New-York tribune., 1891-02-18
CROWDED IN FILTHY ROOMS.
CONDITION OF HEBREW PRIVATE SCHOOLS
IN TENEMENT HOUSES.
THE REPORT OF DR.. NORRIS TO THE HEALih
DEPARTMENT LEADS TO THE CLOSING


DEPARTMENT LEADS TO THE CLOslNU
OF DOZEN SCHOOLS.
DR. Moreau Morris, OF the Health Department. WIN
recently began examination OF the private s.ioois
in the city, yesterday laid before the leaIth hodiu
a long report Of fortyw Hebrew schools IN teHehe'.'
bouses and synagogucs in the district east Oh "'o
nowery There are other Hebrew private schools yet
IN he examined, but DR.. Morris discovered so many
unlIealthiu conditions at the outset that lie oecueu
10 make a preliminary report The SCHOOLS ""c'''
examined are in tho houses Nos III ana "a Aheh's.,
~ Bayard ST., ID Chrysticst 10, IL, H. ol D., %
and A Essex-st.; Al, los. no, COG ana 20 has.
Rroadway; SO Edridge-st 81, 80, "a, A. do anu
II Hcster-st; Z 10. 81 and % Ludow-st. 10 NorioN
81 90. 3c, A and A. Orchardst. 10 Pittst. anu
d, can,lst There are two schools In eacl OF the
,orcmenth houses Nos IL Essexst., "a and Al Hester
Ct and 81 Ludlowst and each OF the houses NOS
"a Esscxst and A. Orchards contains three separate
schools Twentyfour OF the schools are tuS hciuded
in fourteen tenement houses
In nearly every case Dr. Morris found that the
school room was ono Of a set OF rooms occupied py
thc teacher and his family. As rule the room was
ma, urouerIv lighted or ventilated and was over
crowded Fumes Of cooking food and OF tobacco
smoke helped to make the atmosphere CLOSE anu
dangerous. some OF the teachers were Dacheiors'
hut they smoked their pipes and cooked their Ioou III
te Scarcely one OF the f0TtytwO teacheg'
could speak word Of English and several OF them iad
rhcy were expected to teach the Hebrew language Dr.
NORRIS was able 10 converse with them only with the
aid of all interpreter. some OF The schoolrooms wero
in synagogIes, and found In better condition as
70 light and ventilation than were the school rooms
in tenement houses but dirty floors walls and ceilings
rerc noticed in all Discipline among the scholars,
whose ages were from five to twelve years. seemed 10
be unknown Rude benches the only articles OF
furniture i'm the rooms and the scholars were per-
mltted 10 walk about at will.
Among the schools In which the conditions were ex-
tremely unhcalthful Dr. Morris mentioned those at Nos
"a Allen-st.. II Chrystc-st, TO- l.. 10, 3S and HA
r.sex.st; 50 EIdridge-st. 30 and "a IIcsterst and
A orchard st. and recommended that they be closed
bv order Of the Health Board. Al. No 32 Hester-st
he found layer Of dirt quarter Of inch thick on
m, school room floor. His notes regarding the school
AT No. 10 Esscx-st. read
Third floor. rear ROOM A. NJ. RoSenthal, principal
Ten 10 fifteen boy scholars; room dirty and dlngy
entrance through Kitchen very sick woman wife
OF principal. living on bed in kitchen; no school fur
nltlire atmO sphere offensive.
At No. l. Chryste St the school was in the rear o.
tsfsht there by JACOB Lcvantha Dr. Morris's 7n
Ming notes read No ventilation and very poor Hight:
atmosphere sufocatlvc with tobacco smoke and some
vile cooking on stove in the room, entrance through
grocery floor filthy walls and ceiling black with DIRT
and smoke place hardly 1irG II cr fer m%S rain oD,tn,ma
and Or. Morris sent them home with orders 70 go 70
ad F n aid ' not SoS appear To To-
be any for preventing the spread Of contagious
diseases In the schools. .
pr Morris recommended amendment 10 the
sanitary Code by which private schools in tenement
houses shall be prohibited except by special license
granted by the Health Board lie expressed tho
opinion that no school in tenement house should be
permitted unless entire floor in the could be
given up school purposes. The terms Of a license
by the Health Board should include proper light,
ventilation and cleanliness ana the nlnper oI p1ps
should be limited as 10 give seventy cubic feet ol AIR
% each person. go ,.-. .
The Health Board agreed with DR.. MorI1s's recon-
mcndaiions and told him 10 go with his good work
After he gets through with the Hebrew pr vate schools
he will begin an examination Of the private Italian
schools