The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-25
TWELFTH WARD SCHOOLS.


TWELFTH WARD SCHOOLS.
WHAT A TRUSTEE HAS TO SAY ABOUT THEIR
VENTILATION AND CLEANLINESS DUTIES
OF JANIToRs.
In the Twelfth ward are twenty-three schools con-
tanned in fourteen separate buildings These are sit
uated between the line Of Eighty eighth street and
{ the Harlem River. and though occupied to their
fullest capacity not overcrowded like many
schools down town and have the advantage besides,
of being situated in open and breezy locations.
Yet with these superior advantages, complaints have
been made against them the score Of ventilation
and cleanliness. The five trustees Of the ward are
Charles Crazy, David H. Knapp. John L. Tonnele,
German Hauschel and r. G. Rolston. Calling on
Mr.. Crazy yesterday HERALD reporter inquired
what school in the ward he had most recently visited
yesterday" said he, II visited school No. II. in
consequence Of paragraph referring to it which
saw in the HERALD. made some remarks to the
teachers on the subject Of ventilation lamenting the
fact that the Board Of Education had taken no action
regard to it, and expressing the opinion that it was
time the Board, after hearing 80 much on the
ISSUE arrived at some satisfactory conclusion in so
vital matter 1t is several years since the Board
took up the question and gathered theories
from all quarters respecting it. but 1t has
failed SO far to formulate for the nse
and guidance OF those in charge of the children any
system for the easy and proper ventilation OF
crowded school rooms. I concur in the HERALDs
suggestion that the Board get up manual on vonti-
ation toebe placed in the hands Of the teachers the
janitors and the public generally who so deeply
concerned in the welfare Of the children There no
scientific system Of ventilation in the schools, where
it is 80 much needed. Go into class room twenty
feet square, with windows either Of two sides OF
it. and one would think its ventilation should be
perfect but owing to the lack Of rules for the manip
uaton of the currents and the absence of any in
penous conrivances the atmosphere is liable to be-
come vtiated.
"In this school you visited what ventlating ar
rangcmcnts did you indY'
"Up in the corner Of each room, inserted in the
wall and near the ceiling is ventilator that opens
and shuts marked with the letters 30" and rs" on
either side; but some teachers dream of max
ing use Of them at the proper time. or at all, and
even it they did they have instructions to guide
them as to how the thing should be DONE"
"How did you find the school as . whole? Were
the passages and stairways clean?
II found the school in good condition as any in
the ward and all OF them will compare favorably with
best in any other ward in the city In regard to
the statement that few days ago the stairways and
passages were observed to be dirty, Miss Mexican.
tseher told me Il was caused by some little girl on
her way home who scattered her lunch on the stairs
ami in the hallway, and Janitor Gallagher said that
such things happen in spite OF All precaution.
THE JAEIToRs.
"who appoints the janitors ?"
The trustees, and they are subject to removal by
them with the consent OF the school inspectors.
Their salaries not extravagant They are graded
according to the sue o. me @ 70 o 90 ner Sc
square feet he has to look after Out OF this salary
he has to pay for at least one assistant Tor an en-.
gneer to take charge Of the steam heating apparatus
and tor scrubbng and cleaning.
s'whst is the highest pay of tanitor p
from s., 900 to 81, 500 year.
aWhat are his duties -
"From half-past eight in the morning till three in
the afternoon his duty is to stand as sort Of senti
mel on guard After school hours he has to prepare
the building for the next days work. and one OF the
4 rules prescrbes that on each school day, before
the school day Of the next thereafter he shall sweep
all the rooms, entries, passages, stairways play
grounds, yards and water closets used for school
purposes dust all the furniture in the rooms, all the
window stills, wainscoting and woodwork sidewalks,
blinds and cornices. and wash the windows every
month"
How they instructed in regard to looking after
..The old instructions on that head as far as our
ward is concerned. were recently amended. and now
read that they shall take that all the class
in the building are properly ventilated ct least once
every day by opening the outside windows and doors,
to have the temperature of evey occupied for
school purposes at not less than 10 nor more than
20 degrees by the thermometer between the hours of
eight o'clock in the morning and three in the after
noon." has
Il can't speak for all Of them. Some of them are
conscientious and do their work faithfuliy but
Isuppose there are others who are not"
CONCERNING VENTILATION,
"What other schools in the Twelfth ward have you
visited?"
II visited No. 81, on 115th street. between Third
and Fourth avenues, and found the ventilation like
all the restno better nor no worse-but the atmos.
phere was to my perception nowis0 impure. Found
Grammar School No 30. 125th street. Second and
Third avenues, all right and No. AZ, on Eightyeighth
street. between Second and Third avenues, in excel
lent condition"
what is your own opinion ON the subject Of ven
tilation?''
IL really no expert in the matter, but am per-
fccty satisfied that difficulty stands in the way of
the Board OF Education framing instructive, prac
tca little manual for the teachers aud janiors. and
adopting few simple contrivances by which the
taton of the schools all the year round could be
made perfect: for the most part the school build
ings are built in such way to need very little to
keep the inside atmosphere constantly pure"