The New York herald., 1879-03-28
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A SHORT TRIP THROUGH SMALL PORTION OF
THE EASTERN PART OF THE CITY.
No. WEST EIGHTEENTH STREET,
aAa,..l ~ 4

"A SHOkC THlP ThhoUGH A SMALL PORT1ON OF
THE EASTERN PART OF THE crrY.
No. WEST EIGHTEENTH SrREEr(
March W. 1879.
To THE EDrToR THE HxRALD:-
went this morning to visit two Of our largo
schools. the ventilation of which had been very do
fective and therefore the attention Of the late chair
man of the Committee Ventilation, Commissioner
Wickham. had been carly directed toward their i'm
provemcnt.
Tho first school visited Grammar School No.
AZ, in Allen street. Here tho ventilation has been
very much improved and the light increased by
opening windows in certain walls, to admit
both air and light. The improvements are not CON-
pleted, because. owing to Commissioner Wickham's
resignation from the Committee on Ventilation the
work of improvement was stopped short until his
successor was appointed. MIR. Isaac Bell was ap-
pointed in Mr. wckham's place last Wednesday. and
yesterday the Committee on Ventilation elected
Commissioner Donney chairman that opera
tions for the further improvement Of ventilation in
the various school buildings now be resumed.
In Allen street preparations being made for
the erection Of the Gilbert Elevated Railroad one Of
tho posts of which is directly In front of the middle
door of Grammar School No. a. This is OF the
most crowded schools in the city. Allen street IL
narrow, aud when the railroad Is In operation the
class rooms fronting on Allen street will be rendered
almost useless from tho noise. Meanwhile Allen
street is In disgracoful and even dangerous con-
dtion for the school children. In addition ~ the
usual filth and dirt Of the street there deep
holes for railroad posts. heaps OF sand. cement bar
res and all tho paraphernalia Of railroad builders.
walked up the whole longth Of Allen street to First
/ had to visit another grammar school. No,
10, between avenues and ID. Tho condition of
utterly disgraceful. Tho mud in many places Ia
more than ankle docp; there heaps of ashes old
bottles. fragments OF baskets. Of wall paper. plaster
and tho usual assortment of old boots and shoes. La
Fifth street havo two largo schools. Grammar
School No. Is and Grammar School No. 10. Tho
whole district Ia swarming with children. and pre-
sumo that tho other lateral streets are i'm no better
condition than Fifth street. No WONDER then, that
the juvenile population is being killed OF by scarlet
fever, diphthcria and measles. Arrived at Grammar
School No. Is was takon by the jaih-
tor TO the cellar. In order to 500 the alter
atons and improvements made under the
orders OF Commissioner wickham. Old. rotten
wooden flooring had been torn up under which water
waste pipes trapped and tho whole place put into '
saiubrious condition. The janitor was enthusiastic
in his thanks to tho ex.Chairman Of tho Committee
ON Ventilation for tho improvements hc had caused
10 be made in the lower part OF the building The
jantor poor fellow. told me that when living in this
lower part Of Grammar School No. Is e had lost his
wife and three children, which he attributed to
nothing but the foul air they had been CON-
PEELED TO breathe. In addition TO the accum-
ulatcd filth the roadway of Fifth street,
the jantor OF Grammar School No. 10 told
mo that while prior to 1872 tho in front Of the
there has not spadeful OF dirt been taken out for
the last seven years. AS there are two manhOlcs--
one sDovo anu the other boow the school bUlding-
he knows whereof he speaks. Besides the improve
mcnts In the cellar Of Grammar school No. 10 stencil
pipes have been carried from the water closets above
tho top OF tho school building, and they arc now
fairly well ventilated.
In our school buildings we placing tho
jantors rooms ut the top of tho house, so that tho
smell of cooking shall longer permeate tho build
Ing as II now docs when the janitors rooms are on
the ground hoor. To-day In Grammar School No. ~,
in spite of the improved ventilation, the janitors
family having decided on q foast of boiled, cabbage
for dinner. the smell Df that unsavory article OF
food was enough to knock man down all over tho
building. WILLIAM WOOD.