Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-10
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Health of Our ChIldren-An
Interesting Report.

Of the Committee on Public Schools Of the
Citizens Sanitary Association, which was
read at the meeting on Wednesday evening.
1t contains matters OF interest to our entire
community and references to certain evils,
which should receive the consideration Of
the authorities. It is as follows;
In behalf Of the Committee on Public
Schools. have the honor to report that the
committee, at a meeting for conference,
decided. with the consent Of the President
OF the Board Of Education, to visit the diff
ferent school buildings to ascertain, without
delay, their sanitary condition, including
tie grounds on which they stand. The
President, Colonel E. G. Anderson, kindly
offered to accompany US in visiting the
schools, and explain all the arrangements
that existed for the accommodation, com
fort and health of the scholars in the various
DEPARTMENTS.
l. The first building examined was the
Chatham Academy, where we were Joined
by W. II. Baker, ESQ, the superintendent,
who accompanied the committee through
all the rooms occupied by the differ
ent classes Ia that building. The school
rooms provided for the respective classes
were found to be large enough for the
healthy accommodation OF the classes as
signed to them-the number In each class
varying from about forty to fifty eight schol-
srs.The seats and desks occupied BY the chill
dren are comfortable and well adapted for
the purpose-the seats, in all cases, having
backs to them. An sir of neatness pervades
all the school rooms, passages and statrways
The ventilation throughout the academy is
good, most of the compartments having
windows opposite each other, so that the
air passes freely across from side to side.
T1o &c
at the east end OF the building; but these are
kept healthy by the admission Of air through
eastern and southern windows, which passes
through to hall of entrance, thus securing
a fair circulation. To avoid the glare from
some Of the southern windows, they should
be provided, If possible, with shades, to pro-
tect the eyes of the children from too much
light. The trustees Of the Chatham Acad-
envy have been making permanent repairs
in several of the rooms-renewing the plas-
teTing, kalsomining the walls, and painting
the wood work, thus adding much to their
appearance and comfort The minor or
temporary repairs only are made by the
Board Of Education.
The grounds around the Academy are
kept H. good order, and the ARA eenap-e
for WsteT cio-etE are well made, and they
are abundantly supplied with water for
cleansing them, and all are kept 10 good or
u
ing water to the urinsl was partially Or
structed, but this will be corrected without
delay by the authorities in charge. Ga the
adj oiri1g property, belonging 70 the Union
Society, the privies emitted offensive odors,
ex ending to the grounds Of the academy.
The proper persons should be required TO
attend to this Immediately ard correct the
evil.
II. The Cathedral School was visited next
by the committee, and found to be IN the
following conditions: The new building on
the western part of the lot furnished two
school ro0ms-one near tue street level and
the, other on the second story; both we'll
ventilated and in all respects well adapted
TO the purpose, having good light and am
pie room for the classes taught in them. In
the eli building the lower floor was divided
into TWO rooms, each well ventilated, the
air passing through from east to west, ard
they were tolersbly we'll lighted. The
second story was divided into four rooms of
very moderate dimensions, badly ventilated
and badly lighted.
The number OF children taugtt in these
contracted rooms was entirely too great,
being an average of about fifty to each. The
only entrance and light is by one stairway
leading TO a landing from which entrance
was had to two of the four rooms, and from
the two first entered, You pass to she other
two. In case OF fire, or even the alarm Of
fire, the lives of many scholars Wonld be en-
dsngered, If not sacrificed. II the four
rooms were thrown into two, they would
then be pretty well ventilated and lighted.
Even with this change, the means of escape
from the building should be improved. TIE
building has no chimnies and is heated by
stoves with pipes passing out through the
windows The privies for this school are
very badly ventilated and placed too near
the school house. The sidewalks IN front
of the building are badly broken, leaving
large spaces without any, and in these
spaces are numerous cavities In which water
collects in pools, wettiDg and selling the
feet of the children and of all passers by.
The city authorities, it is hoped, will re
quire proper pavements to be laid without
Delay. There is promise to the Board Of
Education from those who control the Ca
thedrsl school, that more room will be fur
nished for the scholars at sn early day.
III. The Massie School-The rooms for
the different classes taught in this building
are large, well ventilated and generally
suitable for the purposes intended, except
the two small rooms on the lower floor.
These should be supplied with box or pipe
ventilatOrs leading up to and through the
roof, and two openings should be made
through the wall dividing the rooms. The
smaller building to the west furnishes two
excellent class rooms, one on the first floor,
the other on the second. The grounds are
in pretty good order, but they win be i'm
proved by the removal Of a pile OF rubbish
collected In the southwest corner of the lot.
This will be done by the authorities at an
early day. The privies are well arranged,
with good supply of water, and kept free
OF all odOr. They are placed too near the
south end of the school house, which defec
could be remedied by placing one In the
southeast and the other in the southwest
corner Of the enclosure. The wash sink in
the hall of the main building was without q
visible trap to the waste pipe.
". West Broad Street School, Colored-
The building generally is in good repair,
roof tight and the interior in good order.
In one room small breaks in the cornice and
plastering were noted. Ventilation fair
except in one or two of the smaller rooms,
especially the northeast room, first story, in
which were seventy odd children-quite too
many for the size of the room. In this room
and one other the scholars were seated on
benches instead Of separate seats, which the
committee think Objectionable on the score
of health. The new and broad stairway in
troduced by the President of the Board of
Education is q great convenience daily, and
furnishes q safe means of exit from the sec
ond story in case Of fire. The various Glass
rooms have neat appearance, and appear
to be we'll cared for. Window shutters or
shades ought to be supplied to some OF the
southern windows to break the glare of the
sun. The number of children belonging to
this school is about AIS. The grounds be-
longing to the school are kept ia good order,
and the water closets are excellent. In one
of them the cast-iron receiver has settled so
as to throw it out of level, but this will be
repaired at an early day by the board. The
old privy vaults, formerly used, are in bad
condition, but they will be filed with earth
as soon as practicable.
Y. Barnard Street School-Building good
and neatly kept, the ventilation excellent
and each room well lighted, and not over
crowded with scholars; the railing to one Of
the stairways weak and ought to be braced /;
the grounds kept in good order, and
the arrangements for water closets
excellent, neat and free of odor.
On the premises adjoining the Barnard
Street School there is a pool Of standing
water POSSIBLY the overflow of a cesspool)
which emits an offensive odor that is waited
into one of the class rooms when the wind
is Westwardly. It is stated that the prem
ises are occupied by Mr.. Belsinger. This
matter should have prompt attention on
the part Of the proper authorities.
The committee have not been able, as yet,
to visit st. Patrick's School, at the corner
of York and Montgomery streets; Lor Fair
lawn School, colored, East Broad and Gas
ton streets, but hope to do so next week.
Bv reference to the last report OF the
President of the Board Of Education for the
wear ending June 30th, 1887, we find that
The enrolment of pupils for that pc
Rod, for the city schools, was 3,137, and
that the deaths among the pupils were very
. small, amounting only to eight, or one in
392. This indicates an extraordinary degree
of good health and great vitality among
the children attending the public schools Of