The record-union., 1899-06-15
BATHs IN PUBL1C SCHOOLS.
An Interesting Experiment Now
Being Made I'm Boston.


True to tradition, Boston takes the
initiative In advancing new ideas in the
schoolroom especially, and we'll does
she look after the comfort and welfare
OF the little ones, more particularly Of
the foreign born children in our midst.
It was a wise and happy thought In
building the new Paul Revere School
to fit up the basement for the purpose
of bathing, and there to establish a
system whereby cleanliness can go
hand in hand with study.
The innovation is entirely novel. and
nowhere else in this country has the
experiment been tried or even sug-
gested. 1t Is Boston idea and meets
with the cordial approval Of every
teacher and every mother.
An interesting visit to the school dis
closed the fact that the children them
selves are eagerly anticipating the
weekly shower bath, and undoubtedly
the first squad will start in to-mor-
row.
Mrs. Norah Cochrane, the matron, is
a motherly, gentle. sweet-faced woman
who will inspire the children with un-
limited confidence, as the trial trip may
have some terrors for the uninitiated
Mrs. COchrane is a comely widow with
eight children, five of whom attend the
Paul Revere School, so that her inter-
ests are many. These bathrooms are
In the basement, the girls on the right,
the boys on the opposite side, and in
no way connected. That for the girls
is fitted in a more elaborate manner.
and each of the thirty who will battle
at one time has a little room with
seat and hooks for her clothing. The
floors are of Slated wood
Along one side of the room are the
fifteen shower baths, wide enuogh for
two girls to stand together. They are
built of white marble, yet will not be
cold to the touch by any means, and
every care will be taken to prevent
the children from taking cold. Each
shower bathroom is screened off from
the main room by a rubber curtain,
and is fitted with up-to-date tubes and
nozzles, so that the shower can be
turned on in any direction and the
temperature OF the water changed au-
tomatically.
Mrs. Cochrane expects to bathe $50
girls a day, taking thirty at a time.
Each girl has her own towel and her
own soap, furnished of course. by the
school. The bathers will be selected
by the teachers day by day, and dur
ing the lesson hours. While there is
nothing compulsory about it, and it is
not expected that all will care to in
dulge at first, it seems to be the pre-
vailing wish and hope among the
teachers that the bath will appeal and
become popular
The boys room is arranged very diff
ferently. 1t is large, and. like the girls.
lighted by electricity. Along two sides
are benches and rows of hooks above
them for their clothing. At one end,
sunken a foot or SO, is the shower bath,
where a score of boys can stand and
receive the spray. Janitor' Mahoney
will attend to their case, and he an
ticipates a. lively time.
There is no doubt about the boys
taking kindly to this mode of bathing.
but the girls feel trif1e nervous over
it, and Mrs. Cochrane will have to ex-
ercise some of her persuasive powers
in administering the initial shower
bath. After that she feels that it will
be plain sailing, and her hands will be
full-Boston Pest