Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-08
PROMPTLY EXTlNGUISHED.
A Fire at the Colored High School
Causes Some Alarm.
The Goodness of the Teachers Avoid
ed q Panic-Children Out of the
Building In Five Minutes.

Shortly before noon today the colored
high school. LIST and NJ streets northwest,
was discovered to be on fire, and while the
flames were quickly extinguished, only the
ccolness Of teachers and pupils prevented
what might have been a most serious dis
aster. Happily, however, no one was in
jured. and the prompt arrival Of the fire
department kept the damage done by
the fire down to a figure not exceeding
500.
Principal Cardoza stated to Star re-
porter that about II 10 he detected an odor
of burning wood, and sending for Assistant
Janttor Caleb Duffin was told that it came
from a bucket of tar in which a spark
had fallen in the boiler room, and that
there was no danger of fire.
With that explanation Mr.. Cardoza re-
turned to his duties, and thought no more
of the matter. In few minutes, however,
the man returned and informed Principal
CardOza that the ceiling of a closet in the
basement attached to the boiler room was
on fire from an overheated pipe. and that
he could not put it out, and that the prin-
cipal had better quietly dismiss the pupils.
Naturally, somewhat alarmed" ex-
planned Mr.. Cardoza, Il Immediately sent
Mr.. Fletcher. one of my teachers, to turn
In the alarm. / then sent word by Miss
Marshall the librarian. to each of the
twenty teachers to quietly assemble and
dismiss their pupils. ringing the bell used
for the changing of classes and the as
sembling and dismissal of the different
schools.
The unusual hour at which the bell rang
n:2o was an intimation to teachers and pu-
pills alike that there was something wrong
and very naturally the pupils became some
what excited, especially as there was the
odor Of burning wood and some slight
smoke. But the teachers quickly assembled
in their respective rooms with their pupils,
and and they assured the pupils there was
fnf0 n
the pupils became wonderfully calm. and
left the building in absolutely perfect order
and with all their wraps and books, the
building being cleared of pupils in less than
nve minutes time. The ample modes of
egress, three in front and two in the rear
of the building, afforded every facility for
such a prompt dismissal.
THE fire department responded very
promptly, but every pupil had left the
building before that. / trust The Star will
say for me that 1 cannot too highly praise
the teachers, about half Of whom were la
dies for their great GOODNESS and efficient
services in allaying the very natural ex-
element of their pupils and dismissing
them 80 promptly and in such perfect good
order. And the pupils themselves are no
less deserving Of the utmost commentator
upon their behavior under SO trying circurn-
stances. Indeed. / am immeasurably proud
Of my teachers and pupils"
Principal Cardoza stated that there were
4s7 pupils in the building at the time Of the
fire. Of whom 800 were girls, the ages Of the
pupils running from fourteen to twenty.
The flames were quickly extinguished by
the firemen and were confined to the ceiling
of the closet in the basement Inspector
King Of the District building inspectors
office made an examination of the damage
done and stated that 500 would cover it.
The pipe which is supposed to have ignited
the ceiling was, said Mr.. King, twenty
inches below the ceiling. and he could not
account for the fire except upon the theory
that the pipe became disconnected and the
a Of aScip
pipe. was forced up against the ceiling No
fire escapes were used by the pupils for the
very good reason that the building is with
out them.