The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-04
OF INTEREST TO PARENTS
The Board of Health Finds Many
Schools Have Impure Water.
Recommendations to the School Board
Which Will BE Acted Upon-SehOols
Throughout the Stare.

Some time ago the city board of health de
cided to investigate the water supply of the
various school buildings in the city, with a
| view to ascertanng whether or not much i'm
| pure water in constant use by the school
| children. The investigation was made by the
health officers, under the direction of Dr. Elder,
inquiry being especially directed towards the
| proximity of the wells TO the privy vaults
| and the consequent contamination of the water
The report, which is printed below, includes the
facts thus ascertalned, as well the subsequent
! recommendations made by the board. 1t shows
a rather alarming condition of affairs at several
| of the schools, which, If not at once remedied,
will doubtless result in much slckness and many
deaths. As is also Indicated, the school board
| will immediately act upon the recommendations
made. Following is the detailed report, showing
! the nature of the water supply at each building
| and the number of children In attendance:
| No. One 426 in attendance. Dug we'll IS
! five feet deep; vaults 100 feet distance, in good
condition.
No. Two, GIG children. Dug well 38 feet
| deep, vaults as feet distant. Water suspicious
Board recommend change in water supply.
No Three, 565 children; dug we'll SO feet deep;
| vault 70 feet distant. Needs dis1nfecting.
! No. Four, COL in attendance; dug we'll 40 Feet
| deep vault 55 feet distant; water suspicious.
| Change OF water supply recommended. We pro-
test ganst the use of Easements of buildings for
school purposes. These are damp, poorly ven
| tlated, and, In our Judgment, unhealthy for
children.
No. Five, 1879 IN attendance; dug we'll IS feet
deep vaults 200 feet distant; IN good condition.
No. Six, 565 in attendance; dug well 80 feet
deep; privies so feet distant; in good condition
| No Seven, 568 In attendance; dug well 80 feet
deep vaults 100 feet distant; In bad c0ndltlon.
| No. Eight, LA in attendance; dug well ~ 1eet
| deep; vaults 200 feet disFant; in good condition
No. Nine, 500 in attendance; dug we'll % feet
deep; vaults 100 feet distant; in good condition.
| Ten. 4S2 children AbCP01aUcp. we'll
80 feet deep; vaults rs feet distant; need dlsln-
No Eleven 531 children; dug we'll 45 feet
deep; vaults 80 feet distant; recommend change
| of water supply.
No Twelve, 40 children; dug well % feet
| deep; needs waste water box; vaults 80 feet
distant.
No Thirteen, sol children; ding well % feet
| deep; vaults 90 feet distant. The waste water
from the well drains into sink under the build
| ing. We recommend change of water supply
and an abandonment of that sink
| No. Fourteen $50 in attendance; driven well 50
| feet deep; vaults 80 fees distant, need disnfeeT-
| ing Recommend that the well be sunk to depth
| OF 90 feet,
No Fifteen, 165 children; dug well 30 feet
| deep; vaults 100 feet distant; good condition.
| NO olAteeI, dZo chl,uren; JUG wen 20 iee'
| deep; vaults loo feet distant; IN good condition.
| No. Seventeen. 307 children; dug well 80 feet
| deep; vaulrs go feet distant; in good condition.
| No. Eighteen. $50 children; dug well So feet
deep vaults so feet distant. Recommend
| change of water supply.
! No Nineteen. rs children; driven well 80 feet
| deep vaults 100 feet distant; yard in bad cOndi-
| ton.
No. Twenty. AL children; dug well 25 feet
| deep; vaults 80 feet from we'll. This water does
| not taste good; the drainage from we'll is bad.
| The board recommends an immediate change of
| water supply.
| No. Twenty-one So children; dug we'll 80 feet
! deep; vaults As feet distant Recommend change
in water supply.
| No. Twenty-Five, 400 children; dug we'll 30
| feet deem; pump and box in bad shape; vaults 80
| rect distant, and need dlslnfeetinG.
| No. Twenty-three, 2Io children; dug well 40
| lIne nd
change in water supply.
| No. Twenty-fOur, 337 children; dug well 30
feet deep; vaults 80 feet distant; In good condi-
No. Twenty-Five, 500 children; dug we'll rs
feet deep; tastes OF minerals vaults 90 feet dis
No. Twenty.sx, 364 children; dug well As feet
deep vaults 60 feet Distant in good condition.
| No. Twenty-seven, BIZ children; dug well 25
| feet deep; vaults Gu feet distant.
| No. Twenty-eight, asa children: driven well
go feet deep; vaults 20 feet distant; in good CON
| dit
In all cases where dug wells are under rs feet
| deep the board recommends that they be sunk
| by driving tubing to the second stream of water.
and that driven well at No. Nineteen be sunk to
| 90 feet. and in no case should a well of any kind
| be wl6hln 90 feet of the vaults. The school
board manifest an earnest interest IN this sur
| vey, DR.. Carey and Mr. HendrcksOn accom-
| panying the officers, expressed themselves as
| being ready to carry out all the reeommenda-
| tons OF the board OF health
SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
DIR, E. 8. Elder, Secretary of the State Board of
| Health, has decided to extend the investigating
of the water supply of schools throughout all
| parts of the State, with view of immediately
correcting the existing abuses and to this end he
| Is now sending out blanks, on which reports can
| be made. In these inquiries are made concern
| ing wells, the ventilation, water supply, prives
cleanliness, etc. In his circular DR. Elder says:
'"This is bnt the beginning of IA series of efforts
| TO practically demonstrate the great value of
I n q fnll u o,f-
| isfed that when we bring work near the
| homes of the people, and prove to them that
| sanitary supervision means the preservation of
! their health and lives, thus directly Inurng to
| their financial benefit, our work will be appre-
ciated and our bureau become justly popular.
| No more inviting field is presented us than the
| common schools The result of this survey, when
| completed, will be an astonishment aud am
| sure that we will then be able to do very much
| to prevent inconvenience, suffering and disease,
| and render the necessary prlvatiOns and duties
of school life telerable as enlightened SANTA
nv and ny genie science furnishes the power
of doing. spirit of generous emulation and
| rivalry shOuldIpr0mpt you all to return as COM
| plete and speedy a survey as possible. Proper
| acknowledgements VIII be given for efficiency in
1 this work."