The New York herald., 1879-03-20
BOARD OF EDUCATION.

DEBATE OVER THE QUESTION OF BADLY vENTr~
LATED scaooLs-srrscEILANEoUs MATTERS.
At regular meeting. of the Board of Education
yesterday afternoon the report of the Superntendent
of Public Schools read. which called the atten-
tion of the Board to the inadequate accommodations
for pupils in Primary School No. and of primary
department of Grammar School No. 10. The monthly
returns of the principals show an aggregate en-
rolment in the grammar and primary schools oc
1264 and an average attendance for the month OF
February of exclusive Of the training schools
In the Nineteenth ward. The attention Of the Board
was also called to the large number of absences by
teachers during the month of February. amounting
to days. which 1853 days in Of the
ber reported IN February, 1878.
The resignation OF Commissioner Wickham a.
chairman of the Committee on Warming and ventila-
tion read and, after some opposition, was
cepted Commissioner Wickham gave his reason
for resignng that it would take eight hours day to
do justice to the position Commissioner Isaac Be u
appointed to ill the vacancy.
BADLY VENTILATED.
report was read from the Board Of Health ap-
proving of the closing of Grammar School No. 81,
Tenth avenue and 10th street. for sanitary
there being with contagious diseases
on the premises. report was read from w. De F.
Day NJ. D.. Sanitary superintendent on the sanitary
condition of Public School No. 81. The ventilation
of the water closets was reported as detective A
port was read W. H. b. Post, NJ D.. Sanitary
Inspector of the Health Department in the city OF
New York, that he did inspect the school premises
situated at No. s35 West Fortyseventh street. Said
premises were found in condition detrimental to
health. for the following reasons viz:There on
the first hoor fifteen classrooms, all OF which In
sufficiently lighted and ventilated of these nina
have cellar excavated underneath and they
are consequently, damp and unhealthful. The In
spector recommends that these classrooms tho
first floor be given up. The report of H. Endermann.
PHI. D., relative to ventilation of Grammar Schools
Nos 20, IL. So and H. and Primary Schools Nos. -.
20 and Al, made to Sanitary Superintendent Walter
De 4. Day and to the Board OF Education by Emmons
Health.
The report sets forth that the results in general
not very different from those obtained In 1872 and
1873 "in none of the schools" says Mr. Enderm
~ found adequate means OF ventilation. The ap-
pliances for ventilation are perhaps best in the
school West Fifty eighth street, but they not
always used, the childrens desks often
placed that their occupants would be exposed to
draughts The window affords in almost every the
necessary ventilation. That good results cannot,
however. be reached, even with open windows, be-
evident from appended tabulated statement.
In some of the schoolrooms towards the south tha
teachers desks placed in such position that the
teachers have to face the windows In order to avoid
the intense sunlight caps of wood have been placed
the windows. These in their present shape re-
tard ventilation perceptibly They are tight fitting
at the top. and the waste warm air will therefore
collect under them and will be removed from them
only slowly by diffusion
Commissioner Wheeler offered resolution ''That
it be referred to select committee Of Ave. to be
appointed by the Chair, to inquire and report to-
the expediency OF reorganizing the departments OF
this Board which have charge of the erection.
pairing ventiating and warming Of the schools under
the charge of this Board"
Commissioner Watson arose and remarked that he
would like to say in cooler manner than he had
done former occasion that there great deal
OF in this matter OF ventilation; that he
thought Commissioner Wheeler must have been cap
tred by the exaggerated reports OF newspapers and
the Board of Health; that 1t unaccountable to-
him how all at once it should become evident
that our public schools had become pesthouses,
and breeders of disease. No doubt, said he, there
are schoolhouses unfit for occupancy, but he
maintained that upon the whole they would bear
comparison with any schoolhouses in the country.
He said that there committee constantly per-
ambulatins the streets entering the cellar doors OF
school buildings and climbing to the roof; that he
had been of such committee and had visited 200
schools i'll this way without making any remark
able discoveries "What motive, - said he, would
we have for shutting eyes against what we
seeking? This clamor is q mistake and disgrace to
the community. TO say that the schoolhouses
all wrong is an idea propagated from improper mo-
tives and exaggeraton that ought to be exposed
Notwithstanding Mr.. Watsons remarks the resolu.
ton was adopted, and Messrs Wheeler, Wickham.
Manierre, Bell and Watson appointed such com.
mittee.
A resolution offered by Commissioner West appro>,
priating S09O0 for the expenses Of the Department.
OF Truancy adopted