Evening star., 1898-11-02
FORMAL TRANSFER
New Building of Industrial Home
School Accepted.
COMMISSIONER WIGHT'S ADDRESS
Officials Pleased With the Work
of Construction.
S K E TCH OF EDIFICE
ETCH OF FICE

4
turned over to the District by the contrac-
| tors, Pavarini & Greer
The ceremonies attending the transfer of
the building were simple throughout, con-
sisting of a thorough inspection of the
structure, followed by its acceptance, while
later in the afternoon MIR. John B. Wight,
president of the board of District Commits
s1oners. made a short address to the pupils
now quartered in the old buildings of the
| institution.
Among those present at the exercises
We're: District Commissioners Wight and
Beach,. Inspector of Buildings Brady ana
the assistant Inspector, Mr. Snowden Ash
| ford: the superintendent of charities Mr..
| Herbert w. Lewis; Mr.. Douglass represent
lng the board of childrens guardians; Mr..
j. Ormond Wilson, president of the Indus
| trial Home School; Mr. James b. Nourse
the vice president; Mrs. Huldah w. Black
ford. secretary, and the trustees-Wiliam
b. GCrley, Bernard 7. Janney, Mrs. Emily
l.. Nourse. j. B. T. Tupper, DIR. Thomas
| b. Hold and Mrs. James NJ. Flint. This
party OF visitors was met al the home by
Miss Kate b. Barlow, the superintendent,
and by the contractors.
The Structure Satisfactory.
Every detail entering into the construc-
ton OF the new building was inspected ant!
the Commissioners and home officials ex-
pressed themselves delighted with TIE
structure. The work of designing the
building was intrusted by Inspector Brady
to Mr.. Ashford, tho labOred untiringly to
have it conform to the ideas of those inter
ested IN the home.
After inspecting the new building from
basement to third story the party ad-
journed TO the old building, where al, the
pupils of the school, about one hundred in
number, were gathered in class room
The children sang patriotic and domestic
songs. concluding with 'America.' Then
commissioner Wight made a few remarks,
telling tie children they must appreciate
their new home, study hard and become
| useful men and women in the world.
The average age OF the pupils at present
in the school is ten years. The children
are taught such industries as housekeeping g
in all its branches, sewing, wood working,
Horticulture. gardening and farming. l. is
the intention Of the trustees to add still
other industries to the list with the in
creased facilities offered In the new build
ing
One of the most Interesting scholars at
the industrial school is a little Cuban boy
eight years OF age, who came from the
island to Camp Wikoff with some of Uncle
Sans soldiers. and finally made his way to
Washington, where he found a home at the
institution. He is fast learning the English
language and the Yankee game of marbles,
at which he is becoming so proficient to
best some of his American playmates.
The New Building.
In July. 1897. work was begun in the Of
flee of the inspector of buildings on the
plans and specifications for the new build
ing. The preliminary plans were complet4d j
in August. 1897, and submitted to the board
of trustees of the Industrial Home School
for suggestions and recommendations The
II spector Of buildings recommended that
the work be pos stponed until spring, the
demolition of the old building and unfin-
ished condition of the new work would eX-
pose the occupants to the inclement wealth
er OF the winter with no means of heating
the Euildngs. In the meantime the board
of trustees retained the plans and carefully
considered the arrangement and size of the
rooms and improvements in the heating ap-
paratus. In December, 1897, the plans were
revised to meet the wishes of the board.
ard April 16 a contract was made with
Pavarini & Greer, for $254G0, to complete
the building within six months from April
10, 1895
basement, and the general character of the
design conforms to the present structure,
with a tendency to the colonial" in de-
tails. The front facade is ornamented by
two octagonal towers for bell and clock,
and broad two-story porch extends nearly
across the front. The building is 55 feet
by 30 feet, of hard red brick. The base
ment contains a gymnasium 1872 feet by
4212 feet; play room, 20 feet by GO feet;
| swimming pool, room and pool, 1872 feet by
% feet; vegetable cellar, coal vault and tool
loom.
The Several Floors.
The first floor will be occupied by a dining
room u feet by 601a feet; serving pantry
and kitchen, IS feet by 81 feet; small Of
flee bows clothing room, 1872 feet by 20
feet, over and connected by stairway to
the swimming pool Immediately below The
same floor will contain reading room, 1872
feet by 30 feet; room for games and SER
wants dining room.
The second floor will contain sewing
room, parlor indus rial room, three bath
rooms and nine rooms for matrons and
| teachers and others employed on the place.
Tha third story will contain a dormitory
| for boys 251a feet by 90 feet, and connected
| Herewith two rooms for attendants; also
| linen closets and water closets.
A little more than One-half of the third
| story is taken up by the hospital, which is
entirely shut off from the balance of the
| building by an inclosed stairway separate
| from the main stairs. The hospital space is
| divided into four large rooms and four bath
| rooms, medicine room, linen closets and
| nurses rooms giving one room for boy sus-
| poets and one for girls and large ward for
! boys and one for girls. The ceilings are
very high and each room is ventilated
| through the roof and has ample light.
The stairways will be constructed of iron
| with slate treads and inclosed by and sup
| ported on brick walls the entire height. 1t
| is to be regretted that the building could
| not have beea made more secure against
| any further expenditure in that direction,
| and the fire-proof stairs should offer ample
| protection to the inmates.
improvements Introduced.
A small balance Of the appropriation was
| left after the contract for the main building
was made, and plans were prepared by the
inspector of buildings for improvements in
the steam heating apparatus. The improve
ments necessitated- the rebuilding of the
boiler house. which was removed to the
east of the present building to take advan-
tage of the natural grade and obtain a prop
er fall of the return pipes. A contract was
made July 2S 1898, with the same contract
ors to build the boiler house and make
changes in the heating apparatus for $2,640,
the work being completed within the same
time as the main 3building.
The boiler house is 34l2 feet by ~ feet.
with a brick stack 81 feet high. One new
boiler will be installed in addition to the
present boilers, making three boilers, and
increasing thecapacity more than one-third.
Provision is also made to remove the Old
boiler now used to supply power to the
workshop from the main building to the
new boiler house, thereby removing the
possibility of fire or damage from this
source.