San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-07-06
A SENSIBLE SCHOOL DRILL.
uov Grammar School children In philadeiphiA
Are Prepared Against Emergency by FIRE.

ellis have taken decisive teP'eo eoAF
the owners of all hotels, mills, factories
and other buildings in which men, wo'
men and children are obliged to remain
during the day or night to take precau'
tons to prevent panics and fatal acc',
dents in case of fire, the city mas not
the means to provide its own property
with fire escapes. OF the public school
buildings which shelter over loo'ooo
children during the greater part OF tne
day, very few of them have fire escapes
and many more are so constructed as 10
be little less than death traps IN case OF
fire and panic. In some OF the Schools
however, the directors and teachers
have taken the matter into their own
hands, and by a system of drills have
accustomed the children to a system
that will enable them to get out OF the
building in case of fire without ac-
companying danger. AT the Newton
grammar school, Thirty. eighth ana
Spruce .treets, the system is now as
near perfection as can be expected.
The Newton school building at pres
ent accommodates about 600 children.
On the first floor is the boys grammar
school, the second is used by the girls
and on the third is primary school OF
about 14O little children. The last
named arrangement had to be made by
the directors owing to want OF room
elsewhere, as it is not deemed wise to
have tho class rooms for the little chill
dren so far from the street. About SIX
months ago Miss Louisa D. Elmes,
principal of the girls school, began
drilling the pupils under her charge IN
marching quickly from their places in
the school building to the yard. MIR.
James f. @. Sickel principal of the
boys school, and the board OF directors,
at once saw the Importance OF the ex-
pertinent, and in short time thor
ough system was adopted. The neces-
sary arrangements were made so that
the teachers on the different floors
could communicate with each other by
means of speaking-tubes, and by which
q fire signal could be given from either
the first, second Or third floors. At
first the pupils were obliged to 60
through the fire drill two or three times
week, but now they have become so
thoroughly familiar with what is ex-
pected of them that the drill is less
frequent, once week being all that is
now necessary.
One morning a Bulletin representa-
tive visited the Newton school with two
of the directors for the purpose OF see
ing the fire drill in practical operation.
It was about 10 o'clock, all the scholars
being busily engaged at their desks, no
warming having been given OF the pro-
posed drill. The first "alarm" was
sounded from the first floor. Mr..
Sickel went to a speaking tube near his
desk. and blew into it sharply three
times, thus giving the signal to both the
floors above. AT the same time he re-
peated the signal on large gong. In
an instant every scholar in the entire
building was in motion, the teachers
had posted themselves on the stairs,
and the regular lines of children were
passing out of the doors and from the
building. When the yard was reached
the pupils remained in line just as they
had left their places, until the signal to
return was given. Of course the pri-
mary children were last to get out, but
the whole number children-were
out of any possible danger within a
minute and three quarters by actual
time. There was not the slightest con-
fusion, there'was no crowding or push
ing, and the three stairways could cas-
ilv have accommodated another line Of
children at the same time. None of the
pupils, except those in MI. Sickels
class. who saw the signal given, knew
whether they we're simply drilling or
whether there really was occasion for
the sudden dismission. At the ring
ing of bell the pupils returned quietly
and in order, and inside of four min
utes from the time the fire signal was
first given we're at their desks.
The visitors then went to the girls
school on the second floor and the drill