The New York herald., 1876-03-20
OVercrowding, Fetid Atmosphere and
Foul-Smelling Closets.
Ugly Revelations in the Four
teenth Ward.
DemOralizing Temptations TO the Children
OF the Poor.


tho scholars affected by disease, corps OF HERALD
reporters inspected all the schools below Fourteenth
street An the class rooms were visited and the tem
perature closely noted In many of these class
the thermometer proved that they were kept at n
point of temperature dangerous TO the pupils From
The descriptions given below IL will be that
number OF the schools distressingly overcrowded,
while others wretchedly ventilated TO
rously endanger the health OF the occupants. One
school is reported unit for habtation In number
OF them the closets are so situated that the windows
OF the class be kept closed prevent the
foul odors entering and permeating the entire sruc
turc Two schools in the Fourteenth ward were found
where the innocent little girls are subjected TO grossly
demoralizng influences This inspection clearly
tablishes the necessity for prompt and sweeping re-
formatory the part OF the local trustees,
we'll the Board of Education.
SIXTH WARD
Grammar School No 23-Perhaps there is not in
the city any educational building IN greater need Of
ample accommodations than Grammar School
No %, in CITY Hall place 1t is one OF the Oldest
schools III the city, built according TO old time
methods and so electualy by blank walls
TO be cut off from anything like suiciency of light
and air The class rooms in some departments are rs
full as they can we'll be and any further influx OF
pupils would evidently lead to considerable dscom
fort aud positively dangerous sanitary results The
reporter took ascertain these facts he had
been informed some time since that was the inten
tion or the ward trustees to give up build
ing close by, which they have been using school,
and crowd It's occupants into the narrow limits OF the
Rrunmar department IL appears that tnlS outside
building leased ago by the trustees
accommodate the children who could not be supplied
wnh seat in the school Two classes
located there and there almost hun dred chill
dren IN 1t. To take these away and cram them into
narrow places hardly large enough to hold them is
than indlscreet proccedingit is positive n
humanity. When the reporter visited the school he
asked the principal where these incoming pupils were
10 be accommodated and two spaces shown HIM
in the assembly room which to be partitoned of
for the OF the two new classes These spaces
hbout fourteen feet square, and when II Is known
that about nity children are 10 De crowded
into each of them idea may be conceived
OF The comfort and health they VIII be likely TO ENJOY
To add TO the extreme uEhtness OF these rooms for
cupation, the closets located the floor with
them and are accessible only through them. As
sequence constant passage and repassage of children
from other classes VIII be entailed, and what annoy
Rnce this will be likely to cause both teachers and
pupils can be easily OWNED. The school trustees are
charged with the oil the children intrusted
them. Let them pause before assuming such
Bponsibiy as they contemplate crainming hun
dred little children into the close, ill ventilated
class rooms OF Grammar School No. %
SEVENTH WARD.
Grammar School No. 12-ln Grammar School No.
IL located in Madison street. near Jackson the re-
porter found that the accommodations quite in
adequate to meet the demand upon them. This school
Is IN a nelRhbornood where u large number OF
ment houses are built, and although there is more
ample school room in this ward than IN many others OF
It's size It's school going population excess OF
most OF them. and this a point which have
received very little consideration. The residents or
his locality belong for the part tho
aboring classes, and many OF their children
receive only the instruction comprised In
hom school Consequently the primary departments
IN most OF them overcrowded, and IN spite Of the
Did time expedients existing in them Tor supplying
light and heat they entirely unsuited for occupa-
ton by children who are easily affected by draughls
pure This school OF the oldest in the
city, dating 1882. and having all the disad-
vanlagcs to be found in such old structures Several
wings have been added to il in the course of the last
few years but they have contributed very little
crease the capacity OF the building The erection OF
large tenement houses in the rear has shut out the
light from the lower floors, and the wing projections
also interfere with It to some extent above few OF
the rooms are comparatively well ventilated,
h,f lnrQfa 4
impossible 10 supply air without creating an
injurious draught and there arc two apartments
which the light Is almost entirely dcbarred.
There urgent necessity OF extending this
school over larger area and providing amplcr
enjoy The attendance, when the reporter called,
was H. ,295, and mole should certainly be taken
where such large number OF children are crowded
together afford better warming facilities than stoves
some other chances for lighting and ventilating
than hose supplied by wall enclosed windows Various
Group occasional instances OF affections OF
the throat were reported in the classes OF younger
Children the teachers OF whom themselves disposed
70 properly appreciate tho extreme unhtness OF the
building in It's present state Tor occupation.
Grammar School No. 2-Grammar School No. 2 in
Henry street. has lately been altered and revamped,
and presented inside an orderly and cleanly appear
II Is warmed by heaters and as their supply of
heat under the control OF the teachers the tepera
lure OF the class rooms is easily regulated system
II reports has been introduced by the principal, Mr..
Hageriy which is well calculated to insure proper
to ventilation the part OF the teachers and
which remedies to extent the disadvantages
which attendance OF nearly l,o00 pupils naturally
card placed in the hands OF every teacher
the opening school and correct thcfmOmetrcal
report different hours OF the day The
porter found the class pretty well aired and
lighted, capacity OF the building is too small
lor an attendance which is still increasing The play
y ground very narrow enclosure aiording little
chance for recreation and although an effort has been
made to distribute the pupils through the building
as 10 room 1t is found unavoidable,
and tho greatest necessity exists for extending tho
structure aud further increasing It's accommodations.
WARD
Grammar SchooI No. a-rhis school is well
structed but poorly ventilated. Many of the teachers
have been suffering slight illness caused by colds
turing the winter. The primary department has low
:eing and Is the worst part OF the bGilding which
ooks very well from the outside. The school has "a
arge number OF pupils. In the primary department
IN Monday there was an attendance OF 800, with
lyeragc oil 4O5 THIS school runs behind its average
account Of the jewish children, who have TO remain
home to celebrate the Jewish New ear
Coiored Grammar School No. 2-lhis colored school
Is located IN old building IN south FiIth svcnue
constructed Of brick and wood and is Granpsd e0yea
and confined IN its spaces The building Is unht Tor
occupation a school, and in the neighOoihoou ~ 5
more than limited that any Kind oi Dnllng VIII VIII 40
lOr coored children and their teachers THIS building
should be either altered aud good ventilation provacn
or u should be torn down by the Board OF Educatoh
At once. The attendance Monday was, IN the primary
department. III, with average OF lO pupils gram
mar department ~ with an average OF ~ There
aave been many eases OF sckpess IN ths scnOO' anu
many pupils are absentine themselves.
Grammar School No 3-At No. 4eO Hudson street. Is
located large building the Of Grove and
Hudson streets. Notwithstanding It's dimensions and
the really ample rooms set apart for the different
scholars II Is very much DIVIDED The principal
OF each OF the departments admits this. The highest
Is
In the boys department-withn II OF the regis
tered maximum. The average number Of absenlees
that same date was Is Tho principal OF this de-
partnent considered that his school was ovcrcrowded
BY 100 pupils. The average daily attendance
during 1875 was $50. In the female department the
attendance OF Mondly had not yet been made up, s.
that the highest number OF pupils the days
iast week had 70 be taken. This 6Oi; the lowest
vas AS. and the average abscnteelsm 90 In this
ieuartlnent, which is well ventilated, the principal
ries 10 keep the temperature at 20 deg. but, with
he ovcrcrowding, u IS impossible. In the primary
ranch there were 7s4 children on Monday and al
Louyh 137 OF those registered absent tho class
oons were too full IL should not be forgotten that
hose rooms are ventilated only by the win
lows and on very cold days these cannot always be
aund Tic healll OF the children Is reported having