The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-09-02
vaughan Street School House

To the Editor Of the Press:
''There is certainly some miSapprehension
with regard to this MATTER from what cause
it is difficult to tell; but just as certainly
there is very little, if indeed any foundation,
for the statement that the building so COM
planned of is in an unsanitary condition"
Thus the chairman of the committee on pub
lie buildings.
Being one of the ''citizens whose children
attend that school," have availed myself of
the Invitation to make personal inspection,
and beg leave to report for the information
OF those who may not go and do likewise.
Paint and whitewash have been used about
the premises. No children or other occu-
pants have been there since the last school
year closed, and there is general appear
ance of cleanliness. 1t is a good, cheerful
time to look it over. But the complaint
which S. H. McA. Ia well known member of
the school board, who is now absent from
the city, made, related to the dampness of
the cellar, the condition of which he describ-
ed with some minuteness. have not his ar
ticle before me, but | believe he made no
point against other sanitary conditions of
the house. Ward Seven evidently relied
upon that public communication of an Off
cial entitled to credit. Let us examine the
cellar and see if there is any misapprehen-
sion.
1t is now the end of summer. The cellar
windows-some of them-are open, and the
sun shines through others. There has evil
IDENTIFY been thorough cleaning up, and the
conditions are all favorable; but the cellar
bottom is not dry. Far from it, 1t is ap-
parently solid enough, but evidently damp
No janitor was about of whom l could make
inquiries concerning its condition at other
of tho EpdiOn ~
at hand l made small excavation at point
about ten feet toward the centre from the
southeast corner where the ground seemed
as high and as nearly dry as at any point. At
a depth of about ten or twelve inches near
the length OF the shovel blade, took up
handful of the coal ashes, of which the
ground to that depth seems almost wholly
composed, and easily squeezed water from it.
This experiment | repeated in the presence
OF two men who happened to be near. How
know not. Nor can | state for what purpose
they were placed there. That they are there
and that they hold water, can affirm "Sod-
den with water" best describes their condi-
ton; and present appearances, favorable as
they are, would seem to indicate that when
autumn and spring rains come, the whole
cellar bottom must be the next thing to fill
thy mud. Ii such is good sanitary condi-
ton OF things then there is ''misapprehen-
sion" Physicians who are experts can de-
eide. But / venture to assert that any re-
spectacle citizen owning his house and liv-
ing in it with such cellar under it, would
forthwith clean out the ashes and mud, put
in proper under drainage, and gravel and ce-
ment the cellar bottom: Shall the city do
less? | would go so far as to say that the
city should at all times give it's school chill
dren the benefit of any doubt concerning the
sanitary condition of any school building,
and hasten to apply remedy whenever de-
feet is pointed out, even if it be, in the Ian
guage of our committee on public buildings,
that this building, which is comparatively
new, should have been finished, or consider
ed finished, without dry, cemented cellar
bottom; and now that member of the
school board, acting in the line of his duty,
has called attention to it, there will be more
reason for surprise if it longer so remains.
BYRON ID. VERRILL.