Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-05-09
A BALL OE ERE.
Frightful Experience of = Teacher and
Scholars st Dayton.

FrightfuI Experience of = Teacher and
Scholars st Dayton.
The storm which passed over here about
4 O'Clock yesterday afternoon seems to have
been frightful, and yet not very destruc-
tive, In some localities near by. The Day
ton people had terrible fright, which
came near ending in great calamity.
The Journal gives the following account:
while the storm, with its deluge of
water, was raging fiercest yesterday after
noon, with lightning shooting Its deadly
darts In all directions. commingled with
the angry response Of appalling thunder,
the big bell at the Central rang out q fire
alarm.
With the quicknsss of the wind the dire
full announcement was at that moment
being carried into the homes of mothers and
parents that the Seventh district school
building had been
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING,
and that the lives of children had been
forfeited to the fierce monarch of the ele-
ments. or were being imperiled within the
blazing building. Then It was that grief
stricken parents ran out into the binding
storm and hurried to the school building,
with no thought save the safety and well
fare of their little ones. While such alarm
ing news was being told from door to door,
and such scenes transpiring on the streets,
THE REAL SCENE
within the school building was none the
less exciting, but fortunately had not the
import conveyed by the alarm bell, and
fortunately, too, was not grounded on death
or horrible suffering.
ABALL OF LIGHTNING
with fiery speed from the clouds had burst
through the solid wall Of the building into
the school room, causing freight and terror.
This was The initial cause for the subse-
quent exciting scenes within the building
and on the street.
THE RECESS BELL
had fung and the scholars were In their
rooms when the storm approached from the
west and southwest. Dark clouds rolled
forward with terrible speed and with omin-
GUS look, while the lightning darted hither
and thither as II vindicatively eager for q
victim. The next instant the clouds burst
and water dashed with alarming force
against the west rooms OF the building. 1t
became quite dark, and the effects were
even then frightful. Suddenly following q
BRIGHT FLASH
and loud report Of thunder, the building
shsok as If in an earthquake, and teachers
and pupils alike were for the moment par
alyzed. The next moment the door leading
into Miss Wright's room opened, and q
dense volume Of sulpburous smoke burst
into the hallway, and the terror-stricken
pupils fled from the room.
Some one at this time ran up stairs and
cried fired, which created intense excite
ment in the rooms, but not one of the six
hundred scholars confined In the building
disObeyed the teachers and left the rooms,
but followed the teachers command and
prepared to leave In an orderly manner.
Mr.. Robert Stokes, the janitor, in the
meantime. under the impression that the
buil1ing was on fire, or else deceived by
the alarm ran west on Fifth street to the
Baxter street engine house. from where the
fire alarm was sounded. With even speed,
the alarm, false though 1t proved TO be,
was travelling into homes and bringing to
the school house excited mothers and par
ents, whose alarm knew no bounds until
they realized that their children were safe.
Miss Wright, who remained remark
ably cool and collected In the trying mo-
ment, says that the room appeared full Of
sparks and there was q strong smell of sui
phur. This snlphurOus oder permeated
the building and was noticed by other
teachers.
Apparently, beyond the fright and ner-
vousness sustained, none of her pupils
complained Of injury. On dismissal and
return home, however, one Of her pupils,
Rose Underwood, colored. II years old, be
came paralyzed. DIR. Ackerson was sent
for, who found that the sight Of her right
eye was completely blinded and her right
side paralyzed.n