New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-03
SCHOOLS IN BAD CONDITION.
WHAT EX-COMMIssIONER wEHRUM HAS
DISCOVERED.
HE TELLS OF Personal INSPECTIONS HE HAS
MADE-MANY BUILDINGS FOUND TO BE IN
AN UNSANIIA AIRY STATE AND UNSAFE
FOR CHILDREN TO STUDY IN
"A DEAF TEACHER.

"A DEAF TEACHER.
One of the last services performed by Charles C.
Wehrum as Commissioner Of the Board of Educa-
ton was to hand In detailed report showing that
many OF the buildings used for public school pur-
poses In this city In dangerous condition from
a sanitary point of view. Mr.. Wehrum. probably
more than any other Commissioner took personal
interest in the public schools and visited nearly ali
OF them during the las; year. lie found many things
to complain Of. not only In the unhealthy condition
of the buildings. but I'm the teachers department.
He said TO a Tribune reporter ut would be almost
impossible detail all the defects that have found
in our school system. have made it a business
far as possible to visit all pubic schools and see
for myself # the serious charges are true. In too
many instances. they ara true, and in some
they than first reported. have noted the
result Of these visits IN my letter-book, and can
you that of the facts recorded there
would bring the blush % shame and Indignation to
the cheek Of every citizen. visited number of
schools where | found teachers absolutely incompe
tent properly 70 discharge their duties. | remeD1-
her school in particular which visited. on
tered classroom. and saw the teacher on the
other side Of the room, with her back toward me.
made sufficient noise TO attract her attention. but
she did not seem TO be aware OF the entrance OF
visitor Finally, one Of the pupils went over to her.
and pulling her dress. called her attention TO the
fact that a visitor in the room. then learned
that she deaf post. and had been in the
place for years. Imagine New-fork schoo-
teacher az deaf this attempting to teach children
How can she possibly tell whether the pupils answer
correctly not? | found other cases quite as OUT
rageous this one
The main work done by Commissioner Wehrum.
however was inquiring into the sanitary condition
OF the school buildings OF the al grammar and
primary school buildings in this city Mr. Wehrum
pronounced forty-four 20 be In bad sanitary con-
ditlon In his report ne mentions each OF these
81 Of shof
each lacks. Nearly all OF them are deficient In
water-cosets some OF which are located In the
the classrooms. In Grammar school No: ". at No;
80 ALen-st, the ventilation IS found 70 ne PAD ana
uncndurable' At Grammar school No :. at Chrys-
tie and Hester SITS. one-haf OF me ground moor ,
is used live poultry market. the smells OF the
poultry permeatlng through the floors above rem
dering the classroom ill-smelng at al hours me
ses which adds greatly to the unsanitary condition
OF the ciassrooms above The cases OF one OF me
primary schools conducted in an old cnurcn
building which has no accommodations Whatever
for school purposes either in the matter OF Ventila
Mir wehrum decares that in Grammar school
No g. at No 2s tne ceS Sro rs b' mp
back yard the school having no sewerage connection
whatever. A number Of the children IN thls scho0l
have been taken Ill from dpntheria which. It IS
he'd has resulted directly from the pad sah!ary
the water-cosets are described by Mr.. Wehrum as
being filthy and inadequate and con- nn,nass .h C'
No g. Second-ave and Nne,y-ninth-st. the closets
ar, in the cellar and are In a bad condition M
Wehrum describes Grammar School NO ~, az No
u North Moore-st.. being Undertook. having a
wet cellar and being heated by stoves thereoy
greatly increasing the chances or fire. -
The other school buildings pronounced by MI
Wehrum as being in unsanitary or unsafe CON
diton are Grammar Schools 80. - at No. ~ west
Flf:y-second-st. No 81 AT No. 2Is East Flfiy,sey-
onih-st: No. CO. in Col;ege-aye. and One-hunarred-
and fort nfth-s: No 81! IN one hundred and NIFTY
srventh-st near Courtand-ave.; No. -. IN mira
ave and Onc-hundrei- ani-seventy-th ird,St; NO 3D.
Iocusi-aye and Walker-s,.; No. o. Aoany-aNe.'
Kingsbriige NJ. 20 at no 2)1 East seventy .nitn-
St no. g. at No 300 Ets. For,y-sXtn-st,: NO; IS,
AZ No 2i6 East One-hundred-and-tenth-st No; ~ at
10 40 West FIftleth-st.; No. * at No -" KivIng-
ton-st.. No 81. in ogden ave No !. at NO. -S KY
lncton-st. No S. at 80. % King No Is. al No.
ss9 East Houston-st, No. Il. at No 30 West FORTY
seventh-st: No. IS. at No. l2l East EItty.hrs.-
ST. No 90 at No. 100 Chrystie-st; No. q at NO.
2S7 Yves, Forteth-st.. No. 3d. at No lt3 Baxter-st
No a. at No Jos B-oome-sL; No s. at 30 40
Fast Ninth-st. No 81. AZ No. ll9 East Eighty
sors,,h IS, and No Is at No darkest.