The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-27
PUBLIC EDUCATION.



Commissioner Smyth introduced o resolution,
which was adopted, directing the Commissioner
the Course Of Studies School Books and Hygienics
To cause an investigation TO be made OF the state OF
ventilation in the school and class rooms, and to re-
port the result of such investigation to the Board
Commissioner Gross, chairman OF the committee to
whom the matter was referred. wrote composition
on the subject and at the last meeting of the Board
presented 1t the report OF the Committee on
Hygiencs, &c. The composition referred to Is US
follows:-
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON COURSE OF STUDIES,
SCHOOL Books AND HYdiENIcs, ON THE SUBJECT
OF VENTILATION. ..ye-
sioner Smyth, charging your committee with an III
vestigaOn of the state OF ventilation In the various
port is respectfully submitted to this Board:-
At the first meeting OF your committee the follow
Superintendent for communication to the principals
OF grammar and primary schools. to witt
Resolved That the Superintendent is requested require
the Without delay wSssssr
opuon the ventilation 10 the various regarded
sSS s % and 'a ss
properly accommodated In each.
their xhs as aSRss ' S s
her schools and the safo9s thereof are made
ticuiary all cases Of CARING decency In that respect
It Is with DO little satisfaction that your commit
tee is enabled to state that In pursuance or the fore
going resolutions intelligent, specified ana no doubt
part Of the principals Of ffty-eight grammar schools
male. female aud primary departnents). OF f0rytw0
PRIMARY schools ana OF SIX colorea scnooS making
nave been condensed, classified and arranged In
painstaking and satisfactory manner Ia the sum
mary report rendered by the superintendent. While
1t affords pleasure 20 your committee to place this
evidence Of the intelligence and industry OF the prn
ent before the Board fully convinced tnat more
important and valuable report on the state OF the
ittee ask leave TO present the following ADDITIONAL
views on the subject IN question: -... ~
The inparting Of the requisite knowledge OF sound
morals and good conduct to the hundreds Of thou
sands OF children entrusted to the of this Board
the trustees, the superntendents and teachers con-
The fact that. all OF these children either are or
ought to be under their care for number
OF years and throughout the larger portion or
that period OF life IN which the physical develop
ment Of man is most pronounced and rapid and re-
qulres the greatest share OF watchfuness, makes 1t
senapparent that all concerning the bodily health
and comfort OF the children u OF no less importance
than their mental and moral education. The vast
importance OF the expression, "a sound mind In
sound body" has been well understood IN ancient
times already, aud 1T will not do to lose sight of 1t In
demands on Ats educated members we eau no longer
initiate the example OF the most advanced nations OF
antiquity and raise and instruct youth chiefly
the open air and under the shade OF trees marble
colonades; II we OF necessity have TO cOnnne our
anu cGsec 1o1s we nave TO
they breathe, and to the trials the young BODY is
subjected to- as the injury done to the latter during
the period from the sixth TO the sixteenth year OF
age can never Oe repaired. An tmpeded expanse
OF the chest and the life organs hidden In 1t; dlsag-
ured frame and distorted spinal column, as a con
sequence OF long continued, unnatural and awkward
postures eXtorted from the children, as ell as the
unavodaby fatal results OF the constant breathing
OF foul or vtiaed air. can never be mended or nea.
tralHed; they cling to their victims through life
onortened sS and made miserable ~ conse,
THIS direction imposess Are We not t'1 urged by
power to render our already welI-appointed
and superior schOolhouses the very models In this
respect? We learn from the reports before us that
the seats and tables IN number OF schools are de-
tcient, In hygienic view and that the ventilation
In others is OF the poorest kind Let US repair these
defects and not another school building be erecbed
Or rebuilt without its being satisfactorily constructed
and appointed as regards ventilation ana the phys
cal comfort OF the children. The overcrowding OF
many OF the schools single ciassro0ms Is another
complaint requiring speedy remedy
The space filed with air-tle breathing area we
might cal it-alIotted 10. the pupil in our pubic
schoorOoms varies from forty to $50 cubic feet in
the fifty primary and colore1 schools or Is on an av
erage about seventy cubic feet for every pupil In
the grammar schools the breathing is generally
larger and may on an average comprise eighty cubic
for how long a time without change OF ar--that Is,
without ventilation-chidren do breathe healthy air
under such condition. The Introduction OF
brief passage from the most recent account OF re-
searches inlo the subject by the distinguished chem
sts Lleblg and Betenhofer In Munich, will briug the
matter easy understanding. 1t Is there said
'Iet us enter the schools where our children pass
great portion or the best time oil their e--nameiy
the period OF their quickest and most vigorous
physical development, requiring the most rapid
change OF matter a disturbance or retardation OF
which lays the foundation 10 permanent ailments and
premature DEATH How often Is It not the case that
the classroOms are so overcrowded as not to afford
S p cSS e q every whereas
IL In closed room II shall not become vtatedY How
may 1t be In SUCH classroonls after the second or
the air Of splendid schooiroom OF 29H feet In
length 23a feet In depth and 10 feet In height, that
ia "A ~ nf urI1h fpaf viii
windows in addition, In which only seventy girls of
from nine to nineteen years OF age had stayed for
two hours and found the air 10 contain ssventytwo
parts OF carb0nic acid in 10000 parts eighteen
times OF this gas than found In tae air in the
normal healthy state; all other deeteriOus gases
passing from the human body were OF course found
IN the same relative proportion In college class
room OF smaller dimensions with sixty-One stu
dents, the amount Of carbonic acid gas after two
and q half hours teaching, was found to he twenty
four times greater than In pure alr.n
Ten parts Of carbonc acid gas in 10000 parts Of
ar are considered tue maximum proportion re-
alarming state OF affairs that may be brought TO
light, when Gay shall call on Professor Dore-
mus to have the air Of some OF our badly ventilated
class rooms analysed.
In advancing, incidentally, the foregoing brief re-
marks on the subject Of ventilation and recon-
mendfng them to the earnest consideration OF the
Board. your comnittee beg leave TO 0ner the fol.
lowing resolutions
Resolved That the reports tho and prin
ered Committee on the Course Of studes school
Junction with Of Board q e SG
vostiaa'ons into the ventilation Of the schpos
lions for improvements from 70 time as In their jadr
Resolved That the same committee Be also authorized as
soon as practicable to induce Professor Doremds
pointed out to him iy the chairman Of this committee.
All OF which is respectfully submitted '
MAGNUS GROSS.
TIMOTHY BRENNAN
GyPSES At WORK IN THE WEST