The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-20
TROUGH SYSTEM.
Shall It Be Dispensed With, Or
Shall 1t Continue.
DISCUSSION OVER THE BUTLER
SCHOOL SANITARY CONDITION.

Hon. Charles #. Libby Spoke at Length for
demonstrating Parents-Dr. Merrill Re-
piled for the Board of Health-Remarlxs
of the Others Meeting of the Board
Today.
AT the Butler school building yesterday,
there was a meeting of the board of
health, the committee on public buildings
and Interested citizens, to discuss the
question of improved sanitary arrange
ments for the school. Many Of the
parents OF the children attending the
school, are dissatisfied with the recent
recommendations of the board of health
to the committee. and this meeting was
for the purpose of ventilating this dis
satisfaction.
There were present when the meeting
opened, Mayor Baxter and Councilmen
Snow Illsley and Holland of the COM
mittee on public buildings, City Clerk
Dyer and Drs Merrill and Cummings of
the board of health, Superintendent Lord
and Hon. Charles +. Libby. Captain J.
S. Winslow, Theodore Woodbury., Sidney
W. Thaxter and H. Z. Wnipple.
ME- Libby was the spokesman for the
dissatisfied parents He said that there
had been meeting that morning, and
that among those who were present were
Captain Winslow, Theodore Woodbury.,
A. R. Wright, Dr. E. E. Holt, c. G..
Harmon, James E. Marrett, Franklin G.
Payson, Sidney W. Thaxter, H. T..
Whipple and others. The question under
consideration was the question of the
sanitary arrangements in the basement;
that is, the cement troughs.
Mr. Libby said that he was expressing
the views of the different people he had
mentioned and who might be considered
representative of the parents whose chill
dren at tended the school
/ They want the adjustment Of the
cement trough system in the basement.
Their inclination is toward single water
closets, perhaps ten on side, making
twenty in all.
1t was suggested to narrow up those
cement troughs and line them, but the
sentiment is against the trough system
entirely, and in favor strongly of the
closet system.
The parents felt very strongly about
this matter. Some said that if it were
necessary they would prefer to make
a subscription themselves to defray the
expense of the change 1t was desired
that the cement should be replaced by
slate as is the case at the High school.
The cement has to be painted once in tive
weeks and even then it is impossible to
keep the cement clean.
Mr.. Libby had inquired as to the cost
of putting in twenty bowl closets. such as
are in use at the n Ugh school. He had
been given an estimate on good authority,
that it would cost from $775 to $3.50.
Ultimately what ought to be done in the
Butler school, is something of similar
nature to what exists in the High school,
in bringing the sanitary arrangements Of
all the school houses up to the high grade
of those of the High school.
Mr.. Libby spoke with much earnestness
as to the value of the schools to the COM
munity. He declared that it is not policy
to deal with these matters in any small
or niggardly way.
In regard to the present methods Of
ventilating and heating the building, he
said that he had cen told that in some
Of the rooms where there are hot air
chambers, nearest to the water closets the
odors from the closets have been detected.
Teachers in these rooms may not notice
the odors while there, but if they go in
| to another room and come back they then
notice it.
Mr.. Libby said that in the case of his
own house, where no expense had been
spared in hot air boxes he had been I'M
able to get any that were absolutely air
tight.
Also DR.. Holt had told him that he too
had spared no trouble or expense, but
could not get air-tight boxes. Now in
the High school they have large room
shut away from elsewhere by brick walls
and with windows opening out doors
through which the cold air comes onto
the steam pipes and is sent up into the
school. In cold weather it involves great
expenditure Of fuel to heat zero air up to
| seventy degrees. 1t is very possible that
in the Butler school in order to save heat
| ing the oustide air sometimes it has been
shut off, and the warmer air from the in
terror sent up to the school rooms. D.
He thought it entirely feasible that In
the Butler school single room might be
used similar to that in the High school
where only the outside air can be used.
| Mr.. Libby declared that he advocated
nothing for the Butler school that he
would not for any school house in the
city.
He spoke of Mayor Baxter's earnest
solicitude in regard to this matter. he
also said that he knew something about
Back Cove because of his connection with
the street railroad that has built the
power plant there. The sewer emptles
close to their wharf. They have hao TO
al and h6 felt that