Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-13
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Meeting OF Board of Trustees Held
Last Evening.
SANITATION REPORT BY MRS. SfOWELL
Appointments, Promotions and Re-
auctions of Teachers Ratified.
CHANGES IN HIGH SCHOOLS

the 9Os2EO Oh pubic SCHULZ tiuStceS, kiS
term for which she was appointed having
expired. Mrs. L. r. Stowell. for herself and
DR.. d. H Hazen. last evening submitted.
at a meeting of the board, the following
report:
a large amount of work has been I'M
derta1en by your committee on sanitation
within the past two years. Not nearly so
much has been completed however, as has
been set in motion. The interest taken 10y
the public in all questions of sanitation in
the schools proves this TO be true. Never
before have the daily papars given so
much space to the health of children. Sew
eral of the more philanthroDic organiZa-
items of the city have appointed commit
tees to visit the schools and to continue
the agitation of this subject. Possibly the
greatest advance is in the interest mani
tested by the physicians of the city in our
schools. They have not only had commit
tees visiting the schools. but they have
also devoted entire evenings of their medf-
cal associations to these questions of SAM
tation and the health of school children.
And why should this interest not exist? We
have the lives and health of nearly 1900
children In our keeping. We are indeed
glad Of whatever help the public can give
us.
Among the more beneficial things ac-
complished by your committee is the aban-
dCn1nS OF basement rooms wherever they
were used for school purposes. There were
several hundred children housed during
the entire school day in basement rooms.
three years ago. These rooms can never
have the same sunshine, good ventilation
and dry AR that upstairs rooms have.
we have secured, so far as possible,
adequate supply of water, both for drink
ing purposes and for washing the hands,
on each floor of every school building
throughout the city. The sum of $1,000 has
Teen appropriated for the purchase of wa
ter filters. that the children may have pure
water to drink 1t is 20 be earnestly hoped
that this amount can be appropriated eacn
year until the schools are all supplied with
these filters
The Cloak Rooms.
"A change has been brought about in the
cloak rooms of the schools and each child
fortunate enough TO attend in the new
buildings. has his wraps separated from
those of his neighbors by a partition. We
certainly hope that this separation of
cloaks and hats will be soon provided for
in all the old buildings as well.
"A personal examination of nearly all the
school buildings in the city has been made.
In addition to visiting the school rooms
an investigation into the sanitary con-
dition of all the Easements. furnace rooms
and closets has been made. As a result
of these personal visits we recommend the
following:
Il That especial instruction be given all
teachers so as to secure the best possible
health among the children.
80 That attention be given to the regu-
lation of light in the school rooms; to max
ing such arrangements that all of the light
of the room comes from one direction; and
guarding against direct sunlight.
- That the negotiations now pending
be completed and that a committee from
the Medical Association of the District
visit the schools and make such exami-
nations of the children's eyes they may
deem necessary, and that they also look
after those children suffering from head
aches or sickness while in school, thus
preventing. to large degree, the cpl
denies in the schools.
II. That all books now furnished free
text books be taken home by the children
at the end of the year as their own per-
sonal property. This will add about one
third more to the expense of supplying he
schools with books. but it will give to the
family (the father, mother and older chill
dren). an opportunity for more education,
besides fostering love for books. 1t will
obviate. in a measure, the danger of con-
tagion or disease being spread from one
family to another. All school books should
be thoroughly cleansed. repaired and fumi
gated during the vacation.
.. That pencils. slate pencils, pen hold
ers and all such helps for work should
not be distributed to different children
morning after morning. They should
used only by one pupil and never ex-
changed.
70 That greater care be- taken in the
sweeping and busting of the rooms es-
pecially the first grade rooms.
-. That all school doors should open.
or swing. outward.
IS. That some of the closets used by the
seventh and eighth grade girls in each
building be supplied with doors.
For Ample Play Grounds.
80 That the school grounds. so far as
possible. of all the school houses be of such
an extent as to insure reasonably wide,
clear space on all sides of the building
and so arranged as to give ample and sep
arate play grounds for boys and girls, and.
If possible, separate play grounds for small
and large boys.
10. That these play grounds be provided
with all the necessary appliances for the
most healthful and least dangerous OF the
outdoor games.
IL. That the sale of cigarettes. in any
store penny lunch room, within the
same limit as liquor selling, be prohibited
by law.
I'VE believe that today the public schools
of the city of Washington are in better
sanitary condition than are the schools of
any other large city
After a number of complimentary re-
marks had been made in reference to il by
Major George H. Harries, Mr.. Job Barnard
and others, the report was placed on fle
President Wheipley referred TO the eff
ciencyI with which Mrs. Stowell had per-
formed her duties as Il member of the
board. and said he greatly regretted TO
know that she would longer serve in
that capacity. other members spoke in /,
Similar vein
Recomnfc N da tions Confirmed.
The board confirmed the following recon-
mendations BY the several trustees:
Central High SchooI-Appoint Burton r.
Ross military inspector at $50; Miss Mar
garei Barnes. teacher, at 500.
Business High School - Appoint Miss
Geneva W. Gordon teacher of stenography
and typewritins, at $3.50.
Colored High School-Appoint Sarah w
Brown, teacher. at $3.50, from October /
1897.
First Division.
Promote the following teachers: Mary
Macauley, from second to third grade and
from si75 TO $50 per annum,~ vice Mar
guerite LASER. on leave; Z. E. Foster and
s. r. Holland, from $4I5 to $50 per an
mum; Alice Pollok, A. G. Getty, H. T.
Draper, Mamie Smith, G. L. Altschu and
F. n. Thomson, from $50 to $i75 per an
mum; E. g. Swami. from $425 to $50; b. E.
Morrison. from 800 to $is5. Assign NJ. F.
Darlington, teacher, to first grade. at 500
per annum-
Second Division.
Promote the following teachers: NJ L.
Murphy from second to third grade and
from $40 to $50 per annum. vice B. c.