New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-22
SAFETY IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

do not DeueVe tuaU suCu u Cdst'otiopn0 NU"'N
happen in the public schools of this city," SAID
Superintendent Jasper to a TRIBUNE reporter yes
terday "Of course l cannot tell what might hap
peu. but hardly think it possible. The fire ar
xangements are so complete and the children are 80
well drilled that a panic would be almost an i'm
possibility. The pupils of all the schools are re-
uuired by law to practise the lire dilll as olteh rs
NAV be deemed necessary. Most of the buildings are
provided with at least four means of egress "thln
a few years, fire escapes and stairways have been
placed on the outside of such buildings as were
considered by the Building Committee to be IN
need of them. The children have been so thor
oughly drilled in many of the schools that the
buildings can be emptied in three minutes from the
time the fire signal given. shall issue special
instructions to the teachers soon, requiring addi-
tional care to be taken in drilling the children.
Safety must be secured at any cost"
Il have not received a single complaint In regard
to any of the school buildings of this city,, said d.
/. Stagg. the Superintendent of School Buildings
Experts from all parts of the country have ex-
amined them and pronounced them secure. In
few cases iron stairways for the outside OF the
buildings have been ordered and erected Daring
the pasi wear iron starways have been placed upon
the buildings occupied by schools Nos 80
SO aud 20. Fire escapes, so-called,
case of fire. for the children would be 100 right
ened to use them. Hence conceived the ldea OF
building iron stairways in place OF them. Inc
children arc drilled III their use and would 10 aole
TO make ihsir escape without danger If necessary
People do not generally know that nearly every
school building in he city is provided with two or
more flights OF stone steps Leading from me TOP MOOR
to the basement but such is the case These stIways
are inclused IN brick walls which would MOI De a.
oil affected by fire. There are no wells for the ch.
dren 10 fall mo in the case OF panic. Inc 'front.'
stairways are protected by heavy balusters, which
are so constructed as to be complete barrier
against almost any crowd OF people when mght
push against them. All school buildings IN TINS
city are inspected vice year and every piecauLou
is taken to maze them secure" ~ on
The reporter visited Grammar School No. 20, in
Christie-st. and made inquiries CT the
principal Mr. Moorhouse, in regard to means for
pro ectiOn against TIRE After explaining That there
were five exits when could be used IN umes Oh Gsn
ger and the method employed IN drilling the chill
dren, Mr.. MooThOuse sand: do not nave much
confidence in the efficacy of the fire drill as now
conducted in many OF the public schools Al present
five minutes before II on certain day every week.
They are all prepared to act at n u" thss
wraps before Ieavmg the building. Now supposing
a fire alarm should be rung at an UNEXPECTED
moment would they he able TO Keep their presence
OF mind long eLoueh to reach the street III safety
That is The question think the drill should take
place at unexpected times put one great Gilnc 'aa
In The way OF DONG this Is The eommotlon II would
cause In the streets. People would isDey lnat ~
was a genuine alarm and would do all sorts
of indiscreet things have 1900 children III TINS
building, 700 of whom are on the top ho0r The
turning of so many children INTO the street III about
two mInui es might lead 10 serious results
"a sai1 thai his scnool was veil provided with
stone sta;rways leading to the street. His pupils
were MOI drilled regu.a any in the ire drill out his
teachers knew just wat steps 10 take IN case OF
fire. tie sand he could clear the building OF scholars
in three nlnuies, and no did not believe that any
fire which might occur would shrow them INTO con-
fusion
day Mr.. W God presented resolution authorizing the
building Comnttee to make special examination
OF the bdllding now occupied by Grammar ochooi
No o. in last Fourth-st., with view to ascertain
ing ITS safety and fitness for school purposes Inc
resolution was ADOPTED, and at he suggestion OF
Dir Devoe. President W alker ana MI. DoNd, tne
chairman of The Finance Committee, were aIued 10
the love COMMITTED. MIR. Patterson offered reso-
lntion which was adopted, requesting the Su-
periut enuent of schools to report 10 the Board
whether the fire drill. as required by law,
is still prdctised by the pupils III the schools.
panic in the German scho0l in Avenue-A of which
he was unwilling spectator, SAID that measures
should at once be taken Tor thorough examination
OF all the pubic school buildings. 10 bring the
matter before the Board, he presented the following
EeSoeea That the Board Of Trustees of tie several
varos and they are hereby requested at once nee
to Cause STREE exanaoh 70 20 nsDe o.
los OF life in all school buildings under charge
Resolved that tHe superintendent en1on upon all URN
cpais 20 comply sriety VITA the requirements OF the
by laws wi1n regard 10 IRE Drills.
In the debate which followed, President Walker
sail: There is not single school bu ding in tue
CITY of New York winch has faults IN cons ructlon
similar 10 those OF the building IN when The recent
panic occurred. Still think II Judlel0us on our
BAT to take every precaution possible to render
Them secure from tire" Tue resolutions were
adopted.
A TALK WITH INSPECTOR ESTERBROOK.
w. L. Esterbrook. Inspector of Buildings made
an examination of the school-house in Fourth-st.
yesterday. He was afterward asked by TRIBUNE
reporter what he thought of the building.
an ill-contrved. badly constructed affair.""
he said. There not sufficient means OF
eeress. The passageways are so narrow. badly
IN
pgnic among the children that / am not, after
an examination of the building in the least sur
prisea at what happened there yesterday. The
passageway at one point is only two feet eight
inches wide"
"What ought to be done to make tho building
secure against future calamity of this kind1"
q" The siarways and passageways must be made
much wider and secure IN other respects. Then
there ought TO be WIDE and easy fire escape the
outside. shall give orders that this be put up"
ado you not feel that your. Bureau has some re-
sponsibiity for this disasterp
"As for my self do not think have the slightest
responsibility In the matter. As for John Riley, the
inspector in whose district the building is situated
Lean tell better when receive in the morning his
written report IN answer TO the inquiries adj
dressed 10 sim to-day sie has large District
however extending from Houston-st. TO Fourteenth
ST. aud rom Sec0nd-aye to the East RIVER. de
has been In the district two years. ana while i
should think he might nave learnen eoihe'hihg
about public building OF this kind, 1t does not
necessarily follow that he would know OF It's dan
gesous character"
"Why not ~ -,
For the reason that 1t is physical impossbility
to attend to all the work OF the
Burrau WITH the present help. We must
first attend to the new buildings gong mp and soc
that the work is properly constructed, and no more
deatn-traPs erected. That's work We are pr marily
responsible Tor, and except when il IS 80 cold that
bricks cannot oe LAID, that Work alone takes up all
our time. Next TO that ii is our business to attend
10 complaints lodged with us. These accumulate so
that we have had at time 900 such complaints
on Tie and unattended TO- After that IL We nave