The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-21
THE BUTLER SCHOOL.
The Board Of Health and Public Build
ings Committee Confer.


Messrs. Randall, Snow, Holland and
Illsley, of the committee on public build
ings. DR.. Merrill, DR.. Cummings and
City Clerk Dyer, constituting the Board
of Health, met in the Mayors room to
further consider what ought to be done
in the basement of the Butler school
house.
| Mayor Baxter called the meeting to
order and then asked the health board
to state what they had finally decided,
after further delibeIation, to recommend
in the matter.
| DR.. Merrill said that this is an import
ant matter and needs great deal of
calm thought. The Board of Health
want to do the right thing, but the ques-
| ton has been, what is the right thing2
There is at present great excitement
| among the parents of the Butler school
district The Board of health believe
that the first plan outlined BY them,
which is now being carried out, was
enough to make the school house safe
and sanitary, yet from the hearing yes
terday the Board has come to the con-
clusion, that the plan already recommend
ed by them is not sufficient to satisfy
the ideas of safety held by the residents
III that part of the city. The Board
have therefore decided to recommend
that the trough system be taken out and
that sufficient number of water closets
like those in the High School building
be substituted. They will also recon-
mend slate urinals, exactly the same as
those in the High school building. They
recommend that the heating apparatus
remain the same, except two or three
radiators which should be moved away
from the water closets.
DIR. Merrill then went on to state that
the Board Of Health, in their visit to
Chestnut street school house Tuesday
had found an unsanitary condition in the
basement. The urinal should be taken
out and a system of urinals and water
closets, exactly the same as those in the
high school building should be put in.
Mr. Illsley suggested that in the Butler
school, the sanitary arrangements ought
to be moved to the attic. There would
be no danger of bad air.
DR.. Merrill said that the Board of
Health had not considered the proposition
of removing sanitary arrangements from
the basement.
Mr.. Randall was of the decided opin-
ion that an expert ought to be employed
and the arrangements put in first class
shape, under this experts directions.
He thought the plan proposed by the
Board of Health would be in the nature
of patching up and not a permanent i'm
provement.
Mayor Baxter said he could see no OBJ
lection to putting the sanitary arrange
ments into the attic.
DR.. Cummings said that even if these
there would still DO danger of dust and
cellar air getting into the rooms through
the heating apparatus.
Mr.. Illsley said that the cold air boxes
could be made tight, statements to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
DR.. Cummings thought that ultimate
ly the Butler school people would de-
mand the fan system of heating and ven-
tilation, like that in the High school,
Mr.. Snow said that to make the i'm
proyements recommended by the Board
of Health would cost $500.
DR.. Cummings thought that the new
water closet system should be put in at
once, but the question Of better heating
apparatus could be deferred until vaca-
ton time. He said that in his opinion
the condition of the Park, Casco, West
End and Monument schools were as bad
eventually it would be well to make
changes in all of these school buildings,
but the parents of the Butler school
children have made so much fuss that it
would be well to make the changes asked
for there at once, although he believed
the unsanitary condition of the Butler
school building to be much exaggerated.
Councilman Illsley was afraid that
kick from the people who have children
in the Butler school, amounts to much
more than would kick from any other
part of the city. Why should children
III Ull0 W6Su lIllu DetVo luOI6 dUuGuUlOu
paid to their comfort and health than
the children of the eastern part of the
city? Why should Butler school be put
in sanitary condition and the schools
situated in less favored parts of the town
be left as they are? If the children in
Butler school are in danger from the I'M
sanitary condition of the building, so are
those in other schools. The people in the
eastern part Of the city think as much
of their children as do those of the West
End. I AIN with the Board of Health
every time in recommending any changes
for the better, and I will do all can
to help improve the Butler or any other
school, but when it comes to making the
appropriation I shall kick against Butter
school getting all and the other schools
nothing. Butler school, as far as am
concerned, can have all that is needful
to make the building safe, but if my vote
counts for anything, the other schools
get just as much.
hot no Roar6 Of