New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-08
pANICS IN SCHOOL-HOUSES.
PRECAUTIONS ADOPTED AND SUGGESTED.
pruIrNG CHILDREN FOR Clasps OF FH'E-N""
pycIrt ATOMS PROPOSED.

pEIILING CHILDREN FOR CASFs VT fA
REGULATIONS PROPOSED.
A resolution was adopted by the Board ~ hduoa,
tion about five years ago nstructng prhciP"tgb eY
The city schools drill the pupils So ina ssibia
could leave the building N the shortest ~ other
time without confusion. For some reason va i,,
,iis resolution has not been made bylaw hs WI
tended and a. a consequence N many vi ,,o i,c,
n has been practically dead Letter ,oI I'm,
nals have had such drills at long intervals ou.
aaDvtbirg itr a systematic fire drll does nor seem
90 have been practiced in any school j. as tbe
sn s,r ~ ~ the children of Grammar School
No H. when a fire broke out IN
tG. building in April and lS co0,og was Of %'Mh r!y
MSry McCIoskcy. Principal Of the Primary Depart
,n.ut At this time twelve of the classes were NJ
recess in the yards. The fears OF the children IN e
smoke came from house IN the rear, ana the prh-
cipal with the help OF the assistant teacnyrs
,n'rrhed them al out safely led them to Inc
doors This was accomplished Ivy Mrs. McCloSkey
going from one department 10 another ana apprls-
Ing tue teachers of the danger and nstructng them
what 10 DO. ,,;,
When Superintendent Jasper was recently applied
20 for information, be had no definite knowleHge on
the subject but instructed several 81 MS uSest1ut'
a. make an investigation. one OF them supse"
Queutly reported that the pupils oil tue primary
dcpartmeut of Grammar school No. -, at West
Tortie h.st and Eighth-avr.. had been drilled IN
The past but not Of late. A. the sound OF the bell
the pupils prepared for instant dismissal. Inc
teachers occupying rooms IN 'front.' OF the building
were rcquirc o stand by the doors IN the stairWays
leading 10 the playground or street In case ot 1fe
II said, the children IN the dhutNtu ouiluiiE
would have 90 use the FIRE escape. The time occu-
pied m the dismissal was three minutes IN
Primary Departments Nos. j. 2l -, 20, -, so, o.
and 90 and Primary schools Nos. T. Z, and II there
have been no drills But In these schools the
teachers had been instructed 20 dismiss instantly IN
Of an alarm, aud tue children Lal "eSu - IL
structod 10 remain quiet and OJey the orders OF JeH
teachers. q IN IL
t,sen place occasionally IN the bows department 81
GramInar school No. %. in Grecuwich-st. The last
one was several months ago. At these drills inc
building was cleared IN two minutes. In the guls
department Of this school there has been no prac
tic, Cor year or two. The principal said that tue
teachers Understood that at gwen signal the pn-
plls were made ready Tor lns am dismissal ~
trarnnar school No. a.. az Nor Moore and
Nanck-sts, the RupiIs have been dlS 9ii,s
rrarticobIe the time was from three To four miu-
ntes No training has been gwen IN any OF the &c,
partmcnts Of Grammar school No -, at No. 81
civ Hall Place. or IN No -, a. No ts Elin-st. ne
assistant superintendent recomends that practice
of Astonishing the pupils every day with promptness
vou.l prepare them tor emergencies.
From another report II Was learned that there
was one ire drill In the boys department OF Tram
mar school No -, IN Fiith-st., near tust-aNe IN
l~SO. and that here were two drills III the girls
d.partmeut IN the same year. The departments
were cleared in about two minutes. Al the SOUND
Of large tel the classes were required 70 20 10 tne
cIass--oofn doors The classes the main room go
down the front stairs and the Others down tour
stairwavs Reports from the boys and girls depart
meuts Of Grammar school No. b. No. %39, East
Houstou-st aud in No. -, 344 East FOurteenth-st,
show hat no drills have ever taken place. IL Is
eall the teachers nave an NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 40
what they are % do in Of an alarm. These ana
other reports show that IN most cases niue alIeI-
tiou has been paid 70 the resolution OF the boaIu.
o. Do YOU not think that II should De OOllgalOIJ
on principals 10 put their pupils through the hre
drii ~ Superintendent Jasper was asked
,i, he resointion Of is77 should have been
Iucorporated IN the bylaws. But don't believe
there would be any trouble IN case OF hre, as the
teachers generally know no" they are 10 ACT III case
Should there not be regular systematic drills In
each school Z
cond not be practiced in ali of the schools as the
construction of the buildings Is not the same u
10 YOU not think the children should be drilled
often enough that at signal they would
GO on instantly in a mechanical manner ~
Yes At the same time they should not be al
lowed e. know why they arr dismissed IN a hurry;
Perhaps the best plan would be to hdVe me GIlL
take place few minutes before the regular time
for dismissal. Then they would not have to be
called back, and would not know what IL was
"Will anv action be taken soon toward having
drills take place in the schools -. - N
q" intend 70 send circulars out TINS weeH 10 al
principals calling their attention 10 the SUBJECT;
ID / Stagg. the superintendent OF school
Buildings was asked If any special precautions
were ken against fire In the construction or
school buidingS He said that the best architects
had approved OF the plans adopted Inc bullG;;
ing Department and also tn hea!lh 5'epai IlleHt
he continued. " raised objections TO doors leadlhg
10 halls from clas~-rOOms opening inward lhsVeau OF
outward. had them open inward LOT lne reason
that door pushed out across utI4WaJ " q |lO,IJ
OF children would block it up so that no one could
yet out. -, ,.,, o1
ing against the door on the inside so that IL cou4d
not be opened ~
The pupils IN a room are supposed 70 be under
the control OF their teacher, who should go 10 lAe
door and see that they get out properly" ,
d" Is there any danger OF the GreenWlch-st' dis
aster being repeatedP
9" II cannot be- The children were thrown down
q well-hole by the bannIsters giving way: In all
new buildings the stairways have been built so as
10 have a $ I'D wall on each side where the Oh
sta,rwavs remain iron work has been put across"
e How many exits has the average school build
Two on each side, one at the back into the yard
and one IN front opening on the street."
Pill ESTATE