Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-12
CONTINUE SCHOOL FOR DEAF
State Board of Control Sets at Rest All
Doubts on that Point.
TEMPORARY BUILDINGS TO Be ERECTED
Graduating CInss and Larger Pupils
to Remain to Close of Present
Term and the Little Ones
to he sent Home.
TEMPORARY BUILDINGS TO BE- ERECTED

The emphatic statement Of Judge Kline
and Hon. John Cownie of the State Board
Of Control Saturday that the Iowa School
for the Deaf would be continued at its
present location as il nothing had hap
pened dispelled the alarm felt in this city
that the great loss by fire Friday might
result in the institution being removed
to another part Of the state. Arrange
ments are already being made for con-
tinuing the school until the close Of tho
school year on June 30, and the board de-
clared in positive terms yesterday that
everything would be In readiness when the
new year opened on October 1 to receive
all the deaf and dumb children of the state
at the institute as heretofore.
Judge Kline and Hon. John Cownie OF
the Board Of Control, accompanied by Ii.
+. Libbe, state architect, arrived in the
city yesterday noon and after partaking OF
luncheon were at once driven out to the
school by Superintendent Rothert. Repre-
sentative ]. II. jerks came in with them
from Avoca, and with State Senator A. 8.
Hazelton of this city accompanied the party
to the institute.
After examining the ruins of the burned
buildings and consulting with Architect
Libbe and superintendent Rothert the
board made this statement:
THE school will be continued right here
as If nothing had happened until the close
of the school year on June 80, and We
expect to have everything In readiness to
receive all the deaf and dumb of the state
of Iowa eligible to be educated at this
institution by the opening of the new
school year on October 1. This statement
is made by the board with all emphasis
possible. We have authorized Superintend-
ent Rothert to make the necessary repairs
in the kitchen and to convert the present
laundry building into a temporary dining
room, also to have established at once all
the necessary toilet rooms. Bids for the
wrecking of the burned buildings will be
advertised for at once, as we deem it neces-
sary to raze the walls to the second story,
at least. as soon as possible, they evil
IDENTIFY being unsafe.
I'VE expect to keep the school open until
June 80, retaining the members Of the
graduating class and the elder pupils. The
smaller children will be sent to their
homes as soon as transportation can be
arranged for and their parents notified.
This will probably take rec Of four days.
We expect to retain about 100 pupils in
the school until the close of the school
year, as this number can be easily accom-
modated and provided for.
Money for Emergency.
"The board will go before the executive
committee Monday and ask its assistance.
We hope to secure what money is available
in the providential fund, as 1t Is known,
to erect temporary buildings with. Our
plan is to erect substantial frame buildings
4.~- a., hafuhN for dnTmlfnripa
for the pupils, which can be readily lighted
and heated by the institute plants, and
these will suffice until the buildings de-
stroyed by fire can be replaced by modern,
up-to-date, freproof buildings. How soon
this can be accomplished we cannot at this
time state or even predict. The converting
| Of a special session of the legislature to
provide an appropriation for this purpose
rests with the governor. The next session
Of the legislature will not be held until
January, 1904, but we believe that the tenn
porary buildings will suffice until then.
In any event, supposing the board had the
nancy TO at once m rebuilding, IL
would be nearly two years before the work
Of constructing such buildings as the board
proposes to erect here could be completed.
I'VE are determined that the school shall
90 on uninterruptedly, as far as possible
and measures have already been taken 10
secure bedsteads and bedding, and all the
necessary supplies to keep the institution
going. Fortunately the board had con-
tracted for a large number OF bedsteads Tor
the HOSPITALS at Cherokee, which are not
needed yet, and they can be shipped to
Council Bluffs at once. The same applies
( to mattresses. Steps will be taken at once
TO supply the pupils with needed clothing"
Judge Kline and Mr.. Cownie spoke in the
highest terms of praise of the teachers
and officers Of the institution, who aban-
doned all efforts to save their W belong
ings and Instead did everything In their
mower to assist the children from the
building and then aided in saving the eff
/ fects of the pupils and fighting the flames.
They said their investigations showed that
the teachers and officers had lost all OF
their personal effects and that they favored
reimbursement for their losses by the state,
but this was a matter over which they had
no control, but would have to be done by
act Of the Legislature.
New Contracts with Teachers.
The board before leaving the institute
last evening authorized Superintendent
Rothert to make the contracts will the
teachers for the next year the same as If
the disaster had not occurred.
Judge Kline. Mr.. Cownie and Architect
Libbe returned to Des Moines last evening.
Mr.. Libbe. the state architect, said the
burned buildings would be replaced by
modern. up-to-date structures on an en-
tlrely different plan. While the buildings
destroyed were worth about $3.50 900, he
said that probably $3.50, 900 to $500, 600 would
be the cost OF the new ones. He said 'the
Board OF Control and the state generally
nave entered on a policy of erecting moth
ing but hre-proof buildings and such build
ings as are contemplated TO be erected here
will cost S35O,OOO to $500, 900 and possibly
more. The buildings destroyed were old.
poorly constructed and not at all fitted for
the purpose for which they were intended.
They were brick structures, but all Of the
interior work was wood. Had It been a
hre-proof building 1t might have been
saved, but II was erected a great many
years ago, before the days of hre-prooi
buildings"
Nothing remained yesterday morning OF
the burned buildings but the bare and
charred walls. portions Of which seemed In
imminent danger Of collapsing at any mo-
ment, Ropes were stretched at a safe dis
lance all around the ruins TO keep the chill