The Portland daily press., 1878-03-25
BRACKETT ST. SCHOOL HOUSE.
A Hearing Upon its Condition Before the
Committee ON Public Buildings.

Saturday afternoon there was large gath
| srng of tax payers in the Bracket street
school district at the school buildng, to pro-
test against the further use of the building for
school purposes in its present condition. The
meeting was called by the Committee on Pub
lie Buildings who wished then aud there to
meet all who we're interested in school accom-
modations for that part of the city Mayor
Butler, az chairman of the committee, called
the meeting to order and spoke of the matter
to be taken into consideration. He said that
the railroad debt of the city prevented any
| large expenditure for school buildings at the
present time, except it was done by direct tax
atien. The law fixing the debt of a city, and
the amount of taxation per capita possible.
prevented the city from hiring any more money
and what the committee wanted was to have
| ways and means devised.
Judge knight was the first speaker, and
while be did not touch upon the means TO be
| employed to eliminate the trouble, he showed
very plaiuly that there was something need ed
and that right off. He said that he was obliged
to take his child from the school, so foul was
the building. He thought the trouble was
caused by the Impurities under the building.
He closed by remarking that the administra.
| tion had been so careful to look after the Back
Bay nuisance that people expected rather
more than they might otherwise.
| Charles S. Fobes said that for three years
| this school house had been his his special hob
| by. He knew something had been done, but
| he thought some of the improvements made
did not help the matter. The fra escape, SO
called, was nothing more nor less than fire
trap There isa great amount of bad air in
all the rooms, but the lower room is wholly
unfit for occupancy. The rooms in the whole
building are small aud inadequate. If the
present building is to be used the upper stories
should be ventilated and the lower one should
be cleaned ont and used as cellar We are
compelled to send our children to school, but
is there any law to compel us to send them to
certain death. Physicians say that Miss
Marks long sickness was caused by this build
ing. Miss Dana has been sick from the same
cause, and Miss Short has been told that she
cannot remain without injury to her health.
In closing Mr.. Fobes asked to hear from DIR.
Hayes who had examined the room.
The Mayor said he did not think that there
was any necessity of hearing more in regard to
the condition, but he wanted to hear some one
suggest means for remedy. 1t would not do
to advance the taxes above what they now
are,
Mr.. FObeS replied that it was a grand thing to
keep down the taxes but it should not be done
at the expense of the children's lives. He be-
lieved that every dollar spent in repairs would
virtually be thrown away. He suggested that
as the city owned land on st. John street, the
market lot and the city farm, he thought some
OF it could be sold. 1t would be making money
build new school house.
The Mayor re-stated the situation and again
asked what shall bs done? niN a.
s. r. Small, E:q.. suggested that new
school house bs built and the reply was greeted
with loud applause which showed in forclbe
manner the mind Of the meetiog. Mr.. Small
said that he had not been able to send child
to this school for thee years.
81. P. Storer, Esq said that he was obliged
to send his children to private scho ol, and he
for enc bad much rather pay higher taxes and
have them attend the public schools.
Rev. Mr.. Gibbs said the city government
showed weakness when they admitted that
they could not provide suitable school buildings.
The Mayor interrupted him and remarked that
the city government had taken no action
whatever.
Mr.. Gibbs replied that they had, by asserting
through the Mayor that there was no money
to build school houses with. The Mayor in
terrupted the speaker to make personal
explanation of his position. The speaker
refused to yield, but the Mayor asserted his
right as presiding officer and explained that
bis remarks about money was a suggestion of
his own and not the word Of the city govern
ment.
Mr. Gibbs continued to say that he should
like to send his children to that school but as it
was unfit he could net. The Mayor in ex-
cludng the testimony Of the phys icians
virtually admits that the house is as bad as we
claim and still says there is no money.
E. A. Noyes said he differed with the former
speaker. He believed the present building
could be repaired and two stories be used and a
small cheap building put up on the other side
| Of the lot. He did not believs the walks were
poisoned.
G. G. Chapman called for DR. Thayer who
had examined the building to speak as to
| whether the building could be renovated and
| cleansed. The Doctor said be was not prepared
| to say the building cannot be made available
| for two stories, but that it cannot be used for
| three stories seems certain. Some six weeks
| ago be had made an examination just after
| school in the afternoon. The upper stairs were
| foul enough, but the lower floor was just fear
| fu. The stencil was for want of ventilation.
atva 1sACS
| sick from breathing the bad air. The room
contained some 70 scholars, and they were
| only getting about 81 cubic feet of air apiece
for the whole session, and when there were
| 80 scholars as there are often more they get
but about so feet. Morange the authority on
ventilation says that in primary schools
scholars should have from 459 to $50 cubic feet
| every hour So that the scholars here get
every session but e.ffth what they should
have every hour. In answer to question DR..
Thayer said that the lot might be used if the
vaults were removed, the place cleaned out
and cemented cellar built.
+. III. Fasse tt said the building was not fit for
children st present. His own children were
taken sick there and had to be taken out OF
school. If the lower part of the building was
removed the vaults cleaned out and heating
apparatus put in, the two upper stores could
be used. He asked the Civil engineer if the
sewer was trapped but that gentleman was una.
BILE to tell. Mr.. Fassett thought that The
/ SCuool uUuSc WdS tuo Ouly trdp IN use. he
thought it would cost more to repair than il
would to rebuild. Ali that was wanted he said
| was plenty of air, and il the building was ey Ell
| SO cheap no fault would be found.
DR.. Gerrish thought that the matter of light
was something to be looked after. One of the
lower rooms never had but two windows, and
the best of them have been blocked up with a
fire escape. DR.. Spaldlng, who three years age
examined the eyes of scholars in the public
schools, said that out of the scholars in nine
rooms 10 that building one-haIf of those near
sighted were found in the room just referred to-
new building will not do away with all the
/ trouble unless more attention is paid to ventil
ization and light. He thought that other school
buildings were as bad as this one-the High
| School for instance.
W. A. Goodwin said the sewer was rice and
clean but ever SO many traps would not save
the building unle IS there was water supply
| both summer and winter. He saw no reason
why the two upper stories could not be used il
the building was ventilated.
VIM. FL. Pennell had examined the whole
premises and thought the stencil came iron
the vaults which had been neglected There
seems no reason why the two upper stories eau
not be used If properly ventilated and heated
The Vaughan street school house is in bad
shane and my children have been sick there
and still that building has water closets.
| Z. w. True, Esq, said that in his opinion
the ground beneath and around the building