Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-24
The WeIch School.

Description of the New School Building on Congress Avsnue-Its Fine System
 of VeotiIatiOn-Where1 it Differs from
 the Other School Houses tR the City.
 The new WeIch school on the corner of Congress avenue and Vernon street Is now practically completed, and, although the scholars and teachers will not assemble there until the middle of next month probably, 8 very good idea can be gained, by an examina. ton of the building of it's beauty, conven- fence and architectural excellence. The de sign of the exterior, while not plain and bare, has general air of comfort and free dom from attempts at producing striking effects about it which make it very pleasing to the sensitive eye of 8 sensible observer There are two main entrances, enc at the east and the other at the west side of the building. By means of number of small windows, the halls are all extremely we'll lighted. Foot warmers are on every floor, which the children coming in from the cold will find very acceptable. At each end of these halls is 8 broad staircase which is pro- vided with every protection against accident to children in case of panic. The inside wood finish is of white pine finished in natural wood with varnish. On the first and sec. ond floors there are four large, well lighted schoolrooms, and on the third floor lecture room for the teachers and two un- furnished rooms which will be utilized as convenience and necessity demand. These rooms are all arranged in such way that the main light enters to the left of the schol ars as they sit at their desks. The heat en- ters b5 large pipe near the top of the room, is naturally carried over the colder part of the room near the windows and passes out through register near the floor. There are small windows near the top of the rooms which can be opened to regulate the tempera- ture in the summer. Water and gas are upon every floor. On the second Hoor is a small room to be used ss the principals room and beneath it on the first floor 8 room to be used as 8 dressing room for the teachers. On each floor are speaking tubes connecting with the janitor's room in the basement by which he can be summoned to regulate the heat or do anything else desired of him.
 The basement is occupied mainly by the rooms and for the heating and ventilating apparatus. There are also two rooms, each twenty five by thirty feet and eleven feet high fronting, on Congress avenue, which are reserved for use as night school rooms or may be used for day school rooms in case of necessity, as they are light, dry and well ven t1lated. Inc heating apparatus mas been put in by H. B. Smith & Co.,, of Vest field, Mass, the firm which does the heating for the colleges. There are two fresh air tunnels which run through the basement from east to west on either side of the hall | way. These tunnels are supplied with fresh | air taken from height of ten or twelve feet | above ground. This is done to prevent the entrance of what is called the ground damp" in the building. The sir conveyed along the tunnels reaches steam coils placed at the bot tom of the heating fues. There are three of these coils enclosed in bands of galvanized iron at each hue. The air tunnels are three feet square By this arrangement fresh warm air will be supplied to all the rooms and the air will be changed from i've to six l times an hour. The system of ventilation is the best known for school houses The sys. tenn of lighting is also far superior to that in our other school buildings. The building will accommodate about -four hundred children and if necessary it's accommodations may be increased to six hundred
 The building is substantially built of se- lected North Haven brick with North Haven sandstone trimmings The roof is steep and slated. The out-houses have system of ventilation and sewerage entirely separ. ats from the rest of the building, and are planned with the greatest regard to the health and safety of the scholars.