The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-12
FIRE DRILLS FOR SCHOOLS.
CHIEF MAGUIRE ADVANCES SOME
IDEAS on THE SUBJECT.

IDEAS On THE SUBJECT
Reasons Why Drills Are Needed
Here and How They should BE
Carried Out-Teachers and Pupils
should BE Trained 10 March ont At
the Tap of the Gong Without
knowing whether IL l. for Fire
or n Test-A Species of Eduea-
ton which VIII BE Of Advantage
in after Life.
Fire Chief Maguire's communication TO
the school board on The subject or hre
drills for the school children, mention or
which was made in yesterdays Morning
News. has excited general interest among
parents. The fact that large numbers OF
children are crowded into the few public
school buildings and that such conditions
represent a serious danger under certain
circumstance is unquesuoned-
A Mornins News reporter saw Chief Ma
guire at his office yesterday and had a
talk with him in which he explained his
ideas more fully.
II think" said he. The Introduction Of
FIRE drills in our public schools should in
terest every parent in this city. II you
want TO fully realize the Importance Of
taking precautions against stampede
Just visit one Of the schools and notice
the little tots in the lower classes and pic
ture to yourself what show they would
have for their lives il all OF the children
made a rush for the doors as result OF
the discovery of fire. Imagine the result
Of a rush down the stairs under the same
circumstances. and you can readily under
stand the Importance, or / might say, the
absolute necessity of what have suggest
ed to the school authorities l will adj
init that the character OF the buildings
used for school houses in this city very
materially lessons the liability Of stu
dents being burned should the building
catch fire, but / think the stampede and
uncomfortable condition Of affairs in case
fire is discovered is far more dangerous
than the fire itself. / know the scholars
are drilled to enter and leave the school
rooms in a quiet and orderly manner, but
] am satisfied that without proper and
frequent drills they would be very hard
10 control If they became aware of the
fact that the school was ahre. II would
take a little time to thoroughly systema-
tize these drills and think the simplest
and plainest drill possible is what we want
something the smallest child in the school
could understand after a lesson or two.
How should the drills be cOnducted?"
Chief Mcguire was asked.
Il think the teachers should superin-
tend the drills; they might divide their
classes and assign the command OF the
divisions to such Of the pupils as they
might select. All doors should be made
to open outwardly and the aisles or pass
age ways should always be kept free
from Instructions. Each school house
should be provided with a large gong,
such as are used by the fire department.
to be used exclusively for fire alarms
Another very desirable thing would be the
location Of two or three fire eXtinguish-
ers in places where they could be conVen-
iently gotten at by the larger boys, who
could be assigned and instructed in hand
ling them"
Chief Mcguire does not think the drills
should be part Of routine instructions
in the schools. After pupils and teach
ers have learend what is required of
them the alarm should be sounded at
unexpected times. By this means the
children would not know when the gong
sounded an alarm whether IL was merely
for practice or whether 1t was really a
land the former being the more natural
supposltion they would be more like
~ to leave the building in good order in
the latter case.
II think" said he, sit would be a very
bad idea to have fire drills on any stated
day or at any stated hour. The prime
object would be thus defeated, the chill
dren would soon know when to expect
the alarm, and 1t would become to them
a routine work in which they would soon
lose interest. To insure success tho alarm
should be SOUNDED Nlneu neither the ledcn
ers nor the pupils expect it, By this ar
arrangement the teachers get accustomed
to suppressing all signs of excitement
or alarm, and by their GOODNESS give the
children the necessary confidence in case
of fire. ] admit that an alarm sounded.
say at half past 10, would break in on
the studies, but IL would be for so short
a time that / do not think II would inter-
fere much. This would OF course, be
matter for the superintendent to decide.
] think one drill a week would be all that
IS necessary after the second or third
week"
HAS this system of drills been generally
introduced?" he was asked.
Nearly all the principal cities In the
country have fire drills in the schools, 10
was the reply. They are an education
equally important as any other lesson
taught in our schools; they give the stu
dent a knowledge and an experience use
full in after life; they become accustomed
TO controlling their feelings; they are
more collected, and less liable to excite
ment, should they at any time be caught
in a burning building. In theaters and
other places OF amusement. where large
crowds are congregated, the chances of
a stampede are materially lessened from
the fact that the minds OF the students
and necessity of prompt yet cool and
deliberate action"
II have not given the details much
thought" said Chief Mcguire, in con-
clusiOn but / win be prepared to give
the board of education what assistance
] can, If they decide TO favorably receive
my suggestion and inaugurate the drills"
NO LETTER FROM MIR. GORDON YET