Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-10-01
LAST EDITION
The oDoR veRY OFFENSIVE.

o"nthAa heporter visit the Howard
school.
DR. James a Morgan Of the Health
Committee of the City Board OF Educa
tlon Is very much exercised over the at
titude assumed by Drs. Shortlidge ard
Wales OF the City Board of Health, with
reference to the sanitary condition OF
Howard School at Thirteenth aud Orange
streets
This morning be called at the EVENING
JOURNAL office and requested that re-
porter accompany him TO the school on a
tour OF investigation. His request was
porter went to the Water Department
and Plumbing Inspector E f. Kane con
sented to be one of the party.
On the way to the school DR. Morgan
gave an explanation of the mistake in
relation TO the number of deaths reported
at the meeting of the Board Of Educa
tion. He said:
II did not go to the school saw the
principal, Miss z. B. Kruse and asked
her about the sanitary condition Of the
school She complained that the odor
Arising from the water.closets was
almost unbearsble She also said there
was diphthe.ia in the school
/ asked her to give ma a
list Of the deaths from that Cause since
the school opened. Instead Of doing SO
she gave me list of those who ha died
since the school closed for summer yscA-
ton. They were as follows: James
Cleaver, John Gross, Mary Wise, Essis
Spencer Carrie Parm and Clarence
Todvin That was why the mistake oc-
CURED. In our report we did not say
that these deaths were directly due to
the condition of the water closets, but
that such condition was very likely to
superinduce such disease
Too Near TIE Building.
When the school was reached the first
place visited was the grounds The yard
is divided The north side is used by the
boys and the south side by the girls. In
the end of each yard is q large water
closet containing six departments. They
are over large well sunk abeut fifteen
feet in the ground.
On the boys side the water closet is
within three feet Of the school building
extension on the one side and the same
distance FROM house on the other side
1t is only four feet from two windows in
the school, and within distance Of
twelve feet, at different distances, are
eleven windows.
On the girls side of the yard the same
condition exists, with The exception that
there are nine windows, and the 81 oset is
not hemmed in by house on the other
sIds
When the visitors arrived the closets
had just been thoroughly cleaned and
scrubbed but the odor arising from
them under such conditions, considering
the cool weather, showed what 1t must
be on warm day when in use half day
by the $50 children who attend the
sei9ol
Before the additions to the school were
built the water closets were twenty I've
feet from the building. and the attend
ance at school was much smaller.
Plumbing Inspector Kane gave as his
opinion that the waterclosets were not
only offensive but also prsjudicial to
heath He suggested that Latrine
closets be put in They are the same
- those now in use in schools Nos. and
IS aud at Sacred Heart Catholic school
Further than that he advised the com
mtttee to run a sewer up Shipley street
extended, which is just back Of the
school to Thirteenth street. and petition
the Street aud Sewer Department to run
a sewer west from Market on Thirteenth
street to intercept it. The grade Of
Shipley street extended as he called the
alley back Of the school, is very good for
carrying out the suggestion which will
probably be adopted If the Street and
Sewer Department will place the sewer on
Thirteenth street.
What the Teachers Say.
The principal and her staff Of assist
ants we're severally interviewed They
Laf IN han he u4a a 4r
almost UNDESIRABLE, Notwithstanding the
coperas placed in the closets. In the hack
rooms, up stairs and down stairs. the
teachers said they could not raise the
windows One of the teachers said that
in iwarm weather the scholars have
taken up cont buttons to buy coperas to
reduce the stencil.
Mrs. Fairweather said: 1--WE are an
noyed very much We had to use coperas
two or three times in June Indeed it has
been very annoying this last warm spell.
No children have been home sick Our
windows are right over it, and.we cannot
hsvA them open.
Miss Reeves Sincs last May they
have been very offensive when il was hot
and the sun was shining. fhave been
compelled to send some of the children
h,me have none home now"
Miss Cohesive cannot have these
windows open at all The children get
sick. don't know whether It is the
cause or not. had to let them 60 home
The odor is very offensive to us. have
never yet been compelled to dismiss
school on acsount Of it. 1t is much worse
on warm and sultry days, and particularly
offensive in the afternoon.
Miss Spruce-''The officer of the
Board Of Health was here yesterday. he
made an examination and said 1t was all
right. All they wanted was to
be washed out and some coperas
used. | sent one child home
this week with diphtheria. One child
WAS sent home because it had the same
disease. It was sent home by order of
Dr. Samuel @ Ebert. During the last
warm spell the stencil was unbearable.
The lower rooms and the back rooms are
worse than the others
DR. Morgan was very much gratifed by
the vindicstion he found in the visit.
Young Druggists on the Fly.
Several changes will be made among
the druggists assistants of the city thi