New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-20
TERRoR.STRIOKEN SCHOOLGIRLS.
THROWN INTO PANIC BY A SLIGHT FIRE.
THE PRESENCE OF MIND OF A SISTER OF CHARITY
NO ONE SERIOUSLY INJURED.

THROWN INTO A PANIC BY A SLIGHT FIRE.
THE PRESENCE OF MIND OF SISTER OF CHARITY
NO ONE SERIOUSLY INJURED.
A panic which happily did not result in any loss
of life occurred yesterday afternoon IN the girls
department Of 81. Mays Roman Catholc paroGn; n
Is held in the Catholic Institute, Is attended r py
about 700 girls and an equal number Of boys Inc
girls department ia on the east side OF the ouiuhy
and is i'm charge of the Sisters of Charity The boys
department is on the west SIDE ana the boys arc
taught by the Christian Brothers. On the loWer
floor OF the building is large NAH III WHICH, Pupho
meetings are neld. , , -. .ha
The panic originated IN the classroom OF tne
second class which presided over by SISTER Agnes.
The room rs on the second floor and at the upper
end of it, near the teachers platform there Is
statue of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by drapery
add flowers and muslin curtain ~ ion h; Oh ore
statue there several wax candies, which hIe
alwaysghted during the time that prayers are oeng
offered Directly alter the noon recess YESTERDAY
Sarah Burns ten. sent up to ght the canuies
She carried a lighted taper which accidentally
came in contact with the muslin curtain. IN an III
slant there blaze, and the class, when num-
bered bout l16, was in panic, when was all the
more uncomfortable from the fact that the average
age Of the children is abont nine years. Sister AZ
mes behaved with remarkable GOODNESS and courage;
She pulled the blazing curtain down and trampled
il under her feet until she had stamped out tnc
flames. Then she turned her attention 10 lne
panic. stricken children, but by that time they were
they were falling over the benches and trampling
OH each other in trying to reach the door; Every
child that COulu scream WAS screaming tho VNp "
her voice and making frantic efforts to get out OF
the room The noise penetrated to the rooms or
the first and third classes, which are on the same
floor and threw the children in them into panic
The small hall at the head of the stairway and the
stairway itself were soon full OF snrglng strus-
Cling children, who fell over each other anu tunl
bled down the stairs.
By this time the news of the excitement had got
abroad, and crowd quickly gathered IN 'front.' OF
the building, among whom were the mothers oil the
children, who added to the confusion and excite
mcnt by their frantic efforts to get inside tine Dld-
ing. A low brick wall separates the street from
the playground, and large number of the children
climbed up on thar and dropped down on the ont
slde falling top of each other. As last as
they fell. however, they were, pulled
away by tho women and the lew
men who were present, and they escaped injury.
Before the excitement subsidized there were between
three and four Thousand people gathered in the
street When Ii was found that the building was
not on fire. and that no fatalities had occurred the
children were brought back into the building; but
were shortly afterward dismissed for the day. Some
of the children were slightly bruised but no one
was seriously injured.