The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-11-06
PUBLIC SCHOOL HYGIENE
Suggestions in Health Officer Wood
wards Annual Report.
Heating and Yentilating Systems in
Vogue Far From Satisfactory.
Air Uneyenly Distributed.

He2Hl, Officer Woodward, In his annta
| report under the head of school hygiene
says
The sanitary condition OF the public
| sc ChuCis OF this District was the subject
| OF az investigation by committee Ip
| PORTED by the House of Representa- tives
| February 20, 1882, and consisting OF
| Col. John ). Filings, then surgeon, 4 $.
A.. Mr. John Eaton, then Commiss io1er
oI Education: and Mr.. Edward Clark ar
chitect o. the L. =. Capitol. Its report
| was printed In Miscellaneous Document
| No. st, FOIty seventh Congress, fist sos
| SION
THE c,nclu sions of this COMMITTEES.
| which are, il j. believed. OF sufficient nut
portance TO justify their quotation a.
length, Were Is follows
u. All sides or the building shall lie
fully exposed to light and air, for which
purpose they shall not be less than sixty
feet distant from any opposite building.
-. Not more than three Of the floors,
better OILY two, shall be occupied for class
looms.
80. Il. each class ToOm not less than
fifteen square feet Of floor area shall fe
allotted 10 each pupil.
"a. In each ella IS room the window
space should not ne less than oue fourth oS
the floor sn3ce, ana the distance of tee
desk most remote from the window should
not he more than one and a ha,r tines
the height OF the top of the window from
the floor.
-. The height OF the class room should
never exceed fourteen feet.
"'6. Tire provisions SfGryentilItiOn SHOULD
he such IS To provide for each person in d
classroom not less than 80 cubic feet 90
fresh air per minute, which amount must
be introduced and thoroughly distributed
without creating unpleasant draughts ,r
causing any two parts of the room to dif
fer in temperature more than 2 degrees
Fahrenheit, orJhe ma Ximum temperature L"
exceed 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The Va
lOIity of the ming air should not eX-
ceed feet per second at any point where
it is liable To strike on the person.
Z. The heating the fresh air should
be effected by Indirect radiation.
g All Clusets for Containing clothing
and wraps should be thoroughly ventilated,
- 9. Water closet accommodations for
the pupil should he provided on each floor
10 The building should not occupy
more tndn la11 Of the lot
THE school buildings which are erected
today are modelled along the lines laid down
by this Committee, ard from a saaitaiy
standpoint can be little, II at all, iur
proved upon. The sites which are lis i1lIy
purchased for these buildings, are. how
ever, much smaller than the prescribed
size. and might be enlarged with great ld-
vantage. both for The purpose of providing
suitable Fairgrounds FOL the pupils, and Of
improving the lighting and ventilation "f
the building. As, however, the size of che
site is usually limited by the amount OF the
appropriation, IL will manifeStly be inl-
possible to improve this feature of our build
ings, unless larger appropriations eau he
secured.
The chief features of the schools, how
ever, which have received the attention Of
this department, and ia respect af which
the recommendations above cited have not
been complied with, are the heating and
ventilation and the privy accommodations.
The system of heating and ventiiating
wiici. las been for years in general use
ttEe so-called Snead SYSTEM is not, in the
judgment Of this department, satisfactory
The air supply is deficient 10 moisture. and
rooms.
Back drafts occur, which, while oct
rimental to proper ventilation at all times,
arc absolutely DANCE rous when the ventil,l:-
ing system is connected with the privy
vaults. as is the case in many of the school
buildings now in use.
I'm those which have been erected since
the recent appointment of a COMMITTEES
by the Commissioners TO investigate the
heating and ventilation of school ih::ltl- |
Igs, this system of vaults has been aEaa-
dcned aud the water closets, which We're |
introduced in the place thereof. are pra'ti- |
cally separated from the general syst en- |
Of ventilation of the rest Of the building. |
AnG it has been recommended by this Le- |
partmeBt, March 19, / S97, that steps lie |
taken looking toward the replacement |
IF all such vaults by properly reconstructed |
water closets, 1t is earnestly hoped tI,at |
his Recommendation can be carried @ut |
without delay"