Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-22
Iowa School for the Deaf

ings in Gil, water color and crayon, all the
work OF pupils of the institution Both the
Office and sleeping apartment of the su-
perintcndent is connected by telephone with
every department and building of the
school, so that he can be called or con
suited IL necessary at any time of the day
or night. The Office in which the valuable
records of the institution kept is pro-
tected by a burglar alarm system
The basement or first story of the central
portion OF the main building Is divided into
two large rooms designed and used as play
rooms, one for the boys and the other for
the girls. The means adopted to protect the
building and inmates against fire are ex
tensive. On each floor there are two stand
pipes with valves and hose attached, lead
ing water direct from the reservoir on the
hill, which affords ample pressure. In ad-
dition there are two immense csterns ad-
jacent to the buildings with pumps able to
throw a powerful stream on the building If
required. Every room in the building has
electric light and steam heat. Underneath
the entire structure a tunnel runs from east
to west with an outside opening allowing
pure fresh air to penetrate every space
within It's confines
Immediately in the rear of and adjoining
1890, in which are located the pupils dining
room and the large chapel The entire
lower floor. seventy by eghty-five feet, is
assigned as pupils dining room, access to
which is had by doors on the east and west
sides, as well as by Railways leading direct
from the boys and girls play rooms. The
same system of steam heat, gas and electric
light prevails here as elsewhere. The chapel
on the second floor is seventy feet long,
fifty feet wide and twenty five feet high.
An elevated platform or stage covers the
center of the south wall, while a long gal
lery runs the entire width on the norlh
side, thus affording all facilities for a large
convenient audience room. On the walls
to be seen the following notices in large
letters: Honesty" Integrity" Economy
Industry" Energy" This chapel is used
as the assembly room of the institution and
frequently here the superintendent assem-
bes the pupils of an evening and talks to
them. Here the commencement exercises
are held and on Sunday the regular religious
services.
Library and Museum.
The space remaining between the chapel
and the main building is divided into COM
modious rooms for library reading room,
museum board room, superintendents main
Office and bookkeeper's office. In the museum
is a fine collection Of stuffed birds and speci-
meats Of minerals. In the library there are
5000 well selected volumes, neatly bound,
and their condition shows the care with
which the pupils handle them. Adjoining
the library is coZy reading room The
pupils are allowed to procure books from the
library on Wednesday and Saturday nights
and on Sundays. In the library also can
be seen specimens in glass cases of beautiful
embroidery, the work of pupils and samples
of shoes manufactured by the boys, ranging
from the dainty patent leather slipper fit to
grace the foot OF the first lady Of the land
to the heavy boot of the ploughman. On
the walls are the group photographs # every
graduating class since the institution was
founded.
Above these roCns and in rear of the
gallery, in the third story of the building
are four large sleeping apartments for Of
ticers of the institution.
Immediately in rear of the pupils dining
room Is situated the kitchen. 1t Is two
story building, containing on the first floor
two pantries, steam room and kitchen
proper. The floor is of cement, the ceiling
of corrugated iron and the walls plastered.
Two dumb walters lead from this floor TO the
three rooms above, used respectively for
helps dining room, officers and teachers
dining rooms and the superintendent s
private dining room. The laundry, at the
rear of the kitchen, is large two-and- "a half
story building, with basement or cellar be-
low. Here are placed the five large boilers
which supply the steam for heat and power.
On the first floor is the laundry proper, d.