Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-11-28
COMMUNICATED.
FIRE ESCAPES.

Permit one, who, though not now a
resident of Alexandria, feels the deep
est interest in her welfare, and es-
Ipecially in her children, to speak to her
people. and especially to the members
Of the School Boafd, with reference TO
the proposed erection of a fire escape on
the Peabody building. He cannot but
think that those who proposed it had
failed to look at the matter in all its
bearings. There is really no danger
whatever in a fire which would en-
danger life in the present situation;
there is danger Of panic, and in
panic, the remedy proposed for danger
from fire would prove far worse than
any fire which could possibly occur in
the daytime. The building is warmed
by stoves; should burning Goals, by
any chance, fall upon floor, they would
be at once observed and bucket of
water would extinguish them. AT
night. Of course, there may be danger
from overheating, but then nobody is
there. Now, a little smoke, from any
cause, might create a panic among
timid little girls, and, should they rush
to the fire escape, / shudder to think of
the consequences of their attempting to
descend it to the street. Years ago, the
ascent Of burning piece of paper past
the register of a room in New York
public school caused a little girl to
scream "fire" and before the teachers
could intervene, all the children
rushed to a staircase over their
Fairgrounds basement paved with
stone. Hearing the rush, panic seized
the children in the other rooms and from
all of them except one the teacher of
which gained the door first and prevent
ed the exit of her precious charge, they
rushed also to the stair case "a stone one
with iron ratings, as well as remember)
and broke the rails on the top landing,
falling four or five stories OH hard stones.
The disaster was so dreadful that its con-
sequences, the terrible death of many
children, filled the whole country with
sympathetic sorrow.
But bow is apanic to be avoided? In
a very simple manner. Years ago, when
there was drug store in the first story
of the building and consequently real
danger, the then City Superintendent Of
Schools devised simple protective in
the form of a fire drill. The children
were told by their teachers that fire
might, at some time, occur and that to
prevent them from being frightened, they
would be trained in the manner of get
ting out quickly, should it be at any
time necessary. Their training was
this: A large bell was unexpectedly
and Immediately the mon
itors, previously appointed, walked
quickly to their posts upon the
stair cases and, at signal
from the teachers, all the girls filed
rapidly out and descended the stairs
in a walk--a quick one of course. This
brill was given irregularly; sometimes
TWO or three times in month; at other
times not for a month or so, and
he children got to look upon it as sort
If play and would not have been at all
had the school-house been
-eally on fire. The time occupied in
getting all the children on the pavement
vas. | think, about three minutes-the
lies of the Gazette will show. Some
lines they came down without q
heir bonnets, &C.: when they were 7
directed to hiring them down '
With them, the time was doubled. Grad 4
Tally the fear of fire among the people '
ubsided and the drills ceased; II they are g
'egun again the same result will follow, b
specially if the back staircase is extend o
d to the fourth story, as it might be at b
comparatively small expense. b
Az OLD ALEXANDRIA,. f