The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-23
Results Of an Investigation Of
the Buildings.
foul DOORS and POISONOUS CARNATIONS.
Serious Effects Of Bad Ventilation
and Imperfect Heating.
ALTERNATE FREEZING AND ROASTING.
Neglect and Ignorance OF
the JanitOrS.

The bad sanitary condition of the public schools.
to which the HERALD has heretofore alluded, is hap
PLY attracting public attention to such extent
will probably bring about the necessary improve
ments. As the matter is one Of the highest impor-
to the physical webeing the children OF the
! city, and upon which depends the continued
success of system which has excited the just adj
miration Of all interested in education publish
below the results of careful investigation by ply
| stefan, who has made study OF the subject and
| whose visits made without previous notice
teachers or janitors.
/ GRAMMAR SCHOOL No. IS.
In the primary department Of this school-in East
Fifty first streetthere four classes in the main
assembly room, separated by movable screens. The
average attendance each class sixty five crowling
the very inconvenieny, and it not for the
| occasional change of classes the condition Of the chill
dren would be simply intolerable. In the OF the
room placed the gallery classes. The seats are
arranged upon platform sloping from the floor and
| reaching to the windows. Upon the upper tier of
| this sloping platform the youngest children are
seated Lower down are the larger children. who
exposed to the direct air from the stairs
leading the yard, while the little coopcd up
| the upper benches are shivering from the cold
draughts pouring directly their heads and should
| ers from the lowered sashes
At the opposite end room the seats are close
to the radiators. close indeed, they that the
little literally roasted. 1t pitfu to
1 them this chilly day, with their countenances
flushed from the dangerous rise of temperature. in
ducing irritation of the brain and depression Of the
nervous system. Under such forcing process it is
| impossible that the brain and nervous systems can
escape serious injury. On the ground floor there
four class rooms totally unfit for the purpose. One
of these has generally attendance of hun
dred although on this occasion there somewhat
| fewer, owing to recent transfer of pupils
The heating. is SO defective that upon ex-
vary from IS degrees to rs degrees
No general record is taken The children packed
closely possible in these AS to the floor
and air space required by the provisions OF the
bylaws of the Board Of Education no attention what
| sible under the present packing system.
As regards the work OF the jantor, Mr.. John Ryan,
that speaks tor itself. This functonary makes the
fires and does very little else that he possibly
| avoid doing. He and his assistants commence sweep
ing the Fairgrounds between one and two o'clock
OF dust and half smothering the little in the
ground class The teachers condemn in
measured terms this shameful practice, which seems
other object but to little Of the jan
tors time and trouble. Another OF the ground class
rooms i'll this department Is very inperfectly lighted
and on a gloomy day the figures the blackboard
could not be seen without dangerous strainng of
the eyes.
This is building, in West Fifty fourth street
between Sixth and Seventh avenues, and was opened
in the latter part of 1876.
There are the usual number Of classes in the as
sembly room. The children in the gallery classes
are in the condition III the other schools
are dangerously close to the radiators the
side and exposed to the draugs from the open win
oows on the other The thermometer in this depart
ment seems to be at discount, record what
ever is taken OF the temperature The ventilating
huo or appsrats seems to DE as useless here az else
where. Inc only apparent means tor renewing the
hausted oxygen is ny the open windows. In regard
to the water closets there is no improvement in con-
hoy in he 1n1
sanitary condition. The urinals are constructed of
wood. being plain wooden tronghs, without lining or
cover. No means have been taken to prevent tho
| foul odors and poisonous emanatons from entering
the adjacent class rooms.
In fine, the defects OF the old buildings have been
repeated, and the opportunity which this new build
ing presented for introducing and improved
sanitary appliances has been neglected.
GRAMMAR SCHOOL No. ~.
This school is situated West Thirty-ift street
near Ninth avenue. There are the usual number OF
classes in the assembly room The temperature is not
regularly taken aud the only means of ventilation
windows and doors. As in the other departments
the heat IL unequally distributed. In rooms it
is as low Us co degrees in others over 20 de-
grees. In the class room on the ground floor adj
lacent to the closets the air intoIerable
Several pupils were absent on the sick list" The
play room on this bright sunny day WAS dark and
could make his way through the children.
The janitor Michael Conboy. is very negligent in
the performance of his duties his idea OF cleanliness
Is unique, .naryellously low, teacher remarked
Abundant evidence OF this fact given by the dirty
yard the filthy condition OF the water closets aud the
dent OF the noighborhood who happened to be pres
at this time. took peep at them and soon beat
hasty retreat saying that nothing short of personal
INSPECTION would have satisfied him as to their con-
dition.
GRAMMAR SCHOOL no 33-PRrMARY DEPARTMENT.
There Eighteen classes and ten class this
school house. located at No. 41S West Twenty eighth
street The gallery classes very badly lighted On
this bright day the dark and cheerless. The
playground, where from four to i've hundred chill
assembled. was badly lighted and ventilated
The closets are in the same condition as the
| before
this visit the temperature was as low a. 90 de-
ernes The record OF tempcrature in this school is
not kept the Principal thought 1t useless to do
under the present circumstances. whether the
janitor Reynolds, is responsible. or the heating APP
paratus IL NJ fault ~ an open question nut whatever
the may be the children should not lie allowed
| to suffer
| Primary SCHOOL no. Is.
This is an old building in dreenwich street. The
attendance IL not large, but the inadequate
and totally unht Tor school purposes. lhe assembly
| room is badly lighted, and IL is here the writing
classes assemble. The children labor under great
difficulties and the visual organs are put upon a
painful strain, AZ IN all kinds of weather this eAer
else must be gone through with in accordance with
tho requirements OF the grade The building is
heated By coal and wood stoves. and in consequence
the temperature varies good deal and the heating Of
the rooms Is unsatisfactory. The janitrcss Mrs.
Kenny, as the principal said, does the best she can
under the circumstances and, indeed judging from
the clean yard aud floors, her ideas of cleanliness
compare fayorably with those in charge Of larger
buildings.
GRAMMAR SCHOOL. no. 20.
The building occupied by this school IL in East
daily attendance here is about lao pupils, divided
into twenty classes, with fourteen class rooms. The
cramped condition and defective construction of this
recently opendcd new school were at once apparent.
Frst-On entering assembly room when four classes
assembled.
Secmd-lu the imperative, inefficient character OF
the ycnuators
ThtrdIn the dangerous character of the girls stair
which is of wood, about yard vide and walled
up TO the ceiling on both sides, and down which 500
girls have to go for exit.
Fturth-ln badly lighted rooms. where, on stormy
|
| FtNIn the bad arrangement of the radiators for
heating all the rooms, in most of which Of tho
children are compelled for want OF space, to sit close
up 90 them lin one room little boy sitting with
hls back almost against the heated radiator his face
min iIllI1t lininI nNar hlul