The Portland daily press., 1889-01-07

Chlldren can never be depended on to dis
charge the separate closets, and this has led
70 various mechanical devices for automatic
1usning Dy wires or chains attached to the
a es OF S seats. In theory these are very good
things, but have never yet seen such de-
vices that could be depended on for many
weeks az a time. When they fail, they create
Wretcned nuisance. 1t is for these reasons
tnat recommend the trough system for all
classes, with thorough and systematic at
. mnnanc a. wnich Is the only way to secure
proper nushlng in public schools that have
yer seen. and cannot be considered as an I'M
reasonable tax upon the attendants. A sys-
TEN Oh moods and air pipes leading from the
water-closets and urinals to some aspirating
nue. ior removing the effiuvia, has been gem
erally applied in school buildings with vari-
GUS success
In order to make this system of any real
value, the aspirating flue should be kept we'll
ne ne1ateo, at all seasons of the year, by spec
Certain duties of the janitor are definitely
set forth as follows:
All the floors about the water closets, ETC..
should De mashed by Scrubbing brushes daily,
anu rlnsed several times, daily, in hot
Weather, by using the hose, and all wood
worn should pc carefully washed. daily. with
war. warm suds where coming In contact with
tne person or subject to scattering of any
KING. In order to avoid too much dampness
IN tne air, while the pupils are about, these
washings should be performed immediately
a snaa scnool hours and the proper degree of
neat maintained in cold weather to dry the
surfaces as soon as possible. The use of
carDellc soap is often necessary around
urlnals, especially when younger boys are
accommodated. The desired results can
never De attained till the janitors are not
only carefully instructed in detail, but indus
trlously followed up with military precision
ana rear OF dismissal in case of neglect of
duty. When badly lighted cellar is used,
the Janitor readily falls into careless habits.
La order to remedy this defect as far as pos
slble at small cost, all the stone and brick
walls of the basement should be white
washed with lime as often as twice a year
and sometimes oftener, when necessary to
keep, the surface bright and pure. The
wooden partitions should also be painted
light color-lemon or straw color is prefer
able-so that soiled places can be readily de-
tected and cleansed and the greatest possible
amount OF light reflected upon all dark cor
ners.
Under the heading of ventilation for school
oom,. Mr.: Philbrick says: Since the heat
upplled for comfort in winter is generally
used IN our climate as a motive power to Sc
cure change OF air in the rooms, the sub
Ject OF ventilation is inseparably connected
with that Of heating. This agent may be
made sufficient and produce satisfactory re-
SUITS IN school buildings having but
ten or twelve rooms or less, but larger ones
may with advantage use fans or blowers to
move the air by mechanical force. Since
other reasons exist apparently for limiting
the size OF your school buildings to those
containing ten rooms or less, the considera-
lions for applying such mechanical appara-
tus should be considered. The heat Of the
air becomes motive power BY reason of the
force of gravity.
Hot air is lighter than cold air and floats
by its own buoyancy, while the cooler air
displaces the lighter by its superior weight.
1t is generally accepted by psychologists that
fresh air should be supplied in school rooms
when occupied at the rate of at least 40 cubic
feet per minute fol. each occupant. Where
smaller allowance is provided, the pupil suf-
lers q degree OF loss Of vigor, indicated by
the sleepiness and stupor. and generally i'm
paired vitality The system of heating by
stoves or by direct steam, provides no means
for introducing fresh air, and is therefore
not to be recommended except for halls and
passages, or for supplementing in exposed
places during severe weather the better sys-
TEN OF heating by indirect steam or furnaces
Furnaces serve good purpose for small
buildings, but are not well adapted for larger
ones, owing to the difficulty of distributing
hot ar horizontally, while steam can be sup
pied from a single fire and distributed for
considerable distance.
by the Indirect system, so-called, the steam
is deployed in coils of pipe in the basement
underneath the rooms to be heated. These
coils are encased by sheet iron chambers to
which air should be be conducted by close
c0ndults from the northern and western
sides of the building through holes in the
basement wall. After being heated by the
steam coils the air rises in other conduits to
the rooms where heat is needed. As the
steam Is always as hot as 2l2o Fab and hot
ter as the pressure is increased in the boiler,
room could be heated to the desired tenn
perature, say 65 degrees, by introducing
small quantity of air heated to 200 degrees or
better by larger quantity at a lower tenn
perature. The volume of air introduced is
regulated by the size of the ducts and these
should be so proportioned as to supply the
air in quantity sufficient to meet the require
ment above indicated, according to the mum.
Der OF pupils to be provided for.
The volume OF air In motion should be the
same, as near as may be, for all conditions
OF the weather, and the temperature regulat-
ed by the amount of steam admitted to the
coils. and the temperature of the same, which
varies with the boiler pressure, and is there
fore within certain limits under the control
OF the fireman. In order to avoid disagree
able drafts within the rooms, it is found best
to introduce the heated air at point above
the heads of the inmates,say eight feet above
the floor. Its buoyancy carries it direct to
the ceiling, and it spreads around the ceiling
and descends along the coolest sides of the
room. In order to ensure complete circula-
ton and the continual and successive dis
placement of all the air in the room, it is
best to withdraw the Initiated air from near
the floor and On the SAME side of the room
at which the hot air enters. The ducts for
removing itshould be rather larger than those
for admitting the fresh air, in order to avoid
drafts near the point of exit. and the up
ward movement of the spent air in the
ducts, by which it is withdrawn,
must be helped by artificial means. The
method easiest of application for this result
Is to apply one or more steam pipes within
this fiue, into which hot steam is admitted,
and by which the fiue may be heated to
degree considerable above the temperature
OF the room, to add buoyancy to the air as
1t escapes. 1t will readily be seen that if the
openings for the withdrawal of the spent air
are made near the ceiling, the fresh air will
escape by passing directly from the inlets to
tue outlets without the entire change of all
the air OF the room which we seek. Opening
for outlets near the ceiling are therefore
miscnievous In cold weather. They may be
used in summer weather, but are hardly
worth providing at this season if the win
dows extend to point near the ceiling, as
they always should do, and If made to be
opened from the top downwards.
thermometers should be supplied in every
school room and the person in charge of the
fires should consult them frequently and
should be governed by the Indications 65o
to 6S' Fab. is proper temperature for school
rooms in winter. Particular pains should be
taken in proportioning the size of the air
ducts, to accomplish the desired movement
Ill.
For this end the ducts should be made suffice
lent size to do their work without a more
rapid movement at the openings than six feet
per second, even less rate is desirable.
The use OF the ventilating apparatus is
often subject OF great mystery to the teach
ers as well as the attendants. think the
use OF these fixtures should be explained to
all teachers, and they should not be allowed
to close them without good reason. If any
local reason exists for their disuse it proba-
bly, arises from fault of construction, which
should be remedied No amount of skill
Will give us ventllating apparatus that will be
at all times successful automatically. Ii not
looked after by persons who understand its
uses and abuses, the desired object is seldom
obtained, except by accident The flushing
of school rooms with fresh air by opening
windows during recess time and after each
session is generally rendered necessary by
the imperfection of other means of renewal
OF air, and II is perhaps better understood
than the management of any other appara-
tus. Unfortunately, we have good deal of
weather in winter where this is inconven-
lent. 1t may be difficult, and perhaps un-
reasonable, to expect tie enforcement of
such standard of cleanliness about water
closets in public schools as | have in view
while working through the class of men now
generally employed as janitors. But think
these men would do excellent work in most
cases if clearly Informed what is expected of
them in detail, and if supplied with the nee
essary assistance to do the actual labor re-
CURED This last cannot be severe tax
upon the treasury, and will be appreciated
by the pupils in after life as much, think,
as any part their instruction received at
school. 1 mean the example of purity which
should be constantly before them In these