The Portland daily press., 1862-12-25

Ventilation of School Rooms.


The subject of ventilation when considered
in connection with dwelling houses and public
buildings, is one of vital importance, inasmuch
as on proper recognition of its value, de-
pends the health and happiness of the whole
human family. We should be as careful and
as choice of the kind of air we breathe, as of
the kind of food we eat; and there can be no
greater harm done to the physical organiza-
ton by eating the most unwholesome food,
than will result from breathing into the lungs
any quantity Of vitiated air.
We turn with disgust and loathing, from
anything that has the semblance of filth in
our daily food and leave many dish untasted
because it has not been cooked exactly to our
liking: but we often breathe into our blood
impurities, which although they are invisible,
are nevertheless as corrupting in their effects
and as fatal to a healthy existence Of the body,
as the most Objectionable food can be.
There can be no doubt that an infinite va
riety of diseases to which mankind Is heir, and
for the existence Of which physicians, are often
unable to account, find their origin in lily ven
tilated places OF abode and sojourn.
1t is not my purpose at this time to occupy
your space with long argument to prove that
pure air is necessary to the existence of man,
for it is to be presumed that every intelligen.
mind will admit this to be fact: but desire
to call the attention of the people of this city,
ana especially Oh idtners ana motherS, TO the I'M
mediate interests of their children.
We have all experienced the ill effects of
vitiated airvwhen we have been confined for
an hour or two in the closely packed lecture
room, where the proper measures for yentila-
ton have not been regarded, and we have Of
ten found ourselves gasping for full, deep
draught Of pure lie-giving OXYGEN! and we
have left the house with u headache, or with q
painful sense of stagnation in the circulation,
and of general stuporin all parts of the sys-
TEN. At such times we are apt to ascribe
these unpleasant effects to the wrong cause,
and we wonder what part of our evening meal
could have produced such arrangements. when
If we would only remember what we had been
breathing, the whole mystery could be solved.
Now while all our public buildings are more
or less deficient in this respect, it is to our
school houses in particular, that wish at this
time TO direct attention, as being alarmngly
so. In these, large numbers of children are
crowded together, not for an hour or two in
each week, only, but from four to six hours
every day, week In and week out, breathing
over and over again the same air, until it has
become saturated with poison by repeated
use. The evil effects of this upon the tender
and susceptible vital organs of children can be
readily appreciated when we remember our
own experience as strong men and women.
We know that persons sometimes die when
they descend into deep wells. and it is from the
same cause that the health of thousands of
children is undermined and destroyed They
are not instantly killed because the carbonic
acid gas is more diluted in the school-room
than in the deep well; but the process is there
by only more gradual. But says one, If there
is not sufficient ventilation open the windows,
and you can get fresh air enough. True, you
can get enough In this wav, and too much.
The remedy is as bad as the evil il is in
tanda1 IN parhanc tnIaad al.
answer very good purpose in some of the
milder days OF summer; but in the winter sea-
son, when the air without is sharp aud cold,
while within 1t is perhaps heated to an undue
degree, the children are exposed to current
of cold air passing over and around their
heads, while they cannot protect themselves
by an adequate amount Of clothing. The re-
suit is that they take cold, and this being re-
peated day after day, they are kept in half
feverish condition for weeks and months, and
unless they are fortunate enough TO possess a
sound and strong constitution, they break
down under it, and their health is rIined for
ever.
Is this not, then, matter worthy of serious
consideration on the part of those interested?
viii not parents, when they reflect that their
children are exposed TO the evils above enunl-
Grated during a large part of their winter
school hours, demand that this subject should
be looked into, and reform instituted?
The fault lies primarily with the architect,
and any plan for public building which does
not include provision for through ventilation
should be rejected as imperfect. An archi-
tect should feel ashamed TO see ignorance
looking out through windows open for such
purpose as ventilation. If ii is too late to
remedy the evil in the school houses already
mentioned-which do not believe-it is to be
hoped that those having the erection of the
new house on Cumberland street in charge,
will see to it that this important feature is not
neglected, and thereby secure to the rising
generation the privileges of our common
school system without the danger Of contract
ing at the same time diseases that may cling
to them through life, and unfit them for the
performance of lis duties.