Honolulu at eight o'clock this morning.

   Immediately upon entering the straits she was boarded by a United Press reporter, who gleaned the following intelligence.

   Queen Liliuokulani has not been restored, and there has been no trouble in Honolulu. Only two things of a significant nature have occurred at Honolulu. The annexationists held a mass meeting November 25 and adopted resolutions appealing to Congress to aid the movement.

   At the mass meeting the following resolutions were adopted:

   Resolved, That we have read with surprise and regret the recommendations of the Secretary of State of the United States to the President to restore the monarchy lately existing in Hawaii.

   Resolved, That we condemn the assumption of the Secretary of State that the right of the provisional government to exist was terminated by his refusal to re-submit to the Senate the treaty of union pending between the two countries, and also his assumption that the provisional government at that very time submitted the question of its continued existence to the arbitrament of the President or of any other power.

   Resolved, That we support to the best of our ability the provisional government to resist any attack upon it which may be made contrary to the usage of nations.

   A. F. Rudd, Chief Justice, said that Mr. Blount had interviewed him last in Honolulu, but never asked him if revolution had been accomplished by the aid of Minister Stevens and the troops of the Boston.

   W. G. Smith, editor of the Star, spoke of the "infamies" of Gresham, and advocated compelling Mr. Cleveland to submit to the will of the people.

   P. C. Jones said Cleveland should have rounded his policy by ordering that all four members of the ex-council of the provisional government should be shot on the day of the restoration. Everybody should stick to the provisional government.

   He referred to the story that Cleveland won his first election to the presidency by three "r's," "rum, Romanism and rebellion," and he hoped he would be impeached now for three "r's," "restoration of rotten royalty."

   Dr. Victor J. Caprin, coffee planter, formerly of Port Townsend, speaking about the fortifications of the castle, said it was simply to make any attempt at restoration an act of war.

   Minister Willis has said nothing since the Star interview. It is generally understood that a number of companies of men stand ready to respond to call of arms at any times.

   Minister of Finance Damon made the following statement in regard to the situation. "The provisional government has come to stay and in the meantime is a very interested observer of President Cleveland's opinion and the action of Congress."

   The Attorney-General stated that the executive council was determined to resist any attacks upon the government from whatever source.

   Captain Stewart said the town was peaceable enough, although it seemed to be greatly excited. It is said the government has received two bona fide offers of assistance from the coast. One was for services here, in defense of the provisional government, of 1,000 men, and the other for 4,000 men.

   A petition signed by the leading American residents of Honolulu was presented to Minister Willis on Saturday, December 2nd.

   It concludes with this sentence: "And the undersigned hereby solemnly and respectfully protest to your excellency and Grover Cleveland, President of the United States; to Walter Q. Gresham, Secretary of State; to Hilary A. Herbert, Secretary of the Navy, and to Rear Admiral John Irwin, commanding the United States naval forces, now in Hawaiian waters, and to all concerned, that any such war or hostility, attempted or announced in the time of profound peace, now legislating between the United States and the Hawaiian Islands, or without any full, final and timely announcement thereof, will cause all concerned in authority to be held responsible for all the consequences that may ensue therefrom, not only before Almighty God and in the forum of conscience, but by all the sanctioned rules and observances of civilized nations in their dealings with each other; and would be in violation of the rights of the undersigned, secured and belonging to them as citizens of the United States of America."

HERE AND THERE.

   Mr. John Gallagher has been appointed to be postmaster at South Cortland.

   Your presence is moat earnestly desired Saturday evening, Dec. 16, at Normal hall. Tickets 10 cts.

   Don't forget the musical to be held in the Normal hall to-morrow evening. Admission 10 cents.

   If you want your job printing done in the best possible manner, call at the DEMOCRAT job rooms.

   H. H. Pudney, who has been confined to his house by illness, is improving, but still is unable to attend to business.

   This year there will be but one Farmers Institute in this county, which will be held at Marathon, February 26, and 27, 1894.

   Mr. Samuel Bolan wishes the DEMOCRAT to announce to its readers, that the colored people of Central New York will hold a grand celebration in Cortland on July 4, 1894.

   While sickness is very prevalent, Health officer Moore in comparing the death rate with that of the same season for some years past finds this year has less deaths to record than any for four years.

   Kittie Clancy went through the ice while skating on the cove Monday afternoon, but was rescued by her companions. This makes five persons who have received more or less of a ducking there this season.

   The Albany State Normal school will celebrate its 50th anniversary on June 26, 27 and 28, 1894. Hon. A. P. Smith and Miss Martha Roe of this place are graduates of this school and members of the Alumni.

   Overseer of the poor, Wheeler, says that the hard times are not sending any more of the destitute to him than is usual for this time of year. Cortland is to be congratulated, for all around us is great suffering among the poor.

   Mr. Geo. M. Stanley, formerly a well-known conductor on the E., C. & N. R. R., and ex-sheriff of Chemung county, died in Minneapolis last week. Mr. Stanley had many friends in this place, who will regret to learn of his death. Deceased was 65 years of age.

   Tickets for the benefit entertainment Saturday evening, at the opera house, only 10, 20 and 30 cents.

   Those who have taken part in the City Band Minstrels, have done so without pay or remuneration, and many of them have purchased their own costumes. The entertainment on Saturday evening is for their benefit. Fill the opera house.

   Wednesday morning Mrs. J. E. Tanner was sitting in her carriage in front of Warren, Tanner & Co.'s store when a runaway team drawing a bob sleigh came down Main-st. When near her the sleigh swung and struck the wheels back of her carriage, breaking the rear axle and reach and throwing Mrs. Tanner backwards. She was not injured. The runaways belong to Johned [sic] Burroughs and were caught about a mile from town.