The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-10
WEEK OF HOLIDAYS
TUPILs OF SCHOOLS TO HAVE TINE
TO ENJOY MERRY CHRISTMAS.
THE BOARD Is GENEROUS.
FROM FRIDAY, DEC. 20, TO MON
DAY, DEC. 30, NO SESSIONS.

New Years Day Will Also BE "a HoI-
idny-IncIement Weather Decreas-
ed Attendance at Meeting of Board
of EducatIOn-Presiden Mercer
Pleased With Fire Drill ut Chat
ham Academy-Large Increase in
the City-PrevaIence of Scnrlet
Fever Cases Receiving Attention
of School Authorities.
The pupils of the public schools of
the city and county will have rather
more than week in which to enjoy to
the full the festivities of merry Christ
mas. When the schools are dismissed
on the afternoon of Friday, Dec. 90
the pupils will leave their desks and
books until the morning of Monday,
Dec. 30. New Years Day will also be
a holiday.
This action was decided upon at the
meeting of the Board of Education held
last night 1t was an off night with
the board, the very inclement weather
decreasing the usual full attendance,
and beyond designating the duration
of the Christmas holidays but little
business was transacted
President George A. Mercer presided
at the meeting, and there We're pres
ent in addition Col. j. II. Estill, chair
man of the board Capt. Henry Blum,
LeeRoy Myers, Esq, S. b. Adams, Esq,
and DIR. NJ. +. Dunn.
off ion
which provided that the pupils of the
schools shall be given a full weeks
holiday at Christmas, and it was
adopted. The report of the superinten-
dent asked that action by the board
be taken on this matter, as it's rules
do not provide when the Christmas
holidays shall begin and terminate,
and it is necessary to take separate
and definite action each year. Under
the resolution adopted by the board an
especially generous share of time for
holiday fun-making has been allowed
the pupils of the schools and that
they will enjoy their freedom from the
duties of the class room to the full
there is no room for doubt.
President Mercer reported that since
the last meeting of the board he had
visited the two grammar schools hous-
ed in Chatham Academy, during which
visit he had enjoyed an opportunity to
watch the fire drill of the pupils. He
expressed himself as having been great
ly pleased by what he had seen. The
fire drill is a somewhat new institu-
ton in the Savannah schools.
The comparative statement of the en-
rollment of pupils in the white schools
of the city, contained in the report of
Supt Ashmore, showed that there were
now in these schools 4,274 pupils, an
increase of 421 over the enrolment at
the corresponding period last year. The
increase represents practically the en-
rollment of one full grammar school.
The scarlet fever, now somewhat
prevalent here, as well as elsewhere
throughout the state. is receiving the
attention of the school authorities. On
this subject. Supt. Ashmore made the
following statement:
Il regret to report that quite a num-
ber of cases of scarlet fever have APP
peared in the city, and while the dis
ease is by no means epidemic, my ap-
prehensions that it might seriously af-
feet our schools have been somewhat
aroused Every possible precaution is
taken to prevent the development of
the disease in the school and it's
spreading throughout the city. Chill
dren who have been exposed are
promptly excluded until proper Off
cial medical authority assures me that
no danger will attend the return of
such children to the schools. Aside
from the scarlet fever, the health of
the school children is progressing in
a very satisfactory manner"
The board declined to grant an ap-
plication for the use of room in the
Henry Street School for the purpose
of teaching drawing. as it is against
the rules of the board to permit the
use of the rooms in the public school
buildings by private teachers for pur-
poses of private instruction.