Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-09
Facts Abomt the school Do ors. &c.

To the Editor of the EVENING STAR.
In THE STAR OF November Z5th there was state
rnent in relation to the doors o. the school house
OF the District being arranged to 'open inward,
thus making cert hin trap on the principle of the
dedliali, for the Imprisonment of the children In
case of fire or panc," and this was again referred
to by writer In THE STAR of December 10th.
In order to prevent any miSlpprehenSion on this
important matter, We have h}d every s3hooi
buldins exainine1 as to this point, and find the
following t. be the result:
Buildings havlng all doors used by the pupils
otfI,ii,g OltirGTd:
laca, Force, 10th and U streets, Henry, Peabody,
Crdnch, Mccormick, Randall, Anacostia, Jeffer-
son, sumner, LoveJoy, Seaton, High street and
buildings having doors opening tn'rord:
fflnki'n. stevens, part OF them); Chamberlain,
(olt frame In Georgetown to b. replaced by new
one next Year.; Montgomery street, (nld church);
81 street, Georgetown, front doors outward, the
rest inward; Greenlcaf Potomac, Lincoln ana Nc
keidcn
of the last five named all except the Lincoln are
rented buildings. one Oh which viii not be occu-
pied alter this The Force and the 10th and
street buildings have their doors arranged tn
Slide bach, and are locked back during school
hours, there being two sets Of riy doors inside az
ranged TO Opeit OdtrdFd which is also true of all
ny doors That have been put i'll OF late years.
Several Of those named in the first list, as OPEN
Ing outward, have their front doors opening in
ward; but the pupils do not enter or depart
through Them, there being lie doors nearer the
SttlrS for that puIp3se al o. which open outward.
Wli1h open inward but both are provided with
two sets OF double lily doors which open oUtW trd
and the InStru lions To the 1lnitnr to keep tae
'front.' doors boted back against the walls, 80 they
Cannot he shut by accident Besides, that build
ing has two other outlets III addition. The front
doors there are very large and heavy. and they
cannot be changed To open outward without con-
siderable expense and some difficulty.
In nearly all the small rented buildings consist
Ing OF olu barracks, Old ntrEet buildings, base
IncAt rooms OF churches, sheds atttCnGu there
to, the doors open inward, as they were when
rented; but IN nearly al the large buildings, and
Iii PtpiD one 6HH Of 0to, the doors Cpen outward
In conclusion, the publ: may rest assured that
tne school board are not inc nerent to this subject
and IL they or the Inspector OF buildings could
have Their way every door would b. Ill ide to O1en
outward at whatever cost. But it must be remrn-
bered That the board has no authority, except to
approve the plans" Tor new buildings; ana fur
ttltr, That there Is no money to MAKE changes
with. At the present moment there is H0t q d0itGr
To The credit ot the repair fund to replace brohen
pane of glass or buy rough paling for a fence.
Many OF the buildngs-even the Henry and the
l0th and streets nuildiugS-stand to-day in q
pool OF mud, without so much a rough board
fence; and the same is true OF others. Last year
congress reduced the repair fund IRON $50 Mto
S1o,tsn ana there are two additional twelve room
buildings TO provide f0r.
III those WAO are ready to find fault would
only take mold with the friends Of the schools and
help us get the necessary appropriations they
|oSld f1 doing far more good. ". c. DODGE.
CHAIRMAN Committee on Buildings and Repairs.